BARCELONA

The Little Known Week in Marlene Friis’ Life

We live in a world where most of our actions are pinged or recorded (is your location service on?) or aired on social media intentionally or otherwise. We no longer have nuggets of information or secrets that are kept in the crevices of our lives. While this is perfect for worried parents intent not to miss a minute of their kids’ lives, or a love-sick poor soul on a near stalking spree (one at risk of melting like cheese), I miss the days where hidden or forgotten moments spilled out at unsuspecting moments!

There is a week in Marlene Friis’ life that is only known to one person, and one person only. That person is Reiko Tsushima.

It was the summer of 1989, two decades after the year immortalized in Brian Adam’s easy breezy summer tune (that still plays in sleazy bars in Bangkok’s red light district- telltale sign of the ages of the clientele).

The soundtrack of summer was Roxette “you got the look”. Life was bright; university admissions confirmed and it was the last summer to bask in the familiar freedom before we’d have to leave our international bubble of a life to launch into the real world. And, summers were about inter-railing across Europe!

Wien Wesbahnhof behind us. Skip a few weeks, cities and several camp sites where our tents were a disgrace (who forgot the poles?), Marlene found herself on a beach one morning with Reiko (and a few others…) in Bahia de Rosas, Spain. Not just that, but missing a backpack that contained all their valuables; wallets, inter-rail tickets and critically – passports. No, there were no mobile phone to be mentioned- this was 1989.

Life suddenly turned ashen… we gathered 300 Pesos or 3 Euros equivalent from kind souls and embarked on an epic journey from Bahia de Rosas to Barcelona to knock on the Danish and Japanese Consulates so that they could contact our parents and issue us a temporary travel document back home to Vienna (Marlene) and Bucharest (Reiko… seriously, Bucharest?).

It started with a hitchhike, after a couple of minutes standing on the roadside with thumbs up, kind passer bys gestured for us to smile, that way we upped the chances of cars stopping! The advice worked and we successfully boarded a pickup truck, which dropped us at the outskirts of Barcelona.

Again this was not the google map days. It was real paper map days but we could not afford to buy one as we needed our 3 Euros equivalent for food and water. We asked passer-bys for direction to the Consulates and we cursed our inability to comprehend Spanish, AND selfishly, people’s lack of English skills!

It was a forever walk- we were hungry, thirsty, tired and totally uncertain whether the direction we were taking was indeed the one to take. The only thing that gave me relief was that I was with my bestie Marlene, who was resourceful, funny, energetic and my rock. But this said, we were getting on each other’s nerves. Our conversations were like;

“hey wait” ; “what?

“I said wait”; “I can’t hear you”

“what?”; “what?’

“what?”; “if you say ‘what’ one more time I am going to screaaam!!!!! ARRRRRGGGGG”

This communication modality continued indefinitely while we plodded on. I swear we passed some historic monuments like the one pictured (La Sagrada Familia-Gaudi designed landmark church). I would like to say that my cultural antennae made

me stop to take in the majestic sight, but we disregarded and walked on. Much like the time I was delirious during a work trip in Iran, suffering from a lactation mastitis induced fever and I did not flinch when a cockroach fell off a tree and onto my headscarf. Ladies, don’t travel without your baby while you are still breastfeeding and headscarves can save you. I don’t know why Iranian roaches climb trees.

I can no longer recall how, but we found the Danish Consulate fist, and it was the best feeling of rescue and relief, until I realized that I still had to look for the Japanese Consulate. It was a great feeling seeing my bestie enter the doors of the Danish Consulate knowing that she’d rescue me if I got lost on the way to the Japanese one. The kind Danish officials may have even put me in a taxi, I can’t recall now…

That was the end of summer of 1989 with one adventure that ended well thanks to my resourceful and funny bestie. Today, whenever I feel that my kids are getting unruly and unhinged, I think of the young us, and think “yeah, they’re ok”. I cherish our friendship, our bond that has lasted so long (two decades since… ) and look forward to sharing even more crazy adventures with you but this time with money in our pockets.

Happy birthday and may you always keep little secrets in the crevice of your life... - REIKO TSUSHIMA, THAILAND

About the author: Reiko Tsushima, born 1971 to Japanese parents who insisted on living in Eastern Europe, particularly Romania. She is a bestie who entered Marlene’s life in 1986 (VIS, T1) and never left. She is known for her insightful notes passed during class, some may even say they were inspirational. Her biggest worry during high school was that her higher education may fall to waste upon getting married, but is glad to say today that she has successfully managed married life with a career, and certain to make the (former) career advisor proud.