October 22, 2004: Headlines: COS - Malawi: Oneonta Daily Star: In 1990, the Vieks volunteered to serve in the Peace Corps in Malawi and came to love Africa. Though their service was completed more than a decade ago, they have continued to visit Africa, working in different nations, sometimes passing through London’s Heathrow Airport on their way
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
Malawi:
Peace Corps Malawi :
The Peace Corps in Malawi:
October 22, 2004: Headlines: COS - Malawi: Oneonta Daily Star: In 1990, the Vieks volunteered to serve in the Peace Corps in Malawi and came to love Africa. Though their service was completed more than a decade ago, they have continued to visit Africa, working in different nations, sometimes passing through London’s Heathrow Airport on their way
In 1990, the Vieks volunteered to serve in the Peace Corps in Malawi and came to love Africa. Though their service was completed more than a decade ago, they have continued to visit Africa, working in different nations, sometimes passing through London’s Heathrow Airport on their way
In 1990, the Vieks volunteered to serve in the Peace Corps in Malawi and came to love Africa. Though their service was completed more than a decade ago, they have continued to visit Africa, working in different nations, sometimes passing through London’s Heathrow Airport on their way
Childhood pen pals meet on fourth try
By Tom Grace
Cooperstown News Bureau
SPRINGFIELD CENTER — After 65 years of writing and receiving letters, Jeje Viek finally met her pen pal this year in Wales.
"It was wonderful," said Viek, who lives in a log cabin overlooking Otsego Lake, not far from Springfield Center. "We both felt as if we’d known each other most of our lives."
In a sense, they had, as they had been corresponding since they were girls.
"In 1939, when I was a student at the Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pa., a teacher from Britain came there," Viek said.
Advertisement
Not long after this teacher arrived, World War II broke out in Europe and the teacher was unable to return home.
During her extended stay at the Baldwin School, the teacher worked to establish ties between her American students and children at home, Viek said.
"She asked if anyone would like a pen pal, and I told her I would," she said.
Just 11, Jeje began to write to Sheila Smith, a girl about the same age, who lived in England.
"It was fun, almost like having a sister. We shared what was going on in our lives and always remembered each other’s birthday," Viek said.
As the girls grew up, they continued writing, and years after their first letters, they both married doctors.
"After Sheila got married, I didn’t know where to find her," Viek said. But Viek’s husband, Dr. Nicholas Viek, suggested contacting the British medical board, she said.
"The medical board gave me their address, and we began to write again," she said.
The two women shared their lives in letters as their families grew up, but did not meet each other during those busy years.
"One time, they came to New Jersey, but we weren’t able to get together then," Viek said.
In 1990, the Vieks volunteered to serve in the Peace Corps in Malawi and came to love Africa. Though their service was completed more than a decade ago, they have continued to visit Africa, working in different nations, sometimes passing through London’s Heathrow Airport on their way.
Twice in the past four years, they had hoped to meet Sheila Parry and her husband, Dr. Martin Parry, while in England, but the families were unable to synchronize their schedules.
Then last May, they made arrangements to meet at the Parrys’ home in Holywell, Wales.
"As we were on the bus, I was wondering if I’d know her. I thought I’d look for a woman about my age," Viek said. "But they met our bus. As soon as I got off it, I knew who it was, and we were in each other’s arms."
Nicholas Viek, who’d heard about Sheila Parry for years, said the meeting was very pleasant.
"She’s something to look at and to talk to," he said. "We had a very good time with them."
Days after this visit, when the Vieks came home to their log cabin, a letter was already there, Jeje Viek said.
The handwriting was familiar, and the envelope was postmarked Wales.
———
If you have good news you’d like to share, call Managing Editor Cary Brunswick at 432-1000, ext. 217, or (800) 721-1000, ext. 217; e-mail him at cary@thedailystar.com; fax him at 432-5707; or write to him at P.O. Box 250, Oneonta, NY 13820.
When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:
| Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before.
Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security. |
| Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention Governor Schwarzenegger praised the Peace Corps at the Republican National Convention: "We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to teach village children." Schwarzenegger has previously acknowledged his debt to his father-in-law, Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver, for teaching him "the joy of public service" and Arnold is encouraging volunteerism by creating California Service Corps and tapping his wife, Maria Shriver, to lead it. Leave your comments and who can come up with the best Current Events Funny? |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: Oneonta Daily Star
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Malawi
PCOL14425
49
.