From Masako Maruyama
24 January 2004
Dear Members 
Hi!!  How are you? I'm Masako. After I came to India, it passed for two months. I live in the place for about 20 minutes by car from the Indian gate in New Delhi. I live in India and am surprised every day. It has really different culture here. There are good things, and it has bad things. I have already seen the worse one. Therefore, my feeling came down a little. However, India has many things more interesting than bad things. One of them is the works of art of India. I went to the National Museum. Then, I was able to meet with the wonderful work. Those works of art encouraged me. And it told me. "You should study our things here." There are some courses which can study the culture and fine arts of India in the National Museum. I hope to join in the course.
 
I need to study a lot of things. Paintings, the works of art like sculpture, the Indian cuisine, architecture, etc. I think that the most important study for me is English. I have a lot of motivations.
　　
By the way, I met with Sa-Ok Kim here. She lives here from one year before. It is in the neighborhood of my house. She also said that it was the member of MVP. Moreover, I met with Michele Hezelot last week. She had mentioned that she lived in Gujarat of about 1 hour by airplane from Delhi. I was very happy to have met with the members of MVP although it came to Delhi.
 
Anyway, I am always praying that the members of MVP can also be cheerfully active this year.
 
Thank you.
Best regards, Masako

From Ingrid Byers
January 24 2004
Dear Sony,
 
We scanned the MVP website and are fascinated with it.  Who works the website?  Beautiful work!   I am happy to read Sonia Krug's name, which tells me, she and Stan are still in Manila.  Please extend our sincere regards to Sonia. And Bruce and I wish her and Stan all the best in this new year. 
 
We are well and enjoying  Bruce's semi retirement.  He still works at the State Department six months each year, mostly because he loves the change between his professional work and gardening. The money also helps. Our children are working and independent from us, which is nice. Two are married and one is a bachelor.  We maintain a wonderful relationship with them.  No grandchildren yet.  They all say, they are too busy for that.  We understand! 
 
Bruce and I were in Germany last June to visit my family in Munich and Berlin. The weather was ideal for our trip. Although, the Germans suffered in the unusual heat and drought last summer. I also got in touch with Beate Fritsch again, but did not see her. She and her husband live near Munich, close to the lake Starnberg.  Beautiful country there!
 
Last November we participated in a study tour to Sicily.  It was a wonderful experience.  Interesting places to see and people to meet.  Bruce and I are history buffs.  We are talking and reading, during any spare time, about ancient history in different parts of the world.  We have many great history books at home, mostly still from Bruce's student years.
 
We also drove to Florida in January last year.  We were seeing friends and visiting sights in Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, Saint Augustine and Clearwater, Florida.
 
And there is the house, the yard and a modest vegetable garden, as well as the cars, which need maintenance and our attention most of the time.  We have very nice neighbors.  The family next door lived and worked in Singapore for eight years. Pam tells me that she flew to Manila each year, especially to shop at the annual Christmas Handicraft Bazaar, and to buy ruffle tickets for project "smile".  It's nice to have something in common with ones neighbors.
 
When are you coming to the U.S. again?  Maybe you can come and stay with us some time.  We would love to
see you again.   
 
Greetings and best wishes to you, and whoever remembers me,
Ingrid