When I worked abroad I rented a flat with a guy who is the same nationality (Canadian) as myself. He was a complete stranger to me. I met him abroad and through the company we were both working for. The company had actually set up the flats for all the expats. So it was a very random thing who you were paired with. We both discussed Canada a bit, but never went into any depth about exactly where we grew up etc. We were just work colleagues and flat mates so we never discussed much besides work. Work was pretty intense, so it just consumed us.

My parents came to visit at one point and my mother was making small talk, so she started to ask him about where he grew up etc. And he mentioned the same city where my aunt, her sister lives. She then asked him if he knew this particular street, the street where my aunt and her family has lived for decades. He was so surprised and he said yes, that he grew up on that street and his parents still lived there. We were all shocked! Then my mom mentioned my aunt’s name. He started to laugh and said yes! He knew exactly who my aunt was and he started to name all my cousins. lol. He was their NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR and playmate growing up! He knew my aunt and cousins his entire life! Turns out when I was a very small child visiting my aunt I had met him!! But we were obviously so young at the time we didn’t recognize each other later in life as adults. We were all laughing and completely shocked

My mom phoned my aunt on later in the day to tell her about the coincidence and yep, my aunt knew exactly who he was. She had actually said hello to his mother that same day in the driveway.

I had been flat mates with this guy for over a year and I had no idea he had a connection to my family and that I had already met him as a child. Canada is such a massive place, and to meet him randomly abroadd as a flatmate through work is just such a huge coincidence. And I probably never would have known if it wasn’t for my nosy mom. :)