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Surfermom
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13-06-2018, 09:26 PM
1

Single Serving Friends

Have you ever met someone on a plane, at a party, etc. whom you only spoke with once but was particularly interesting?

I just flew next to a man who is off to study orangutans in Borneo - overseeing a research team that will be in the jungle rainforests for several weeks. The team will be studying how deforestation issues are affecting the decreasing population, most especially clearing land for palm oil plantations.

Looks like I'll be reading labels to avoid palm oil now

So many fascinating people out there!
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Judd
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13-06-2018, 10:07 PM
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Re: Single Serving Friends

Some years ago on my first visit to Turkey, my wife and I were admiring some of the boats in the harbour and the owner of one invited both of us aboard for a cup of tea and a few Turkish pastries. He told us about how Ataturk (first world war general and later president of Turkey), unified the country after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the slicing up of the country by the allies. He brought Turkey into the 20th century, emancipated women and introduced education for all so the country could compete with others on the world stage. Very interesting.

Sadly, all Ataturk's good work and reforms look like being reversed as the ever increasing Islamification by the new president Recep Erdogan grows even stronger.
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Surfermom
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14-06-2018, 05:16 AM
3

Re: Single Serving Friends

An interesting encounter indeed! How nice off him to offer you not just some hospitality, but a little historical background too. One of the most interesting chance visits I had was when a young couple's car broke down in front of my place and I invited them in to wait. Come to find out, he was a performer in Cirque de Soleil and they were off to Orlando so he could start practice for a new show. Not a lot of history, but he sure had some interesting stories to tell, and he even did a few acrobatic moves to entertain my enthralled kids.
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susan m
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14-06-2018, 07:25 AM
4

Re: Single Serving Friends

I met a lady who became a friend who was abused by her mother and boyfriends , was sent to live with nuns and abused for years until she left at 16 , her life story was heartbreaking but she made a success of her life and worked her way up to be a psychologist and in care of a hospital for folk with mental health problems . She was one truly amazing human being , sadly no longer with us , but her story lives on in my heart .
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14-06-2018, 07:51 AM
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Re: Single Serving Friends

What a remarkable and resilient lady, susanm. I am sure that many people benefitted from her determination and her empathy.
 

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