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Letter to Debbie Blakey from sister, early May 1978
April 30 – Saturday
Dear Debbie –
I think I’m going out of my mind!!! Now I am planning a million details, moving people in and out of shot clinics, arranging house sitters, dog feeders, tree waterers when you call to say you’re too busy to come along. I really can’t believe it. This trip will be the most educational thing you’ll probably ever do. Especially since you have chosen to live in South America, a tour of the rest of the continent, meeting with political leaders what really let you know where you are on the map, both physically & politically.
Then there’s me. This may be my only chance ever to get down there to Guyana and it will definitely be my only chance to tour South America… free (or otherwise). The reason I’m attaching my trip to yours (if you don’t go I don’t go) is it – there are a good number of meetings that I will be involved in since I have spent 3 months doing a literature study of Azolla and probably have 100 times more facts at hand about it then Ray does. During those meetings I will need your help with S. and D. 2. – When I’m on my own I won’t be able to explore my way through big cities and crowded buses with one child on each hand. I’ll need another adult around. I’m really too chicken to do it without you, when you get right down to it. I tried to get Becky to fill the slot but she’s having a lot of trouble these days. She was suspended from school for cutting PE 10 times. She flunked geometry and his bombing out elsewhere. Sound like somebody you used to be? Lucky she’s not into drugs or sex. When she cuts she just goes home and sulks. She is a very unhappy 16-year-old. I’m trying to get her to transfer to Davis High & live with us, but part of her problem is that she has changed schools too much already. Enough – I’ll tell you more May 15. But she can’t go.
When we went to New Zealand 2 years ago, Ray spent 10 days in Australia while I toured the North Island alone with the kids. There I spoke the language (English) but just about went out of my mind without any help.
You should get this letter by May 3. Still time for you to be able to come. I’m certainly not going to cancel any reservations because I fully expect you to become convinced
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of the importance of all this. I may be able to arrange to stay longer than 4-5 days in Guyana. How often is there transportation into & out of Jonestown. Could I get in and out in five days? If it looks like I may be able to, but you’re not sure, I’ll go ahead and “double book.” I’ll keep the present reservations out and yet another set for about June 13-15. The airline probably won’t realize it because the reservations through the UN are held in a block without individual names I think. If they catch you with two sets of reservations they cancel everything I’ve heard… although I’m sure they would cancel the UN reservations, they could do it to the later ones.
You see, I’m not going to take no for an answer from you. I’ll see you in Caracas come hell or high water.
Be there. Love & kisses – Annalisa
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[envelope to Debbie Blakey from sister Annalisa in Davis, California]
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April 26
Dear Debbi,
I just sent you a telegram with our basic itinerary. You wouldn’t believe how complicated all this is. The United Nations (actually their nice research facility in the Philippines) is handling our tickets and visas and travel cards etc. They have some magical stamp or insignia or something that will get us in and out of anywhere. Assuming that you have wired your passport number by now we will also have your necessary documents. Luckily I have a photo of you (with a natural). The one place we’re coming into trouble with you is Venezuela (Caracas). I tried to arrange a flight so I can meet you in Port of Spain with your visa, but I just can’t make good connections… plus I would have to be dragging both kids around because Ray has to be on his own pretty tight schedule. Here’s the problem: we can’t get you into Caracas without you in possession of proper documents. We can’t even get you an airline ticket with the destination of Caracas without those documents, so here’s the solution: the flight mentioned in the telegram (Varig #918 Sat May 13 Port of Spain Caracas) flies on to the US. Your ticket will say destination New Orleans. What you have to do is to go to the Varig Airlines officials when you arrive in Caracas. They will have your necessary documents. With these in hand you can stay in Caracas. As soon as you get into customs have them cancel the rest of your flight. We can get
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our money back even if you are unable to cancel but it would be easier if you take care of that. Hopefully by flight time we will have the name of a person at the airline or US Embassy there who you can phone or talk to.
Meanwhile after you arrive in Caracas go to Holiday Inn there. You have reservations for Saturday night & Saturday night. We will be arriving Sunday, 10:30 PM. Our room reservations are for Sunday night only, and since we won’t arrived until quite late, you will need to confirm the reservations on Sunday before [illegible time].
There will be somebody from that Rice production project meeting us Monday afternoon, and from then on in we are in their hands. They will have our tickets in a block and accommodations.
There will be a few other people traveling with us. I know of at least 1 of the professor from Davis. Bring at least one fancy dress because we may be going to some pretty fancy parties. [Illegible word] you are traveling as our governess (babysitter) so you will sometimes end up doing just that.
Back to the trip… I don’t really know our exact itinerary and I think neither does the UN. I do know that we will [illegible word]
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through Caracas and end up in Guyana, June 10 to June 14. Do you think it will be possible for me to get into Jonestown for about two days? If not, maybe mom can come to Georgetown. I haven’t written to mom yet – I guess you told her about the trip –? I’ll write to her soon. Where is Karen these days? It would be nice to see her too.
I’ll be able to hang around doing what I want in Guyana. Ray and the group with him will be speaking with Guyana officials about the $50 million grant, how it is to be used, where dams will be built and (most important to read) how Azolla will be used and cultured, what [illegible word] will be used, who will take responsibility for the Azolla etc. etc. Whoever that (Azolla) person is, he will probably be sent to our lab to be trained eventually (or else to a big Rice research facility in the Philippines).
I’m curious to know if this whole deal is being publicized much down there? Guyana is really being used as a model country to show how greatly rice yield can be increased. The World Bank is financing it. I wonder what’s in it for them?? I guess I shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds me! They’re being really generous, letting all of us travel, but they know that Ray is using 1 1/2 years vacation time to do it and they can’t pay him an out and out salary – so our tickets
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are his compensation. When we went to New Zealand two years ago it was the same sort of deal.
[Marginal note: “You see why I write in pencil. Sorry this letter is such a mess.”]
Ask mom if there’s anything she needs brought down to her. I can leave something large at Caracas and pick it up the second time we pass through. Same goes for anything you or Karen need.
Also – do you have a smallpox vaccination? Bring proof of that and yellow fever vaccinations. (You needed that to get into Guyana.) Also you will need your passport with you when you pick up your prepaid tickets.
I can’t think of anything else right now. If you haven’t sent your passport number by the time you get this letter, do it now.
The kids have opposite feelings about this trip. David wants to stay home and play with his friend Eddie. Sara is so excited that she stays awake half the night making plans. (In case you hadn’t noticed, Lou is now going exclusively by the name Sara.) I actually prefer Sara and her teacher has changed the name at school.
Here is your flight again, in case you lost the telegram: Pan Am #227 Georgetown-Port of Spain Friday, May 12 11:55 PM (midnite). Varig #981 Port of Spain-Caracas Saturday, May 13 1:05 PM-2:10 PM. Your tickets will be held at Pan Am ticket counter in Georgetown.
Love & kisses, sis
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P.S. Your tickets will be held in Guyana about 2 days before your flight. Somehow, if they telex them down now, the tickets will be telexed back in two days. So just pick them up the afternoon before flight.
I will probably think of a million more things so I’ll probably write again.
– Sis –