mass producing items of tackle ,the rest as they say is history. Carp fishing exploded and with the ever increasing popularity of the sport companies were formed, some became multi national corporations whilst other fell by the wayside. As the sport continued to grow I became involved in consultation on products some were straightforward others far more complex , but no matter what the problem by perseverance a solution was always found.

Unfortunately the 1990s saw a switch to products manufactured in China, these were mass produced in massive volume and cost of manufacture plummeted . So successful was the move to Chinese manufacture that the once proud and and successful UK manufacture and design, was decimated. The Chinese to their credit were not slow in realizing that therestay involved with the Boulder-Mante Sister Cities Committee, to study international affairs at the University of Colorado, to write my honors thesis on the plight and potential Mexican migrants living in the U.S., and to pursue a graduate degree in international development. But the most fundamental personal change I experienced as a result of my year abroad was developing a sense of empathy for those who – simply because of where they are born – cannot afford basic healthcare, a quality education, or even nutritious food and clean water.

Boulder and Mante share many things in common, but at no time were the differences more apparent than during the Boulder Community Hospital’s annual medical campaign. Volunteering as a translator during my year abroad, I saw thousands of people from