20 - Sunday, June 11, 1939 - North Shore News Cultural exchanges help to promote greater international understanding ‘IF THE current Chinese rebellion had been timed a little sooner, round about the last week in March, for instance, we would have quite a different perspective of the horror. © At that time, a large group of -North Shore residents were merrily climbing the Great Wall and en- Joying the sights of Beijing. Two hundred and fifty, approx- _imately, were in the group and the majority were people from right here at home. It wouldn’t surprise me if everyone reading this column knows at least one person with the “old goats group. I know at least efght that are close enough friends that their phone numbers are in my little black book. How would I have felt if they had been somewhere in China right now? Scared witless, that’s how. I phoned one of these friends this morning, mostly to get from her the exact dates that the group was in China. : But, as we discussed what was going on over there, one thing she said hammered home another message that we all should listen to: “If I hadn’t been there, the whole thing would have much less meaning for me. Every day I read about what’s happening and take it PERSONALLY.” Wars, revolutions, riots and disasters happen. How many of us take them PERSONALLY? We do, but mainly if some friend or relative is directly involv- ed, not if the masses in some remote country are slaughtering each other. When the rebellion in Fiji hit the . headlines, I took it PERSONAL- LY. People I had met were involved. travelwise Barbara McCreadie I spent a week in that lovely coun- try and it made me downright angry that someone might be using my favorite palm tree as a gun post. I took the war in the Falkland Islands even more PERSONAL- LY. Not only had 1 wandered around Port Stanley, on a previous visit to Argentina, but I had two young friends apt to be called up immediately to hurry on over and fight. For Argentina! I could practically hear the gun- fire —- my friends kept phoning from Buenos Aires. Not because they wanted to hear the sweet sound of my voice! They wanted me to read them the newspapers so they could find cut whatinhell was really happening in their country. Summer camp info Copies of The Directory of Ac- credited Camps may be obtained by sending a_ self-addressed, stamped business envelope with THE B.C.. Camping Association recently announced that a directo- ty of accredited camps in British Columbia is available. This booklet contains advice to parents on selecting a camp for their child, information about ac- tivities and types of camps avail- able as well as pointers on how to prepare children for the camp ex- perience. OFFERING MOTORHOME RENTALS All excellent late model motorhomes and vans 987-5288 _ 1577 LLOYD AVE. NORTH VANCOUVER The cruise that comes with a Walt Disne y World’ ¥ vacation free. Cruise 4 ni and the © Sail from Central Florida's Port Canaveral on Premier's Star/Ship Fleet voted “Cruise Line of the Year." ¢ Gourmet cuisine, spark- ling entertainment, _ full casinos, the largest staterooms. © The most comprehensive chil- dren's program in cruising. ¢ Disney characters on board every sailing. I hear the Chinese are using fax machines for the same purpose. tet Two messages are screaming at me while I write this. The first is probably the most important. If we can have any hope of reducing the horror stories that are happening around the world, more of us must take a personal interest. We've got to get our kids visiting over there and their kids over here. Many of you wil! remember, or have read about, the ‘‘Bay of Pigs” fiasco in the early 1960s. At that time, it appeared that Russia was about to nuke the U.S.A. into ashes and their friend- ly neighbor to the north right along for company. At that time, some newspaper columnist (can’t remember the name, but no one listens to col- umnists anyway) suggested a prac- tical solution to the whole mess. It was such a simple solution. It was a kiddie exchange. All the children and grandchildren of all the leaders of both sides should be exchanged — Ivan for John and Olga for Caroline and a few hun- dred more. It might make the war mongers take things PERSONALLY. We must encourage youth trav- el, especially student exchanges. I yanked my kids out of school at any opportunity if I could find the cash to buzz off to Argentina or even Bongo-Bongo. A few weeks ago, some friends of mine were leaving for Australia and wanted to take their youngest son along for the ride. He’s in Grade 6, a lovely age to start see- ing the world. They were told that if they took available 76-cents postage to B.C. Camping Association, c/o Outdoor Recre- ation Council, 1367 W. Broadway, Vancouver, B.C. V6H IHI. or after your cruise. «Stay 3 nights at one ““*" of Orlando's best hotels (even “on-site” resorts can be free if reserved 6 months in advance’). © Budget or Alamo rental car for 7 days, #3-day admis- sions to ic Kingdomand Epcot Center. © Tour of Spaceport sa at nearby, Kennedy Space Venter. All from just *US Reverse itinerary $595: (3-night cruise ewith 4nightsat Disney) available at same rates. = ON The Wal Denes Compacts Die Oficial Crise Line of Well Diss Wind “Hhates are fos pe rsnn, devils wc abanes, htnd i 199 Supe lish sruhother poynumet Cartan rystrictinws apple Hoel changes and virtiedad © Goliger’s Tra Ss 195§ Seas hewhun rate: Filey Edie site resents sialgert be msathab ity Caend by contend ony, Lins, Lid Ships of Liberian &: Hanuman Registry wel 200 Howe Stroet, Suite 360, Vancouver, B.C. Canads V6Z 2M4 Telephone: (604) 664-1266 him out of school (remember, this is June and most of the year’s work is over) that the kid would have to repeat Grade 6! I suggested that they scream to : the school board. Instead, they’re in Australia just now and their kid is holding down a desk. Absurd! whe Second message, and one I’ve tried to send along for years. What do you do if you’re caught. in some civil disaster? © Don’t rely on tour guides to look after you. If they had the brains to be neurosurgeons they might not be leading tour groups. - © Get yourself to the biggest, most expensive hotel in town (Visa!) and hole up. Have the hotel contact the nearest Canadian authorities, boasting of your presence. © Phone home, if you can, and get your family working from this end. © Keep ail your documents glued to your body. If things get really bad, take that literally and raid the tape dispenser. eStay away from windows, no matter what pleasant massacre is happening in the street below. ¢ Leave the hotel only if urged to by the Canadian authorities or if the place is bombed. The above comes from a lady who has been there. Luckily, the bomb went off a few blocks away but hit the apartment building of my friend’s grandmother. She was unhurt but marooned on one of the top floors while the debris was cleared. I had my eight-year-old Suzy with me and we were heled up in the Sheraton Hotel in Buenos Aires. The hotel got us to the dock, the ship got out and only later we found out that the military had taken over, Maria Peron was history and all was “‘serene.”’ Oddly, they’re having a bit. of the same thing there just now. Hope all the Canadians are holed ‘ Janice has been in the travel industry for 15 years. She recently returned from living and working “down under’. Y Janice is eager: to make new. business ac- quaintances and in- vites all her friends and clients-to call her at Park Royal South West Vancovuer . (Ground Floor, Black Tower)» SNEAK-A-WAY <“ AIRISEA CRUISES | Disneyland — \sland Princess 20 Sept., Disneyland Hotel, 4 nites...... siete from 8895 | Honelulu — Sea Princess 21 Sept., Waikiki Outrigger, 9 nites....... Disneyland — Rotterdam 14 Oct., Conestoga Htl., 7 nites Disneytand WN. Amsterdam from $1170 seenffOM $835. 26 Sept., Conestoga Htl., 5 nites ........... wafer $745" All prices are per person, Canadian dollars and include air, cruise fare and all meals and entertainment while on the cruise. Based on double sharing, taxes and insurance not included.