Michael Breton, Karen Breton, and Kris Breton

00:03 Good afternoon. This is Mike Breton. I'm 20. No, I'm 64 and that today's date is February 26th, 2010 and I'm in New York with my wife Karen who will also be joining the conversation and my son Christian.

00:20 I'm sick of Karen Britton, my age of 61 today's date is February 26th, 2010 and were visiting in New York New York with my husband Michael and my son Christian.

00:35 Christian Breton on 31 today is February 26th where New York and I'm here with my parents.

00:46 So what are you looking forward to about going to Brazil?

00:52 Well, we're going to go there and just relax and this is our initial thought was we go to see our daughter who's there? Marsala who's there and been there for about 6 months now?

01:04 And go with her. She's been traveling around of Brazil.

01:10 And we thought we'd join her and go up to Brasilia where she would and you were born to so that she could see some of the city and the surrounding we saw but as it got closer to time to depart we decided we'd read and she send us more more pictures of her at the beach and different beaches different Islands. We decided that in the depth of winter Whitman. We went down there would forsake the city of Brasilia and go to the beach. So we're looking forward to some relaxation time alongside the beach and buzios.

01:45 And I'm looking forward to seeing her family again her Brazilian family. As you know, Chris Leticia was a student with us when Marcy was a senior in high school. And so we're finally going to get to see her again after I don't know 15 years and meet her family. So I'm excited to see her siblings Liliana Miguel Pedro. And what do you remember about being there?

02:16 In Brazil the climate and we were done to find it after living in Iran. Where if we had four seasons waiting came to Brasilia. That was no season. It was all one season then with no no air conditioning required and no heating required. So that was special for us and I just started running and so we ever find that there's many Brazilian say there's nothing to do in Brasilia. So I wanted the occupation that people had to say was was running as a group effort until we got into

02:58 Going out on on Sunday afternoon runs with the group of people. That was a lot of fun. So that was special for me and that and that faded away as the years passed as we left. We left Brazil, but we're back doing a little bit of running now. But anyway, I will also occupied with raising our children then one of us had babies.

03:21 Too much after we got there. I believe I was pregnant with Chris 7 months when we arrived, but fortunately help of a young lady.

03:32 Maria and

03:35 This is how we were very fortunate when we lived in Iran that we stayed in the same apartment for all four years that we were there. So we'd so things were very stable for us there.

03:46 And when we went to Brasilia, we were shuffled around a couple of times from apartment to apartment by that school Housing Authority or is Embassy Apartments became available they'd let us have stayed but the stable Factor there was we had that Maria Jose stayed with us the whole time. So the three years that we were there. She was our our our housekeeper are how to find her.

04:12 I think she was recommended by 7 and I'm some other expatriates over there and known her and she was the oldest of 12 children. So she literally knew more about babies than I did. So she was a good partner did nanny for you.

04:30 I'm not present none of our motivation to learn Portuguese episode some Patrick trying to communicate with it. It was kind of funny. Tell how to peel an onion without

04:50 I told her that if she put the match in her mouth the phosphorus from the match would help her get lastiri when cutting onions.

05:00 I came back in the kitchen. The match was lit in her mouth and she was trying furiously to cut the onions before they realize that my Portuguese wasn't quite as proficient as I thought.

05:22 Press

05:25 No, she was just a very good cat loving caregiver. She loved you and Marcella a lot and no I can't think of anything. Yeah, I came back one day from work. I went to work and I forgot something so I came back and to find you at about a year old sucking on a bottle of coffee and milk, which I didn't know you were getting as soon as I left the house. She was making sure you got your half a cone light.

06:00 So it's funny you don't like coffee now cuz you were sure raised on it without my knowledge.

06:11 Zelda soccer. We saw every lot either adults or kids playing although we never really saw any girls playing in the play soccer in in Arkansas in Marcellus Harris. You didn't as a child you didn't even know to pick up a ball. You just need to kick it. You didn't know what to do when someone asked you a ball.

06:43 Yeah, we were you know when we went overseas in n74 we didn't have children. And so we went through our four years in the Iran and without children. However in the last year when we knew that we're going to be leaving.

07:03 Can we became pregnant? I guess I know how but that was what we want to have children. We want to have children and and so that was our effort and we thought the coping with one was plenty for us who'd been married almost 10 years before we had you so

07:24 We held on held out. I should say for that many years and enjoy the kind of a singles lifestyle, but with two people and able to go places and do things that we wanted to see and do it without worrying about daycare and those kind of things. So then we got to Brasilia we both Iran and Brazil love children and they love having kids around and so far the Brazil was particularly endearing in that respect. And so

07:55 How we just we were?

