Overseas Adventures

Part travelogue, part professional journal, this book contains stories from 16 different countries where the author worked. Each chapter starts with interesting historical facts about the country, often with reference to connections the country had with World War Two, as well as a map to locate the country for the reader. Have you ever wanted to be a volunteer and work in Africa or Asia? Or maybe join the United Nations and help address world problems, whether they be hunger, lack of education, poor health, or unemployment? This memoir describes just such experiences spanning from 1971 to 2021. The stories are enriched with anecdotes, humor, and personal reflections.

Living and working abroad had its challenges and rewards. New cultures, languages, and international cuisine are rated highly. Catching tropical diseases, an attempted robbery, and working in a war zone rate rather lower. Still, all were part and parcel of experiences on the international development scene.

Most important of all were the people met on the journey, whether they were high school students, trainers in training, fellow travelers, entrepreneurs, government officials, rogues, and rascals, or just passers-by. It was they who brought these overseas adventures to life, and it's really their stories that are the hidden gems inside.