December 1981

Friends,

When we were young, our parents always told us that the years go by faster as one grows older. Of course, we thought that it was balderdash, but it's TRUE and, by George, now that we're in our 35th year (!), the time seems to literally fly by.  For example, it's incredible to us that we're into our 4th year here in Africa--and we still haven't seen everything or done the things we had planned to do 3 years ago.

Fortunately, we do get good vacations in education, and last year at this time, we made a 2 week trip to South Africa that was a real eye opener.  Visiting SA was once philosophically taboo for us, but now that we have lived in black Africa, we feel that we have a truer picture of the situation down South.  And frankly, it's one of the most beautiful countries in the world!  It's like the U.S. of 50 years ago, but with modern highways and conveniences. We drove for several thousand miles, saw quaint, neat towns, beautiful cities, beaches of a hundred miles in length with sand dunes 150 ft. high, gardens of tropical flowers, vast farms, unspoiled wilderness, and fantastic Cape Dutch architecture.  And truthfully, the Africans there have the highest standard of living on the whole continent, and we saw the beginnings of change that we hope will bring a complete end to apartheid.

Returning from such a mental high, we then went on a physical high by climbing Mt. Kenya, that 16,000 ft., snow covered behemoth which straddles the equator. It was the most grueling experience of our lives, something we are not likely to repeat (Basically, there are 2 kinds of fools in the world:  those who have never climbed Mt. Kenya and those who have climbed it twice!). Anyway, the scenery was majestic, the cold was biting, and the air was THIN--so thin that Sharon ran out of it totally only a few hundred ft. from the summit.

At Easter, we visited the Seychelles Islands for a week--expensive, but worth it with extraordinary French-influenced cuisine and gorgeous South Pacific-type lushness.  Really brought us back to Samoa.

Last summer was a return to Greece--our third year in a row--for another try at subsidized summer school, and then a couple of weeks in the U.K. where we marveled at the architectural splendor of Bath, toured the Cotswold country staying at small inns, and then luxuriated in the excitement of London, with its splendid theater and restaurants.

On the home front, we now have a VW camper which is just perfect for weekends in the country and game runs. We visit our country club from time to time for golf and squash, and attend the theater whenever we can. Plus we try to make it to the coast as often as possible for diving.  But this year is mostly characterized by work, work, WORK at school!  We're just involved in too many extra-curricular activities such as newspaper, yearbook, junior class advisors and Honor Society.  It's too much, so we have promised ourselves to cut down next semester.

We always end these newsletters with a bit of speculation about the future. Right now, we are seriously looking for jobs elsewhere and are most interested in the Middle and Far East.  If we can snag good offers, we'll leave--if not, we'll stay here for another 2 year contract and then return to the States (mainland!) to complete our educations.

All in all, we're basically happy and healthy of mind and body.  We are looking forward to hearing from as many of our friends, acquaintances and relatives as possible this year.  Merry Christmas to you all and may you have a splendid New Year.

December 1980

Jambo from Africa again,

As you can see, we renewed our contracts as expected and are now well into our third year in Nairobi.  If all goes as planned, we will be here next year as well, which will be a record for us...4 years in the same place!  But as always, our plans are subject to change without notice (just like the prices of everything!).

Last year at Christmas time we had a wonderful visit with family both in NJ and Florida, which made the holiday season very special for us.

At Easter, friends from Saudi Arabia came to visit us, and we had a frantic week on safari to Masai Mara game reserve, staying at a tented camp along a slow moving river, somewhere on the Kenyan side of the Serengeti plains.  The grasses were long from the spring rains, the game was plentiful, and the atmosphere was sheer Hemingway.

Then in the summer we headed back to Greece for another go at school and 5 weeks of unexcelled high living. With visiting friends, we took a cruise to Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos and Santorini, renting motorcycles, swimming in the cool waters of the Aegean Sea, trudging along cobblestoned streets, and sipping Greek wines at outdoor tavernas.  We also traveled up to Meteora in central Greece where we marveled at 12th century monasteries perched on impossible cliffs rising from the arid plains.  Quite breathtaking.

On the way to Greece, we stopped over for a few days in Egypt to see the pyramids. Very impressive and well worth the trip.  The Great Pyramid in Giza (across the Nile from Cairo) covers 14 acres of land.  What an awe inspiring experience it was to climb through a dark, dank tunnel right in the very heart of it.

