Posted: 2 years ago

Francine, sounds like an awesome trip! A couple ideas for clubs:

1) you can serarch for a club in any city you'll be in at http://rotary.org/en/AboutUs/SiteTools/ClubLocator/Pages/ridefault.aspx

2) In Singapore, there is a wonderful fellow Ban Seng Chew who is one of the founders of the Singapore eClub. He is a great guy -- I talked with him on the phone last fall, and am back in touch with him by email. You can reach him at BSChew@gmail.com. I'll drop him a note on your behalf.

Larry

 Larry Levenson / Prescott Valley, Arizona USA

Posted: 2 years ago

My father was a theatrical lawyer in NYC in the 40s and 50s and managed Lena Horne.  He also helped integrate Las Vegas for black musicians and performers. Lots more to tell -- maybe I will make a program of my childhood.

Francine Hardaway, Ph.D

Stealthmode Partners

http://www.stealthmode.com

http://blog.stealthmode.com

Posted: 2 years ago

[quote=Francine Hardaway]

My father was a theatrical lawyer in NYC in the 40s and 50s and managed Lena Horne.  He also helped integrate Las Vegas for black musicians and performers. Lots more to tell -- maybe I will make a program of my childhood.

Hi Francine

Unfortunately,I do not know rotary clubs in shaghai an Beijing

But the directory of RI will give all necessary infos

But I can  give two tips to her:in Beijing,she should not miss the "duck street"..a small street ,not too touristic,wher the locals come and eat peking duck with families..not very well known from foreigners,..but locals know...any hotel protier would know;a taxi can easily take you there

In Shanghai,it is a must to wake up five am and go to the bund;again this is not explained in guides;you will see all types of chinese(young,old)practicing their gym ...amazing...

enjoy,you are going to the two best spots of china!!!

best regards

Gerard EPIN ,France,friend of Françoise Thiebault Roger

Thonon Genevois International Rotary club

Posted: 2 years ago

Our club is truly international: I'll be meeting Lew and family soon here in Tokyo, Japan!

Posted: 2 years ago

eClub fellowship in Japan -- I LOVE IT!!  :)

 Larry Levenson / Prescott Valley, Arizona USA

Posted: 2 years ago

When John Kennedy asked all Americans to “Dream of things that never were”, he was trumpeting a call to creative individuals to use their dreams to drive to the future. “To dream of things that never were” is climbing out on the limb of our lives to a place where the fruit is the ripest and ripening. But how does an older person get kids to ‘dream of things that never were?’ My technique could be called, “Popsicles and Visions.”

JUNE 30, 2010: MEMORIAL DAY IN KINGWOOD, TEXAS:

AS EVERYONE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD KNOWS, I OPEN MY GARAGE (MY ART STUDIO) TO THE KIDS AND GIVE THEM POPSICLES AS WE DISCUSS WORLD ISSUES LIKE HOW IT FEELS TO BE AN ALIEN, HOW TO ANSWER A QUESTION ON OPPOSITE DAY (AND IS IT STILL OPPOSITE DAY), WHAT WAS FOUND YESTERDAY ON AN ADVENTURE IN THE WOODS, OR SETTLING SMALL CONFLICTS WHEN THEY ERUPT AMONG THE ‘GANG’ (THE CLUB, ACTUALLY, CALLED “THE TIGER MOLE CLUB”). TODAY, IT IS TYLER, A NINE-YEAR OLD WHO, WITH ME, STARTED THIS CLUB.

ON MEMORIAL DAY, ALL THE OTHER KIDS ARE AWAY, VISITING RELATIVES (AT LEAST UNTIL JAMES STOPS IN BEFORE RUNNING OFF TO TWO PARTIES, ONE WITH BBQ AND ONE WITH PIZZA WE ARE TOLD).

BEFORE JAMES CAME BY, TYLER WAS TELLING ME ABOUT HIS SOCCER TEAM AND HIS DREAM OF WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP (ALTHOUGH HIS TEAM, A SELECTION OF THE BEST PLAYERS FROM HIS AREA, HAS LOST TWO GAMES, 16-4 AND 9-2 BEFORE WINNING ONE, 3-2). HIS LAST STATEMENT TO ME WAS: “NOT WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP WOULD BE HELL.”

