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Dr. Beverly Helms, international president, checks
messages while watching over two carts of suitcases. |
Paperwork, brass, books, booklets, documents, pins, more pins ... Linda Davenport, membership services supervisor, carefully loaded, repacked, wrapped and rearranged DKG materials into two large black suitcases--one for me and one for Dr. Beverly Helms. Even after all of her work, we had to transfer a few pounds from one "official" bag to a personal suitcase.
Our Heritage I, II, III with two charters and 60+ membership certificates are not light. Add 59 little brass candle sticks, 60+ yellow initiate cards, framed cross-stitched keypin and crest canvases, 60 membership pins, 12 founders pins, two presidents pins (state organization and chapter), five scripts, 60
Constitutions, 60
Go-To Guides and various gifts for exchanging.
We stopped in five airports each way, LAX to Tokyo being the longest leg of the trip at about 10 hours. We lugged bags from carousels to carts for inspections and to change to buses and to move into a hotel. We enjoyed the comment, "Our culture does not allow for tipping." We marveled at the politeness and appreciated the special attention and rescheduling when our last connection didn't click. After a day or more of travel (crossed the international dateline so it was difficult to figure time with the 14-hour difference) , we arrived in Kochi-si. How beautiful.
