Feature
LGS International!!
Edited by Tony Cox
Ian Spafford (1995-2002) USA
Alan March (1963-68) Until recently I After LGS I atBrazil was based in tended Naval London working College in the on BP projects offshore AnLake District for just over two gola. The scale and complexyears and, having qualified ity of these projects is enas a Radio and Electronics thralling as costs are in the Officer, spent the next five multiples of billions and draw years with the Merchant on cutting-edge technology. Navy in the Arctic Ocean. In Nine years after meeting a 1976 I joined the offshore lovely Convent girl, I married drilling industry and, five Charlotte in 2010. Charlotte years later, was promoted to and I have most recently Electrical Supervisor with moved to Houston, Texas where I have taken up a responsibility for all the electronics installed on a role in BP Planning and Performance Management. floating drilling rig. This was the start of an extremely Texas is indeed the home of the Rodeo and the varied career as an Engineering Specialist which pick-up truck but its charms run deeper. Every city has lasted until today, taking me to Indonesia, Boroffers something unique from museums to music or neo, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai, and India, sports and everything brims with (sometimes for months) as well as local pride. We have found that When Brazil is mentioned, most Texas and Brazil. Working this way Southern hospitality is certainly no people think of Carnival. The has given me time to meet local peohollow statement and have proba- Carnival celebrations last for four ple without being classed as a tourist bly become tiresome in our recom- days. The whole country shuts and to get a much wider viewpoint of mendation of the southern states… down and the street parties start. the world we live in. I now work and except for the summer, when it The heart of Carnival is Samba, reside in Brazil, as my wife is when different Samba Schools gets HOT! Brazilian. compete in the Sambadrome with the amazing floats. Marcus Throup (1990-97) Jason Cimurs (1983-90) For others, Brazil means the Amazon but along the South AtBrazil British Virgin Islands lantic coastline is an area called After Oxford I the Atlantic Rain Forest, which It has been went to Brazil has more rare plants and ani- good to hear with the South mals than the Amazon. This area from Jason American Mis- is under even greater threat, not Cimurs who sionary Soci- from logging, but from the en- has spent the ety and have croachment of human occupa- last 3 years as been here ever tion. an accountant Alan March since. My wife in a law firm in Tamara is Brazilian. We have a the British Virgin Islands. The 20 month old daughter BVI are a group of around 50 (Rebekah) and our son, Mateus Jacob was born in islands located in the Caribbean near Puerto Rico. January. I'm assistant minister in the Anglican CaThere are around 25,000 inhabitants, with the most thedral here in Joao Pessoa, NE Brazil, though my famous probably being Richard Branson. There is a main function is teaching in our theological college, British Governor appointed by the Queen on the adconference work, writing etc. vice of the British Government. Defence and Foreign On the day that statistics were published boasting Affairs remain the responsibility of the United Kingfurther growth in the Brazilian economy (overtaking dom. The territory is an offshore financial centre, dethe UK) I was distributing food parcels with a group riving roughly fifty percent of its income from finanof parishioners at our local church plant ‘El Shaddai’. cial services and fifty percent from tourism - and why The plant has about 30 adult members and about 80 not with summer temperatures around 32 ºC and children. Like many city slum dwellers these people winter temperatures For more news from usually get just one meal a day, so the weekly matedropping down as low these OLs, visit rial support from our Cathedral has been a lifeline. as 24 ºC! www.olaoga.co.uk
4