After our sojourn in Egypt and Greece we flew to the good ole US of A and spent some time with our family in NJ.  While there we took a trip with Sharon's father through some of the most beautiful countryside we have ever seen anywhere in the world--western Virginia and North Carolina, along Skyline Drive and through Great Smokey Mountains National Park.  The views were absolutely breathtaking.  The reason for our trip was to scout out the area with a view toward buying a bit of land.  As it turned out, our mission was accomplished, and we purchased a 4 acre plot in Otto, NC--and adjoining Sharon's brother Gene's acreage. It's a great feeling to be landed gentry!!

We capped our summer off with a week in Paris, a first time for Sharon, and it proved to be a fitting end to a super summer.  We stayed on the Left Bank, ate our way through the bistros and cafes of the Saint Germaine-St. Michel area and drank of the Parisian summer atmosphere, despite incredible hordes of tourists.

Returning to Nairobi, we thrust ourselves headlong into our jobs again, with Sharon planning the expansion of her library and Ken teaching Spanish, English and Journalism.  We've gotten back into SCUBA diving here, and have accomplished and planned several trips to the coastal areas. At Christmas, we will go to South Africa for two weeks, will climb Mt. Kenya with porters and guides, and then finish off the month with a week at the coast in a rented cottage.

Life in Africa continues to be pleasant and eventful.  We have moved into a larger house and now have a full time servant again to take care of us.  Besides work, we enjoy the amenities of Nairobi with its excellent theater and restaurants. We have noticed that the prices are on the rise at a frantic pace, as in much of the world, and things that we could formerly enjoy have now become beyond our means. Hotels have gone up by 50% since we arrived, food is now more than in the States (although beef is still very, very reasonable), and gasoline prices are closing in on $3.00 per gallon.  One wonders where it will end.

We still feel that living abroad is the only way to go while one is young. It has its frustrations, of course, and the general incompetence of Third World functionaries in government and business can drive one up the wall:  Travel agents who can't read maps and have never traveled, telephones that never work, stores that are never open, etc...all make life...well...interesting.

That's it!  Merry Christmas to all and many a happy New Year to come!!

December 1979

Jambo sana,

Seasons greetings to all our friends and relatives.  As can be seen by the stamp, we are still in Nairobi--and loving it more than ever.  We have never found a more perfect climate, nor a place with more opportunities for adventure and enjoyment.

Our jobs at the International School are better than ever. After a normally shaky first year, we have entered into the life of the school this year with vigor:  Sharon is in charge of the yearbook, and Ken has the school newspaper as well as just having produced and directed "The Importance of Being Earnest" as the school play, a grueling but highly successful effort.

On the home front, we've moved from our country cottage of last year to a smaller, more conveniently located guest wing on an estate just outside town. We've sacked our servants and now live a more frugal, less ostentatiously colonial existence. Our daily routine is one of work, jogging, swimming at the school's pool, theater or dinner out at night at one of the many excellent and reasonable restaurants in town.

Adventuring, of course, is the reason for coming to Africa, and the past year has seen plenty of that.  The picture on our card was taken at Samburu Game Reserve in the Northern Frontier District.  It's a place of stark, raw beauty, with primitive tribesmen, rare game, dry plains, and a winding "African Queen" type-crocodile infested river. Camping there was a wild experience--frightening and exhilarating all at once.

In February, Sharon went back to NJ to visit her mother, who was terminally ill, as it turned out. Shortly after Sharon's return, her mother died--a sad blow indeed for all of us.

Later in the year, we went to the coast as chaperones on an East African History class trip. We visited Mombasa and its port with Arab dhows, then went north to the island of Lamu--a hideaway seemingly forgotten by time. To get there, we had to take a local bus, pull it across a river by hand, then push it through mud holes and streams.  Once on the island, we were treated to an Arab-like town with narrow streets, veiled women, exotic foods and smells, the cries of the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer.  We rode in Arab dhows to other islands, slogging through mangrove swamps on foot, and on the return trip, were abandoned by the bus 10 miles from any other inhabitants and had to walk for three and a half hours in the broiling sun with our luggage until rescued by a Land Rover.  Great adventure--now that it is over!!

