Letter 2
name: label: Collection Donor
content: Lamboley, E. Gerald, 1915-2012
label: Collection Creator
content: Sato, Sanji (student)
label: Collection Creator
content: Satow, R. (student)
label: Collection Creator
content: Satow, Susama Paul (student)
label: Collection Creator
content: Sato, Kiyo (student)
label: Collection Creator
content: Komata, Tomi (student)
setName: label: See more items in
content: Gerald Lamboley Collection of Japanese-American Letters
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1942-12-26 - 1942-12-26
container: label: Container
content: Box 1 (Shared Box), Folder 1
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Garrett, Indiana
                                       
Dec. 26,1942

Dear Miss Cox,

I often think of you and the Edward Kelley School.  I hope you are well.  Has the school changed?  I wish I can be back there.

I am having my [vacation] in Garrett at the Nicholson's, and what a change it is from the dormitory life!  It took a lot of studying to catch on up on the three weeks that I had missed.  So far I haven't made a "C" anyway and I'm glad of that.  But the trouble is that I've got only one "A" and that in Spanish.  The rest were all "B"s.  I'm trying my best to do better.

I am taking sociology, psychology, religion, English literature, and Spanish.  My reading speed is a great handicap in all my courses.  I am trying very hard to increase my speed by timing and reading easy material as fast as I can.  I can't understand how I was able to read so many books in grammar school.  It takes me hours and hours to digest a chapter in sociology.

I really enjoy staying in a dormitory because it gives me so much time to study.  I couldn't do that at home.  I spend most all of my time studying.  At this rate I should make nothing but "A"'s.
The students and the professors are very kind.  My stay has been very pleasant.  But the people in town stare at me whenever I go shopping.  I hope they get used to seeing me around.

You know how much I hate to speak before people.  I was asked to speak to a ladies group and I feel that I should.  They don't know a thing about this evacuation.  They even thought that I had come from Japan.  As they asked for it , I feel it would make them understand even a little if I spoke.  I am surprised at myself for not refusing to talk.
At this rate it's going to take me three hours to finish this letter.   It's about three years since I took typing and that was for a semester.  I'm trying to polish up during vacation.

It rained so much yesterday that all the snow have melted.  It is good to see the green grass again.  But how I miss the sunshine!  The gloomy days are going to make a gloomy long faced lady out of me.  The few times that the sun did shine, it was so uplifting that I sang and hummed all through the "duration".  I can hardly wait until spring.  Sunny California is certainly a good place.  Too much sunshine in Poston and too little in the states out here.
I really miss home and I think of it too much but home isn't home anymore.  I wonder when all this will be over and when the people will be able to be in their homes in one piece.

I've spent so much time on this letter, I think I'd better quit now.

Lovingly yours,

Kiyo

Seiji is doing pretty well in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.  I'm glad he's there instead of being in camp.  He is an assistant boxing coach and first class private.  Remember Makoto?  He is getting along very well.  He is a corporal. Tayeko is in Arkansas camp.  I know she is having a hard time with 2 step parents to take care of.
I owe much to you, Miss Cox, for my being here.

Kiyo.