What I have been doing for the last 50 years: Attended Tandragee Primary, passed 11+ Qualifying Exam in 1954, and went to Portadown College from then until 1958, after the Junior Exam. Played for the Medallion XV as a Prop. Then attended Methodist College, Belfast until Advanced Senior Exam in 1961.

Played for 1st. XV (as a Prop) and Athletics Team (Shot, Discus, Javelin). Then to Queen's University, Belfast, and got Physics and Maths degrees. Played rugby for Queen's 2nds. After Queen's I joined Sperry Univac UK - computers - in London in 1968. Played rugby for London Irish 3rds - there's progression here!

Then in 1970 I joined another computer company in Dusseldorf. Married Lindsey Rusk from Belfast (Bloomfield College) in 1970. Rejoined the International Division of Sperry in 1971. Started travelling. Lived in every W. European Country - except Austria, Portugal, Belgium, and Finland, although travelled extensively there - for 6 months to 3 years at a time.

I think we lived in 14 countries, including the UK and US. Great time - never paid taxes and lived on per diems. Picked up a smattering of languages. Then relocated to Sperry HQ in late 1984 in Blue Bell, PA, a Philadelphia suburb. Been here ever since. Thirty years. Made Vice-President. Retired in 2006.

Live in Villanova, another Philadelphia suburb. We never had children, which eased the travel. We have had a series of Golden Retrievers, though. All except one brought over from NI. Currently Gunner is our fourth. Photography always a major hobby, as was cars. Most of our leisure time has been spent sailing, though. Our current sailboat is called Gallivant, a 46' sailboat, we keep her in the Chesapeake Bay, and sail her up and down the US East Coast, from Maine to Virginia. Bit of a change from sailing a 14' dinghy at White Rocks in Strangford Lough.

Also chartered boats in various locations around the world many times. I do miss NI, though, and always have. Our parents are now all gone. Used to go back to NI several times a year, until 2012. Lindsey has a brother in Belfast, lives up the Malone, lectures at the Tech. She has a sister in Canada. I have a brother in St. Louis, another sailing around the world, currently in Brazil - I think, and my sister teaches in London. Just turned 71 - May 2014. And that sums up a life!
Jim Davis