Not only has my life been enriched by the many places that Jadyne and I have been able to visit, but we’ve met some wonderful people in those places. They are friends of friends, students we’d befriended who were studying at UCB who’ve returned home, business associates related to Dozens of Muslins, and families of former romantic partners of our offspring. We’ve been sheltered at their homes, protected*, (I’ll get to that), shown beautiful national parks, gifted with meals and hotel expenses, by people who have shown us kindness that we could never repay.
When John was nineteen he played rugby for an American team that traveled to New Zealand, He stayed with Ellen and Paul Gavin, whose daughter Michelle fell in love with John, (even moving in with him while he was in law school). Even though that affair ended we fell in love with Michelle, too, often hosting her and later, her sister. When we traveled to New Zealand we stayed with the Gavins in tiny Whakatane on the North Island.
Ellen and Paul Gavin
Downtown Whakatane. In the distance is White Island, a favorite tourist spot, that is, until December, 2019, when the volcano, driven by steam, erupted, killing sixteen tourists.
Our neighbors in Kensington at the time, Glenn and Sally Flinchbaugh, knew Denis and Anne McLean, who lived in Wellington. Denis was the ambassador to the United States for New Zealand when Kennedy and George Bush were President. They welcomed us in Wellington, which is located on the southern side of the North Island. Denis was still active in politics, finishing a book as we visited. Anne took us all over Wellington, first to visit her gallery-owning friend (with the sculpture of toast on the wall behind their heads)…
Denis McClean in his house filled with wonderful art.
Anne McClean and her gallery-owning friend
…and then to the National Tattoo Museum…
At the time we were still renting backgrounds. Film was still king, and digital was the new kid on the block. Our website, dozensofmuslins.com, was the go-to site for photographers whose work centered around high schools.
Uttiya Misra was the owner of AAvant backgrounds, in Delhi, India. His team of artists painted small backgrounds, such as those that we rented, and large theater muslins and canvasses, filling whole ballrooms and stages with hand-painted pieces. He knew of us through the internet, and he saw an opening. We began to contract for his services, were pleased with the quality of the work that Aavant produced, and twelve years ago when we visited Jennifer and Andrew in Kathmandu, we took a side trip to India, to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, to Varanasi for the Ganges, and of course to Delhi to see Uttiya and Aavant.
Aavant artists and our New Orleans background. I took this particular image to show Jennifer, as she has been so involved with human rights, especially those of children, that she thought that I would find children among the artists. I did not.
Another from Aavant. Three stories high, perhaps fifty feet long.
Now the part about being “protected.”*
Jadyne and I stopped into a nearby coffee shop in Delhi. Before we left I went online and looked at the New York Times, only to discover that in Mumbai over 100 people had been slaughtered by a terrorist group. Americans were targeted. No one knew at the time who was behind the attacks or whether other cities would experience a similar horror. We returned to our hotel quickly. Uttiya advised us to stay put until he could pick us up. And so, yes, he protected us.
Loving India as much as we did, we were able to return for a longer visit in 2016. One of our first stops was Neemrana where we met volunteer tour guide Balwant Soni who led us through the streets of Neemrana. Educated in England, Balwani spoke fluent English. His family are all craftsmen, and they sell beautiful silver jewelry. We became fast friends, both during our time in Neemrana, and later, through Facebook. I was moved by his post a week or so ago pictured below: “The most beautiful moments in life are moments when you are expressing your joy, not when you are seeking it.” I began to think of all the people I’ve met in our travels whose kindness and love have resonated with me. And so I began this blog entry.
Balwant Soni
Balwant took us to the elementary school in Neemrana…
…and to meet his guru (center), and other locals in and around Neemrana, (below)
In October, 2019 we visited China for the second time. Jadyne and I had made friends with two visiting scholars, Celia and Zhongbing, both of whom had returned to China. Celia paid our hotel bill before we even arrived, and Zhong invited us to travel to a distant park, showing us places we otherwise would have never seen. First the terracotta warriors, then Celia’s husband Danesh drove us through Xi’an at night. This is the bell tower in Xi’an.
Celia gave birth while she was visiting Berkeley. This is her second daughter, Ashley, an American citizen.
Zhongbing, his wife, and their twins. Zhong is a member of the Chinese Communist party. He pays $2.50 a month for dues. Years ago when he joined he thought that it would be a good idea. He doesn’t think that anymore, but it’s not easy to leave. Dining in their tiny apartment with Zhong’s family, his mother and father, made me realize how challenging it was when Covid-19 struck China, Zhong’s university closed, and leaving the apartment was perilous. We were there months before the virus struck, and Zhong took us to, well, look at the photo below.
Zhangjiiajie National Forest Park, a twelve thousand acre park, a four hour drive from Zhong’s home in Changsha, a small town of four and a half million people in the south of China.
We spent two days in and around what is often referred to as “the most beautiful place in China”, known now as the “Avatar Mountains” for the movie that was filmed here. Besides it’s much easier to pronounce than “Zhangjiajie.”
When I mentioned that I was writing this in my blog Jadyne reminded me that “what goes ‘round comes ‘round, ” that, especially with the New Zealand Gavins, the Chinese scholars, and Uttiya in Delhi, we extended ourselves to them first, that we opened a welcome mat, showing them hospitality and the other side of the “ugly American.” For Uttiya, our relationship began with business, and though we no longer have new backgrounds made by Aavant, we’re on Facebook together, learning about each other and each other’s culture, too. And yes, every Christmas Uttiya sends us an edible gift pack of nuts, cookies, and other goodies. Still.