A note from Myra's friend in Tanzania - she was an Amherst grad

I've been thinking about you and your family, and Joseph's parents - wondering how they are possibly coping with this enormous grief. On Christmas eve, at a small gathering here in Dar, I met the head of the Peace Corps (Andrea?). She is lovely, and we spent a long time talking about Joseph and what a tragedy his death is. She said Joseph was a "renaissance man" and absolutely wonderful: keenly smart, deeply caring, loved by all, a true leader. She was bereft by his death and was deeply moved by her time with your brother and entire family. I'm glad I had the chance to talk to her and learn more about Joseph, but it left me feeling even sadder for you and your family. What a terrible loss.

Mtwarwa, Tanzania

We wemt to Daniel's graduation which was on May 24th in Middlebury. The day started off pouring rain, but by the end of the ceremony, the sun had come out and it was beautiful. Daniel even got an honors on his thesis - which was pretty exciting considering Daniel's interesting college experience. We packed up and boogied on home so that we could leave that Tuesday for Tanzania. God knows how long we were on the plane; but we got to Mtwara airport on the 28th sometime in the early afternoon. We had sent Joseph the itirnerary, and spoken to him repeatedly, but with Joseph you never knew if he was paying attention. Ray and I were sweating it out on the last flight from Dar es Saalam to Mtwara, just praying that Joseph would be at the airport to meet him When we got off the plane and walked across the tarmac, we were so happy to see hi! Ray ran right through the security to give his son a hug, and sheepishly had to come back for passport control.

In Dar es Saalam when we got off the plane through customs, the (white) customs officer asked "Why did you come to Tanzania, to see the animals"; and I replied, "no I came to see my son".

From February until April Ray worked with the travel agent to get a good tour of Africa. Back and forth the emails flew until finally in the begining of May the plans were set. So Ray sent the plan to Joe in early May, and he could ask for leave for the three weeks that we would be in Africa. Unfortunately, Ray included the price of the trip on the bottom of the itinerary. Joseph saw the price and got upset. He called his father and told him that a family of four could live in Africa for several years on what we would be spending to visit him.

Ray hung up on Joseph. Then he called me (at work) and told me that "You have to talk to your son".... So I called Joseph and told him that his father was upset, and Jospesh launched into his reasons why it was too much money for us to visit. I stopped him and said "Joseph, I am your mother. I have not seen you very much in two years. I would like to see you you are in Africa, and I am not willing to stay in inexpensive uncomfortable hotels for three weeks. This is how I am going to visit you." end of conversation. Joseph hung up, and got the leave. I love my son.