07:58 Raising you in and learning about raising you from Maria and and and doing our best and my mom came to visit within a couple months after you're born and and your folks came to the test came first.

08:24 We had good times apartments in.

08:27 And then just surprised by Marcella then look a I was alright you're over it.

08:38 I'm done. All right with one we could probably do the other and we had marie-josee to help us so it's okay. So how did you come up with my name?

08:48 I would like Kris Kristofferson, I think at the time and

08:54 I like Christian, but Daddy.

09:00 Erin Moran when you just got to remember that didn't after you were born and we read up at some function in in Brasilia and one of the diplomats with Denmark and Christian is a good

09:19 I kind of apologized to you now that we put the K in front of it cuz you always have to tell people that don't you Christian with a k?

09:30 I know it's a Brazilian. I'm sure.

09:34 Brazilian and that we liked and she's going to be frost. I thought surely she was a boy. He wasn't so we wanted a Brazilian name and we named her Marcellus is an in case you wanted to be Suzanne and drop the Brazilian name, but she didn't realize the ARs real soft. So it's a nice Ella and I just feel real nice. So

10:04 So she's with toddler with that. She probably at Sea Marcella with one L. Maybe.

10:11 And how did you two meet?

10:14 Oh, Mom. I asked Dad to a dance.

10:21 I was a sophomore in high school and he was a freshman in college and there was a girl ask boy dance as we call them and I was walking with my friend and daddy drove by on his little Vespa motorcycle. I said that someone I've always wanted to meet so I asked him if he went with me while I was in high school. So I was just I just turned fifteen and dad was 18.

10:49 You always wanted to meet me and we don't tell her that bucket seat. So I had a date she was in the front seat and passenger side and I was driving force. Then we were it was a big date with three other couples in the back seat of the Ford Falcon. Mom was one of the others one of the other babes in the back.

11:29 I'm in quite an impression just from

11:33 Front seat

11:40 We will talk about the rest of the structure and then tell him that got kicked out of the theater because we were sitting way up in the balcony and he and his buddies. I was with one of them.

11:51 We're having a sword fight or something off of balcony in and they got kicked out there for couples who are having too much fun.

12:09 I'm not used to being with girls. So it knows how to break it off at the front seat girl.

12:15 Oh, I don't know. I'm just

12:18 The weather in park, I don't remember.

12:26 The less fortunate ones it had a ride on me.

12:29 Inda

12:31 And then I told another girl to my senior prom. I think that's before me but then we went to your Junior Prom. So the first date was the first day was the dance first official day was a dancer yet.

12:51 40 years later

12:57 So how did Grandpa and Grandma taken?

13:01 Redskin out an older guy. Will they liked it until it went we have one year and then two years and three years and then four.

13:11 When I graduated from high school, I didn't know I didn't I wasn't encouraged to go to college so I didn't and I took a job as a secretary.

13:20 At the high school because I was right around the block from me and I didn't have a car in anyway, I started working and I well the teachers didn't like it because they said what you doing here. You need to be in college and that it at the. So anyway, it was fine now, but because I had a goal in my goal was to go to Europe.

13:41 I saved money and I went to Europe the next year and my parents were so happy Grandma and Grandpa were real happy because for three months dad and I would be separated and that would be a good thing and lo and behold for his 21st birthday. His parents gave him a trip to Europe.

14:00 So

14:01 Anyway

14:03 I was our first travel traveling time together but no weed spend time on camping trip with your folks are going up to their group Trinity Wilderness in Northern California with your mom and dad and Keith and and then my grandparents your dad's parents. So that was really that they were getting to know him.

14:28 But then it this trip to Europe started didn't we got pictures of his leaving the airport in San Francisco and going up to Vancouver. I guess it was and then we caught the train and went across all the way across. Montreal.

14:42 How to stop a couple places and

14:45 I'm one of them we missed the train. Can I miss the tree? So the whole weekend would like three other people and they said they went on to Montreal. Of course he had to go but we got to make an important was too bad. We just caught another train was coming through and so so we've had a couple of days and nights on our own.

15:06 That was if I had to write back to Grant grandma and grandpa that we had missed the training so they weren't very happy. Cuz then we really alone without chaperone ain't nothing happened.

15:18 How's your wonderful? Wonderful you done with it?

