Day 356: Final Day—Paris to home, 10 francs
36yearsago.com
Vienna 1971—A Student Journal
A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing &
friends.
Day
356 — Final Day—Paris to home, 10 francs
23-Jul-1972
(Sun.)
TRANSCRIPT
PARIS to NEW YORK
Didn’t see much of Paris—only the Eiffel Tower and
Arc de Triomphe. That’s life.
I still feel the void, emptiness, and I’m tired. Last
two weeks have had unforeseeable (money and trip plan
cancellations) and foreseeable (Anjali and Elisabeth)
results.
For now, I am in a vacuum.
Everything in Europe is
finished. Nothing more to do or see (for now).
And I have nothing
(definite) to go to in America.
Remedy. A slight rest. And then really begin to work
on my music. Seriously. To hell with all of these
crappy problems!!
Before I left: Stayed in a very nice place. A student
hostel. Had a lot of facilities. Lot of students
around. Room cost 20 Francs.
At breakfast, the French drink out of bowls. Coffee,
a nice change.
Met a very nice English girl. Pleasant conversation.
Right after, met a very pleasant German guy. Everyone
was very friendly and pleasant.
I like the attitude.
Most people I have met on this trip have been this
way. Makes one feel good—that most people have this
very friendly attitude towards other people.
Tour
of Paris
After dropping my bags off at the terminal, I took a
tour of Paris.
Took a very quick 20-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower.
Took a few pictures. And then “ran” back to the
terminal. Thought I was going to have a heart attack.
Just caught the bus. Got to the airport 40 minutes
before take-off. Just about made it. No problems with
instruments, reservations, or tickets. People were
very friendly.
747: left at 12:30 will arrive 3:30. Gigantic plane.
Can feel the power when it takes off. This plane
shakes more than the smaller one.
I feel really tired, headache, seems to be getting
worse. Flight is nice. Great food. Talked with a few
people.
GETTING
HOME
Arrived at Kennedy. Stewardess was friendly and said
the office would be able to help me out because of my
money problem. Result: no one will cash the check.
Bank, no. Pan Am doesn’t offer any help. Won’t cash
check. Don’t give any tickets for buses. They really
don’t care. [I am upset.] Some people are friendly
but most don’t care.
Exception: custom’s officer was extremely friendly. I
explained to him the situation with my horn. That I
used it to study, used it for a year, and that I
bought it used for $200. He was really friendly and
valued the horn and my gifts at $100, which means I
didn’t have to pay custom’s duty. I think it was good
that I told him I bought it in Europe.
That part (customs) and the plane ride (Pan Am)
worked out really well. Only thing that bothered me
is the “no-help” attitude of most people.
Called up Frank & Dennis. Will come and pick us
up as soon as possible.
[THE END]
REFLECTIONS
Feelings
of being down. Ok, what
a way to end a year’s worth of blogging. Today’s post
sounds like I’m ready to end my life or something. I
apologize to those readers only reading this one
page—please head on to other pages. I’m usually a
pretty normal and nice guy. Mostly. Sometimes. Once
in a while.
Of course, I’m somewhat depressed by not having any
money, having to leave France early, and not seeing
London.
Anjali.
I’m
mostly
depressed
by not being with Anjali. I probably imagined
spending a few days in the city of lights, holding
hands, being with Anjali and just re-igniting
whatever relationship there was. Maybe the
relationship was just in my
mind?
Well, ignition and liftoff failed. Houston, we have a
problem. Certainly, I’ll get back to my normal self
but looking back at my journal, I almost don’t want
people to read this last page—but, I had to be true
to the journal. It probably wasn’t as bad as it
sounds. Maybe it was.
Paris
hostel. Thanks to
Anjali’s mom, I stayed in a very nice youth hostel.
My finance journal, below, shows the room as 20
francs. I remember being surprised—the French drink
their coffee out of these large bowls, instead of
cups with handles. I seemed to have enjoyed it and
had some nice discussions with other students.
Meeting lots of students throughout the year was
great. I certainly talked to many students at dinner
and lunch without writing about it in my journal.
Last-minute
sightseeing. Not
content to get to the airport on time, I decide to
walk back to the Eiffel Tower and the environs, take
pictures (see yesterday), and then run back to the
bus station to get to the airport. Lucky I made it.
10
francs = $2. By the end
of today’s journey, I only had 10 French francs left.
I think that’s about $2 US. I’m heading back home,
after a year’s journey, “with only $2 in my pocket.”