Last summer, we spent 2 months in Europe.  Ken went to summer school in Athens, while Sharon loafed around and enjoyed the sights. We had a marvelous 5 weeks in Greece, exploring the Peloponnesus and were enthralled by the marvels of Greek architecture and civilization--especially the ruins at Delphi.

Then on to Italy where we stayed in Rome, rented a car and camped up the boot to Florence. Later we visited Venice, camping on a beach outside the city.  We crossed the border to Austria, were enchanted by Salzburg, the Tyrolean Alps, and finally made it to Switzerland.  The prices of food and lodging were, as expected, quite steep, but worth every penny as we walked through the wildflowers on hills near St. Moritz, or gorged on ice cream while gazing at the Matterhorn from Zermatt (where we spent our 11th anniversary) or strolled among the medieval buildings of Geneva.

Returning to Nairobi, we picked up friends from Hawaii and went on safari again, to the Ark (a luxury game viewing lodge in the mountains), then to Samburu again and finally to Masai Mara reserve where we witnessed one of the most spectacular sights on earth--the migration of the wildebeests on the Serengeti plain.  Endless lines of these hairy, bison-like creatures, as far as the eyes could see, walking slowly to an unknown call of the wild.

So, it's been a hell of a year for us.  This Christmas, we return to NJ and Florida for the holidays.  We may go to Egypt at Easter.  And we have 99 per cent decided to renew our contracts here for another 2 years which will mean a return trip to the States this summer. On the trip back here, we may stop in South America.  But, of course, if something better comes along, we will pack our things and go where adventure calls us. Until next time,

Best wishes and a Good Year!

December 1978

Jambo!!

Incredibly, another year has slipped by, and as usual, we're in another part of the world.  At this time last year, we were in Hawaii, with Sharon working for Hawaii Loa College and Ken going to school at the University. We didn't have as many visitors as we had expected, but Ken's folks did manage to come for a two month stay.  We did a bit of island hopping, as well as seeing all the Honolulu sights in depth.

In the Spring, we took a trip to Seattle and stayed in a luxurious mountain chalet with friends and had a week of glorious skiing.  The difference in climate convinced us that we needed a change after seven years in Polynesia, so we interviewed in San Francisco for jobs in Nairobi.  Then we returned to Hawaii, and Ken popped down to Samoa for a week of thesis research.  By the end of March, we knew that we were going to Africa. Ken then doubled his efforts and finished his second MA, in English as a Second Language.

In June, we sold all our furniture, threw out most of our clothes, and with four suitcases and a couple of packages sent air mail, we left Hawaii behind us for a new adventure.  We stopped in California for a tour of the wine country (hiccup!), and then spent a week in NJ with the folks.  Then, it was off to Africa, stopping in London, where we enjoyed the English atmosphere, the theater every night, and were appalled by the crowds and the weather.

On August 1, we arrived in Nairobi to take up our jobs at the International School of Kenya, Sharon being the librarian and Ken the Spanish teacher.  The school, set on 45 acres of coffee trees and hills, serves a population of students from over 30 countries.  The students are bright, interesting and well behaved, a welcome change from NJ and Samoa!

Living in Kenya is a delight for the adventuresome of spirit.  The climate is just about perfect--evenings cool enough for a fire and sleeping with a couple of blankets, yet days warm enough for short sleeves and a swim in the school's pool. We managed to secure a charming, quiet, 2 bedroomed cottage in the country, about 25 minutes from town.  We have an acre and a half of gardens and trees, tended by our full-time gardener, and the irksome chores of life, such as cooking, cleaning, doing the wash, etc., are taken care of by our houseman/cook.  Basically, we are being spoiled rotten for they do everything for us, from ironing our undies, to feeding the pets, to packing us a lunch, to washing the car, to shining our shoes. We think that returning to a "normal" life in the States will be unbearable.

Kenya has a surprising number of amenities to offer.  Within 1/2 hour of our house, there is a fantastic game park just loaded with wild animals of every variety. 500 meters down the road, we have a country Pub and French restaurant, which features the kind of quiet elegance and attentive service that has long since disappeared from America.  There is a first class professional theater in town, along with several amateur companies, lots of movie houses ($1.50 for tickets), excellent restaurants, a 17,000 ft. perpetually snow capped mountain, and lovely beaches at Mombasa and Malindi with diving and fishing.  All in all, it looks like a jolly good couple of years.

