When I was 16 years old I was guest of a family in Paignton, South West England. That family had previously hosted a girl my age from Vientiane, Laos. Her name was Somsisay, number 10 of a family with 14 children. I got her temporary address in Aix-en-Provence and we started to write to each other and had a pen pal friendship. Eventually both of us got married. Rita and I have tried to visit her in their French family home in Aix but Somsisay had returned to Laos. We lost each other, having changed addresses several times.

With the help of the internet I found her again recently. She's an MD now, married, has three children and a grandson. Needless to say that I'm delighted to have found our dear friend.