Natalie Arnold
Natalie Arnold is a retired antique dealer who has been happily married to Fredric Arnold for 60 years. Their three children, Marcie, Dana, and Marc, and five grandchildren, Theo, Max, Skyler, and twins Clayton and Sage, all live in Boulder.
Kali Portlock, Natalie Arnold, and Jessica Schrader
Click image to enlarge
The Trip That Bred Respect
Sitting here, in my new home in Colorado, with my husband Fred and our son and two daughters at one of our weekly meals, it seems strange that forty-seven years have passed since we took our amazing trip. We traveled through twenty-three European countries and created a bond that would last until this day. The trip made us stronger as individuals and as a family. When I look at them and see strong, respectful, and successful people, I can’t help but think how different our lives would have been without spending twenty-four hours a day together for those fourteen months. We had something that was uncommon for families in the 60’s when young people were caught up in the drug scene.
In 1960, Fred and I leased our house for fourteen months, and with our three children, ages twelve, ten and three, we traveled to twenty-three countries in a Peugeot 403. We went as far north as Finland, as far east as Turkey and the Soviet Union, west to Portugal, and south to Israel.
We had intended to register our daughters in school in Switzerland but decided against that and instead engaged a Swiss teacher who spoke several languages and taught the girls in the mornings. Throughout the trip we lived on twenty-five dollars a day and in each city we would go to the visitor desk at the railroad station where they would find accommodations for us in private homes. We never had advance reservations.
Fred and I had both lost our parents within a period of two years. We felt we might not live to enjoy traveling around the world. Another incentive for our making the trip was that we felt our children were living a privileged life and we wanted to expose them to other cultures. We were at the kitchen table with our friends who had just returned from Europe and saw the opportunity of making our own visit given the recent death of our parents. The fact that we were financially able helped as well.
While we were living in Encino, California, Premier Khrushchev of the Soviet Union visited L.A. It was a very difficult time between the United States and Russia. Our mayor was impolite to the Premier, who was a guest in our city, and although we didn’t agree with Communism, my husband called the Beverly Hills Hotel where Khrushchev was staying and spoke to one of his aides. Fred said he would like to invite the Premier to an average American’s home for dinner. Because of security reasons, Premier Khrushchev couldn’t make it but we intended to visit the Soviet Union during our trip. It was important to us that our children had an unbiased view of Russia and the current problems.
Fred, Natalie, Dana, Marcie, and Mark Arnold
Click image to enlarge
Growing Up
I grew up in Brooklyn, New York. I never knew there was anything west of the Hudson; now I was being asked to camp and live in a tent thousands of miles away and in a different country. What an opportunity! It was at the height of the Cold War and I was anxious to see for myself a country few people were visiting. We bought a tent that had a living room and two bedrooms. We liked it so much that we spent three out of the fourteen months camping. Everywhere we went we were welcomed by the people. They knew more about our country than we did. When we returned to the U.S., we spoke to many groups, particularly about our visit to Russia. Because of the trip I was able to lecture concerning both sides. This was something I wanted my children to see and understand.
Everyday was a new learning experience for all of us. Most of our days consisted of visits to the museum or other popular tourist sights, followed by shopping. In the mornings, both Dana and Marcie learned a tremendous amount through their tutor, yet it was the day-to-day explorations we experienced as a family that really shaped them. Marc was too young for a tutor but he did a big portion of his growing up overseas. He developed an expansive college level vocabulary through a credit system Fred created; he learned to ride a two-wheel bike without ever pedaling on one with training wheels; and he developed his social skills by making friends with anyone who spoke English. One day we were in Italy crossing under a bridge in a gondola and we heard from above a group of strangers calling out to Marc. Marc had met this group at dinner the night before. He was always making new acquaintances.
We learned so much about these other cultures while we were out exploring but the time we spent staying with native families is what immersed us in the culture. In California we lived a privileged life with domestic help, and overseas the children were able to see a different way of life. We encouraged them to be respectful and helpful to the families we were staying with and they were motivated by the self-sufficiency they obtained. Dana would help out by watching Marc, while Marcie would do other things like helping us set up the tent and clear the table. We all worked together and the respect between us grew. What we had was true camaraderie with a great deal of mutual appreciation.
Once the children grew up and we retired, I began to ask Fred to downsize our home of fifty years. The home we were living in was far too large for the two of us since the children had started their own families. He was reluctant, but as time passed we found that it was our duty and responsibility to our children not to burden them with our care as we continue to age. I am 81 and Fred 85 and although we are healthy we wanted to make the move to an assisted living home. Out of our immense amount of love and camaraderie with our children (who all live in Colorado), we chose Boulder as the perfect location.
It is true that a bond like the one we created would never break or change over time; here we are again united in Colorado. I would like to call what we created with our children overseas as more than just bonding; it was in fact respect. We created a foundation for mutual respect since their births, but as we bonded the mutual respect grew. Respect is a big part of who we are as a family and as individuals. Here in a place so familiar, the dinner table, I continue to see the wonderful people they have become with their inner selves based so much in their childhood, having experienced our great adventure.