Theoretically, we should be here until June, 1980, but of course in Africa, it is not wise to plan too far ahead (although Kenya is by far the most stable country on the continent).  We'd like to climb Mts. Kenya and Kilimanjaro, see the pyramids in Egypt, perhaps see Greece and other parts of Europe (ski Switzerland?) before we leave this part of the world.  And as always, our house is open to visitors.

So, until next year, it's "Kwaheri" to you all and Merry Christmas with a Very Happy New Year.

December 1977

Aloha,

Ah, another year has slipped by and we are in another place.  Those of you who could not visit us in the South Pacific...well, it's too late because we left Pago Pago and are now installed in Honolulu once again.  The change was totally unplanned and precipitous.  Last summer, we came to Hawaii to finish up the details of the sale of our Lanai house and we were so struck with the climate and all the things to do that we decided to stay. Sharon was dispatched back to Pago to close things up and resign our jobs, and Ken began classes immediately at the University of Hawaii. He is still at it and probably will never complete his studies because that would mean he'd have to decide what he wants to do when he grows up.

Things were fairly tight in the employment market at first, but after a few weeks at the airport renting cars, Sharon lucked into a good job at Hawaii Loa College on the Windward side of Oahu.  It's a small, private college and is set in one of the most magnificent areas of the world...cool breezes, luxurious vegetation and impossibly steep, lush cliffs are what she has to put up with. As luck would have it, shortly after being employed, she moved into the head librarian job at the college while the former head goes off to India to study religion.  May he find eternal bliss there and never come back!

Our last months in Samoa were exciting.  The highlight of our time there was a visit by Queen Elizabeth and her yacht to our harbor. Her yacht, which is really a ship over 400 feet long, preceded her by a few days, and we were extremely lucky to have the contacts which allowed us to be invited aboard to a party given by the officers. It was an unforgettable experience, wining and dining on silver and fine crystal, surrounded by mementos of the glory of the British Empire.

Job-wise, we were both satisfied.  Ken was to receive another promotion to Coordinator of Foreign Languages for the Territory, and Sharon was about to move into a new Learning Resource Center at the Community College.  But we must have known subconsciously that our time here was coming to an end, for during the year we were slowly divesting ourselves of our possessions:  two boats and two motorcycles down the drain (along with most of our money!).

And now?  Well, we have a nice two-bedroom apartment near the University with an incredible view of Diamond Head.  We hope to have plenty of visitors because we have the room and we have an extra car.  Ken's folks plan to be here for two months at Christmas and Sharon's will be out in April.  But other than those times and the week before Easter (when we'll be on the Mainland skiing), we're free and willing to entertain.

The future?  We're not sure, as usual.  We may stay here for a few years, we may be off for Florida at the end of this school year, or we could be off to anywhere else in the world at the drop of a hat and without further notice.  So, if you've been planning a visit to Hawaii, don't hesitate.

December 1976

Greetings,

Another year gone by and we're still in Samoa.  Last year at this time, we returned to New Jersey for a good old fashioned Christmas.  It was nice to see family and friends again--those we missed--sorry!

Sharon has a new job this year:  Coordinator of Instructional Support Services at the Community College of American Samoa. She is about to move into a new resource center on the beautiful, expanding campus of the college. She finds her new job very challenging and the experience she is getting is excellent for the future.

Ken is still at Samoana High and finds that he has almost figured out his Samoan students. He worked most of last summer writing English materials to be used in the school system this year. (No more working in the summer!!)

We sold our sailboat, but purchased an 18 foot powerboat which we've been using for fishing and diving.  The fishing here has been fabulous, better than we found in Hawaii.  Our freezer runneth over with fish.  We also bought two motorcycles which have given us much pleasure--until Ken hit a dog and left the skin of his knees and feet all over the highway.

We had three weeks in Hawaii last summer--much too short, but we're still trying to pay off the Mastercharge  bills we incurred at the local shops and restaurants.  This coming summer we both have two and a half months off, and we intend to take advantage of it.  We may go west to the East (Australia, Indonesia, Singapore) or go east to the West coast of the U.S.

