Meeting Malaysian families -- a time remembered!

In 1989 I boarded a plane with 11 other people and headed for Malaysia (May 18, 1989) .   I was scared to death, never had been out of the country, was going through a terrible divorce and was at a time in my life when I thought, "What could make this worse? So I go down in flames"!    I was feeling pretty sorry for myself and I boarded that plane.   Margaret Popham was leading the tour and she had arranged for each of us to stay with the families of our Malaysian students here on campus.

The tour group was Margaret and Ron Popham, Sue and Ed Burford, Edna Brandt, Joan Wells Gohn, Grace Hoover (who was my roommate and threatened everyone not to say one thing to me about the divorce I found out later), Jerry and Carolyn Pickens, and Barb and Bill Port.   What a wonderful group--and we came back friends for life!

Malaysia was so different and so exciting.   Staying in the homes was so different.  When we got off the plane, there were about 25 alums there to meet us and we had a celebration with satey and drinks all around.   I stayed with Fazmin and his family and we all tried to get together on weekends.  I shall try to forget the Saturday night meal of bird eggs.  It was a land of motorcycles, Muslim culture--I tried to inculcate myself into praying 5 times a day when they prayed but did not totally get into that.   The fried rice served was the hottest in my history and if I never smell another durian, it will be too soon.

But the trip---and the reaching out to other lands and customs--caused me to expand my arms to welcome every international student who would like to be a Redhawk.    It became a time of real, unexpected joy!

Jerry and Carolyn Pickens, Edna Brandt and Joan Gohn at the airport arrival.

Grace Hoover,  family of Rusten (Host family to Grace) and me on outing.