A report from Chile by Sara Sultze, GSE Team Leader May 14, 2008
So sorry that I cannot forward photos, but I believe that Dana sent some to Ken yesterday. The team is learning many new things and is having a great time. Yesterday, we actually got to go to a sea food production plant. Only Dana and Dora were able to do the tour due to time, but they saw the ladies preparing shrimp for shipment. All have commented that one of the things that they really enjoy is getting to see things that the normal tourist does not get to see. For example, in Valpariso, we had a tour of a water treatment plant and in Quillota we met the regional governor and the mayor. We have been on the radio in Quillota and both Margarita and I were on TV in La Serena.
So far, we have really only had one true vocational day (which was an 11 on a scale of 1-10 for everyone), but we learn more about our vocations and about the culture by sharing time with Rotarians. One of my favorite activities was the opportunity to speak with a few university student who are studying tourism. Their teacher is a female Rotarian (the 2nd) and will be president of her club next year. The students must learn some English for their coursework and so they were required to tell me about La Serena in English. Then, they could ask me any questions and I was to answer in Spanish. Following this exercise, we adjorned to a local bar and I was instructed in the fine art of how to make a Pisco Sour (Pisco is a type of wine from a grape grown in the region of La Serena and the Sour come from a small lemon that is grown further north). We have had this drink at least once almost everyday.
Our coordinator in La Serena was a GSE team leader from Chile to Washington state last year and gave the team the ultimate compliment, in my opinion. He said we had a great and enthusiastic team that was very flexible and changed the perception about the women of Southern California. I hope we are able to impress the members of this club as well.
By the way, everyone is excited about having Dora here. The district governor, Alberto Chung, is Chinese and is looking forward to speaking Mandarin to Dora. She says that she has never felt more Chinese than since she got here. They also seem surprised to see how well she speaks Spanish.
The bus ride from La Serena to Antofagasto was terrible and long, but we survive. The club here has allowed us a day of rest with our families to catch up on sleep and, for me, to do some laundry. Tonight, we will have a barbecue with the Rotary club.
Thank you for this opportunity. I will send more information as I am able.
Sara Sultze
A report from Chile by Sara Sultze, GSE Team Leader May 7, 2008
The team had a successful stay in Viña del Mar and has moved to Quillota with great regret. Many of us will miss our host families greatly and have made plans to reunite with them sometime in the future.
I didn´t send much information about the Rotary clubs of Viña, Concon and Valpariso, but we will have a lot of pictures and stories to share upon our return. At this point, I do not have the ability to upload pictures, but I will ask Marina or Dana to do so.
The club in Quillota has 41 members and has their own club house. We arrived here this morning and this afternoon Margarita was featured on a local radio show to tell about the GSE program and Rotary in general.
Tomorrow, we are having a half day for vocations and then will visit some local companies. We will present at the local club meeting on Tues night (9 pm). It has been suggested that we include less information about CA and more information about ourselves, so we are trying to make the adjusts in the program.
I will write more later.
Sara Sultze
A report from Chile from Dana LeFever, the GSE Team Member sponsored by Laguna Niguel May 1, 2008.
As you know, I am in Chile as part of the Rotary Clubs Group Study Exchange for the month of May. Today was their Labor Day.
We had a day of rest with our host family today. Thankfully my spanish speaking teammate Maggie was invited with her host family - - we all went to the summer house belonging to the parents of my host family. Lovely people! I wish I spoke espanol. Next time for sure. I will start studying my phrase book tomorrow.
We have been really busy with Rotary actvities. Yesterday, arrangements were made for me to meet with the Director of the IRS in Valparisio and also 4 other department heads. Rotary arranged for a personal interpreter, Susan Owen who is a Rotary scholar studying here since January (a CA girl). Everyone at IRS was so gracious to allow my visit know that April 30th (that day) was the Tax Filing deadline for Chile. Amazing!!! I was really impressed with the Rotary Club connections.
Sight seeing, we have toured Valparisio day and night. The city is famous for its Naval buildings and history - very proud part of their culture, as you could imagine. Also we took a ride in an Ascenser - a trolley of sorts that glides up and down tracks on a steep steep incline. The view at the top is of the beautiful port filled with colorful storage containers. Will send pictures once I am setup on my laptop. The city has 44 hills filled with mostly old homes painted very bright colors - considered the poor part of the city. Down by the port and beach are the new expensive homes.
Casa de Neruda -Sebastiana was incredibly beautiful. Pictures not allowed, so go on the internet to see. I did not know much about him. Important political figure as well as culturally important - especially his poetry. He is famous for saying that everything tastes better when drinking out of colored glass. Would you agree?
That day we also visited Police Division that helps abused children receive counseling. Very touching. And later that day, we visited a home that takes in babies and toddlers up to 2 yrs old - whose families for whatever reason has to give them up. The children are precious!!! One of the Rotarians adopted a newborn about 16 months ago. Such family was invited to the summer house today. The boy is so adorable with big brown eyes and long long eyelashes.
We have been introduced to a new drink - a pisco sour. Pisco is special to Chile made from a white grape in a specific region. We will visit that region during our trip. I am not sure which city. Will find out. anyway, I need to cut back on my consumption. My tolerance is low these days. I also need more sleep. I need to figure out how to get exercise apart from our daying walking around.
My host family is so gracious. The three daughters speak English with me. The father Robert is the Rotary President of Club Con Con. He speaks some English with me. His wife Alejandra is a most beautiful lady in total. I was blessed to be placed in their home.
Tomorrow, our team tours the important businesses in the area. On Saturday, we have a team cook out at a Rotarian home and then depart on Sunday.
Once I can get my laptop connected, I will send a few pictures.
Adios!
Dana
Bob's Rotary Africa Blog 2-29-08
After arriving in Africa and thawing the past three weeks are a blur. I traveled to Illinois not knowing that the warm hearts of Rotarians can melt the icy-cold of 0 degree weather. Clubs and Districts in Central, Southern and Chicagoland Illinois along with eastern Missouri made the seemingly insurmountable goal of funding the hospice a reality. Informing Rotarians of the opportunities for service in Sub Saharan Africa was well received and offers for cooperation poured in. I personally would like to thank the wonderful Rotarians: Drake Zimmerman, Jan Elfine, Arol Augsburger, James Allans, James Grumley, and Marie Leaner. James Schermerhorn, Gordon Bidner, Evan Freund, Chip Uchtmann, Arnie Klein, Paul S. Anderson, John Behrendt, Larry Pennie, David Templin, Pat Merriweather,, Todd Lindley, Surinder Sethi, Robert Jeckel, Jay Stortzum, Jane Chamberlain, Paul Sanders, Karena Biermann, Sherm Marks & many others including my brother Mark & wife Nancy for everything. On to District 5320’s Conference to discuss Africa and sell more Rotary shirts.
Upon arriving back in Zambia I stayed with the Serlemitsos and met with Lusaka Rotarians regarding water projects with Zambia’s Water for Education program, Rotary initiated. On to Livingstone for the arrival of wheelchairs & Newport-Irvine Rotarians on April 3. Please join them and see what Rotary is doing in Africa and enjoy its beauty and its wonderful people!
Contact me for more info at: rdselinger@aol.com or (949)887-3266 in the US or at (260) 955898901 in Zambia.
Rotary is the Glue that makes things happen. Rotary Shares!