Keowkanda & Kevin   

Keowkanda and Kevin first met in the 1960's.  At the time, Kevin was an American Peace-corp volunteer in Thailand and Keowkanda was an active English teacher, who successfully organized a special workshop in Phuket for hundreds of Thai highschool students to learn English with the native English-speaking Peace-corp. 

Keowkanda later switched her job into a hotel management business in Bangkok and Kevin worked as an editor at an international organization and an English newspaper in Thailand. 

Both Keowkanda and Kevin had neither seen each other nor been in communication for a long time.  They had gone through some different cycles in life.  Keowkanda pursued her graduate study in Europe and returned to a higher hotel management position whereas Kevin enjoyed traveling between Thailand and the United States. 

One day at work, Keowkanda unexpectedly met Kevin whom she had not seen in a decade.  They caught up with their lives and their friendship began.  Kevin's mother visited Thailand one day, and out of nowhere she asked if Keowkanda would not mind to marry her son.  Keowkanda & Kevin's romance began right there, and they have formed a wonderful American-Thai family with one son, who has just graduated with a master degree with Highest Honors from England.

The family has recently moved to live in Thailand.  Kevin declared -- it's now his time to return Keowkanda back to her beloved country.

Patravarin & Vincenzo

In 1994, Patravarin came to the United States on a Royal Thai Government scholarship program to pursue her doctoral study at the University of Rhode Island.  Vincenzo left his job in Boston as a computer programmer in 1995 and came back to URI for a new degree in Pharmacy.

In 1996, Vincenzo’s father had an issue with soil erosion in his back yard; Vincenzo thought that he might seek advice at the Natural Resources Science Department.  He wandered around knowing no one and randomly entered into one office.

“Hi, may I help you?” Patravarin greeted.  Vincenzo told his story that he needed to meet a soil science professor.  Patravarin pointed to a designated office and that the professor should come back soon.  Vincenzo said, “Well, you might be able to help!” “What is it about?” Patravarin responded. “Soil erosion,” Vincenzo answered.

Unquestionably, Patravarin worked as a scientist in Thailand with her strong background in Soil Science, as well as a work experience in soil erosion.  Vincenzo was surely very impressed and thought that this THAI girl was quite knowledgeable.

For three months, Vincenzo and Patravarin communicated both through e-mail and phone conversations, which always started off with anything in relation to soil erosion and always ended up with flirting.  Their relationship developed and they got married one year later.  The soil erosion subject was no longer ever mentioned.  As part of the scholarship, Patravarin had to return to work in Thailand for a certain amount of time.  Therefore, they decided to have a baby.

Patravarin graduated in 2000 with a Ph.D. in Natural Resources Management using remote sensing and GIS technology.  After graduation, Patravarin and their 16-month old daughter went to live and work in Thailand for 15 months.  The family traveled back-and-forth between Thailand and the U.S. every three months until Patravarin resigned from the Government of Thailand.  The family has lived together again since September 2001.

Patravarin and Vincenzo have absolutely formed a wonderful American-Thai family with their beautiful American-Thai daughter.

Anchalee & Bruce

Bruce was a single man whose parents thought that he should go out and see another part of the world such as Thailand, where one of his sister-in-laws originally came from.

Anchalee was a nurse who, in 1995, had just graduated with a master degree and decided for a trip with her best friend to Phuket.  They joined a boat trip to the island with many other tourists.  Once, Anchalee was late for breakfast and had to sit at a different table where she met Bruce and his brother & wife.  Bruce was excited to see so many beautiful women with swimming suits on the beach.  Anchalee thought that he shouldn’t have been so surprised especially since it was very common in America.  Bruce said that he actually lived in the woods.

Anchalee invited Bruce to meet in Bangkok before his departure to the U.S., but however, he never showed up.  As a matter of fact, he called Anchalee's dorm but was unable to communicate with the operator.  He returned home to Rhode Island and told his mother that he did not meet any women but one Thai nurse.  His mother gladly encouraged him to contact that particular nurse.

