Thank You P. Pheng

The Blogger’s note: Reproduced below are email exchanges following the blogger’s eldest son Wai Kit’s recent embarkment on his Work and Travel USA Fall 2011 Program.

Tuesday, 13 Sep, 2011 7: 04 PM

Dear P. Pheng,

Thank you very much for taking the trouble to drive to meet my son Wai Kit and his friends at Phoenix Airport (I understand that your residence is actually not near the airport) and had dinner with them.

It's most relieved to learn that he had landed safely in US. I just got to know a little bit of his current status from his Facebook posting (but he is never active in FB) while in transit in Singapore and Tokyo.

This is the first time Wai Kit has travelled so far abroad, but then he has been all along very independent considering the fact that he had stayed away from home when he was only 13 years old to study Junior Middle 1 (or Form 1) untll Juninor Middle 3 in Seremban and stayed in the school's hostel for 3 years. And then again he stayed in a rented apartment room in Wangsa Maju, KL to pursue his university studies since 2007 until he graduated recently.

Cheers.

Tai Onn
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Reply from P. Pheng:
Wednesday, 14 Sep, 2011 11: 01 AM

Dear Lau,

You are most welcome. It was not a problem at all. The airport is about 32 km from our home, so in Arizona distance, it is not too far. I suggested to Wai Kit to find a room close to the airport so they can go directly to the bus station the next morning. When we brought them to the youth hostel, my husband said that if the place looks bad and it's not in a safe location, we will bring them to our house for the night and drive them out the next day. The hostel seems okay. It is an older home than has been converted into a hostel and the staff seems quite friendly and nice.

I actually cooked dinner at home and packed the dinner for the boys in case they were tired and hungry when they arrived and we were also concerned if there were any flight delays. It worked out much better instead of trying to find a place around the airport to eat.

I am sure it will be a great learning experience for Wai Kit and his friends working in Grand Canyon. We told them that they are welcome to come and stay at our home when they get time off to travel down to Phoenix. It is about 5 to 6 hours drive from Grand Canyon to where we are. We also told them to call anytime should they encounter any problems during their stay here. The boys actually look very innocent and "green" (may be they were just too tired), so we want to make sure they are not taken advantage of here.

I will send a you photo that was taken at the youth hostel last night.

Please give my regards to S.Ai. I also gave Wai Kit some phone cards, so they can make calls home to their families.

Best Regards,

P. Pheng

Wednesday, 14 Sep, 2011 9: 33 PM

Dear P. Pheng,

Words cannot express how much we are grateful and indebted to you and your husband for your hospitality and kindness in offering a warm reception and a sumptuous dinner to our son Wai Kit and his friends as they arrived at Phoenix for the first time in their life..

There is an old Chinese saying that goes:“在家靠父母，出门靠朋友” which means “one relies on ones parents at home, but on ones friends out of home” and I’m sure Wai Kit would appreciate the true sense of these words now more than anytime before. And you are not just a friend, but a great caring relative indeed!

Thank you very much.

Soh Ai & Tai Onn