I walked into the Java City Coffeeshop in my work building this morning, when I smelled something that took me right back to where I was 15 years ago.
I was staying in Boston, attending a 4-weeks language summer class in Medford, at Tufts University to be precise, and the smell today reminded me of what the cafeteria smelled like where we used to have breakfast every morning.
Damn. I hadn’t thought about this place in ages.
It’s funny how a smell can bring back deep buried memories and refresh them like you just experienced them yesterday.
Those four weeks were one of the best times of my life and it was also the time when I fell completely in love with Boston. [Now you know!]
I had a fantastic time there. I was only 17, it was my first big adventure away from home and I was so happy there.
A year before, I had just gone through the whole process of applying for a Highschool year in the US with an agency, the dread of a written test and interview, only to decline the opportunity when I received my acceptance into the program :( [yeah, stupid me, but I guess, I was not “ready” to go at that time].
One year later, I was ready to go and the four weeks in Boston validated my gut-feeling that this would be a life changing experience for me.
Here I am, 15 years later, married to an American and living in California.
Wow, this all just hit me… and all because of a ‘stupid’ smell at the Coffeeshop downstairs!
Marie
April 15, 2008 at 11:48 ami know this feeling. weird isnt it? “married to an American & living in CA” there you can see where life can take you.. i love it that you will never know what will happen in the future.. enjoy your week sweety
kim
April 15, 2008 at 12:46 pmlife has it’s ways and everything happens for a reason ;) and we have yet to go check out boston together some time!
Maribeth
April 15, 2008 at 1:21 pmBoston is only 1 1/2 hours from here!!! I actually lived in Medford for a year before I left Massachusetts behind and moved permanently to New Hampshire. And this is where I met my Hubby! So yes, I agree, you never do know!
May I just say, that we (the USA) is better for your moving here!
Sanna
April 15, 2008 at 3:28 pmHaha yeah smells are the deepest embedded memories we have I think. Who’d have thought, 15 years later… lol. :)
steffi
April 15, 2008 at 7:32 pmi absolutely love boston, too. was there in the summer of 06 and plan to go back this year to visit my sister-in-law :)
caity
April 16, 2008 at 5:29 amYou should totally come out to visit the Boston Bloggers chapter … we’ll have a blast! :)
Jess
April 16, 2008 at 9:57 amI know what you are talking about…. a smell, the feel of something, a song… all of the sudden you have this flashback of a certain moment in your life or it reminds you of something that is familiar to you, something from home or from your childhood. Isn’t it amazing how this happens so randomly?
Hope you are doing good. Maybe this was a sign to go visit Boston again…
ilka
April 16, 2008 at 11:16 amas i absolutely understand your love for boston, since i fell in love with that city also. probably during the same year, since i was there when i was 18, and you are a bit younger as i am. but i find smells also so important. if it’s a perfume or a certain smell in a room or a country where i have been, those remind me also of things back to my childhood. music does the same to me. when a song reminds me of a certain time of my life i can definitely tell you the exact year. your entry reminds me that amy invited me to come to boston during this summer. i should give her a call, whenever my voice comes back that is;-)
Silke
April 16, 2008 at 11:50 amoh, the smells. :) i have never been to boston, but i should try it, i guess? :)
ps i did go further with the high school year, but went home after 6 weeks… had a nightmare of a family and all.
ute
April 16, 2008 at 1:13 pmhi sweetie…what a nice memory….awww. guess everything happens for the reason. cant wait to go back to boston this summer…maybe with you guys? :)
Maia
April 16, 2008 at 3:03 pmYou’re so right! A smell can totally bring you back. Just the other day I was going through some boxes and came across a small bottle of Body Shop’s Mango perfume oil. It totally brought me back to early high school. Crazy!
As an aside, when NKOTB were big, I loved Jordan. Now he looks a bit weird, eh?