Dearest Family, August 1, 1998

I saw “The Girls” off at the airport about two hours ago - when I went outside to get a taxi it was pouring down rain and it has rained like a monsoon rain for the last two hours.

I CANNOT DESCRIBE HOW WONDERFUL IT HAS BEEN TO HAVE FIRST OF ALL, THE BOBS COME AND THEN THE GIRLS!!! I will always be very grateful to Bob for looking into a place for the girls to stay - their hotel “Chateau De Bangkok” which is right next to my apartment couldn't have been better. They had a suite with two large bedrooms, three baths, a kitchen, large living and dining room area and it was wonderfully air-conditioned - they brought in a roll away bed for someone if they wanted it. They told me this morning that it cost $104 a night which is $52 for each family and it was well worth it. I went over last night and took a bath - I have only had three baths in thirteen months so it was HEAVENLY - the tub was very large and it had a Jacuzzi!!! I would really like to move over there but I won't. The guards and everyone at the desk and EVERYWHERE were super to them - they brought us all fresh mango juice when we first got there. Thank you very much Bob!!! They had a beautiful swimming pool at the very top of their hotel but they didn't have time to use it - I believe Jessie and Barji went swimming for a little while last night.

I met them at the airport last Sunday - July 26th - they kept sending me to different terminals. My Thai friend, Wantana, had made garlands for them and she wanted to be there to meet them so the two of us were waiting for a long time at terminal 1 and someone finally said, “Oh, you meet the Singapore Airline passengers at terminal 2. We rushed there and someone said “Oh, no you meet the Singapore Airline passengers at terminal 1”. So we went back there - after going back and forth several times we finally met them - they were getting worried and so were we. Barji's luggage didn't come with her so she wore Jessie's clothes for several days but she was a good sport!!!

We came to Ruam Rudi and they checked in at their hotel and then we came over to my apartment. I had asked another Thai friend to come show them how to make some Thai food. This friend's name is Somjit and she was SO sweet - she fixed the famous “Thai Green Papaya Salad” - Sum Tom - but she substituted carrots for the papaya because we have a hard time getting papayas in America. She also fixed cashew chicken and stir fry vegetables. Ann, Jean, Jessie and Barji were SO tired but they were good sports and ate everything. I AM SO GLAD THAT JESSIE LIKES RICE BECAUSE THAT MADE UP FOR LOTS OF THINGS THEY DIDN'T LIKE - Ha!!!

Monday morning they all came to my apartment so we could go to school together. I told them they had to be here by 7:30 because our driver would come at that time. WELL - he didn't come (that happens way too often) so we called the District and they said to take a taxi. I was worried about splitting up because I didn't think I could direct the driver to the right school so all 6 of us piled into one taxi and we were very CROWDED!!! The school “Sawattee” was so much fun and I was SO PROUD OF MY FAMILY. They had arranged for a taxi to take them to “The Grand Palace” at about 10:30 so they all left and I stayed to teach. They LOVED the Grand Palace but they said it was VERY HOT!!!

We all met back at my apartment at 3 p.m. and went to the Phloenchit Center which is a shopping area right by the Marriott Hotel and we shopped there for a little while and then we went across the street to Gulati's Tailor Shop. Jessie decided to have a black “concert” dress made for when she plays her violin. It was about 5:30 then and we decided to get a taxi to take us to “The Village” at Saimai - I had planned for them to go by bus like Bob and Claire did but it was cloudy and getting dark and I was worried. You wouldn't believe the taxi driver - I LOST MY COOL!!! He took us miles and miles too far. It had started to rain and I couldn't see out of the windows so I didn't direct him very well either.

When we got to Saphan Mai Market it had stopped raining and we had fun shopping in the market - we bought lots of the different fruits (even Durien, Bob) and then we caught what I call “The Cow Bus” to take us to the village where I lived for 7 months. Virginia and my Village friends, Wantana, Lek and Anan were there waiting for us and we had so much fun visiting with them. They had arranged for a little party for us - Mangum Ice Cream Bars and Pumpkin Cakes wrapped in banana leaves. I believe “The Girls” like the place I lived in the Village better than they do the apartment here on Ruam Rudi.

