My father was given the gift of encouragement from his grandparents to leave his life in Switzerland and return to Canada. It seems that Canada had left it's mark on my father despite his young age when he left. My grandmother struggled financially to support her three children. She did eventually find work with the Red Cross. My father spent much of his youth with his Uncle "Mico" who was a doctor in Geneva. Uncle Mico provided opportunities for the children that their mother was not able to do given her limited income. For example, in the photo above Eddy is enjoying a day skiing.
My father was fortunate with his immigrant experience. He was returning to the country of his birth to live with his grandparents. He had the security of a home waiting for him, and a future planned. In contrast, my husband's grandfather left Scotland at the age of 13 as a stowaway on a boat. He was an orphan with no family to leave or come to.
It appears that my father left Switzerland in the fall of 1947. The other photo is on the day of his departure with his brother, Jean and his Aunt Jacqueline.
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