January 22, 2007

Phone call

So my daughter is in faraway European City Where the Prime Minister Sadly Isn't Really Hugh Grant, and I call her to let her know what is going on in my life. The first thing she says is: "So when you going to go the doctor's? All your blog friends think you should get that knee looked at."

Yes, she has figured out how to find free wireless and read her mother's blog.

Beautiful Smart Wonderful Daughter has been living in Big City Where People Have British Accents for a whole week now. I've gotten emails from her, and we've talked by instant messenger, but it was still wonderful to hear her voice. Her flat is not very far from where I lived, 25 years ago, and I can just picture the scenes she described.

She said the streets are filled with little Arab kids, just like the apartment building I lived in. Over the phone, I taught her a few words in Arabic so that she can get to know her neighbors. That is the cool part about big cities: you can learn about all kinds of other cultures without even going to those countries. Perhaps the most amazing part of the semester I spend in London was the time I spent with the women and children in my building, who were all from Saudi Arabia and who lived in London just as they would in Saudi. None of them spoke any English at all, yet they welcomed me into their flats and treated me like a sister. My first exposure to Middle Eastern music and dance happened on lazy afternoons in those flats when I was just hanging out with my Saudi neighbors.

Of course, my daughter is also doing the tourist stuff Americans are absolutely obligated to do when you arrive in a European city, like going to the Famous Square Where People take Photos of Each Other on Statues and Feed the Birds. She's taking classes, of course, and hoping to do an internship as well. So far, she said, nothing has been a challenge, the adjustment has been easy. But then again, that has been the story of her life.

Oh, and the answer to her question? Tomorrow. Unless I wake up and feel miraculously cured, I am calling Orthopedic Guy first thing in the morning.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah your daughter will soon pick up the accent! I hope she has a wonderful time and that missing her is not too hard. I don't think you're allowed to feed those birds anymore, sadly paranoia about bird flu won out.

Unknown said...

Glad to hear you're going to make the call if needed!

kathy a. said...

that call must have sounded so glorious! [i grouse, but my heart skips a beat at the sound of my child's voice on the phone, even the ones to check in or ask for a ride.]

i bit my tongue yesterday, but if your BSW daughter tells you from overseas that you need to see the doctor, that is absolute proof. she knows you better than we do.

Anonymous said...

When I had physical therapy for my knee, the physical therapist said the way my knee was constructed, I was prone to injuries, which may be one thing you have in common with your Red-Haired Sister! Get that knee looked at.Remember how Mom limped around on a broken ankle for a week, that you get from her! Along with all kinds of good things, of course!

Anonymous said...

So now we know how to boss you around. Get your daughter in on the act! It must have been really fun to hear her voice.

Anonymous said...

Hey. Living in a foreign city when you're young is always a magical experience. Actually, it's pretty magical at any age, come to think of it. Hope she makes it out of the West End - London is a big, flat city with no real plan but is still best appreciated on foot.

Oh, and sales of pigeon feed were banned before bird flu, in 2000. Tens of thousands of birds, health hazard through pure volume of guano, damage to stone work...It's a much better public space as a result. And the pigeon feed used to encourage the rats.

Mona Buonanotte said...

Tell her to go to Big Park With Statue of Huge Naked Man. I think I have a photo somewhere of me looking up at his nethers....

Anonymous said...

So glad she's settling in, and that you have a plan to call a doctor. I was wondering about both things today.

Sending healing vibes to your knee, of course.

Jody said...

Yes, go to the doctor.

You've got four months to go before your daughter returns home, right? You're going to run out of pseudonyms for Capital City where the PM followed Bush into war by -- wait, hmmm, there should be a pool. Winner gets his or her very own custom-crafted jo(e) pseudonym.

I'll take March 15th. :-)

Anonymous said...

Wonderful you got to hear your Daughter's voice. Letters, email and IM is all great, but nothing beats the sound of a loved ones voice.

Anonymous said...

Ah, what a joyous sound!

Anonymous said...

It's great that it's so easy to keep in touch, and much cheaper, even by telephone, than years ago. I was abroad for five months after college and spoke to my parents by phone once or twice that whole time .. and of course back then no email, no im'ing or any other means of communication except writing letters.

Of course there's also a downside to thic connectivity. A friend of mine hosted a high school exchange student from Japan who, he said, never left Japan. She was constantly online im-ing, emailing and blogging japanese sites, surfing japanese websites, etc.

I don't think that will be a problem for your daughter though.

Anonymous said...

I love that even with all the excitement of settling in to a new city, when BSWD called home, the first thing she asked about was you knee.

listie said...

How wonderful you got to talk to your daughter. I only got to talk to CD twice while she was in London. She did have wireless internet where she lived, so we did *talk* via IM almost every day, but it just wasn't the same as hearing her voice.

Good luck with your doctor's appointment. I hope it's nothing serious.

halloweenlover said...

Hurray for your daughter! I'm so excited for her! I want her to get a blog so we can read about her adventures!