After crossing the U.S. Border into Canada, there is a small town my family and I stop at to stretch, take restroom breaks, and  allow the children to play. This is typically en route to Winnipeg, Canada.

Recently, as we approached the resting area, there were students at the playground. The teachers and students were welcoming to my children, Duane and I. Within moments, I struck up a conversation with a teacher.

From this conversation, I learned 50% of the students attending this school are German and speak German as a first language. I was enthralled and fascinated! 50%? I then shared my experiences in Germany with the teacher and a young girl overheard the conversation and stared at me.

I shifted my attention to the young student and shared, "Guten Morgen! Wie gehts?" We exchanged basic pleasantries in German and the students continued to play and there was a slide with the term, "Paris" while a student yelled, "I am on the top of Eiffel Tower!" A boy then shared loudly, "You speak German?!" I replied, "Yes. But I need more lessons to refresh myself."

The playground is such an instrumental location to learn about  connecting with others. The teachers and students did not see a chasm but instead saw a bridge for connection. This interaction transcended language, culture, and nationality.

Thought to share this.