From Paper to Person:

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From Paper to Person

• A European Blitz

By Christina Struik clstruik_at_yahoo.ca LIBR
500 Foundations of Information Technology
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• I write pen pals around the world
• Many live in Europe
• In September 2004 I left Vancouver to visit
  family and meet some of my pen pals for the very
  first time

Christina at YVR airport, Richmond
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First Stop Leiden, Holland

• Home of
• Uncle Rudi
• Artist
• Aunt Kitty
• Professor of Art History

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From Leiden to Rotterdam

• Home of
• Patricia and family
• A Polish pal, Iza, also joined us in Rotterdam

Patricia (pink) and Christina (blue,
center) with Patricias family
Christina, Patricia, and Iza in a Dutch café
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What did I like best about Rotterdam?

• The Bridges!!

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Did I mention the bridges?
And
the super-cool library
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From Rotterdam to Isselburg, Germany

• Isselburg is on the border of Germany and Holland

My pal, Andrea, lives here

• It is farm country

Meet Andrea and her man, Yoachim
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Following the sun
I took the Eurail down to Spain
To Cataluña and the Costa Brava
My French (and Spanish)-speaking pal, Allende,
and her little brother, Manel, welcome me to
their home in Perthus
Allendes house is center-right, with a white car
in front
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What did we do?

• We saw the fabulous Teatre Museu Dalí
• The art of Salvador Dalí

• We visited the ruins of the Fort de Bellegarde
• A French castle/fort from Roman times

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Some Spanish Highlights
Real cork trees
Preying mantises
Goats on the farm
Proud Canadians
Home-made paella
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Then the long voyage

• By train to the southern coast of Italy
• By boat to Greece
• By train to Athens

Check the size of this Greek boat!
Welcome to Athens
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Wonderful Greece

• The people
• The architecture

Christis family
The library!
My pal, Christi
Classic sight A pretzel stand
The National Guard
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There was much fun to be had
Dining at a tavern
Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea
Being twins for one night at a club
Finding land turtles
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Finally

• The very long voyage back to Holland, then
  Vancouver

The End.
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thank-you to Wide Mouth Mason for letting me
use their song
BIG
A
I love this band!
Youve been listening to Shes Alone from the
2000 album Stew
Wide Mouth Masons Shaun Verreault and Christina,
Sep 2005