In 2004 we were living in Costa Rica as my husband was the General Manager for Chiquita Brands International. In December he came home with a painting given to him by one of his farm managers. Alexis had given the painting to my husband as a Christmas present and it had been painted by his wife.
In 2005 we moved to Honduras.
In 2007 we were transferred to Mozambique as my husband was to start operations in Africa. We lived the first month in a hotel along with another Chiquita family also sent to help.
I became good friends with Angela, the wife, as we were both settling into a new country and trying to help our children adjust. She helped me learn Portuguese as it came easier to her being a native Spanish speaker. I introduced her to 'international' living. We struggled along side each other as we searched for homes, waited on our household goods to arrive and dealt with being in a foreign land.
In three months we were both settled into new homes and she came to visit. Angela looked at my wall where the painting was hung, and almost shouted as she exclaimed, "I painted that!" Sure enough, it was signed 'Angela 2002'
What a small world! All the sudden the painting took on new significance and now, when I glance at it on my wall, I remember Angela and Mozambique, and I marvel at how paths cross!