Moon landing and walk - Remembering 4...

Moon landing and walk - Remembering 40 years ago today - July 20 / July 21, 1969

The moon landing was at 0256 GMT July 21 -4 = making it 10:56 July 20 in Ontario and Quebec.

I was in Trois-Pistoles Quebec, a small community on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River attending French Summer School of the University of Western Ontario. I was living with the Côté family for six weeks during that summer (July 3 - August 13, 1969). I was attending classes studying third year university French 381 - Grammar, composition, oral practice (although I had only finished grade thirteen in June). Now that it is another story in itself.

So back to the moon landing. (Retournons à l'alunissage)

I didn't watch the historic event chez la famille Côté. I spent the night at the apartment of one of my fellow school mates who was staying with either her aunt or grandmother. I wonder if I have any notes on the subject or old letters, as sadly I do not have many photos and none of them are labelled and there are no annotations in the photo album.

Although, there was school the next day, we stayed up late to watch it. It was exciting to watch and I am sure we held our breath until they were safely landed. How thrilling to watch as Buzz Aldrian and Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. We would hear the words of the astronaut, Neil Armstrong "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

What I don't remember was it translated? What station did we watch? It was most likely a French language station of Radio-Canada. After being there for over two weeks, I wouldn't think anything of watching this special moment in French, as all we spoke for the summer was French unless we were translating into English as part of our courses or once in while an English song sung for practice of the French Canadians learning English.

I wonder now what the older generations thought at the time about the moon walk? Had they ever imagined that during their lifetime that someone would travel to the moon and walk on its surface? I wasn't home to see my parents' reaction. They did take photos of the television set. My grandparents were gone by then.

Where were you when this historic moment happened? Perhaps you will blog about it or leave a comment here.