TO THAT STATEMENT, I TOLD HIM ABOUT MY VISION YESTERDAY WHEN I WALKED INTO THE BROWN THEATER TO SEE THE HOUSTON BALLET’S PECOS. THIS IS THE STORY OF THE VISION I HAD OF HEAVEN AND HELL: “IN MY HAND, I HAD OUR TICKETS, WITH THE SECTION LETTER, THE ROW LETTER AND THE SEAT NUMBER ON IT. EVERYONE WHO CAME TO THE BALLET COULD FIND THEIR SEAT, AND IF THEY HAD A PROBLEM, THERE WERE ATTENDANTS WHO WERE NICE AND HELPED. AND WE ALL EXPECTED TO ENJOY THE BALLET. NOW, AS I TOLD ANNE, THAT IS HEAVEN.” “OK, THEN WHAT IS HELL?”

“HELL IS WHEN YOU GET YOUR TICKET, THERE IS NO ONE TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR PLACE OR IF THERE IS, THEY SEND YOU IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. NONE OF THE SECTIONS ARE MARKED OR IF THEY ARE, THE LETTERS CHANGE JUST AS YOU GET CLOSE TO THEM. ALL THE NUMBERS ARE NOT IN ORDER AND THEY CHANGE TOO CONSTANTLY. THE SEATS REVOLVE AND ARE MOSTLY UPSIDE DOWN. THE OVERHEAD LIGHTS ARE IN THE FLOOR. THE DANCERS, IF YOU FIND SOMEWHERE TO SIT FOR THE ENDLESS PERFORMANCE, DANCE BEHIND CURTAINS AS THE ORCHESTRA STUCK TO THE WALLS PLAYS MUSIC THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MOVEMENTS. WHEN YOU LEAVE THE BOWELS OF HELL, YOU CANNOT FIND YOUR CAR WHICH HAS CHANGED COLOR AND MAKE AND LOCATION ALL THE TIME,” I SAY.

TO THIS, TYLER, WHO IS BRIGHT NINE-YEAR OLD, SAYS, “BUT WHAT IF IT IS OPPOSITE DAY AT THE BALLET AND HELL IS HEAVEN?”

WITH A FINGER TO THE SIDE OF MY HEAD (OUR SIGNAL FOR A THOUGHT), I JUST SAY, “HMMMM….’. THEN, “OR WHAT IF WE ARE NOT WE? OR THE BALLET HOUSE IS NOT FOR BALLET THAT DAY.”

 “AND WHEN YOU DO GET HOME,” TYLER SAYS, WITH HIS FINGER BESIDE HIS CHIN, “ALL THE HOUSES HAVE BEEN MOVED TO ANOTHER PART OF THE CITY AND THE TREES HAVE BEEN EXCHANGED FOR OTHER TREES. AND YOU DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS OPPOSITE DAY BECAUSE SOMEONE PUT NATHAN’S TREE RIGHT SIDE UP.”

 WE BOTH STOP AT THIS POINT BECAUSE JAMES COMES INTO THE CLUBHOUSE (MY GARAGE) AND WE BOTH LOOK AT HIM, SAYING “HMMMM,” TOGETHER. THEREFORE JAMES STARTS AN OPPOSITE STORY ABOUT A VAMPIRE MOVIE THAT HE JUST SAW AT HOME. TO WHICH TYLER ASKS, “HOW DID YOU KNOW IT WAS YOUR HOUSE AND WHAT IS A VAMPIRE?”

LATER, THEY LEFT TO PLAY IN JAMES’ BACKYARD. I WILL NOT ALLOW THEM IN MINE BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT THEM TO GO INTO OLDER GENTLEMEN’S HOUSES OR BACKYARDS. AN OPEN GARAGE TO THE PASSING WORLD IS ALL RIGHT AS A CLUB HOUSE FOR THE TIGER MOLE CLUB (WITH ONE MEMBER BEING 78 AND ALL THE REST UNDER 12). TO DREAM IS TO EXPLORE NEW IDEAS (EVEN THE STANGEST OF IDEAS) BUT REALITY IS THAT TO PLAY FOR A LONG PERIOD YOU NEED TO PLAY WITH KIDS YOUR OWN BIOLOGICAL AGE (THE OLDER TYPES CANNOT KEEP UP EXCEPT MENTALLY).

