Received as Email January 21, 2004:
 
From: "Rohrs, Gale", INTERNET:grohrs@sbs.nyc.gov
To: , p2d 
CC: , INTERNET:lynn@columbia.edu
 "Rohrs, Gale", INTERNET:grohrs@sbs.nyc.gov
Date: 1/21/04 4:53 PM
RE: Message from Internet
 Ben:




 I wanted to drop you a line and tell you how much my wife and I enjoyed
your journal. I know that you've put a lot of time and effort into it
and made it an extremely readable adventure. My wife took great 
pleasure in reading it since it helped her fill in a chapter from my past. I'm
truly dazzled by your recollection of the events and the names of 
people I have long since forgotten. Keeping a diary and your letters has 
served you well. You've allowed me to rekindle some fond old memories of a
truly wonderous and magical place. 
 Your theory as to why some volunteers stayed and others left I believe
to be true. As you said, "you can only travel so much." It certainly
seems to apply to me. I know I made several feeble attempts to find
something constructive to do but never really latched on to anything. 
My one great brainstorm was to start a forestry project just outside of
Indore by importing some Douglas Fir and White Pine seedlings 
(vestiges of my youth in the Pacific Northwest). However, I allowed my hopes to 
be crushed by the power structure in Bhopal who weren't interested and
suggested that if I wasn't happy I could always go home. Needless to
say, I decided to play the game and pretend everything was fine; I
pretty much traveled the rest of the time I was in India. 
 I well remember your aluminum coating. You demonstrated the stuff to me
by painting it on a plain piece of paper. I am delighted to learn that
it turned out so well for you and Jaiswal.
 Your comments about training were also true. I don't remember who I
bunked with and who was in my Hindi class. I do remember Mita, our
lovely young language walla and the night the neighbors called the cops
on our little party at the training house when, I believe, we we all
quite boozed up and you were playing "Heart and Soul" for the umpteenth
time on the piano.
 Anyway, I could go on and on but I'll save it for the next reunion you
guys have if and when I can wrangle an invitation.
 
Again, thanks for the memories.

Received as Email May 22, 2003:

From: "Matthew Carl Bowlby", INTERNET:bowl0031@umn.edu
To: , p2d
Date: 5/22/03 11:43 AM

RE: Sign Me Up!

Hello Ben!
I happened to run into your Peace Corps journal a few days ago by chance
and just finished reading it today.  It was a wonderful story and it
amazes me when I think of your experiences and adventures in India.  I
have been contemplating joining the Peace Corps for some time,
especially after time spent in Latin America as a public health
volunteer.  Your story inspires me, and I've finally begun to fill out
my application.  Thanks for the wonderful adventure.

Matt Bowlby

Berlin, Germany

Received in the U.S. Mail on February 12, 2003:

February 12, 2003

Mr. Horwitz,

I just finished your Peace Corps journal and enjoyed it very much. Fine writing, good stories, and interesting profiles. What a great time you had. The tough climate, odd food, getting sick, bonding with other volunteers, the generosity of local folks, fascinating side trips, the weird things that after a while become commonplace, and (last but not least) the weird life when coming back to the States - all of these were very familiar to me. What was not commonplace in the PC was your business success; I think you were one of the lucky ones to be able to point to a PC project that actually succeeded. That is an accomplishment to be proud of, way to go.

I brought home my PC journals too but have never done anything with them. I don’t know if there will ever be a market for all the stories all the volunteers carry with them. Other than PC folks from your group, and others who served in the same geographical area, I don'’ know who would be interested (my own family -–siblings - -have never shown much curiosity).

I think, in some ways, the PC experience is like being in the arm services; only those who were in it and stationed together, especially overseas. Can ‘get’ it; otherwise most people (there are exceptions, of course) just cannot connect and cannot relate to such a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So maybe that’s it – just focus on making your story as available as possible to Peace Corps people and the people who love them.

Thanks for an entertaining read.

Sincerely,

Bill Babington

Thai 67

1980 -83

Received as Email November 29, 2002:

-------------Forwarded Message-----------------

From: "Elizabeth Rehmann", INTERNET: ERehmann@JNProductions.zzn.com
To: [unknown], P2D

Date: 11/29/02 12:39 PM

RE: Re: "It's Twilight Time"?

With your permission we would still like to perform “It's Twilight
Time” as our season closer. It would be performed in May 2003. If

this is a problem please notify me ASAP.

Elizabeth

Received as Email May 13, 2002:

Benjamin Horwitz

Re: “It’s Twilight Time”

My production company , JN Productions, was presented with your

script as a suggestion for our first production (through Dramex.org).

Personally I thought your play was moving and absolutely marvelous.

We would like to perform it. The only question in our minds right now

is affordability because, as of now, we have only light funding. Is

there a royalty fee that you would require? I'm sorry to have to

bother you with these questions but the board requires your rates

before I can consider this play further. Thank you for your time.

Elizabeth Rehmann