I cannot pretend my journey started on leaving Argentina
It really started three years earlier when I joined the WWWCoF invited by Sharon.
The first idea the Circle had to meet up was on a cruiser, an idea that met with alot of enthusiasm, and I was determined to be a part of this.

Then one day, Marie Duquette of Tilbury, Ontario in Canada offered her home to us and the idea of a Circle Reunion was really born. We worked at this for over a year... at first it was to be June, then it was changed to July, and a date was finally set, 16-18th July. I knew I really, really wanted to be in on this, but the situation in Argentina didn't permit me to save.

A couple of other members in my city got together during our summer of 2004 (Jan and Feb here) and helped me design and make the Reunion Banner, and I was given the Recreations Committee, and started planning games contests etc.

But as plans increased, so did my enthusiasm, but I wasn't adding to my meagre savings. The Circle stepped in and started buying my little book, and Leo, my husband, seeing my determination was real, stepped in also and found the means to pay for my flight.

Towards the end of March I finally had my ticket, and soon after began to wonder what I was up to. The days literally flew by, I had moments of misgivings and others of feeling good, and times of genuine "cold feet". But I also realised that this whole thing was based on mutual trust and respect without any of us having met yet. This was more than likely due to the fact that from the beginning we didn't hide behind strange names or feel the need to pretend to be anyone other than ourselves, as often happens in the Internet.

The day finally came for me to travel. I had packed an assortment of gifts, both homemade and bought, two hundred pens with the Circle details, 100 badges and a couple of Awards, into two bags and Leo and I took a special 15 person bus from Mar del Plata to the International airport of Buenos Aires, five hours away by road. Thats where the fun started at Buenos Aires Airport

The flight arrived at Washington DC at 7 in the morning of the 15th. Due to the holdups, I just reached my connection flight in time. We arrived a few minutes early in Detroit, but we all just had to sit there in the stationary plane while those minutes passed and we were finally allowed to get off. Being a domestic flight, very few people had to go through baggage claim, which was the place chosen for me to be met.
Down the steps I went, thinking there would be people milling around and I'd have to lookout for a group in red shirts. I heard someone say,"There she is" and the first person I saw was Claudia. Then Sharon, Pat, Marie, Garnet,Maxine Kendra, Drew and lastly Chelsea..... who was filming it all!!

We all went in our "Reunion Chariot" as our bus was already known, and joined the long queue to cross a stretch of water to get into Canada and so to Marie's home. We all had a KFC lunch and then I was taken the 26 Km. to Chatham for a welcome shower and a nap. For supper we finished up the chicken and I was shown to my new home, a caravan... oops! mobil home, in the grounds.

On the Friday the 16th, I woke up feeling world's better and went off to look for a very basic element... water, as there was none in the caravan, and I didnt want to disturb those in the house. Later, Patsi, Sharon and I went for a walk to see the town of Tilbury, a very pretty town with lovely houses and well kept gardens

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We all had lunch at the Veterans Legion club, where we were well recieved and presented Sharon with a gold bracelet from the whole Circle. As well as everyone who met me in Detroit, Liz was there, so was Patsi, Shirley, Irv and Theresa, and several more whose names I didn't catch. We were also interviewed by the local Newspaper.... and oh Goodness! we made front page news in the issue a few days later!!! Supper that night was at a Chinese restaurant.

the Saturday 17th dawned raining. We all went to the Underground Railway Museum, which wasn't a railway at all but an escape route to freedom for black slaves. The book I was given, "A Road to Somewhere" was signed by some of the author's family.

In the afternoon we all got ready for a party and games. More people came, and they planned a buffet meal. First we had a boxing match in the ring set up, Sharon Greene vs. Patsi "Major Brat" Duquette - that was a good laugh, and as I couldn't possible have taken sides, I was the referee!

We also had games, contests, including the Limerick Contest, and a surprise 15th birthday party for Chelsea which went very well, where she was given 15 blue candles from different members. This is a slight change in the Argentine tradition where the birthday girl usually gives out 15 candles and says why the recievers are important to her.

Presents were given out all round, and I felt I had won the lottery!!
Sunday 18th July

Everyone's bags were piled into "my" caravan. Claudia said a brief thankyou service... we all really did have a lot to be thankful for. Then we presented Marie and Garnet with their award

followed by an award for our driver Pat         >         
Liz had to leave us there.
During the afternoon we set off in our chariot to Niagara where Pat lived. We met all her family there, and her hubby made us bbq hamburgers. There was an unfortunate bit of an accident, when the hot bbq lid broke away and fell on Kendra's leg giving her a nasty burn on the knee, but she will be alright in a few days.

We all walked down and saw the fireworks over the Niagara Falls. WOW! We all slept in a suite for 8 with three addition beds added..... and just the one bathroom! But we managed fine.

On the Monday, after a leisurely brakfast. Shopping seemed the order of the day, and I was hoping we'd get to see the Falls again before we had to leave. That happened later in the afternoon, and some of us Patsi, Drew, Chelsea and Kendra, went on The Maid of the Mist trip. That was spectacular!!

Then we headed back to Tilbury and it seemed we would never arrive, but finally got there after midnight. It was very hot that day. We shared all the sleeping spaces in the mobil homes.

