Robert Beever:  

Update: Robbinroger Ro-bert Alain Beever: current location: Bonn, Germany. Hello to all fellow graduates from TAS and those who graduated in June 1970 - more than 50 years ago. Check out a story about a cross-cultural relationship stretching from Liberia/West Africa - to Taiwan - to South Vietnam- to the USA- to Saudi Arabia to Germany , France, Finland and so forth....... message in a bottle: from Liberia to Finland I currently work in Bonn as a consultant/trainer for professionals who work in development co-operation projects worldwide. Bonn is a historic city (like most in Europe) and was the capital of West Germany from 1949 - 1990. There are lots of museums and cultural activities. We live in a village suburb of Bonn- there are quite a few old two-story wooden houses (half timbered and stucco) that date from the 17th/18th centuries. We live in a contemporary-style Dutch brick house - built in 1982 with an awesome view of the Sieben Gebirge (eroded volcanoes- meaning seven hills) and the Rhine River. Of course there is a 19th century castle and an ancient ruined castle/watchtower (Dragon's Rock) which we can see from our balconies. The viticulture in the rich volcanic soil on Dragon's Rock is the northernmost place along the Rhine where grapes for wine are grown : Riesling and red wines. The Germanic legend of Siegfried and his slaying of the dragon (Fafnir) in a cave there is part of the epic poem Niebelungenlied. Interesting story as my Chinese name is Yellow Jade Dragon - and we all know the symbolic importance of dragons in Chinese culture, art, and traditions, My professional and personal experiences in Germany have been very positive. There is a lot to see and do over here and travel to nearby countries is easy and convenient.. I was born in the free territory of Trieste (now Italy) in 1952. My father was in the US Army stationed at the Miramar Castle in Trieste. He met my mother there. My Anglo-American father (family from London, England) and mother (Austro-Hungarian) are now buried at Arlington National Cemetery. So, folks stay in touch with your parents and tell them you love them when they are still alive and, hopefully, clear-headed. My wife is German-French and is an international corporate attorney. Her German side of the family comes from the area of Trier, one of the oldest cities in Germany. French side: She is a member of an old Provencal noble family that traces its ancestry to the 14th century. This means vineyards, wine production, olive groves, an ancient ancestral home that displays/stores the flotsam and jetsam of many generations; the times when Beaucaire (means beautiful stone) was a very wealthy city from trade ( the city hosted the largest trade fair in the Mediterranean for generations until the arrival of the raiway in the 1850's). The nouveau riche and wealthy business ...Expand for more