Sample E-mails from David SneddonFinding David Sneddon
Sample E-mails from David Sneddon
Before and during David's stay in Beijing, correspondence between David Sneddon and his mother, Kathleen Sneddon, was frequent and detailed. The following sample of messages, selected from scores of e-mails, give useful insight to David's thoughts, character, and intentions. For space considerations, we have included only paragraphs that are relevant to David's travel plans and his plans for when he returned from China. Spelling and punctuation errors in David's e-mails have not been corrected.
Note that the date time stamps on these e-mails reflect the date and time of Kathleen Sneddon's computer, set on Mountain Time in the western United States. There is a fourteen (14) hour difference between the clock in Kathleen's computer and the time zone in China. Therefore, the dates in these e-mails are generally one day before the dates given in the other sections of this report.
Note: This message, sent while David was enrolled at Brigham Young University (BYU) during Winter semester 2004, illustrates the depth of his planning for his trip to China. It also references David's meeting in Seoul, Korea for his employer, MultiLing Corporation, and his plans to visit his orthodontist, Dr. Noble, in Colorado after his trip to China. David's appointment with his orthodontist was scheduled for August 30, 2004.
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From: "David L Sneddon" <dls66@email.byu.edu>
To: <ksneddon@bridgernet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 11:23 AM
Subject: Re: Your China trip/end of school
Here's the deal. I have put a lot of thought into planning this so that I don't waste any time or money. School starts in Beijing on Wednesday April 27th. I will go for 8 weeks until late June, then have 5 days off before I go to Beijing University for the next 6 weeks until August 8. Then I will have about 2 week to do some hard-core travelling. I want to go to several places (Xian, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guilin, etc.) and that will give me just enough time to do so, stop by Korea for 2 days on my way home for MultiLing, and be in Colorado Springs on August 28. It's crazy and packed, but it's the best way I could manage to get in a lot of hours in the classroom as well as some fun trips to various parts of China. I think it's a pretty darn good plan myself and I give myself Kudos for planning so well!
Love,
David
Note: This message, sent from China, references his plans for returning to Brigham Young University (BYU) for fall semester 2004.
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From: "David Sneddon" <dls_chucko@hotmail.com>
To: <ksneddon@bridgernet.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 8:02 PM
Subject: Re: link to UHEAA
Mom,
. . . . Good news from BYU is that I qualified for a $1250 Pell Grant each of my last semesters. That way, I won't have to go into very much debt at all. Yeah. My old roommate George Bailey should be sending you a check in the mail. He is going to live with me in July here in China and I told him he could send the check to you and you could deposit in my checking account, okay? No need to rush. I need it there in about 1 month or so so no worries. Also, it looks like instead of the Italian house I'm going to live in the Spanish house. They found a place for me and sent me an email. As much as I would like to learn Italian, Spanish is also cool and VERY VERY useful. So that's the way it looks. Talk to you later.
David
Note: This message discusses David's plans to take the LSAT, an exam required for entrance to law school. It proves that David planned to return to the United States and continue his education.
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From: "David Sneddon" <dls_chucko@hotmail.com>
To: <ksneddon@bridgernet.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 27, 2004 5:16 AM
Subject: Re: New Stuff again
Mom,
. . . .[T]he light at the end of the tunnel, a.k.a. graduation in less than a year, is starting to hit me. I'm not at the point any more that I can fool around with decisions and try new things. I really need to become decisive with my future. Which leads me harbor the following two major trains of thought: 1. I really, really, really need to study hard for the LSAT, and 2. As soon as I come back to the States, I have to start looking at post-graduation jobs (good luck with my degree.)
Note: This message gives the names of places he planned to travel on his sight-seeing trip. He includes a joke about what to do if he doesn't return home. David often used this kind of humor when conversing with his family and friends. Kathleen says that he wrote the same joke to his sister Jenny and his good friend Will Dabbert in Lincoln. We are certain that when David says "Just kidding" that he is, indeed, joking. All other messages assure us that David was planning to return home.
