95-year-old friend on flight and life lessons

A chance encounter on an international flight brought Gloria Kostadinova a special friendship and valuable lessons on choosing to live life to the fullest from an energetic 95-year-old woman.

Gloria never expected to make friends and become pen pals with a 95-year-old woman on an international flight - Photo: Gloria Kostadinova/Business Insider

When Gloria Kostadinova boarded a plane in Paris (France) earlier this summer, she had no idea that she would be disembarking in Boston (USA) with a new friend to exchange letters with—a friend who had nearly three times as many years of life experience as she did.

Friendship through travel

Instead of watching movies, listening to music, or sleeping like on other long flights, Gloria was drawn into a conversation with Anne, a 95-year-old woman who had just returned after three months in Paris. She was immediately captivated by Anne's positive energy, boundless curiosity, and zest for life.

The casual opening question, "Where are you flying from?" quickly turned into a conversation that lasted almost the entire flight between the two, interrupted only by short naps.

As someone who frequently travels alone, Gloria quickly realized she was traveling with a true "fellow traveler." Anne recounts that she has been traveling to Paris alone every year since 2015, not joining a tour group but instead renting a small room and exploring the city on her own.

But she always knew how to connect with people wherever she went. Over the past 10 years, she has built a vibrant community of friends in Paris. She taught herself French because locals appreciate tourists who take the time to speak their language.

Gloria knew that the person sitting next to her had been traveling to Paris alone for the past decade - Photo: Gloria Kostadinova/Business Insider

The two women spent almost the entire flight telling each other stories. Gloria knew that Anne used to be a tango dancer, recently dancing with the Boston Tango Society. And she had even gone to Buenos Aires to learn Argentinian tango, her favorite style.

Right on the flight, Gloria clearly saw how her mother was taking every opportunity to practice French, insisting on listening to movies in French to strengthen her language skills.

Life lessons

When the plane landed in Boston, the two old friends took a selfie together and exchanged emails to stay in touch.

Anne shared her advice for young travel enthusiasts: "Travel while you're young, travel often, and travel for a long time." Her trips to Paris have given her a wealth of memories and friendships, and Gloria feels fortunate to now be a part of her story.

Gloria hopes to one day make a trip to Paris and meet Anne again - Photo: Gloria Kostadinova/Business Insider

Another important lesson Gloria learned was the value of connection. Her encounter with Anne inspired her to embark on more solo trips and to be more open to new people she met along the way. Anne's stories also inspired Gloria to try harder to make friends while traveling.

If Gloria hadn't struck up a conversation with her on the flight that day, she would have missed the chance to meet someone truly special. Anne hoped to return to Paris next spring if her health permitted. Gloria genuinely hoped she would make another trip to her beloved city – and who knows, perhaps one day she would meet her there again.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nguoi-ban-95-tuoi-บน-chuyen-bay-and-nhung-bai-hoc-cuoc-song-20250909092700992.htm