[CQ-Contest] Help wanted for a non-ham friend in EA8 land - read this, it is an interesting story.

[Brooke Allen]

You can make a very strong case that this post is way-off-topic, and I’ll
accept this criticism. My only justification is that sometimes, when you
need a favor, the best place to look is among the communities you belong to,
and in my case, contesters are the only people with whom I share community
in the Canary Islands.



First, let me tell you that between 1970 and 1977 I did hitch-hiking trips
to every state in the lower 48, and even got rides on airplanes. I often
slept on the side of the road, and did odd jobs in exchange for food. I
wasn’t a bum, freeloader, or irresponsible hippie but a serious math student
and later professional computer programmer – but unlike my more stuck
friends, I was up for adventure, willing to confront my fears, and didn't
consider lack of funds an impediment. Today I can attribute my business and
personal success more to what I learned hitching than to my overly academic
and ridiculously expensive MBA.



By my adventures pale compared to Amylin’s, one of the most interesting,
talented, brave and kind-hearted young people I know.  We first met in
Portland in 2006 when I was visiting the widow of my good SK friend, Sandy
Lynch (W7BX/7J1ABV). Amylin was 20 years old then – a graphic artist and
writer who was hitching from Montreal to Los Angeles with the intention to
travel on to New Zealand. She did that, then hitched all over Australia, and
SE Asia Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, China through to Hong Kong. And she kept
going. She’s now been to 39 countries and resided in 9 of them, not only
becoming a better writer and artist, but has been learning Spanish, French,
Turkish, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Italian along the way. She doesn’t do
this on expense account but rather on wits and a willingness to trade work
for room and board.



Right now, Amylin is camping in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria after having
gotten there by crewing and cooking on a yacht from Europe. Normally, she
loves camping but she is sick of it at the moment because someone has stolen
a bunch of her artwork. (In 5 years on the road, I think this is the first
time she’s been ripped off.)



So, does anyone have a spare couch or even dry spot of floor she could use
for a week or two?



She’s an excellent cook and can crew for you during the upcoming contests.



And, while you’re at it, would you please teach her the code and some theory
so she can get her ticket and then we’ll point her in the direction of
Bouvet, Yemen and South Sandwich. Danny Weil and the Colvins are gone and we
need a replacement, and I nominate Amylin.


Write to me if you are in EA8, or if you know someone I should write to.



73,



Brooke, N2BA (most recently operator of TI5KD in ARRL CW).




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Brooke Allen
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www.BrookeAllen.net
www.NoShortageOfWork.com