My Village friends wouldn't let us take the “Cow Bus” back to the apartment so Anan got a taxi for us and the driver drove so fast it took us less than thirty minutes to get home and it had taken us two hours to get there.

Tuesday morning we were all ready by 6:45 to go on a bus tour to Ayutthaya. I was SO proud that all my family was ready on time - I never did have to wait for any of them. I was pleased with the tour and I think they had a good time too. The traffic is always so bad that it seems like it takes a long time to get anywhere. We stopped at the Queens' Summer Palace in Bang Pa In and walked there for awhile - that is interesting!!! Then we went on to Ayutthaya to see all the ruins - Burma was at war with Thailand when it was Siam and they burned so many beautiful palaces, temples, Jedis, etc. and took gold that belonged to Thailand. They have restored everything they could possibly restore and they take great pride in all they have.

We took a boat back to Bangkok and had dinner on the boat. We traveled on the Chao Phraya river so we could see how people live on the boats and along the river. It was a very long ride but I didn't hear any complaints. They served a delicious buffet dinner. Jessie and Barji had the full attention of a young man from Australia (I think) and I believe they told him about our church.

We got home about 6 p.m. and we all walked to a good shopping area - Claire, you will remember “Naraya Phang” where we found some good bargains. It was SO much fun to watch Jessie and Barji shop. Jessie bought a beautiful sapphire ring that she will love forever. Barji bought a beautiful elephant bracelet. I bought a skirt to go with a blouse I just had made. Ann and Jean bought some miscellaneous things with plans to go back another time.

Wednesday - they all went to school with me again. The school, Chonglon, was SO sweet to us and had breakfast all ready (cream of corn soup, crackers and all kinds of Thai desserts). We all love the Ovaltine they serve here - I found out they use the chocolate ovaltine and then put in coffee mate. Jessie and Barji stayed with me until noon and then they went to a lot of classrooms to be with the children. They served a delicious lunch and Barji had a hard time eating Thai food so I ate all of mine and all of hers too - I WAS STUFFED!!!

Ann and Jean left about 10:15 to go “do a little shopping” - the school helped them get a taxi to take them to “The World Trade Center”. That was a VERY FUNNY EXPERIENCE - they met a dentist who asked what they wanted to buy. He got a taxi for them to go to a special jewelry store (does that sound familiar?) and they found absolutely gorgeous sapphire pendants they couldn't resist. I'm not sure if they wanted me to tell you that but I want it for my journal (what an excuse - Ha!!!) I am going to get in trouble telling you all this even before they have a chance to get home - it's a good thing I am “across the ocean”.

Jessie and Barji left Chonglon School about 1 o'clock and went to visit an orphanage to care for some little babies for a little while. This orphanage is just down the street from the Chateau Hotel. We all met back at the hotel about 5 o'clock. In the meantime of all this - Jessie went for a fitting at Gulati's and while there Ann decided to have some suits made. They ended up going back there a few times for different fittings but they are very happy and Ann even ordered a Winter one to be made and Gulati will send it to her. HE IS VERY GOOD. We went shopping again and just visited and had fun.

Thursday morning “The Girls” all went to school with Darlene and Janet and a “Big Wig” from the BMA met them there and took them to the BMA Offices. Four of the most important people in the BMA (The Education Department of Bangkok) took them to a very big “Show” at the old parliament building where Queen Siriket is sponsoring a handicraft display. I probably won't get to see it but they LOVED it and I'm so glad they went. Before they left the offices they were taken into a room with microphones and asked to sing a song. I guess that turned out to be a fiasco!!! I had told them if they were asked to teach a song to the children in the classrooms to sing “The Ennsy Weensy Spider” because they know that in Thai and love to sing it with us when we teach it. WELL - they started to sing that in front of all the dignified BMA Supervisors and they got the giggles. It is very understandable because the Thai people think all they have to do is put a microphone in front of your face and you are supposed to “perform”. I have had a very difficult time with that.