Tuesday 20th

We started out fairly early for Indiana and had breakfast on e the Canadian side before crossing over in the States, It was along journey and it was very hot. We went straight to our hotel and had a shower. later we went for supper at the Essenhaus Amish restaurante, where we were met by Karen(Taz), Floyd, Lois and Bruce.

It was a delightful meal, and afterwards we all went to Karen's house, and they showed us all their crafts, beautiful dolls and angels in crochet dresses and fiberglass lighting, deer (or was it elk?)horns carved into flying eagles. It was all lovely, so were the people.

Wednesday 21st

We spent the morning in the Shipshewana flea market. It was a hot sunny day. There was lots of good bargains there, but not much I could safely buy to take home to Argentina with me. In the afternoon we moved on again , this time to Michigan and the home of Ruth and George. It took us a while to find their house, and a call was put out to George to come and find us. they gave us a very nice supper, and we talked alot, then we were distributed to sleep in a caravan, a guest hut in the living room, whatever. There was a storm during the night, that cleared the air a little but left everything hot and steamy. We had a late breakfast on the Thursday and chatted some more out on the deck.

Then, around midday we again left for Tilbury. I forgot to ask how many kilometers/miles we had chalked up together, but it must have been a lot. I have just been informed it was 3000!!

Friday 23rd

Well, this adventure is coming to an end. it is now the turn of Pat, Claudia, Chelsea and Drew to leave us in the bus and return to their respective homes. It sure has been lovely meeting them all, and we are all abit sad to see them go. After wards I was taken to visit a Walmarts, at last. Everyone had always said what a great shopping place that was, so I was curious to see for myself. Unfortunately, this one was moving, so it wasn't fully operating. But we did get our photos done, while we explored the rest of the store and the nearby Dollar store. After supper, Patsi, took us to see the sunset on one of the lakes

add pic Saturday 24th

The town of Tilbury has yard sales everywhere! This really was a shop-till-you-drop excursion! I spent a whole 75 cents on a couple of interesting items, but again there wasn't much I could buy that I could safely take home with me. When asked at one place if there was anything I saw that I fancied, I said "Yes, it's right next door" They all looked and saw the house for sale. Later I learnt my chosen house had a pool. it was Sharon and Marie who bought most things.
In the afternoon we went to a campout of Marie's friends to share a potluck meal and listen to C&W music. We took along Argentine Mazzamora and Dulce de Leche (milk jam)as our contribution.

Sunday 26th:

We had to get up early as Sharon and Kendra were leaving to return home to Paradise Island. they had seven large pieces of luggage between them. Well, we took them to Windsor airport and all said our emotional goodbyes..... they didn't seem to want to go! We didn't want them to go.

We stopped for a big breakfast on the way back to Tilbury, and all decided we should have a day taking it easy. So I started my own packing. In the evening, Patsi took me to see the sunset over another of the lakes

On the Monday and Tuesday, my last days with Marie, Garnet and Patsi, we did some shopping and went to visit Maxine's home in Chatham. somehow it just wasn't the same now all our friends had left.
Tueday night, Ruby, our travelling Mascot

was handed over to me, to spend a time in Argentina. She will visit all the Circle members in Mar del Plata, before having her next port of call decided.

Wednesday 28th July: Time for me to leave my friends in Tilbury. Marie and Garnet took me into Detroit airport, with plenty of time to spare. But my flight was changed from United to Northwest and I had to board an airport bus to take me to another terminal, so our goodbyes were hurried, and I was sorry about that, but there was nothing we could do.

Well....... This was the end of my stay with the Circle though I spent a few more days with a life long penpal I had known since we were eight, in West Virginia. On the whole, the Reunion was a very positive experience, oh there were moments when one or other felt overwhelmed and confused, but for the most part we got along extremely well. For me, they were as if I had always known them, I felt comfortable in their company, they were as I had imagined they would be, but I repeat, we hadn't hidden behind fancy names, nor had we ever pretended to be someone different on-line than we are in real life. Canada is a country with a good standard of living and education, its people are friendly, open, organized.... this could be seen in the roads, the houses, the gardens..... I am glad this Reunion took place and I am happy to have been able to be a small part of it.

Read all about Sharon's story of the Reunion

Meanwhile, Pat, has put together excellent PHOTO ALBUMS of the whole show

The days I spent in West Virginia started off with my arrival in Pittsburgh Airport where my friend Linda and her husband Doug met me. Their home is beautiful and very comfortable set on a hill with rolling grass land all around, trees and many many colourful birds, squirrels, deer and other wildlife. We visited, Olgebay Glass museum, Olgebay Mansion and Park in Wheeling, and Carnegie Natural History and Arts Museum in Pittsburgh. We saw live music and dancing and ate by the Ohio River.

        
Casually we were right by when President Bush rode past in his caravan of vehicles after his campaigning in Wheeling, and his rival was also in the vecinity. All too soon my time in North America was over and on the 2nd of August we left in plenty of time to get my flight from Pittsburgh Airport. But that flight was cancelled due to a red alert and I was rerouted the next day through Dallas. Luckily my friends had not yet left me and I was able to return with them.