Sunday, April 10, 2011

7 March 2011 ~ A Wonderful Family

I have met and developed relationships with the most incredible people on this journey, three of them being from the Specka family: Miriam, Vesna and Gerwin. Miriam (the little girl in the silver jacket) is one of my second graders at DAIS and I have have become very close to her and her family. Their international story is incredible to this woman who was born and raised in California. Vesna, Miriam's mom, is from Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. When she was in her early twenties her parents sent her to Germany to get away from the shelling of the city during the Yugoslav war. While in Germany she met and married Gerwin Specka, Miriam's father. They soon moved to Mexico, where Miriam was born, a Mexican citizen. They lived in Mexico until Miriam was about six, then they came to China. Miriam speaks Spanish, English, German, her mother's language (Serbian, I think) and a bit of Mandarin. I have loved getting to know this truly international family. We were all mixed with emotions when we heard they they are now off on their next adventure in West Lafayette, Indiana. I will certainly be visiting them when I return to the states!

The Speckas took Sidney and me out to dinner at a beautiful Chinese restaurant in KaiFaQu last weekend. I will truly miss Miriam, Vesna and Gerwin and wish them all the best in their newest adventure in life.

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