Ramune "Mune" Terese Watkins (Bendorius)

I'm the youngest of four children. My parents fled Lithuania in 1944. We were in the American refugee camp in Germany, and I was born during that time while they were in the refugee camp. We came, as many refugees did at that time, to New York City. My sister, 11 years older, went to CCNY and majored in English. She would often go to grammar school functions with me, and once she took me to see where she was going to college. I still remember walking up the hill to CCNY with her. It stayed with me and made such an impression. When the time came I always knew I would go there. That was where I wanted to go. I applied to CCNY, was accepted, and studied four and a half years majoring in foreign languages, primarily French, Spanish, and some Italian. I remember how many hours we spent at Donnell Library across the street from the Museum of Modern Art. There were two of us who would always go there when we finished our classes to study or do a project. Then we would go across the street to the free jazz concerts in the Garden at the Museum. It was the best time of living in New York City! I also met my first love, Juan, my daughter's father, at CCNY. He was attending college on the GI Bill, having survived two years in the Vietnam War. We met in a class taught by Herman Weinberg, 'The Art of Film.' Juan was from California, and we drove cross-country in 1969. I still have three of my very dear and close friends - Serena, John, and Craig. They became teachers in New York City. They still live in New York, but they've come to California numerous times to visit me. We've known each other for 50 years now and still talk about those days. CCNY was always a very liberal and progressive college. It was a very active, spirited, and curious campus. It was a very interesting and inspiring time and place to be a student.