Thailand Letter
(This was received as a paper letter and Bob scanned it and emailed it to the family)
July 26,1997
Bangkok, Thailand
Dearest Family,
I was SO thrilled to receive your letter today Claire but so very sad to learn about Burgess Maryfield - HOW SAD!!! I know this must be very hard on Michael - they were such good friends. I remember when he came to Utah last year to stay with Michael and I wanted them to come to Provo to see me but they couldn't. This makes two of our Little Rock friends who have lost sons in traffic accidents this past year. Did you ever know Tony and Viola Monk. Their son was killed in an automobile accident soon after he returned from his mission (I believe that's right). I worry constantly about all my grandchildren and all the traveling they do - I worry about my own children too and their spouses but there isn't anything I can do about it!!! Please give Skylar and John my love and sympathy when you write to them.
Your trip to Lake Powell sounded like lots and lots of fun as usual. I was going to write and tell you that if you wanted to know how hot I was you could turn your oven on to 400 degrees and stick your head in it - Ha!!! I really believe Lake Powell at 112 degrees would be more like it. It is funny because everyone is telling us this is the rainy season and also the coolest - ugh!!! I am SO relieved that you are home safe and sound. I'm also glad you got lost and ended up in Fayette so you could see all the Mellor Graves - Ha!!! I' m sure there is a great deal of genealogy in that cemetery - it is kinda funny to walk through it and see so many Mellor names.
We had a Teacher In-service Workshop meeting this morning. It started at 9 o'clock but it is so far away that we had to leave at 7 and get two buses and a taxi in order to get there on time. I got up at 5 so I could roll up my hair but it still wasn't dry by the time we left so I went with curlers in my hair and everyone looked at me so funny. It dried during the drive on the bus so it was worth it but I believe it embarrassed Virginia. The Workshop was WONDERFUL and I wish I could have attended the others they have had before we got here. Did I tell you that our Director told us to forget everything we learned at the MTC and use our own ideas. We learned SO many things we will never need to teach here. We teach a lot with songs and activities. I have sung 3 Little Monkeys Jumping on The Bed so many times I sing it in my sleep. The children like me and that's all that counts and I KNOW they are learning. They have trouble with their "V" sound - it comes out "W ' - and also their "L" and "R" sounds. It is fun to find different ways to teach them and their teachers are so responsive to everything we teach them.
Our conference with the Governor of Bangkok was an experience I won't easily forget. We went to his huge office and were treated royally - they kept bringing us ice water and juices and then at the end they brought in little cakes. The Governor is a very kind and nice man and he couldn't say enough nice things about the things we are doing. He has invited us to dinner on August 5th " (Daddy's Birthday) - I'm sure that will be nice. He asked very personal questions about our living conditions and wanted to know how he could help us. I can tell he has given instructions to all the school leaders to give us food, food, food and juice, juice, juice and lots of water and all the transportation we need. I am SO spoiled! ! !
I had a funny experience last week. On the plane when your ears get all plugged up and you yawn and then they are okay. WELL - mine never did get unplugged. I have kept thinking they would get better but when they didn't I got some "WAXOL" and kept putting that in them. Then I tried to squirt hot water in them and nothing worked. Finally, at school one day I asked one of our supervisors if she could recommend a good ear doctor. She said, "I will take you to the hospital at 3 o'clock this afternoon". I tried to talk her out of it and said I wasn't sick and they didn't hurt but I just couldn't hear. She wouldn't change her mind so at 3 o'clock she took me to the hospital. This "Young Kid" came out with his ear thing and looked in my ears and said "You have wax in your ears" - I had already tried to explain that to him. I asked the teacher with me if he were a doctor and she said, "I believe he is". I was SO relieved when they told me I would need a "real" doctor and would have to come back the next day. Then the teacher asked me if I minded going to a private hospital even if it were more expensive. I said, I didn't care how much it cost - I wanted an ear specialist. They took me to a very nice hospital and I was SO happy when I saw ENT above his Thai name. He did something to my ears (suctioned the wax out) and they felt SO good I wanted to hug him. I couldn't believe it when I got the bill - 300 Bahts - that is about $ 15 dollars in American money. I don't know what the other hospital would have charged me.
We need to leave about 7 in the morning in order to get to church by 9 - we go to the Pakrett Branch. Last week I played the music for them but I didn't know which things to turn on so it sounded funny and I hope their organist is there tomorrow. We teach English after church so we don't get home until about 4 p.m.
I haven't seen any roaches yet but we do have a friendly Gecko. I worry sometime when it is dark that I will walk on something but so far I haven't. We have to be careful to not leave anything out that will attract ants - there are a lot of ants here.
Did I tell you that they never put knives on the table? If you have to cut something, you hold it with your fork and then use your spoon (a big spoon) to cut it. We have been to a different school each day we have been here and we have been served different food at each one - It is beautifully served and I have learned to not ask what it is - that way I can enjoy it.
I hope Bob and Brett are enjoying Scout Camp. Scouting is very big in Thailand - everyone wears Scout Uniforms at school on certain days - the girls, the boys, and all the teachers. One day last week when we drove into the school yard all the scouts were out practicing knot tying.
I think about all of you all the time. I have heard from the Bob Mellors and Barji has written to me and also I had a lovely letter from Suzie O'Donoghue. I wonder how my home is doing and if John and Julianna have moved in and if they have rented their home yet. I wonder about Sasha and Oscar - did you sell them? I don't dare think about Frauie or I will cry - I didn't think I would miss her but I do. Is Tar with her? Has Ron rented all his building yet and how is Bev? Emily has started sewing lessons, Claire said, and I'll bet she will be a good seamstress like her Mother. I can just imagine all the work my yard is about now - cutting the Bishop's weed, etc.
Please take care of yourselves and BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.
I love you,
GrandmaB. XXOO
P.S.
Please note there is a change in Grandma's address with the addition of "Moo 2"
Barbara Jean Mellor
Teptipniwet Village 219/6
Moo 2
Sai Mai Road
Bankean, Bangkok Thailand
10220
Take Care
Bob