Bruce started to write to Anchalee and finally invited her to visit Rhode Island.  Anchalee asked her friend to accompany her.  Her friend thought that since they had just been to San Francisco, they should not soon make any other trip.  The girls decided to come anyway, and days later Anchalee told her friend that she decided to stay and would not go back to Thailand with her.

Anchalee and Bruce live “in the woods” and since the day she came, she has not yet been back to Thailand.  They have formed a beautiful American-Thai family with two wonderful sons and one beautiful daughter.

Angelina & Apichai

Soon after graduation from college, Angelina chose to explore another part of the world by joining the Peace Corps program.  She never imagined that being an American Peace Corps Volunteer working in Thailand could have resulted in such a dramatic life change.  To her, Thailand was a wonderful country where she found love and hospitality, especially from the people at her site, a rural village in northeastern Thailand.

Apichai was a hair stylist in Bangkok and visited his home and family in the village occasionally.  One day Angelina was having her hair cut at a salon in the village.  She saw a well-dressed, handsome young Thai man walk into the salon to visit his friend who ran the salon business.  He actually gave advice to her on how to cut Angelina’s hair.  Angelina, however, insisted to have the girl work on her hair because she did not know how much she could trust him.

Angelina and Apichai soon became acquainted.  She visited Apichai whenever she came to Bangkok and Apichai always presented her with a bouquet of roses.

At the end of her Peace Corps service, Angelina and Apichai decided to get married.  The two then moved to reside in America.  Apichai has continued his hair styling career and become one of the most successful hair stylists in the US.

Angelina and Apichai have formed a wonderful American-Thai family with one son and one daughter.

Nat-Anong & Tawan

Nat-Anong graduated with a bachelor degree from Thammasart University and Tawan graduated from Ramkamhaeng University.  The two never met in Thailand. However, the two had relatives living in Chicago, Illinois, and decided to pursue their graduate studies in America.

Tawan attended the MBA program at the Northwestern University and Nat-Anong attended the MBA program at another University down the road.  One day, there was a party of Thai students in Chicago.  Nat-Anong was babysitting her niece and nephew; and therefore, went with them.  Tawan admired the innocence of the children as well as the beauty of the auntie.  He helped keeping Nat-Anong accompany and advised her to successfully study in America.

Tawan graduated with a master degree and got accepted for a doctoral study at the University of Rhode Island (URI).  It surely would take him years to complete his Ph.D., therefore, after Nat-Anong graduated with her master degree she followed him to work at URI.  While working at URI, Nat-Anong attended some courses in Photography and was pretty much fascinated with it.  The two were together for not too long, Tawan got accepted for a teaching position in Finance at a university in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.  Nat-Anong also got accepted to a graduate study in Photography in Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in New York.  The two were once again living apart and only saw each other every now and then.

Nat-Anong finally graduated from the RIT and Tawan hoped that they could begin their lives together especially if Nat-Anong accepted a teaching position somewhere in Selinsgrove.  Nat-Anong, however, wanted to express her love in art and photography as well as her creativity; she decided to open Chabaa Thai Bistro, where food and art come together in Philladelphia.  The two, once again, live apart and see each other occasionally.

Tawan and Nat-Anong are both successful in their careers.  For their personal lives, they are very supportive in whatever their loved one wishes to do and never minded a long-distance relationship.

Their wonderful family life once again began soon after their beautiful baby girl was born.  To them, there is nothing else more important than the three of them living together.  Tawan has chosen to spend most days in Philadelphia with their child and works only a few days a week in Selinsgrove.  They have absolutely formed a wonderful American-Thai family with their best hope of bringing the Thai and American cultures to raise their beloved daughter.

DON'T in America #1

It was summer 1995 and it was Maneeratana's first year as a graduate student in America that she attended a conference in Palm Springs, California.  She was accompanied by Melissa -- an American lady who at the time worked as an assistant secretary of her department.  The two girls were side-by-side during a lunch break.  Melissa told Maneeratana to help watching her eating behavior because she had decided to be on diet.

