Written By Robert Wheeler

Being a forty-four year old writing/literature teacher at a local university has always been personally fulfilling. Even more fulfilling than that, however, are the relationships I maintain with former students from my time as an elementary and high school teacher. There is really no better feeling than when a young adult—that I no longer recognize at first glance—taps me on the shoulder and re-introduces themselves, telling me that I made a positive difference in their life.

Mike and Jeff are such students. In 1994, while in high school, they enrolled in an Ernest Hemingway course I was teaching. The course must have gone well because throughout the following years, each of them kept in touch. Mike went on to Colby College where he studied International Economics and played football, and Jeff went to Quinnipiac University where he studied Political Science and Management while playing lacrosse; Jeff then went on to earn his MBA. Currently, both Mike and Jeff work and live in Portsmouth, NH. Mike works as a Marketing Manager and Jeff as a Research Analyst.

Meanwhile, as part of a literature course I was teaching, I had begun taking university students to Paris to experience the excitement of the 1920’s Modernist Movement—especially the enthusiasm Hemingway brought with him as a budding Modernist. Jeff asked to join one of the Paris trips and found himself emerged in the Left Bank and in Normandy just as Hemingway was. Upon returning to the United States, and after having completed three truly inspiring group trips, I began thinking about starting a business whereby I would offer the Hemingway in Paris experience to the general public.

Cut to 2008, and on a rather cold and wet spring afternoon, I met Mike and Jeff for a lunch simply to catch up and hear about the directions their lives were taking. At this lunch, I also shared my Paris plans with them just to hear their thoughts.

Well…that was the beginning of what is turning into a fine and lasting business relationship. The two of them were excited with the Hemingway in Paris idea and wanted to develop a partnership and turn it into a valid and professional business. They told me that I could simply focus on the trip while they would take care of all the business aspects of running a small company…and, truly, this was music to my ears.

For me, this venture is very pleasing because of the fact that the seeds I had planted in Michael and Jeff as their teacher over a decade ago have rooted and grown into this amazing business called Remembering Hemingway. I know that by having such a long-standing history, and that by having such honest and intelligent partners, our clients will continue to greatly benefit.