After 60 and On the Edge Like Indiana Jones
Amazing Experiences Through Volunteering and Travel
by David Thomas Smith

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The Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO-SACO) is a volunteer organization that utilizes Canadian business professionals to help developing nations in capacities related to their domestic business expertise. After more than three decades of work as an urban planner, David Smith began a second career in volunteer service, sharing his expertise on urban and strategic planning, environmental management, and economic development and poverty reduction issues to developing regions in several countries around the world. This book chronicles Smith’s volunteer work, from the humdrum to the hopefulness to the harrowing—not exactly “Temple of Doom” harrowing, but adventurous and risky all the same. With his recounting of these many high-adventure situations, some more dangerous than others, Smith offers to readers a memoir of how his life became much more exciting after turning 60, as well as an uplifting and inspiring reminder of the value of volunteer service overseas. Included in this book’s mini-travelogues are stories from Smith’s travels to Honduras, the Philippines, Colombia, Suriname, Mongolia, Ethiopia, Jamaica, and China. The ups and downs of his voluntary assignments are described in this book, especially the satisfaction that comes with helping people in developing countries. Along the way were many surprises and unanticipated encounters that were truly amazing: experiences and adventures while travelling; survival during life-threatening situations; unique features and the cultural distinctiveness of different areas; rewards, successes, and challenges of volunteer work in difficult situations; and observations related to urban planning, sustainability, and climate change action.

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"You will be inspired by what he (Dave) has done, his incites into sustainable planning and by the fascinating stories being told." —Jag Dhillon, FCIP, Retired Urban Planner, CESO Volunteer for over 30 years. "Assignments took place in island provinces and municipalities where he (Dave) had to ride in boats, be transported by motorcycle and walk kilometers to do his work in the field....a very remarkable Canadian." —Matt Navalta, CESO Country Representative, Philippines "My brother, brave, sometimes “on the edge” with his life all over the world..... written in a manner that will either have you smiling or “shaking your head”." —Bob Smith, Dave’s brother

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David Smith worked for 33 years as an urban planner in local government and for 6 years as a private consultant on issues related to urban and strategic planning, environmental management, and sustainability. He currently is an occasional lecturer for the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus. Smith was a volunteer advisor for CESO for 9 years, some of that time taking place before retiring. Smith has a bachelor of arts, a master’s degree in city planning, and a diploma in public administration. He lives in West Kelowna, British Columbia, with his wife and three teenage children. Smith shares his stories which he hopes are amusing to those who read them. In particular, he hopes that other international volunteers will benefit from some of these shared experiences. Additionally, he believes that the examples he shares of some of the sustainable practices taking place in other countries may be helpful to other decision-makers in our global quest to save the environment and combat climate change.

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Contributors

Author

David Thomas Smith

Editor

CESO - Canadian Executive Services Organization

Illustrator

Lance Smith

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