One day they went to the "all-you-can-eat" buffet restaurant for lunch.  They both enjoyed the food.  When Melissa came back with her fourth plate full of fried chicken, with a smile on her face, Maneeratana asked, "Melissa, may I ask how much you weigh?" 

Melissa immediately stared at Maneeratana and said, "You're very R-U-D-E!" 

Maneeratana did not quite understand, and thus further asked, "What do you mean?  What happened?  Why are you so mad at me?  I am very sorry."

Melissa stood up and left without saying a word. 

Maneeratana was very confused.  She later told her professor and friends that Melissa was somehow very upset with her.  She told them about their last conversation and as soon as they heard the story, they began to laugh.  Her professor said, "Melissa shouldn't be mad at you.  First of all, without you, she wouldn't be able to come to the conference.  You have been very kind to her in allowing her to stay with you at the hotel for free.  However, it's so hurtful for Melissa especially when a slim woman like you asked her (a heavy type) how much she weighed."  Other friend also added, "Maneeratana, we don't talk about age, weight, and personal things in America."

Absolutely, it was a lesson for Maneeratana and this lesson cost her a friendship.  Melissa never talked to Maneeratana ever again for the entire trip as well as at the department.  And not too long after, Melissa quited her job at the department and moved out of town.

Many years later Maneeratana and Melissa met unexpectedly.  This time Melissa said "hi" to Maneeratana.  It was obvious she had become much skinnier.... almost as slim as Maneeratana.

DON'T in America #2

Sirisopa was thrilled to become a new mom and always encouraged anyone to become a parent.  It was on a beautiful day in summer that an American friend with his "American" girlfriend visited her for the beach activity.  With excitement Sirisopa asked, "Are you expecting?"  Without any smile, the girlfriend turned her face to Sirisopa and responded, "NO, I'M NOT -- but I'm BIG!"

Sirisopa then realized that she has made a BIG mistake...!!!

Mayarasami & Pongtana

Pongtana was an engineering student in Bangkok who enjoyed riding a Harley-Davidson to visit some friends in a neighborhood.  Mayarasami also visited her friends in the same area and was quite annoyed with the noisy sound of the motorcycle.  Before anyone said anything, she stood in the middle of the road with both hands on her waist yelling at Pongtana to keep the noise low or to get lost from the area.

Years later, Mayarasami graduated with a business degree and began her career working at a hotel in Bangkok.  Pongtana worked as an engineer, and his job was to design a building for a construction company.  Every now and then, he dealt with hotel personnel regarding the construction project, although mainly by phone.  Because there was a delay in the project, he got a complaint from the hotel personnel.  However, he denied any responsibility since he was an engineer and should only be responsible for a design of the building not a completion of the project.

One day he got a call from the construction company asking for help with communications with the hotel.  He would now have to meet with the hotel personnel for the first time.

Pongtana was very impressed with this young, talented hotel worker Mayarasami.  After the problem was solved he offered her a ride home and the friendship developed since then.

Pongtana and Mayarasami both admired each other and began to tell their best friends about the relationship.  Surprisingly, their friends lived in the same neighborhood.  Pongtana asked his friend if he knew Mayarasami's best friend.  His answer was quite shocking because he also asked if Pongtana did not remember a girl who stood in the middle of the road and yelled at him regarding the noise of his Harley-Davidson.

It was not only the country, but also Pongtana who suffered from Thailand economic crisis in 1997.  He was laid off by the company and decided to come to America.  Mayarasami started a small business store to help out with the family of their two young children.

It was a correct decision that Pongtana had made, he worked hard and well survived in the U.S.  He soon received a permanent residency which was granted by the U.S. government.  He finally invited Mayarasami and their two children to reunite with him in America.  Since then, they have formed a loving family with their hope to raise their daughter and son with a good mixture of the American & Thai culture.

