Hello Hello Knee How fron XIAN. time will not permit me to give you the details, but this is one of the most unusual Volunteer Projects I have worked on in Years, educational, challenging and adventureous, I am working with China University Student Volunteers along with world wide Student Volunteers, and I might add in view of the fact that I am the oldest Volunteer they ever worked with, who has had 3 voyages with the only floating campuis SAS ,Semester At Sea , the SS Universe Shipboard education l00 days around the world sponsored by the University of Pittsburg. whitch stops at both Hongkong and Shanghai for 5 days each they all knew of the program, so I was not only in the Inn group I WAS COOL MAN COOL. i AM WORKING IN THE MORNING WITH dOWNSYNDRUM STUDENTS FROM AGE 15 TO 30 YRS at A PRIVATE PAYING SCHOOL 40 STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS PAY 250 yUAN PER MONTH INCLUDING ONE NOON MEAL AND TRAINING 8 yuan IS EQUAL TO ONE DOLLAR USA average salary is any where from 800 to l000 Yuan per month and everything is cheap by our standards, similar to the depression years when my father made l7 dollrs a week. the afternoons are spent working with student volunteers at the HISTORY MUSEUM until 4 PM back to the living quarters and the nights are free we as a team go to DISCOS, Theatre and the YHA (Youth Hostels Assn) of whitch I am a NYC Member along with ELDER HOSTELS, so I am accepted with open arms, and the guests are from all over the world, Backpacking students so I am in my second childhood. I am preparing a more detailed report for NYC Rotary for MAX and Tom. Valentine evening was celebrated at a XIAN DISCO watching girls dance around a Pole, this may be a Communist run government but it sure has taken on the look of Democratic Capotilistic society, people seem to be happy, and along with the student volunteers we are all teaching conversational chit chat. by by for now I am looking for Madam Butterfly, by the way the excersice program tomarrow I will be teching the teens the CHA CHA they all want to lear the western dance styles. so long for now the ROTARY VAGABOND/ Uncle Billy's Letter from Katrina Hello to all Rotarians,
Hello to all Rotarians,
So sorry I was unable to respond. No computers, no telephones, etc. is on working 12 to 14 hrs a day, dead tired. When I return I want to be cheered up. Attending Bay St Louis rotary noon meeting in a church with no steeple and I took a box of beef jerkies as my contribution for their lunch from Salvation Army, no desert but lots of laughs. Report of the day at the meeting unhappy with FEMA problems with insurance company and pro and con conversation as to the handling of the hurricane by the White house.
That's all for now,

Bill Delong Visits Thialand 3/13/2005

Hello to all Rotarians. I am very busy working in the villages and I might add Poverty is very high, the Medical Team I am working with is superb and the Children all seem to be happy however, they do not know a life style that is seen in the USA one American dollar buys 39 BAD and the average pay check I am told is around l50 dollars a month the village life is very run down and little electric, no bathing facilities we know of and squat toilets no paper and many flies. Food is simple lost of rice and my first experience with eating Ant eggs, not bad with jungle leaves and hot broth the Princeton should look into it as a Specialty. Tonight I am going to the 8 PM Rotary meeting they are all excited in hearing about our club, the elite live rather well and are most gracious, we have met the political leaders, business men and the Village People who are full of smiles and welcome our work with open arms Take care will see you in April Vagabond Billy, PS Andrea I had my air ticket sent to our Rotary office for Romania.
Bill Delong 4/10