Life full of surprise — 17 years in the making!
Veronika from Sweden.
Stepping back 17 years, in the town of Beresford, South Dakota, in America, I was introduced to a bright-eyed, blonde 19-year-old Swedish girl, who was planning on spending a year in South Dakota as part of an exchange program.
We developed a bond due to our mutual love of horses. The next three months were filled with days of driving to rodeos, horses shows, and many laughs. A wonderful friendship developed. As life would have it, Veronika’s time was cut short and she had to return to Sweden early in the fall. It seemed one day she was with us, and in a few short hours, she was gone. We said goodbye, making promises we would meet again.
Our vow to meet was in progress when her in-laws planned a vacation to Italy for 2017.
WE MEET AGAIN in Italy!
We accomplished our reunion in the town of Volterra, Italy. I got a chance to meet her entire family – the in-laws as well as Veronika’s lovely family, consisting of her husband Martin and two children (son and daughter). It may have been 17 years between times we were together, but it was like we had never been apart. We rekindled many, many fond memories from our South Dakota time together and then pieced together the 17-year gap with tales of our individual adventures.
The setting was a beautiful villa just outside of the town of Volterra Itay.
We managed a short trip to San Gimignano, a town nestled in the rolling hills of Tuscany. After eating lunch of the typical dishes of the area, we strolled through the streets. I got to show off a bit as I know San Gimignano well from accompanying many groups to the area.
Lunch with Martin, Veronika, and her Mother and Father in law. Truly a great experience!
It was a lovely day filled with nostalgia from the past, and the surprises that the future may bring. Those many years ago, it was hard to imagine that we would meet again, and how, when our paths finally did cross, could we have ever known they would cross in such a beautiful area in Tuscany, Italy! With a promise to meet again!
Dream it. Plan it. Do it. Dream Big!
It is true the Swedish people are blonde, beautiful, and tall! Not to mention great fun!
Standing next to Italian Piaggio Ape.
Flowers in bloom among the majestic time tested towers of San Gimignano.
