Vieru Elina and Markku:
It is a great pleasure for us...
It is a great pleasure for us to recall all those warm things associated
with Mr and Mrs Darling. Our experience of your loving characters is relatively
short if measured in time, but for us one of the best memories of our lives
is definitely very much obliged to you John and Melva!
The first contact we have had was when John and Melva visited the University
of Oulu in 1993. Our next meeting during John and Melva's most recent visit
to Oulu in the fall of 1997 was even more fruitful. It was followed by
a three-month research visit to the Pittsburg State University in the fall
1998. We did not have prior experience of America with our daughters, Vilja,
7 years, and Roosa, 6 years at the moment, so all sort of help was really
welcome. To our great enjoyment, John and Melva gave all imaginable help
and guidance. Most challenging ones were maybe the transportation and telephone.
We realised very soon that a car is a must in Pittsburg. For example daily
shopping was somewhat impossible without a basic transportation. For us
it was a little bit embarrassing that a president of large university had
to take time to visit and negotiate with a local car dealer during working
hours for several hours. Also we will always remember how Melva helped
a lot to get a Kansas driving licence. After the initiation to life in
America we rapidly got oriented and made frequent visits to cities in neighbouring
states during weekends.
All good things last for too short a time. That happened also for us.
Research advanced a great deal in Pittsburg since working conditions and
facilities were excellent. Also professors and colleagues took us without
hesitation among the university community. Definitely the most never-to-be-forgotten
experience was our two-week 3 000-mile trip to New Orleans, Louisiana and
Orlando, Florida, in the beginning of December. Having a swim in Pensacola
Beach on the Finnish Independence Day and a great time in Disney Resort
crowned our trip.
We are for ever indebted to John and Melva for all these great things
experienced in the US!
[ Elina and Markku Vieru, Kalikkakuja 2 A 3, 90540 OULU
p. +358 8 556 9624 (home), Markku.Vieru@oulu.fi, Elina.Vieru@ouka.fi ]
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