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From: "David Sneddon"<dls_chucko@hotmail.com>
To: <ksneddon@bridgernet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 8:04 PM
Subject: Re: discussion -- l #11 mom's # 12
Mom,
. . . . Things are going well here. I did well on all my exams and today is my last day of school. I am SO excited to go travel. I will go to Guilin-Kunming-Hainandao-Guangdong-Anhui. I will go to lots of places with really neat-sounding names, like Tiger-Leaping Gorge and Jade Dragon Pool. So if you never hear from me again, look for my body in the western Yunnan Province of China or the Yellow Mountains of Anhui. Just kidding. No, I'm really so excited. I got some really cheap airfare too (like $60) that is helping me to go all these places.
Oh, did get your letter a while ago. I know I mentioned it, maybe in a letter that got lost. The plane ticket is a great price (SLC to Denver) but I have to go round trip within the month, instead of the 8 weeks that I need. Anyway, I think that's all i have to say. Will chat later.
David
Note: David sent this message the day he started on his sight-seeing trip. He mentions thoughts on his family, a desire to be in the United States the following summer, and asks his mother to follow his travels as he reports of his journey through China. David is excited to begin his travels.
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From: "David Sneddon"<dls_chucko@hotmail.com>
To: <ksneddon@bridgernet.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 05, 2004 12:32 AM
Subject: Re: discussion -- l #11 mom's # 12, # 15
Mom,
Nice to get your letter on the reunion and such. It sounds like it would have been quite a good occasion to be home with the family. I guess I can't do everything huh? I'm sure we'll have another on in a few years. I think next summer most likely I willl just stay in the States like a normal person. I can't say that for sure, but I would like to.
. . . . Anyway...I'm off this evening. Pull out your map and follow my adventures. It is so good to be finished with school and ready to get on the road!!! I'm really, really, really excited.
Love,
David
Note: This is the last e-mail Kathleen received from David. When writing this e-mail, David was probably influenced by his reading of the Lonely Planet China, which discusses Zhonhdian (now Shangri-La) and states on page 741: "Zhongdian , 198 m north-west of Lijiang marks the start of the Tibetan world." Certainly, after hiking through the gorge, David was close to the borders of the Tibetan world and certainly he was correct in his assessment that he was traveling in an interesting, unique part of the world with many minorities.
Some persons have suggested that David may have tried to visit Tibet. As shown in Appendix A, David itinerary did not allow him time for such an adventure. Traveling to Tibet is not easy. Our driver, a Naxi from Lijiang, said that he had taken groups from Lijiang to Lhasa, Tibet, a drive of over five (5) days. One needs a special guide, a special permit, be one of a group of at least five (5) persons, and, assuming a start in Shangri-La, one must be willing to travel by bus over difficult mountain roads for least another twelve (12) hours before crossing over into Tibet.
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From: "David Sneddon"<dls_chucko@hotmail.com>
To: <ksneddon@bridgernet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 7:32 PM
Subject: Re: discussion -- #17
Mom
About the hard sitter-- I was actually able to get it switched to a sleeper for a little commission. Apparently guys come in and buy out all the tickets so that they can resell them at a higher price later. Anyway I'm glad I did.
Guiling (Yangshuo actually) was nothing short of amazing. The topography, the farms, animals, locals we talked with, the river ride, it was all amazing. I won't go into detail since I plan on writing a much longer, detailed email to everyone about this. I'm in Lijiang now in western Yunnan province. I will take a bus to hike Tiger Leaping George in about half an hour. There are so many minorities here, I feel like I'm in Tibet or somthing like that already. I will go really, really close to the TIbetian border tonight after I hike. I am certain it will be an adventure and as it has already been. Just seeing the old houses and the way these people live...
Anyway, I'm doing fine and all it well. I bit of a sore throat, hope that goes away soon. I'm still not sure about flights. All the good deals are such that I have to return within 30 days, when really I want to return in 8 weeks. Not sure what to do. Um...anything else...I read all your other letters and enjoyed them. I am having a great time hear but nonetheless am excited to come home. That is all.
Love,
David