Small World

Eleven years ago, several internet buddies decided to take a stab at re-establishing a family association which had started during end of 19th century but had not been viable for more than fifty years.  We made a go of it and organized research, databases, web sites and family.  We held several family reunions in Massachusetts where I got to meet many of my internet buddies and "cousins," and amongst the group was Joy Eaton Nemergut and her husband Fred.  Who knew that the next time I would see them would be in Thailand.


As often happens with many cyber-net relationships, very quickly you can establish close personal friendships similar to the penpals of old, but there is a special connection when you also know that you have a common legacy.  Joy has graciously kept in touch with me over the years and when she mentioned that she and Fred would be in Chiang Mai in January, I was delighted.  When they arrived, we planned to meet for dinner, but that was the last decision we would have to make.


To my amazement, the couple Joy and Fred were staying with whom they had met in Boston so many years ago became our ultimate hosts, tour specialists and party planners.  They made arrangements to have me picked up and taken to their beautiful home where I met another extraordinary couple from the US, an educator and his lovely wife, a now retired US State Department employee, who was returning for a visit to her homeland.  How delightful that we were now a group of 7 for dinner.  No one could have anticipated the generous hospitality of our hosts that evening, and the next day I happily accepted an invitation for breakfast and a road trip to their coffee plantation. OMG, is only the beginning description of the fabulous day we were to experience.


Having received his masters in business administration at Harvard, our magnanimous host became invested in the politics of his country upon his return and made great strides towards developing global recognition for Thailand, while maintaining his deep Buddhist beliefs in taking personal responsibility for relieving suffering and giving back to his homeland.  Now, owner of a prosperous jade factory, restaurant, condo buildings, etc., his new ambition, if he does not return to the political arena, is to retire to his mountain retreat and to expand upon and contribute to the villages near his coffee farm, while providing training and education for his workers and their families. He became our tour guide after a beautiful lunch at his home, happily shuttling us around his beloved mountain, showing us "his" Thailand from its quaint villages and exotic jungle beauty, to the expanses of his arabica coffee farm for which he takes great pride and pleasure.  Upon the steep mountain slopes, sheltered in the shade of its dense jungle forestation, his arabica beans grow to perfection, and are harvested and processed by hand by the village inhabitants to note-worthy production of the finest coffee in the world.


I cannot detail the overwhelming feeling of pure beauty, spiritual enrichment, family and country pride we were allowed to witness throughout the day and, upon returning to Chiang Mai, indulged in an awesome dinner and walk through the Night Bazaar to again "feel" the richness of Thai culture and craft.


My thanks to Joy and Fred who shortly after were on their way to South Africa.  A day to truly remember!

View from Doi Suket mountain

Joy Eaton and Fred Nemergut