Thursday evening I had invited my dear, dear friends from Lopburi to come for spaghetti dinner. It rained and it rained and there were many traffic jams and they were very late. Aw, Aor, Oat, Jai and Winada came and they came at all different times. My pasta was cooked and in the pan for at least two hours and it all stuck together. Right after they came, Ann asked if she could go to my bedroom and lie down. A few minutes later she got up and said she had to go to the hotel and get in her own bed. After our dinner we went to the hotel for dessert (sticky rice with coconut cream and bananas) in “The Girls” suite and it was a WONDERFUL evening. Jessie and Barji made friends with Aw and Aor and they are darling Thai girls. I will always be very happy I could get them all together. Ann didn't get to spend much time with them but at least they got to meet her.

I worried that Ann wouldn't be better in time to go on the floating market tour with us on Friday but as Jessie said, “She's a rebounder” and she was fine after she had some rest. SO yesterday morning at 5:45 we walked to the Landmark Hotel where we met a van that took us to the Sheraton Hotel where we got into a bus to go to Ratchaburi Province to see the floating market. It was a LONG, LONG TRIP and I believe they would have preferred to stay in Bangkok - we left at 6 a.m. and got back at 6 p.m. They kept telling me how much they enjoyed it and that is my first clue - Ha!!! We saw many, many things, including the wood carving factory. They would have liked to have bought some hand carved elephants there but when they went with the BMA they felt obligated to buy something and they bought the hand carved elephants there (actually, I believe their BMA hostess told them she would like them to purchase something). We stopped at the coconut place where they showed us how to make sugar from coconuts. We also went to a Thai show at the Rose Garden Village and saw all kinds of Thai entertainment We had a delicious lunch at the Rose Garden.

We got back last night in time to pick up the clothing at Gulati's. I came home to pack my things in the suitcases they had brought to help me. I AM THRILLED TO HAVE SO MANY THINGS BACK IN UTAH!!! I'm not going to buy one more thing here and I hope the schools won't give us gifts that are hard to pack.

I went to their hotel suite last night to visit and I listened to the tape recording of Ricky's farewell - WHAT A TREAT!!! I can't believe all the excitement that is going on in that family right now - Ricky will go into the MTC on Wednesday. I hope you will all make it a very happy and uplifting time in your lives and not be one bit sad - Ricky is perfect for El Salvador and this is exactly what he should be doing at this time of his life. I LOVED ALL YOUR TALKS. I had brought the tape to the apartment to listen to but I couldn't understand it - I believe I must have had it on fast speed or something. Jean fixed it last night and it was wonderful - you all sound so grown up.

The sun has come up while I have been typing so it is a happy day!!!

Bob - thank you SO much for your letters. You have been one busy family with all the scouting and family outings - I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!! Your children are very lucky to have such supportive and involved parents. I never did receive your letter with the bahts - I feel bad that you did that when you could have used them while you were here. Do you suppose there is a way the postmen can detect letters with money in them?

I know I have forgotten something very important but I will close for now. “The Girls” are in Singapore now and will leave there in about two hours to go to America. They LOVED Singapore!!! Ann and Jean got very homesick for their husbands and Jessie and Barji got very homesick for their brothers and sisters - I THINK THAT IS WONDERFUL!!! We talked a lot about Susanna in Egypt - what a fabulous experience she is having.

I think about The Bobs, The Roys and The Johns all the time. I cannot believe it is August - time is really going fast. I have many different experiences to look forward to during the next four months and they will go fast. We will have our monthly teacher's seminar tomorrow so maybe I will learn more about what is to be expected of me. I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH AND I WANT THE VERY BEST FOR EACH ONE OF YOU - PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL!!! Grandma B