1982

Steve Chandless writes: "Alison and I have just returned from a once in a lifetime experience: Five months of backpacking and hiking through the mountains of Thailand along the Burmese border, boating down the Yangtze River with 500 Chinese workers, and numerous other memorable experiences. By the trip's end we had slept in 54 different beds, written 116 postcards, took 1,500 pictures, and explained our position on the Gulf Crisis 100 times. Being Americans, we were singled out oftenfrom being taunted in Thailand's southern Muslim areas to being revered by the Chinese students.. .Just walking down the street would attract a few 'English-speaking' Chinese our way. If we stopped to read a street sign a few more would stop to see what we were doing, then, five or so more would peer over our shoulders if we pulled the map out, and then, if we decided to negotiate for the price of a bicycle rickshaw, the crowds would grow to over 20 people, crowded closely around you so you couldn't open your wallet without five heads helping you count your currency. As Americans, we impressed them with our size, health, and willingness to spend a day's salary on one bicycle rickshaw ride. As Chinese, they impressed us with their friendly nature, inquisitive minds, and generous hearts.. .

"Although China dominates our memories of the trip, Thailand, Japan, and Indonesia were fascinating cultures to experience. ..

"Now that the trip is over, we are dealing with the reality of job hunting in the greater San Francisco market." Steve and Alison are still living in Skaneatiles, N.Y., but are hoping to move west as soon as possible and look forward to seeing as many Dartmouth people as want to see them once they arrive.

From Kailua, Hawaii, JB and KatieStearns Friday write that after returning from their Peace Corps mission in the Philippines, they spent six months in New England and Washington. Katie then landed a job with the Forest Service in Hawaii and is now the Associate Pacific Islands Forester, which takes her to Palau, Yap, Saipan, Pohnpei, and Samoa. JB is working toward a Ph.D. in agroforestry at the University of Hawaii, and they've seen Matt Yee posters springing up everywhere.

On the mainland, Seth Swirsky married Jody Gerson (Northwestern '83) in November and is enjoying a highly successful career in the music business. He and Jody should be in L.A. by now, where Seth is working for EMI following seven years writing songs for Warner/Chappell and artists such as Taylor Dayne and Air Supply. He has a new single out with Michael McDonald ("Tear It Up") and has just produced the new Peter Allen album. Now that's what I call gettin' it done.

Richard Lichter has been greatly affected by the recent scandals in the financial world. After the management of SFT Inc., a $45 million mutual fund company, was banned for life by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Richard was appointed trustee and CEO of the company. Prior to becoming top dog, Richard had been a vice president at Merrill Lynch and then managing director of corporate finance for Advest Inc.

Scott Young and wife Karen had a baby, Elizabeth Carol, last March. Scott was finishing up his internal medicine residency in Dallas when he met Karen, and he is now on the verge completing his three-year "nephrology (kidney transplant) fellowship at UCLA."

Apologies to Keith Hampton for failure to note his membership in this great class. There's a good chance his 11 -page book will find it's way into next month's rambling.

Finally, I have the sad news that ColetteDrape died in a car accident in Bordeaux, France, on January 29. There will be a memorial gathering for friends and family in the San Francisco Bay area April 14.

Peter Frechette, 42 Road, Canton, MA 02021