An NJC Production: 19 Years of Marriage, 26 Years Together, and 33 Years of Friendship

YYZ September 1989; Apprehensively, a teary eyed seventeen-year-old Calgary girl arrives in Toronto to meet these “NJC” kids at the airport, all saying goodbye to their families and friends.  Amongst them is a teary hyperconscious 18-year-old boy saying an emotional goodbye to his family.  We all board the flight from Toronto to Paris; the onboard seating arrangement was alphabetical.  Take note of our last names, Del Sorbo and Schaper- as Michael Doner and Jennifer Simmie sat next to us on the plane and are 2 of our best friends to this day. 

 

Much of the initial apprehension was lost once we started finding commonalities within the group, somewhat smaller than most years with less than 60 kids. 

Paris, and the next stop on the overland tour, St. Moritz, allowed for Nick and me to have a few conversations, but just getting to know each other as part of this new “family” we committed to for the year. 

We then entered Neuchâtel with the Fête des Vendanges in full force, pensions being assigned and the start of our high school life in Switzerland had begun. 

 

Somehow, we all knew (pre cell phones and laptops) to find our way to the Café du Théâtre, our ability to connect and always find each other still remains a mystery…, but this spot went onto be a meeting point where lattes, chats, heartfelt conversations, tears, and likely a few beers were had interchangeably with all students.  This is where we were the Saturday night at the Fête des Vendanges, where maybe perhaps a hint of flirtation could have been noted between Nick and me. It could have been for friendship or more, but something felt very organic.  We left our beers (a rarity) and new friends behind, to find ourselves walking through the historical Neuchâtel streets, wild with the Fête fun. And, eventually, we found ourselves riding on the Ferris wheel.

 

The magic a Ferris wheel induces, if no acrophobia is involved, has an endorphin releasing freedom, which in that moment felt like we were on top of our new worlds. The fact that Nick was rather cute and charming was not noticed at all.

That night we discovered we both lived in the town of Neuchâtel and did not have to catch any last trains or trams to get home.  I did have a bus ride to my pension, but discovered hitchhiking was a great method of transportation amongst the kind, safe and reliable Swiss folk.  This is not recommended ever, for the record I have nightmares to this day that I did this.  

But regardless, it allowed Nick and I to stay out extra late, after everyone had left La Cave aux Moines, or the Capitol Disco, on their trams and trains.  

 

Our friendship became so real that it transferred from school to the evenings; it blossomed into a comfort and safe place, where personal struggles, joys, school help (hello Nick=calculus!) and support were given back and forth.  I even became his barber for the year.  Ironically, I resumed my hairstylist role during the pandemic.

 

We both finished our year with confidence, that our friendship with each other, and many others, had just entered a course that would run for a lifetime.

 

I went on to the University of Calgary for one year, and Nick went to the University of Toronto.  Not knowing we were building a deeper track into our destiny; I even came to visit him during reading week.  I transferred to the University of Western which found us, and many other Neuchies together on weekends, making road trips apart of our university experience.  

I graduated and moved to Germany trying to discover myself and my passion. I went on to study fitness and facility management, while Nick began his work in Toronto as an Investment Advisor.

 

We stayed true to our record of finding each other for travel adventures, exploring cities and enjoying the “high-life”, even when we couldn’t afford it on our own (unbeknownst to them at the time and they thought we were a little crazy, but the parental contribution certainly paid off!)

 

The 40-year NJC reunion in Toronto prompted me to call Nick and ask him if I could stay with him if I flew in for it.  He was temporarily living with his parents and they kindly invited me to stay with them.  Being a student from Neuchâtel really does have a prestige to it that opens doors everywhere!

 

That weekend is when our friendship caught fire.  The next year we found ourselves flying wherever the other was to meet up and be together. I then moved to Toronto and re-started my life after 4 years in Germany.  

It would be so sweet if I could now tell you that he proposed, and we got married, but no.  It was a solid 6 years before that happened.  Traditional in our ways, I did in fact wait to be “popped” the question; and I couldn’t figure out why it was taking so damn long! After all, he had known me since I was 17…I was 31 when we got married! My eyes are rolling, even now, when I think about it. They say good things come to those who wait…well, we waited, and it is good!

 

We have two wonderful boys, Luca (17) and Teo (14).  Luca is finishing grade 12, and has early acceptances to many Universities, BUT, also an acceptance for NJC next year.  He will decide what his path is, however, I secretly hope he takes the route Nick and I did.  Universities will always be there; Neuchâtel Junior College is a once in a lifetime experience that gives so profoundly for the rest of your life.

 

The friends we made in 1989/90, are still our friends to this day. Michael Doner, Jennifer Simmie (Shanks), Paul Randlesome, Kirsten Mahaffy, Joris Van Den Daele, Trina van Haastrecht (Tuberville), Adam Koven, Allison Kidd, Sue Pierce, Nadine Azzu and others are friends that we see regularly, and somehow something ignites and we still act like we did in 1989/90.

 

Kirsten Mahaffy and I are class reps for our year.  We have managed to get several of our classmates together every five years.  It is a touching experience to see our NJC family fly from both near and far, just to meet up with the people that were randomly together in a land of beauty and culture, in a school that has changed the course of our lives.

 

We have been back to Neuchâtel twice. Once to see my brother in 2009, in his year at NJC—and yes, of course we went for the Fête des Vendanges weekend!

Then again in 2019 for our 30-year reunion; six of us went with our spouses—yes, of course we went for the Fête des Vendanges, yes we left our friends and beers at the bar, and yes, we certainly went on the Ferris wheel for a ride!

Nick still wakes up some days and looks at me, and says…” I have known you since you were 17, this is crazy…”

 
I say: THIS IS CRAZY GOOD!


A special thank you to Patricia (Schaper) Del Sorbo, who kindly shared her story with us