earthquake

earthquake

“I lived in San Francisco when I was a little girl, and the only thing I remember is that I went directly to an american school without speaking a single word of English. One day I saw all students jumping off of their chairs and rushing under their tables; I was the only one not moving from my chair, I saw the teacher terrified moving her hands all over…I did not realize there was an earthquake. My teacher thought I was completely crazy, for me it was terrible, I did not realize what was happening and I did not even feel the earhquake….”

Why did you decide to come to live in the US with your family?

After that experience I came back to the USA many times for my job in the printing industry, and I have always felt at home here. In this country people are so nice, so open minded to foreigners, but most amazing is the strong belief Americans have that tomorrow will be better than today,  that not situation is never desperate nor lost, an amazing optimism I wanted my three children to acquire. Although I am confident by nature, I am not certain like my american friends that tomorrow WILL be better than today, I wish I would feel like that, but I am French…

When Sandrine was telling me that story of her childhood at school, she was imitating herself with the big smile on her face like on this picture. Although she considers herself as more “French” in her beliefs than Americans, Sandrine never gives up until she has finished what she has started.