Hello Parichart & Peter,

I remember you both, of course. How can those
hot & dusty days of Chainat, Maha Serakham and
Hua Hin ever be forgotten? Peace Corps Group 58.
Seems like aeons ago, I know. As you've learned,
I keep in touch with only Brad Philips, my beer-drinking
buddy, and Bill Preston, whose letters read just like
he was standing right next to me. Oh, I occasionally
drop Peter Coombs and his family a line, but I haven't
seen him in ages.

Let's see, how can I briefly summarize the past 20?
I extended for a third year as volunteer and worked
with Bill at The British Council. Brad also extended,
largely to avail himself of the further opportunity to court
Kob, who is now, of course, his wife and the mother of
their two kids. When Brad and Bill left Thailand in 1980,
I stayed on for a 2 year teaching contract at Thammasat
University. After that, I decided to look harder for the big
bucks, so I first went to Indonesia for two years to Borneo,
East Kalimantan to the small dump of Balikpapan to work
and teach for Roy M. Huffington Co., a small American Oil & Gas
company. After than it was to Saudi Arabia for 2 years with
Northrop Aviation teaching the Royal Saudi Air Force. After
that in 1986, I returned to Bangkok and Thammasat for a 6
year stint at Thammasat. I joined Unocal Thailand down in
Songkhla in June of 1991 and have been with them ever since.
The money is good, but it's a highly stressful gig, especially
because I have to spend a fair amount time offshore. It may
not be for much longer however, because "re-engineering"
has struck Unocal and expat staff are being fired right and
left.

You are right, however, Peter, about me not being able to
make a re-union. The company has me socked in, and when
I do get free time, I head back to Alaska. I'm still single but my
mother and three younger brothers still live in or near Anchorage,
so that's really the only place that I spend much time stateside.

Please excuse the tardy reply to your message. It was great
to hear from you. I thought immediately of Acharn Surapha
chaperoning us through our first few weeks of Thailand. What
a hoot she was! Actually, I do have a lot of fond memories of
that time.......a lot of years have slipped by, haven't they?

Well, I'm starting to ramble and get maudlin, so I'll close, Do
keep in touch.

Neal Davis