Anyway, we intend to be here in Samoa until June of 1978, and we have an extra room.  If you are in need of getting away from it all and would like to sample Polynesia, you know where to find us.

December 1975

Talofa, y'all,

Well, we're still in Samoa, having renewed the contract which brought us down here more than a year ago. The 365 days which have passed since our last card have been filled with adventure and excitement and few heartaches, for which we are extremely grateful.

Sharon continues to enjoy her work for the library, supervising the processing center she designed and also restructuring a multi-media resource center. Ken was promoted to chairman of the department of English at Samoana High School and complains bitterly of how overworked and underpaid he is!

Travel was the highlight of the year for us.  Last Easter, we spent ten glorious days in New Zealand, a splendid little country whose beauty can be compared to Switzerland...but with beaches. We thoroughly enjoyed the snow-capped mountains and glaciers, a stark contrast from the tropical lushness which is our lot here in Samoa.

Ken was able to fulfill a boyhood dream last summer by sailing in a 40 ft. yacht to various islands in the South Pacific.  He left Samoa in early June and, after a bit of heavy weather, made a landfall at Suwarrow Atoll in the Northern Cook Islands, inhabited solely by 75 year old hermit, Tom Neale.  After spending a week diving among sharks and eating lobster for breakfast, he sailed south to Rarotonga and finally ended the voyage in Tahiti, where Sharon joined him just in time for the Bastille Day celebrations.  A truly unforgettable experience!

In August, we returned to Lanai, Hawaii, to check on our house, do some repairs, and visit with old friends.  Since we had purchased the cottage upon leaving for Samoa, this was our first opportunity to live in our own home and was well appreciated.

We have acquired a 14 ft. Hobie Cat sailboat for scooting around Pago Pago Bay and nearby islets.  We joined the local yacht club and have been very active in its regattas and social activities, as well as continuing our SCUBA diving and lazing around the Rainmaker Hotel pool.

Artistically, it's been a good year for both of us.  Sharon has been busy with traditional Samoan tapa painting and recently sold some of her work at a show.  Ken took up freelance writing and had a couple of newspaper and magazine articles published and has several more in progress.

This Christmas, we shall return to NJ for a visit after an absence of three and a half years.  We expect to catch up on some of the culture and food we've missed sorely, as well as renew familial ties.  And after that?  Who knows? Tonga?  Fiji?  Australia?  We think we'll just see what happens!

Merry Christmas and a Happy, Prosperous New Year to all!!

December 1974

Talofa,

Just a little note to let you know what we've been doin'.  After leaving New Jersey in 1972, we spent two years on Lanai, a small rural island in the Hawaiian chain.  Ken got a job with the US Dept. of Agriculture, and Sharon worked as a substitute teacher for a time, then commuted by plane to a job at Maui Community College library.  While on Lanai, we bought two horses, raised our own fruits and vegetables, and lived a rather placid existence.  We purchased a boat, went water skiing, SCUBA diving, deep sea fishing, and took weekend excursions to Lahaina, Maui, in the company of whales and porpoises.

Last summer, Sharon received an offer we couldn't refuse:  a job setting up a processing center for all library materials for the Territory of American Samoa.  We packed our things and left Hawaii, but not before purchasing a three bedroom plantation cottage on Lanai. So, here we are, ensconced in a charming cathedral ceilinged, Samoan-style house in the heart of the South Pacific.

Ken is teaching English and journalism at Samoana High School, and Sharon, in addition to her library work, is preparing to teach a course at the local Community College.  After spending Thanksgiving at Aggie Grey's in Apia, Western Samoa, we are looking forward to a trip to New Zealand this Spring.

Future plans?  Not sure yet, but it looks like next year may be spent on the Mainland, USA.  After spending such a long time on small islands in the Pacific, it would be good to experience a great landmass again, being close to family and friends.

Merry Christmas, and to all a Good Year!

After 50 years of marriage and shared life adventures, we remember how we decided to quit our secure jobs as teachers in New Jersey back in 1970 to attend graduate school in Hawaii, which ultimately led us to embark on a journey neither of us had ever imagined in our wildest dreams. Along the way, our experiences were documented in annual Christmas cards (designed by Sharon) and newsletters (written by Ken). Reproduced here are the years 1974-1999, which we call... 

"From Pago Pago to Prague; 25 years along the road less traveled."