Montreal, ca va :-)

Those who know me would be more likely to associate me with Miami, than with any place that gets a flake of snow. But I must admit that my recent trip to Montreal taught me that it's not the climate that matters; it's the people. Connections keep us happy, hopeful, alive. Since the minute I got on the AirCanada flight, until the hour I left, Montreal's people touched me with sincere, warm gestures.

The cheerful, sweet lady sitting next to me on the plane shared her newspaper with me and then a portion of her life story. Delighted, I listened on. Her family had gone from Tiflis (Georgia) to Istanbul (!) and then to Israel and Canada. We even shared the same last name, so who knows, perhaps we had passed each other by in another lifetime or another era.

When I finished presenting at the conference, the colleagues who helped set up the event came up to kiss me on both cheeks. It felt quite refreshing to have the human touch, instead of the usual half-hearted hand shakes.

The woman who exchanged my U.S. dollars into Canadian dollars was from Alexandria. She said she wanted to see the art and history of Istanbul. I told her I wish I could have seen the infamous library of her city.

The cab driver, who politely asked me if I minded his blasting raggae music, gave me his email address when he heard my brother might be a regular of the city. OK, I do recognize his entrepreneurial spirit. But I also appreciate his initiative. A trusted contact is better than one that goes by unregistered.

Upon my return to the office, I thanked our group secretary for rushing the business cards I had left behind to my home. Funny enough, I used them only to make friends.