That phrase last deserved quotes and will hopefully
make it into someone’s novella one day. NOTE: I just
confirmed (the Internet) that in July 1972, the
exchange rate was about 5 French francs to $1 US.
Going home. I’m on
the 747 and I’m heading home. I’m supposed to be
excited to getting back home, seeing my brothers and
my mother. Well, I sound really depressed about life
and about the future. Don’t worry, I’m going to
rebound. It’s that vacuum feeling, I’m sure. I’ll be
ok. I think. On the positive side, my experience with
Pan Am airlines was first class all the way (even in
economy class).
Arrival
in Kennedy. I’m in a
sourpuss mood because no one can cash the $100 check
that my mother sent me. Again, I’m going to be making
such a bad impression on people only reading this
page—it was all that stress. The customs agent was
really a sport and downsized the price of the horn so
that I didn’t have to pay any duty. I did fib a bit
on the purchase of the horn. I usually don’t do
things like that. I do feel bad. The horn was
probably all beat up—Alexander horns without lacquer
do tarnish and looked used. What would have happened
if the agent assessed me? I only had 10 Francs—$2.
Thanks Mr. Customs Agent.
No
money. At any
rate, I don’t have enough money to take a bus home. I
usually don’t like to bother people and would have
preferred to just get home on my own, with a bus.
Well, I must have changed the last of my money and
made a phone call to my brothers, Frank and Dennis. I
actually remember my brother Mike eventually coming
to get me and drive me back home.
Surprise.
Did I happen to mention that I DIDN’T TELL ANYONE I
WAS COMING HOME? No one knew I was back in the U.S.
When I called my brothers and mother, they were
totally surprised. There is a second little surprise
that happened both at the airport, and at home, but
I’ll save that for my next “micro-blog.”
Home,
Sweet Home. It WAS
great to see my brothers, Mike, Steve, Frank, and
Dennis after a year away. And of course, seeing my
mother was an amazing joy as well. My mother was an
incredible woman, raising 5 of us boys all by
herself.
I was a bad son and brother—I didn’t write home as
much as I should have during the year. However, I do
have some letters saved from that year to my family
and friends. Some of them are pretty funny. Maybe
I’ll post them.
Nothing beats being home. Nothing beats being with
your family. Well, maybe a year in Vienna comes in a
close second.
Rotary
International. I’ve
said it before—thanks to the Rotary Clubs and Rotary
International for the opportunity to participate in
this amazing personal and educational learning
experience, and to my boss, Nick Lioy, who sponsored
me. Slicing baloney at Archies Delicatessen for 8+
years builds character.
An
amazing, absolutely incredible
year.
Yes. Farewell Vienna.
New learning, personal growth, and friendships
356 days of incredible Vienna adventures
Unrivalled musical concerts & operas
356 days of exciting experiences
Great teachers and education
A new international outlook
Rotary International
New confidence
Composing
Memories
Friends
Family
John
You
Me
An amazing year
Vienna
36 years ago
For a follow-up to this year, see my upcoming
micro-blog on this website—After Vienna. There may be
some surprises in store. In my journal, I find a few
pages about what happened to me after Vienna, written
by myself two years later. And one minute after
coming home from Vienna, there was a big surprise for
my mother. And Anjali?
“After Vienna”
Thanks for reading and listening. I hope that you
enjoyed reading. You can contact me at
john@36yearsago.com.
It’s been
an adventure.
Yours,
John Maryn
THE END
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Family pictures and all pictures of myself from this
year.
Farewell, Vienna.
THE FAMILY
My wife Olga and the fall folliage
My
wife Olga and I
Olga and her mother, Hanna
Alex,
Olga, and Walter (my stepsons)
John
in Switzerland 2005
Beemer loves the snow
My
mother (Olga) and our young family
Top: Mike, Mom and John
Bottom: Steve and Frank
My
mother and family. We’re older.
John, Mike, Steve, Frank, Mom &
Dennis
FAREWELL
VIENNA
Receiving the Rotary Scholarship (from Nick
Lioy)
1971
Student ID
Anjali and John’s neck—I had hair
Conversing with Beethoven
Playing tribute to Mozart
Dieter Kaufmann and electronic music class
Skiing the beautiful Austrian Alps
Self portrait with friend Peter in Munich
With the kids in Malomice, Poland
On a horsie (Poland)
Visiting my mother’s birthplace in Tylawa,
Poland
What happened to John?
Farewell, Vienna
John
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