The Drug Free Zone office has held so many farewell parties that it’s difficult to recall them all.  Even long after they’ve gone, many prior volunteers and internees return to visit their fellow comrades to whom they grew so close.  They often follow the development and achievements of Beijing’s Base for the Forbidding of Narcotics and Hallucinogens through the Drug Free Zone’s website with close interest.  They largely consider the Drug Free Zone their ‘home away from home’.

 

How can it be that so many volunteers have come to regard the Drug Free Zone as their home?  What makes the website’s office so enchanting?  It’s really quite simple:  It’s the great spirit of devotion that exists here, which results naturally from public service without the motivation of gain or profit!  There is an enthusiasm for the work here without the complications or sluggishness of large organizations or enterprises!  Although the work is demanding, and can at times be stressful, the people here are generally laid back.  The sound of laughter constantly permeates the office air.  The affection that exists between coworkers, along with the absence of unfamiliarity and pressure, truly is reminiscent of a family.  Even more important, those who work here are constantly aware of the necessity of their work; the sanctity of the purpose of this great organization.  Everyone who serves here leaves with a deep sense of accomplishment, which they can’t help but remember throughout their lives.