15:25 Rick that I'm sure I had him as a teacher but I did never have another picture. He just took kids every summer he name the place where you want to take the kids and then he'd work with tourist agencies when he got there so and and and Italy and Rome and

15:50 France big city big me a couple places in France and even in England to send them in and the other part about are those special that you don't hear about everything and water heater Trans-Atlantic ship we went we went there and we came back on the ship songs that was made experience. So when you came back,

16:12 Came back, and I think I went on to come then I could go into, Yeah you were in college and graduate school when I had to go on for another year to get a teaching credentials after I graduated some.

16:25 Did that and

16:28 Keep coming down to see Karen. I had a motorcycle at the time. I graduate from a Vespa to a Honda 250 Scrambler. So I was running down the highway from Sacramento to Millbrae.

16:41 Want to try some month to visit and

16:45 So we maintain that kind of relationship through through my college Years.

16:50 And then them

16:53 The conclusion of that we've

16:56 And we're going to get married. Huh? Are you decided to try to get ready made plans? I had a wonderful wedding a nice wedding in in in the church in Millbrae that church that I'd gone to for years and Don Schilling married us and my

17:20 Cousin's husband in a very personal service. It was nice was Uncle Keith in the wedding go and Bob shower and fell. I went to college with Nick Saban. Anyway, what was the nearest alling? Maybe you can talk about that a little bit.

17:52 I'm a cautious person.

17:56 And I wasn't sure she's the right one.

17:59 After six years we could see if we're going to have an income earning a living.

18:20 We had that nice wedding and had a nice honeymoon trip where we

18:25 We got a new Opel station wagon. Limo pool attire living at home soon German Imports, you know.

18:40 Salmos 21

18:43 And no.

18:45 One else we went and I had the kind of fathers that told me that.

18:51 If you leave you don't come back.

18:53 And I thought I was pretty sure he meant it. I think you probably did mean it. He didn't like young people moving out and then not making it and coming back again. So he was stirring about if I don't know if I made the decision to leave the house is Dad was an immigrant and your mom's.

19:17 Regimen, I guess I'd say in interview if Mom got married from the house. You know, she never left.

19:28 So I rather travels words then we went across the left in the Canadian Rockies on her honeymoon in this little car camping occasionally say to motel but sometimes camping and Upton.

19:46 Okay, so we know we I guess you'd say that we've enjoyed sharing the world with each other as we seeing New Horizons and going to new places and we're thrilled that they both you and Marcella share that aspect and I'm proud that you're here in New York City new cultures.

20:08 Let me ask about Marcie if she was going to be coming back. I should know. I think she's seen enough of that culture. But but she likes to experience cultures and he doesn't I said no he does. It's all right there New York. You don't have to travel too far to see different cultures.

20:25 I'm at open Messages is something I think that enriches the person we're glad you guys share that.

20:36 What inspired you all to travel teams? Like you were sort of bent on traveling at an early age? We were.

20:46 And even how maybe you came to be?

20:52 I think we just wanted to see more we wanted to get a knot away from our Roots, but we knew the world was big even it H20 and we planned heart Mike got his teaching credential went on to get a teaching job. We got 10 year. We didn't do it like a backpack purse. We he got tenure in a school district in the school district allowed.

21:24 A 4 year or 2-year leave of absence for overseas employment overseas teaching employment. So we took the leave for two years thinking we'll be back in 2 years people are giving us party season. We thought why are you doing this will be back in 2 years and I remember Mike's principal thing though. You won't and we never did he was right. I never went back while we were on for two years and we had been to Egypt in Afghanistan and Jordan and Syria and India and did you go settle on a run? Because it was a good middle place around was a wonderful place when we went to the course the show was in power. We had a wonderful American school with

22:07 Was that the largest overseas American population? So we had good salaries and good benefits and a good place in the world was halfway around the world from California. So even going home with an adventure every every time

22:25 So it was wonderful for us and we loved Iran we loved it, but it was situated in you could either go to the East Far East. You can cook your in the Middle East or you can go to the West it was a very good place at the time. We went there for the two years, but then ended up staying for 4.

22:44 Cuz it was so agreeable.

22:49 And we hear from there. We applied for other overseas jobs and Indian meet Grandpa Grandma in Hawaii right now in Hawaii. They were going to go on foreign soil. So we met them coming back many times. We do usually are our way home was some Terran Karachi Pakistan Thailand Bangkok Thailand then Hong Kong.

