www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday February 24, 2007 - 5 Aid work not all fun and fresh amphibians Continued from page 3 yes, yum." Smith said that the frogs were good but they tasted like chicken and they didn't have much meat on them. But it wasn't all fun and fresh amphibians. The stifling 12-hour bus ride from the airport in Manila to Tuguegarao upon arrival, and the return 12-hour car ride when their stay was over were memorably awful. Plus the couple conducted daily workshops in sweltering hot, humid conditions without much technical support, and they took withering forays into the local markets to do market research. Mark's job was to coach in marketing strategies, while Barbara tutored in the most basic of small business practices. The object was to help these local co-op operations produce and package products that could compete in Manila (500 kilometres to the south) where there is real money to be made, not just the average, dollar-aday currently earned by locals. But progress is slow. "It's a bit frustrating because of the speed at which people work in that part of the world," Barbara admitted. "Their approach to business is different from ours." "The pace of everything is slower," Smith concurred. "They are very social there. They spend a lot of time eating and drinking and playing computer games." These are tiny quibbles, according to Schejbal. "When you go into an assignment for CESO you go into it with your mind wide open, prepared to accept that whatever you are getting into is what it is. You make the best of it." And of course, the best of it can mean side trips on weekends and stops in Bangkok perhaps, or Singapore, on the way home; and colourful stories of ancient rice terraces, mighty swarms of fruit bats, and secret, pristine beaches, enough to dine out on between assignments. Said Schejbal, "A lot of CESO volunteers go on assignment on their own, but we were fortunate to go as a team and that made a huge difference to me. I don't know if I would want to go alone again, because the difference is dramatic. This time I had someone to talk to at night, to share the experience with. It is fun to accept a personal challenge but it is nice to have a little fun, too." EXPERIENCE THE CV750 · 490 Air Watts of Power · Cleanstream Hepa type Filtration · Complete with economy electric ensemble HALTON VACUUM DEPOT DIFFERENCE POWER PERFORMER ter Brand Selection! n W i nce a r a e Cl 490 WE CARRY QUALITY CLEANING PRODUCTS FROM THE LEADING BRANDS. Only MSRP $809.99 $ included: 549 99 Canister · 12 amp · power brush · tools on board · cord rewind Upright · 13" wide · 12 amp · HEPA · tools and hose Save $260 · Powerhead with cord management · 30' Electric Hose with handle · 7 piece Tool Set # 6852 $ 299 99 # 2900A $ 99 99 N UP PE R M Save $100 DU ND AS ST .E . Save $30 SALES · SERVICE · SELECTION · QUALITY BRANDS · INSTALLATION HALTON'S L TRUSTED FLOOR CARE SPECIALISTS! ST .W . ID DL ER D. E. 2379 Trafalgar Road 905-257-6145 Mon.-Fri.9:30-6:00 Sat. 9:30-4:00, Sun. CLOSED DU ND Trafalgar Ridge Shopping PLaza (in the Winners/HomeSense plaza a) Beside Scotia Bank TR AS AF AL GA R RD .