35 Epilogue; Was it A Dream? I was the first fan to benefit by the Down Undor Fan Fund. But I'm sure that I will not be the last. Perhaps the most valuable thing about fandom is the means it pro- vides for communication with people fram all over the world. Fane are particularly good at written communication, but that cannot entirely replace in person contact with other fans. It is amazing how much fane have to talk about whenever they meet, no matter where they are from. That is why fan funds were created, and why fans continua to support them year after year. American fans have known for e long time that there were people like them on the other side of the Pacific, but there is nothing like actually meeting those fans to make one realize low much they have contributed to the fannish world. That is why I hope that the Down Under Fan Fund will continue to sponsor trips back and forth across the Pacific, bringing Australians (and perhaps even fans from other Pacific countries, such as Japan) to conventions in North America, and sending North American fans to see the world down under for themselves.