Posted: 2 years ago

I'd like to be doing some of this when I'm 78! Joe, you think so young and are able to connect with a wide range of people. A great gift!

 Larry Levenson / Prescott Valley, Arizona USA

Posted: 2 years ago

another idea after my first reply:

for your visit to china,also try from shaghai to taje a train to suzhou(45 minutes)it is the "venice" of china

and.it is known and said as being the city where the most bautifull women of china are born...beautifull pictures ti take..they are dressed in splendid silk clothes...enjoy your trip

gerard epin (france)

GERRY(Gérard EPIN)

Membership Committee Chairman 2011/12

France

Posted: 2 years ago

How interesting it is for me to see what I have seen in Kibera, the largest slum of Africa, in Nairobi, where I volunteered for 3 months last year...My pictures are the same and I would like to share some of them with you. Is there a place on this website where I can upload some pictures? It was such a great experiment...so poor people and so kind; always smiling! If only   our capricious kids could see the way of life of these people...May be they would complain anymore.

Posted: 2 years ago

Hi e- Rotarian friends,

sharing with you an action we just conducted here with schools

program name is ENDIS 911...sounds familiar?

it is about preparing young children to say no to suspect invitations, bizarre offers,etc...

we have produced a small brochure,in french!!,called "and you,how do you react?"

six pages of cartoon,with KIDOU,young person(boy or girl)facing offers or questions

example:a driver ,from his car:"hey,your school bag looks heavy!come with me,I'll drop you at home"

then ,teachers work with class,and ask:what do you do??answer is "i say no,and i move away"

discussion in class is then open

other question example  in the brochure:

in a shop"oh,do you like this dvd,says an adult to a kid?I offer it to you,come ,we will watch it at home"

then teacher says:what would you do?

debate is launched with kids

answer:"i say no;i Never accept a gift from someone I do not know"

etc etc etc...

this leaflet has been prepared with psychologs,teachers,head of schools,doctors,parents,

we have printed 10 000 of them,4 colors, with also a poster to be put at school,a paper explaining what Rotary is,and of course a copy of the local academie head(french ministry department of education)allowing us to visit schools,and supporting the project

then ,we have prepared enveloppes,with all the materials,and each of us of the club,has been in charge of visiting school in the area,talking to the head of the school,to explain ,convince,sometimes be present in class if invited

we have received great welcome and positve attitudes

for your info

best regards to all members of the e club

GERARD EPIN

a visitor

GERRY(Gérard EPIN)

Membership Committee Chairman 2011/12

France

Posted: 2 years ago

Gerard, this sounds like an excellent program! Thanks for sharing it with us.

 Larry Levenson / Prescott Valley, Arizona USA

Posted: 2 years ago

Well went to Tokyo, attendted my son's and his beautiful brides wedding in Tokyo on May 30, celebrated my wife's Birthday the next day and the whole family met up with Ryofu for a short tour of the area where he lives and dinner with him as well.  A great trip.

Back to the states where I had an assignment at the NCAA Track and Field National Championships in Eugene, Oregon.  Fantastic meet in spite of the weather (cool and rainy for 3 of the 4 days). My favorite school University of Oregon Finished 3rd for the Men and 2nd for the Women.

Now it's off to Portland, Or to visit with friends, visit my old Rotary Clubs and then off to the beach for a week, then slowly work our way back to Phoenix with a stop in where else, Vegas.

Then it will be time to prepare for a new teaching assignment (bummer).

Posted: 2 years ago

I've just spent two weeks in China, Korea and Singapore attending technology conferences, mostly about the mobile internet, in Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, and Singapore. I have been to the Forbidden City, Tienamen Square and the Great Wall, and to the DMZ between N. and S. Korea. I will make some programs about it for next year.

Francine Hardaway, Ph.D

Stealthmode Partners

http://www.stealthmode.com

http://blog.stealthmode.com

Posted: 2 years ago

Hello everybody,

Right now, I am in Quebec, having a tour before the convention in Montreal...I watched wales in Saint Laurent, beautiful waterfalls, flew in a seaplane and saw many dams beavers.The canadian people are very nice, but their french accent is so hard that sometimes, we don't understand them ant it is easier to communicate in english! So weird! See some of you, very soon in Montreal!

Posted: 2 years ago

Wow! Sounds like a great trip, Francine!

 Larry Levenson / Prescott Valley, Arizona USA