During our visit to Pat’s home on January 27, 2023, we were welcomed by her and her husband, who were both very friendly. We spent over two hours chatting, with most of the conversation focused on the changes that had taken place between the past and the present.

Pat shared with us that when she was young, her family was not very rich and her parents were very strict. She used to take the tram to school and was very passionate about sports, especially high jump (We saw pictures of her and she was indeed a talented jumper). To give us an idea of what Leeds was like back then, she showed us the house where she used to live. They didn't have a bathroom just a bath in the scullery (very small kitchen). The toilet was up the street and they shared it with two other families. Furthermore, if they needed to use the bathroom at night, they had to be accompanied since there were no street lights. Additionally, the air quality was poor due to a combination of factors, such as smoking and waste gases from factories.

Nowadays, Pat mentioned that the living environment has significantly improved, especially in terms of air quality. She and her husband don’t have to worry about retirement, and they try to live a simple and thrifty life. For transportation, they bought a van. Although she couldn’t play any sports due to her ankle replacement, she took up a new hobby, genealogy research. She has a book on her family history, which is fascinating. In addition, she is trying and enjoying various new foods, such as Chinese cuisine, pasta, and French food.

These are the things that make them feel the change, but some things haven’t changed.

When we asked Pat if she dated anyone in high school, she told us that she was focused on her studies at that time. She studied very hard and passed the special exam to enter university, which was not easy, and her family was very proud of her. After that, Pat pursued a career in teaching and found it to be very rewarding, despite the challenges she faced. “It’s hard to control the class,” she said, “but I’m always very academic.”

She has a large family, and she showed us the family photos. It’s a charming family. Her grandchildren are currently pursuing their college education in different locations, but even though they don’t live together, they still have a lot of family gatherings.

Pat has many friends, including old friends from the past and new friends from her move. She said she has had a lot of friends at any stage of her life, but what she looks for in friends has not changed: the need to share some common interests.

I asked her if it was strange to see her former classmates again. “Not at all,” she said, and even though many years had passed and everyone’s appearance had changed, everyone’s personality had not, and she could clearly tell who was who. It seemed that everyone still felt young at heart. Pat shared the same sentiment, feeling as if they had all remained the same.

We also talked about friends who had passed away. Pat said this is life, and she is very sad, of course, but she is still in touch with their family. And she feels that the most important thing is that she can keep those wonderful memories with them.

Pat specifically mentioned mobile phones. She thinks cell phones are very useful, but sometimes they take away a lot of face-to-face conversation. She loved to write letters, and she still does.