Ratanawadee & Tom

Ratanavadee was once married and divorced from a Thai man after they had one beautiful daughter together.  As a single mom, she has truly devoted herself and would do anything to support raising her child.  Her part-time job to earn extra income, in addition to her professional career, is to be a translator and finding a matching partner to Thai women on the internet.  She has become quite a success in finding many happy “married” couples.

After years of doing it, she decided to post her profile as a single mom with a 7-year old child on the internet.  She could never imagine that her decision would have finally led her to be here today in America.

Tom is an American man who was once married and divorced.  Everything surely happens for reasons and things happened the way it was meant to be.  Tom once again lived as a single man after years of relationship.  This time he decided to get himself on the internet.  He was particularly interested in a single mother with children and he soon found Ratanawadee.

Tom and Ratanawadee began to chat and were in communications for over a year.  They seemed to get to know each other to the best of their capability.  Tom made his first trip to Thailand and was only allowed to meet Ratanawadee but not her daughter.  He immediately knew that he wanted to marry her and decided to make a second trip soon after.  This time he met Ratanawadee’s 9-year old daughter and the two got along so well.  Tom has adopted her and married Ratanawadee.

Ratanawadee and Tom have formed a wonderful American-Thai family living in the United States with their hope to bring up their beautiful daughter with a wonderful embracement of the American & Thai culture.

Vanida & Raymond

Vanida, a young girl from a village in the Northeastern Thailand, met and married “Larry” in 1995.  They then arranged her visa to come to the United States in the following year.  It was quite a cultural shock experience for Vanida to first live in the States.  However, the couple made it and enjoyed their parental duties with their loving son.

A married-life is never always in an ideal situation.  While struggling to work and live in the society, the couple decided on a separation and finally a divorce.

Raymond is a daytime state-employee as well as a musician at night.  One day Vanida went with her friends to listen to music at a restaurant.  Her friends thought that the saxophone player was cute! Vanida then requested him to buy her and her friends a drink.  They finally exchanged each others’ phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

Raymond was busy with his jobs and mostly deleted (what he thought they were) junk mails from his mailbox.  He was also wondering why he never heard from Vanida at all.  One month later, he was scheduled to play music at the same restaurant.  This time they once again met.  Vanida told him that he never responded her e-mail.  Raymond realized that he might actually delete it among junk mails.  He asked why she never called him either.  The two were re-united and their relationship blossomed.

Vanida and Raymond have formed a wonderful American-Thai family with their two beautiful daughters and a wonderful son from Vanida’s first marriage.

Mekhala & Mitch

Mekhala graduated from a Secretary School in the United Kingdom and began her career as a Secretary at the Remote Sensing Department of the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand.

Mitch is a free-spirit American scholar who enjoyed working overseas after his doctoral graduation from Cornell University. His years of journey included various positions in several countries, both in Africa and Asia. After years of travels, Mitch and his first wife finally came to a divorce. They have two sons and one daughter (who passed away at young age).

Mitch’s significant move was to take a position as a professor at a university in Thailand. Unexpectedly, it was a position at the Remote Sensing Department, the same office where Mekhala worked. Mitch and Mekhala then became a boss and a secretary, who worked side by side and got along quite well.

In addition to her job and responsibilities, Mekhala joined Mitch, his son, and a friend on a trip to East Africa the following year. There were many other trips afterward and one important journey was that the two decided to share their lives together.

Mitch completed his term as the Dean of the department and decided to move on to a different job. After their wedding, Mekhala decided to resign and followed Mitch to live in the United States. The two share their passion in traveling back and forth between Thailand and the U.S.

Unquestionably, Mitch and Mekhala have formed a wonderful American-Thai family. For the most part, they spend six months (spring & summer) in the U.S. and another six months (fall & winter) in Thailand. They have friends in both countries who visit and spend time together.

Recently, the couple has enjoyed their first grand son.

..... more stories to be continued