From the beginning

Incredibly, Patrice and I lived within an hour of each other for most of our lives, without ever knowing each other. However, it was in Thailand that we met for the first time in 2016.

I was traveling with two friends, one of whom knew Patrice and had arranged to meet him at our pink hotel without informing us. He had therefore reserved the room next door for the same period of four days. However, circumstances took an unexpected turn when this friend decided to return to Quebec earlier than expected.

Shortly after checking into our room, there was a knock on our door! We initially thought it was the housekeeping staff or receptionist, but to our amazement, upon opening the door, we discovered Patrice. His appearance didn't match that of a Thai person, and when he asked for our friend in Quebecois, our surprise only grew. We had not been warned of his arrival, and she had not warned him of his hasty return to Quebec either...

As Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said, “Each series of decisions, no matter how seemingly insignificant, weaves the fabric of our destiny.” Thus, it was through a seemingly innocuous succession of choices that our meeting could take place.