1987

Hello from Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell, freedom, the Rocky statue and the Modern Language Association conference. I'm here visiting friends and doing a little work and, as usual, writing the column on deadline.

I have some actual Dartmouth news that I witnessed with my own eyes at the Dartmouth Alumni Association of New York City meeting this December: Evan Azriliant was given the Reuben Resnikoff P'67 Volunteer Service Award "for his general and exceptional good deeds" as association treasurer these past seven-plus years, executive director Barry Weeks said. In a more important development, Evan and his wife, Debbie, also welcomed a new member to his household last year, son Matthew, who joins big brother Jake. Some news from other alums:

Luanne Zurlo writes that after nine years on Wall Street, she "left Goldman Sachs two years ago to found World Education and Development Fund (www.worldfund.org), a nonprofit charity whose mission is to support quality education for poor children in Latin America. It provides financial, management and technical assistance to partner schools operating in impoverished neighborhoods throughout the region, including Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Argentina and Venezuela. Despite the critical importance of education, no other U.S.-based charity is solely dedicated to primary and secondary education in Latin America. In fact, less than 1 percent of private charity funds from the United States are targeted to education in the developing world."

She said she would be "interested in talking to people who are interested in getting involved with WEDF's efforts at ending poverty in Latin America through education."

Mary Felley writes: "I put in a year on an environmental aid project in north China in 2001-2002, then returned to the States via the Trans-Siberian, which I heartily recommend. After 10 years in Hong Kong and one in mainland China, I had a good dose of culture shock upon re-entry to the United States. I've taken a job with a small land conservancy in northeast Pennsylvania, and am spending more time with family (which was hard to do from Asia). I'm catching up belatedly on the American rites of passage—first car, first house. I imagine at this rate I'll marry at 50 and start thinking about kids at 55 or so. Just one small problem there...."

She writes with her "overall conclusion after two years back in the States: This is one funny country. But there are good people in it, many of whom have a sense of humor." Write me.

296 Union St., Apt. 2, Brooklyn, NY 11231; jtstex@gmail