23:30 And then we meet grandma and grandpa in Hawaii and maybe I would stop in Manila but we didn't stay or go on but we just touched down. But anyway, so then it we could get a better take it if we went around the world. So then going back we come to New York and then go to either London or Paris and then to Iran right from there. So it was it was nice place to be an easy place for us to live and work or something new and something that we were even in Sacramento which is where we where I was teaching and before we went overseas what's emerged if I could teach us some party before we left so we tried to get acquainted with that the cultural bit before we left but we were interested in that means great architecture and great history and

24:28 And who'd Nano diversity of climate hardly anybody knows about the jungle side of the of the Alborz mountains below the Caspian Sea and you know, so we saw that there was a jungle ass back to the bronze. Well, it's a desert as well as the mountains. So I mean a real Awakening for us and I knew you could ride motorcycles there. That was a big thing for me is the dirt bikes in Iran him. We'd go a group of guys are going just about every vacation that we had and that and so I be out in the desert with these guys camping and and Karen that's when she went to Afghanistan and Iraq and Syria with other friends, so she traveled a little bit more than I did actually over there and better but I had the thrilling moments.

25:28 I just go up so you can just go flying off the top and of course it dropped down on the other side. So it's you know, it's a big big going down an elevator or some of them were the den to be kind of circle into a bowl shape. And then you go down into that kind of Corkscrew your way up and out of there something really exciting.

25:51 Tattooing, you know, it's different time and. And climate in in the Middle East and you all seem to have had such a pleasant experience and I'm wondering if it was for somebody met there, cross cultural exchange that you had that was really kind of stands out for you kind of a pleasant experiences in a kind of

26:16 We just enjoyed the family. That was our host it that we rented the apartment from and as I said earlier stayed there all four years landlady landlady.

26:26 Well, she was the Widow of of a of an Airforce pilot and and he Iranian and he died tragically, I guess part of the settlement she got enough money to build a 4-story three-story three-story apartment building in so we rented the second floor and they lived on the first underground Subterranean and there's an apartment above us. So we got to know them her and her children and her daughter. Miriam was one that was about it and maybe Junior High School age type thing, and she just learned enough English that we communicated with her and

27:06 We had a nice relationship with them are very very very good to us. And we surprised him one night. We thought we were really young.

27:18 I really modern and that we had bought a waterbed and a real smart cuz I bought these for planks and nail them together and and then laid the waterbed in and filled it up and and it was fine except one of the nails was protruding a little bit and we didn't know this for a while until the bed but one night they came knocking on the door in the class was falling off the ceiling in there and their bedroom guys are going on in any way, but there are nice family and I have no idea what happened to them.

28:08 And since then. How'd you know when it was time to leave?

28:12 Well, we wanted to leave we we let we tried to to apply for other jobs overseas jobs in in the middle of the third year and discovered that it was too late and we knew we didn't get any offers. I don't think so. We started earlier during the fourth year.

28:32 And and we're successful we had offers from the school in Tokyo. And another one in Peru. I think as well as the one in Brasilia.

28:41 But why do we want to leave her? How did we know it was time to leave? We didn't really know. I think I said before we we really didn't have that much of a clue who the Ayatollah was or that the people were that unhappy enough that this many times about the manage prices at there was an english-language newspaper and it would print some mild criticism of the shop, but nothing like the people really felt and of course the people that really were behind the revolution probably didn't speak English, so they weren't going to talk to us and so

29:12 So we just felt it was just kind of time for us to move on really I think I was pregnant. I didn't want to have you in their Ron particularly. I just didn't trust the medical facility as much and wanted to go to a happier place happier religion happier country or days to glorify.

29:40 It's not real happy time. So going to Brazil but holidays a little happier when you go from women wearing black chadors to Brazilian women wearing next to nothing. Even Brazil was a dictator.

30:05 Yeah, there's there's been all kind of managed government there and I'm very really didn't pay much attention to it is we just did our job and we're thankful that we had the Tranquility that we did really.

30:20 And with the stable missive of our housekeeper in remember it at all Chris men.

30:31 If we thank you should go running to her and she get mad at us.

30:36 How does a cultural thing she didn't like it if we got angry with you.

30:47 I know she how she did on the night that we decided it was time for Chris to sleep in his own room and

30:54 Tried to come into our bedroom and closed and locked the door and he could get in and it was crying and crying and I think she was saying I had to hold you back.

31:05 Could you learn to self lines up since that point of view it? All right, you hardly ever cry inside women's doors down. I never so what were the hardest moments in the past since you had kids. Hard?

31:25 I'll be down hill how you didn't give us any time. We have any problems with you. And I I don't I mean, I really not hard nothing was hard.

