Sometimes you meet people
and without advanced warning,
your life is changed forever......
You only hope that your heart is open and your spirit is available to receive the experience and the greatness of this kind of opportunity.
This is the story of Yann.
My brother from the other side of the world
but who will forever reside in my soul.
Yann was immediately recognizable as a foreigner.
His English was hard to understand, and in turn, he was confused by the tour guide's questions.
Elise's motherly instinct kicked in and took him under her wing.
I remember her asking him right away, "Where are you from?".
After that initial question, we found out that he was from France, his name was Yann
(pronounced Yawn)
and he was on a year long life adventure to travel the world.
A few bits and pieces of information regarding life, family, and his experiences of sleeping in hostels was relayed back and forth.
Unfortunately, the language barrier was too grand to gap deeper communications.
Elise continued her momma duties by making sure that Yann was not left alone on the tours. She worked her way into bossing him around and thinking she could be his interpreter.
Apparently Yann likes to be told what to do, because he presented Elise with a hand made praline from the Oak Alley plantation.
"A gift for ju"
he said as he laid it in her hand.
HOOK, LINE AND STINKER!!!!
He won her heart and he would forever be her adopted son and in our family for the rest of our lives!
(All it takes is chocolate or wine, and Elise is putty in your hands)
As we were parting ways at the end of the day, Elise offered her phone number to Yann and invited him to have a place to stay and relax if Arizona was along his travels.
Two weeks later, and 'RING, RING!'
"Hello Elise, this is your French friend Yann.
Can I come stay at your home for a day?"
One week after the call, she was picking him up from the Greyhound bus station.
He stayed one night at Elise's home, and visited Chelise's home for a night.
They called me and told of what an amazing time they were having and I told them that they HAD to send him my way.....
"Why not?" Yann replied.
A few emails and texts between Yann and I for arrangements, and two weeks later I was picking him up in downtown SLC!!!!!!
I arrived at 11:30 Friday to share lunch with Yann at the Market Street Grill.
I was impressed by his huge improvement of speaking and understanding English since our first meeting in NOLA.
With a little help of vast hand gestures, precise words, and Google translate, we UNDERSTOOD EACH OTHER!!!!
Our communication became easier as each minute passed and as we learned each others humor.
Laughter is an international language :)
Yann is a fireman in France. He is not married nor has children. He sold his apartment, car and most valuables to prepare for his year of traveling the world. His schedule is 3 months in the US, 3 months in Canada, and 3 months in Japan.
He started his trip in London then flew to NYC. He purchased an unlimited Greyhound pass to get him around the US. Utah was like his 10th stop at this point, and he is just in the beginning of his adventure.
[He is infatuated with the old west stories of America and had hopes of seeing a real cowboy gunfight! He has been sorely disappointed that he has only witnessed actors dressed as cowboys with toy guns!]
After a great lunch of salad, bread and coffee, we took the walking adventure to the Salt Lake LDS Temple.
Yann had many questions about the Mormon culture. He was in awe by the beauty of the Temple and the grounds. We happened on a shitload of photo shoots and wedding parties. I'm pretty sure you can see us in the back ground of random wedding pictures, hunched over and dodging the lens!
Yann was beside himself when he learned of NO:
coffee,
tobacco,
alcohol,
gambling,
and sex before marriage
in the LDS religion.
He couldn't understand why anyone would want to deny themselves of these 'sinful' pleasures.
Europe would collapse without living by this list!!!!
[Yann lives by no religion yet he is very interested in learning about all religions]
After more touring of the city, we came to my house to relax with a glass of wine......
I guess just thinking of a life without alcohol made us both shaky and needed a fix STAT!
Then I remembered I had kids!!!
Oh yes!!!! I have a son that needs to be retrieved from school!!!!
"Hurry Yann!!!
Get in car.
We go get River."
"I look forward to meet River
[he pronounces the 'i' as a long vowel]
and Rrrandy and Jox."
Immediately, there was a bond between Yann and River in their first hand shake.
The four of us [Riv, Yann, me and Daisy] walked around Daybreak lake and enjoyed the sunshine and and Yann's experience of a Utah community. He was impressed with so many active people and families exercising together.
We talked of the American way of life with big houses, overindulgence in food, and everything being on a fast pace.
France encourages relaxing and enjoying the moment.
They do not allow excessive work hours. You must take care of yourself in all aspects.
Yann was dreaming of playing his guitar next to the lake while lounging.
[He often takes his guitar to a park and plays.
People try to give him money and he gives it back to them,
"Please no pay me.
I play for my own pleasure.
I hope you find pleasure in my play too."]
We finished our walk and decided it was time for a drink and a game of pool at the local sports bar.
I ordered us a 'Shock Top' beer and headed for the game room.
Yann grabs my arm and said,
"I hope you ready to lose!"
and backed his statement with a look of competitiveness.
THIS FRENCHMAN HAS NO IDEA WHO HE IS DEALING WITH!!!!!
I am competitive at some things to a fault.....I will go down in blood and tears proving I have the upper hand!!!
I said back to him,
"Well, you will win only because I let you win!"
We laughed and both put on our game faces!
