life through a glass darkly (or something...)

Just said goodbye to Ronda - I'm off to Kracow, then the UK. Has been fantastic for me to see her and it seems I was exactly the right person for her to see right now. She's a real people-person, a great laugh, bright, spiky and intelligent. And she's been in a country where language and culture (different kind of humour, different references, inherent sexism) have to my mind stifled her somewhat. Eastern Europe has also obviously been a great time for her in many many ways but still... there was a sense of isolation that upset me.

Ronda and I have had almost diametrically opposed experiences of life. She moved around a lot as a kid, has been in 2 serious relationships for the last 12(?) years, and has lived in different cultures. That's pretty much the exact opposite of my experiences, yet we're quite similar people. How we differ is that she's a risk taker, whereas I'm naturally risk averse. But for both of us we have a vicarious interest in the other's life experiences (grass being greener and all...)