31:36 You know.

31:38 I want to send the best ones.

31:41 Where we came back from Brazil after being gone from from California for 7 years, so are our purpose there and get to be Queen with your grandparents. So

31:54 It was a good thing.

32:02 Going back to school when you went back to school to get your doctor was good times and we were poor and you didn't know and so poor because we couldn't afford to stay. That is Daddy got his Masters in the Bay area and we can afford to stay there. We had to go somewhere else and it was expensive to live there anymore. We had to find a

32:30 A college where they'd give Dad a doctorate and how he could earn a doctorate and get it an assistantship and we could afford to live and I could get it done. So you don't remember how poor we were when he was in school, but that's why we we did it then so you wouldn't remember those days have no furniture and belongings shipped by Arkansas best freight.

32:57 Which means there's no furniture. I just boxes of a kitchen stuff and clothes really has been all that game and we still had stuff in storage back in in California course, but we moved in that house and saw Only Furniture. We had was your little table and two little Terrace little kids. So we let you eat at the table and then how'd you decide on that house?

33:26 4000 Avenue front windows. No, I didn't know it was very much like our house. Now. It had all that, you know trees would like the woods.

33:37 So we could afford it and it was closed to school for Dad and close to my work for me and close to McDonald's or we spent a lot of time when dad was doing his dissertation to remember that at all playground. Do you know what did you know? Why you were there? I mean, do you remember being there so much cheese would we go there not eat?

34:01 You would eat at we wouldn't eat we let you eat and then we'd eat leftovers after where ya at least we had to get french fries, you know to be there. So that's why we went so often his dad was at home doing a dissertation. What do you remember about Joe neighbor go?

34:19 He scared you to death on Halloween with a mask.

34:23 Remember that

34:26 Time in Vegas

34:38 Who's Joe? Here's a neighbor a single fellow that live next to assume in Fayetteville, Arkansas when I was at the University there and he

34:48 Like I know I could have gone in a different direction, but he became like his Uncle to the children and they would do things with them and support them and and enjoy the game toys reviews a pilot. So he was Tyson Don Tyson. So he was flying he'd go to Cabo San Lucas and bring them back some vanilla in ass Mexican vanilla or imprisoned for you guys. We just a character. I mean, I thought I was crazy just cuz you leave the TV on when he wasn't home.

35:25 Any you had an old sports car which has a man? That was nice that he appreciate that tried to restore it.

35:34 So what other favorite Arkansas moments?

35:40 What a grandpa and grandma say about Arkansas. They said we'd never be happy there.

35:45 Because there was no airport to live to girl after all the trouble traveling to and we really didn't intend to stay in Arkansas. Don't know if you realize that's running themed. We wanted to get on our feet financially and and head back overseas, but it would just got so comfortable and you were in school and kind of as I told you before go where life takes you and life kind of planted us. How was it being Californians? And really, I mean that when we arrive there and everybody was they would

36:27 The foreigners that they that they mocked words for people from Chicago so many of them came there for vacation. So we kind of were in under the radar there cuz we weren't from Chicago we weren't from Mountain Home, but we weren't from Chicago. If so, we did okay, although the people didn't think we'd stay clients, and I don't think I didn't think you'd stay here, but

36:50 The school system was good for me, and it was good for the children and you didn't have a nice career there and then done very well. So we still kind of Miss alter culture and traveling and seeing things but we now we're closing in on retirement account to be retired another year to probably hit the road again.

37:15 I need a patrol where first.

37:21 I want to go around the u.s. You know, we want to see more of the US the things in the place isn't sites that Darcy here.

37:32 That's why we talked about an RV or something maybe.

37:36 What's been different than what you thought it was going to be?

37:48 I don't know why I didn't I didn't think that you know, we've had a role reversal in our in our experience Karen's now the bajor wage-earner in and that actually makes more than I made when I was at my Peak and my running career sewing and so that dr. Dre didn't get a whole lot of payoff as far as as income.

38:13 Thank you dear. I didn't that certainly didn't plan out the way. I thought it was going to play out, but

38:21 It's been very satisfactory is very fortunate in that respect.

38:30 Maybe more things that didn't go noticed what's been different than what you thought.

38:38 Well, I thought of staying in, Arkansas.

38:43 I can't think of anything really. I know I thought you'd be even more.

38:52 Source grandparent thing

38:58 I'd be nice if you'd settle down.

39:02 I'd like that.

39:04 Amber Dunn

39:08 Thank you.