He kicked my ass hardcore!
But he was very patient and kind to River and allowed him to win a couple of games.
[Yann went to the bar to buy us a 2nd beer and the waitress handed him a menu. Yann said,
"No thank you. I not hungry."
The waitress handed it back to him and said that he must order food. Yann replied,
"I no undertand. I no hungry. Thank you."
The waitress explained that when ordering a second drink, Utah law states that you have to have food accompanying the alcohol.
He came back to our table with beer, a basket of chips and a perplexed look on his face. He said,
"Utah make you eat with a drink? I respect law, but I think stupid law. I not hungry so I get chips just for law. If I have 3 beer I have to buy a steak dinner? They make you too full to drink alcohol" LOL!]
The above picture is one of my favorite captured moments.
My new soul brother playing guitar with my son......
be still my heart!
There were many times throughout their time together that made me imagine that these would have been the same type of experiences River and Damon would have shared.
Randy came home from work and the two met for the first time.
Randy was smitten and this was the start of their 'bromance'
[Yann has this effect on all people. He is appreciative of EVERYTHING you do for him, and is respectful of each individual.]
They shared a glass of bourbon together and talked of Yann's travels.
Lisa came to for a visit later that evening.
They have a love of wine and running marathons in common.
Saturday morning we took a drive to Park City.
I had hopes to ride the zip line and Alpine slide.
Unfortunately neither were open for the season so we walked main street and had lunch at Wasatch pub.
Yann was thrilled to see the Olympic ski jumps and flags.
The afternoon went by quickly, and we needed to make our way back to the valley for a BBQ/birthday party at 5:30.
[poor Yann.....we kept him so busy.]
It was lil Ryann's 5th birthday that we were celebrating.
I was beyond proud to introduce my family of friends to Yann.
Everyone was so good to him.
I could see that he was taking it all in.
He enjoyed watching the inner workings of everyone's relationship.
He fit right in and was comfortable in engaging.
[He bought a bottle of very nice French wine as a gift to the hostess]
Derek and Lisa's daughter Grace, is learning French in her class. Yann and Grace spent time talking about brown horses.
[The words that Grace knows best in French]
It was so damn cute!!!!!
Derek grilled up some awesome beer brats, bbq chicken and vegetables.
Lisa is a wonderful baker.
The Sim's family was inviting and gracious to our foreigner friend.
Great food, drink and laughter was shared between all of us.
A reservation was awaiting us at the piano bar for 9:00 pm.
We scooped up Frenchie and was on our way to Keys On Main for a night of music and MORE celebration.
Irish car bombs* were ordered continually with a 'salute' before drinking each one.
* Guinness beer mixed with a shot of Bailey's Irish Cream
Jay, Lyns and Moi
[you know these peeps]
Marilyn and Brian
[Yann called Brian 'Hercules God' because of his strong jaw]
Singing, dancing and crazy fun ensued.
That is, until Derek spilled my beer in my purse
[I know it was totally on purpose!]
and so I took my orange and threw it at his face.
He was blinded in the right eye by citrus juice for the rest of the evening!!!
I say it was deserving.
Super yummy girl shots that make a person say,
"HEY OOOOOOOO!!!!!"
Jay's famous camera 'alone time'.
We closed down the bar with one last dance and sing a long to my most fav country song, "friends in low places".
[I say this with all sarcasm! You know I despise this song!]
It was a day of PERFECTION with my loved ones.
The next morning Yann woke a little red eyed, and was looking forward to some 'sucks juice'.
[he kept saying American coffee is sucks juice, meaning weak]
Being Mother's Day, we met with the Brown family for a delicious brunch at the Porcupine Grill.
[Yann posted this picture on his Facebook. His French friends asked if had had married into a large Mormon family and if Randy was his father-in-law and Boss of the family ranch! LOL!]
Next on our agenda was to ride the tram at Snowbird.
Yet again, it wasn't open for the season, so we made the best of our time by watching the skiers fly to the bottom of the run.
The scenery was so beautiful that enjoying the sunshine and nature was more than fulfilling.
This would be our last night with Yann. His Greyhound was leaving the next day for Kansas and we were all emotional about the anticipated departure.
I couldn't quit crying and had to apologize for being such a boob.
I explained to Yann that it was the anniversary of my brother's death, and that being around Yann made me miss him terribly.
I felt like Damon sent him to me on this weekend to show me and my family a glimpse of what having a brother and an uncle would have been like.
He said,
"I understand.
My eyes see in your eyes.
I see your soul.
It ok to cry. It ok.
I understand."
He then picked up his guitar and sang 'No woman no cry' by Bob Marley to me.
I sank into a puddle of tears full of deep appreciation.
It was my new soul brother that helped me live a piece of my blood brother....
even if just for a weekend.
I call Yann 'The traveling angel'.
He has changed my life by bringing beauty, culture, kindness, compassion, and peace to my home.
Please do not fear the unknown.
We must trust people, and our own gut instincts to help, love, and welcome our unknown brothers and sisters in to our life.
Opening our home and heart to good people,
only brings great gifts that we could have never imagined.
Au revoir Frenchie
merci
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