Thailand Letter
September 22, 1997
Bangkok, Thailand
Dearest Family,
Oh, how I love to come into our apartment and find your WONDERFUL letters!!!
Emily - it was SO fun to read your message and have you mention Cabot. We used to go to Cabot a lot for church meetings and I had almost forgotten about it. I am SO glad you are playing soccer and to play in the position of forward - that sounds stressful to me - ha!!! Your coach has to be strict in order for you to learn the right way to play doesn't he? I wish I could send you some of our oranges and tangerines - they are super sweet!!! The grapes they have here are different from the ones I am used to.
Russ - thank you for taking time to write to me. It's WONDERFUL that you are having fun playing football - that's the most important thing - not the winning part!!! Jimmy - I know you are having fun with soccer too even if you're not winning. Lee Anna's team can win all the games for the Woolley family. Jessie - I would love to see you in your deep gold dress for homecoming. and also with shorter hair - how did you dare have it cut???
Ron - we would never learn about the football score!!! I'm excited that BYU beat Arizona State - I can't believe that and in Arizona too!!! Thanks SO much for keeping me informed - Virginia was happy to learn that too.
Bob and Claire - thank you so much for your faithfulness in writing to me. I can't believe you are having so much rain and that Winter is coming. It is really much cooler here too but I have to tell myself that we are not going to get Winter this year. I'm envious of you for having such good fruit. The fruit here is delicious but nothing compared to Utah Peaches and the raspberries. Bob - we still can't access the news but will keep trying and will try the new address you sent to us.
Susanna - what a treat to get your long WONDERFUL letter. When I go to church and visit with the lady missionaries I think of you because I know you would like to go on a mission. There were just two of them and now there are four. One of the new ones is native Thailand and she is beautiful and the other new on has been in Thailand for about 6 months and she is blonde, very tall and not too friendly. Sister Hansen has been here about 12 months and she speaks very fluent Thai. They ride bicycles and I worry about them but they say they are very careful. They have a housekeeper and a cook. They have had three baptisms since I have been here. I'm proud of you for going to bed at 10 o'clock - don't worry if your roommates laugh at you. I can't imagine a harder schedule - chemistry, math, food science and nutrition, and health. Who is your Bishop? I'm proud of you for being the new assistant ward mission leader - they couldn't have chosen a better person for reactivation of inactive members. Who is your Religion Teacher? The "Dorky Boys" - where have I heard that before - Ha!!!
Annie - PLEASE don't feel like you have to write as often as I do. I have LOTS more time than you do - once a week is fabulous. I don't have Lee Anna's e-mail address at school but if I reply it will go to that address won't it??? The former Mission President in Thailand was Pres. Corveau (sp?) and everyone LOVED him. I think your rolls have always been as good as those at Provo Bakery - you could have taught the class. The Young Women in your ward are SO lucky to have you. We didn't receive the USA Today - I'm sure I will be able to read up on Princess Dianna's accident and death when I get home. Thanks for the tip about Ellen Maes' granddaughters' jewelry - I had a letter from her today and she didn't mention it. They don't show much silver here.
Now about my jewelry!!! JOHN, I BROKE THE BANK!!! I told you in my letter this morning that the principal had said she would take me to look at some jewelry this afternoon. WELL - I had no idea what was in store for me. One of her friends is a close personal friend of a jewelry store owner and he has had his store for over 50 years. The principal had arranged for this friend who is a retired school director to come with us. They had hired a driver and we left the school at noon and we drove, and we drove, and we drove. I have no idea where we went but we ended up in a little jewelry store and they only had VERY expensive rings and not a big assortment. I knew that with all that trouble I was going to buy a ring and I just hoped I could find one I liked. I did find one and it is gorgeous so I bought it. It was 324,000 Bahts which was $900. I have no idea if it is a good deal or not - probably not - but I know it was from a reputable jeweler and I love it. I wanted a gold chunky ring and that is what it is. It has three gold leafs and three very small diamonds on them and then an emerald at the end of the leaves. The emerald came from Colombia, the diamonds from Belgium and the gold from Thailand. I have never had anything like this before. I think the gold is too bright but that is Thailand gold and he said it is 20 karat. We are REALLY surprised at how much expensive jewelry the teachers wear - at least I will be in style on my hand!!!
I told him I could buy it if he could take a Visa Charge Card and he said he could so he made arrangements to have it sized and everything. THEN the bank wouldn't accept the Visa. In desperation he said he would take a personal check so that's what I did. I had thought they would take us to a big wholesale jewelry store where they would have things for young girls, etc. but this was very limited. I don't believe I will try to buy any jewelry for anyone else - it's like Jeannie said, jewelry is a personal thing. John would you please send me my cancelled check when it comes through - I will probably need it when I go through customs when I come home because I didn't get a receipt.
It started raining about an hour after we got home and it is still just pouring down. They tell us this will last for at least a month. Our ceiling is still leaking - Virginia took two of the ceiling panels down and we will just leave them down until the leak gets fixed.
I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH. PLEASE BE SO VERY CAREFUL. Grandma B