Maryknoll Retreat and Meetings 2014

Travel from Bangkok to Hua Hin
7 January 2014

Most of the Maryknoll people arrived in Bangkok yesterday but the last few flew in this morning and joined the group for the 3+ hour bus ride to Hua Hin. The retreat began there in the evening after supper.

Loading the bus in Bangkok At 1:00 PM the group of 50 persons met at a hotel parking lot near the Maryknoll office and got themselves and their luggage loaded into a coach for the 3+ hour bus ride to southern Thailand.

Getting settled for the ride Inside the bus, Dee Dungy (L) sat with Sue Gubbins, and behind them were Dorothy McGowan and Eileen Brady.

Snacks at the rest stop At the rest stop half way along the journey, Magnum bars were the favorite for many of the Maryknollers for whom ice cream is often a treat.

Blocked driveway at the retreat center When we got to the Salesian Retreat Center in Hua Hin, we found that the driveway--through the Salesian School campus--was blocked by two parked cars because the large bus could not enter the normal way.

Walking to the retreat center While the school staff tried locating the drivers of the two parked vehicles, some of the Maryknoll crew took matters (and their luggage) in their own hands and walked the last few hundred feet to the retreat center.

Unloading the luggage Finally the bus pulled up to the center and everyone pitched in to help unload a lot of luggage for 50 people for more than a week.

Announcing the house rules Then we had supper and afterwards there was a session in which Sami Scott spoke about how to survive a week at the center, e.g., schedules, what to do for laundry, whom to contact for various things, etc.

The social committee Then the social committee announced their plans for the week, especially after the retreat is finished. L to R: Nancy Davies, James Havey, Rosalva Sandi, and Helen Graham.

Sr. Nonie Gutzler At the end of the evening, Sr. Nonie Gutzler, the retreat leader for this year, introduced her theme and how she would present it for the next four days.

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	At 1:00 PM the group of 50 persons met at a hotel parking lot near the Maryknoll office and got themselves and their luggage loaded into a coach for the 3+ hour bus ride to southern Thailand.
	Inside the bus, Dee Dungy (L) sat with Sue Gubbins, and behind them were Dorothy McGowan and Eileen Brady.
	At the rest stop half way along the journey, Magnum bars were the favorite for many of the Maryknollers for whom ice cream is often a treat.
	When we got to the Salesian Retreat Center in Hua Hin, we found that the driveway--through the Salesian School campus--was blocked by two parked cars because the large bus could not enter the normal way.
	While the school staff tried locating the drivers of the two parked vehicles, some of the Maryknoll crew took matters (and their luggage) in their own hands and walked the last few hundred feet to the retreat center.
	Finally the bus pulled up to the center and everyone pitched in to help unload a lot of luggage for 50 people for more than a week.
	Then we had supper and afterwards there was a session in which Sami Scott spoke about how to survive a week at the center, e.g., schedules, what to do for laundry, whom to contact for various things, etc.
	Then the social committee announced their plans for the week, especially after the retreat is finished. L to R: Nancy Davies, James Havey, Rosalva Sandi, and Helen Graham.
	At the end of the evening, Sr. Nonie Gutzler, the retreat leader for this year, introduced her theme and how she would present it for the next four days.