If someone tells me they are a Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine, you know), I am going to host them. My husband is a Marine and I have the utmost respect for them, and all military and veterans. This young man wrote last minute on Couchsurfing and asked if he could spend a night with us. He is a student at Bryant College and coming for a summer internship but his room isn’t ready yet. Of course, I said yes.
Shaun arrived about dinner time Tuesday. I was in the midst of a local pub crawl with my other guest Alice from France. We were at the Fleet Reserve Club, enjoying a perfect summer evening on the deck with some friends that we happened to run into. This is one of the greatest things about staying with a local. Neither Alice nor Shaun would be allowed into this private club without me, a member. We had a great time enjoying the priceless view of the harbor and roaring laughter with my friends – old and new.
Later we walked up to my favorite ice cream place downtown, Annapolis Ice Cream at 196 Main Street. Eight consecutive years voted best ice cream in Annapolis – and they make all their own ice cream in house. They both LOVED it. As we were leaving I saw a group of Midshipmen walking down Main. I asked them if our friends could follow them to the yard (USNA) so they could walk around a bit. Shaun only had one night to see the tow and I had to leave with my daughter.
As my two guests returned home for the evening they informed me that one of the mids was a tour guide and offered them a private tour of the campus. Fabulous! My guests had an awesome and truly local, authentic evening. When I awoke the next day, Shaun had made us some of his favorite tea that he brought along and even left me two beautiful tea cups as a gift. Not sure if he knew that I love tea!
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