Hello I’m new here, first post. This caught my attention because I do remember being at that assembly I was 11 years old and my family (mom and 4 siblings) went to all 7 days. We drove 60 miles round trip every day! We also had 2 other families staying at our house who had traveled 100’s of miles to stay with us and attend the assembly. It was horrible! The weather, hot, windy, dusty, and rainy! The crowds, the travel and the food, yuck! We brought our food every day!
I do remember seeing the people in their traditional costumes, quite colorful and unique.
I also remember having blood poisoning from a stingray bite on my foot l got at Huntington Beach the day before the assembly. I got really sick and missed the last 2 days of the assembly, yay me! I stayed home with my “unbelieving” Dad who took good care of me. The rest of the fam-dam went along with all the other people who were staying with us. I felt lucky to be able to stay home!
I grew up in SoCal, went to the assemblies at Dodger Stadium, San Diego and San Francisco oh and Long Beach.
And I am writing this in amazement that some how it seemed normal at that time to do that. You couldn’t pay me enough to do that now! And it’s not just because I am old but it’s because I’m smarter. I left the JW’s over 20 years ago and have never looked back. So glad to be out of the cult!