GSE Team Reflects the Rotary 4-Way Test

Our Chimbote Rotary hosts treated us to Sechin, an archaeological wonder dating from 1600 BCE in Casma. The guide descibed the 4m-high bas-relief carvings of warriors and captives...very descriptive of the human capacity to torture. In the full sun of the day the walls exuded an energy and message of how permanent the actions and 'things' of our lives can be. What messages do we want to leave for the generations to come? We had a capstone event on our last day before the overnight trek to Lima. What could trump this?!

Over our four weeks in Peru, the unique personalities and talents of the team members enhanced the experiences and heightened our learning. It is through the eyes and hearts of each that I gained yet more from the amazing hospitality of our Rotary hosts and their tours of community projects and issues, culture, and historical sites, and life with wonderful host families.
Here are some of these special qualities...as they underscore the Rotary International guide for living into its vision of world friendship and peace.

The Rotary Four-Way Test

of the things we think, say and do….


is it the truth?

...nicole

active learning,
analyzing, comparing,
assessing boundaries!


is it fair to all concerned?

...molly

compassionate soul
caring of others and self
challenging limits!



will it build good will and friendship?

...maria

jump-in, ready help
joking, engaging new friends
joyful energy!



Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

...gabriella

brilliant, artful eyes
building sane, healthy futures
balanced and gracious!



with my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to each of these remarkable women! n

Hasta Pronto

It's 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 30. Our group spent four days in Chimbote, taking the night bus to Lima at 11:30 p.m. yesterday and arriving here in Lima at 6:00 a.m. We are passing the hours at an apartment of a Rotarian family who splits their time between Chimbote and Lima. ¡Muchíssimas gracias por la caldorosa bienvenida!

Our time in Chimbote was full of interesting and fun activities: a church built into a hillside (and our walk down the hillside!), an amazing visit to a high school, and a warm welcome from our last Rotary Club visit (R.C. Buenos Aires with Interact and Roteract, two Rotary youth groups). I don't think any of us had much internet access during our stay in Chimbote, but I hope we'll be able to post more details and stories in the coming weeks.

About thirty seconds ago, I said "hasta pronto" to Gabriella, who is now on her way to the airport to catch a flight to Cusco with her sisters. Today our group will go our separate ways: Maria and I are spending one night in Lima before she goes to Cusco and I head south to Páracas, while Nancy and Molly are catching a red-eye flight back to the U.S.

It's a strange day. We have spent a lot of time together, to the point that I can sense when someone in the group is missing, and I automatically start looking for them. We have learned so much about Peru and Rotary International here, but speaking for myself, the more I've learned here, the more I've realized how little I understand. There are good parts and bad parts and parts that aren't good or bad, but one thing that has been consistently amazing is the reception from our host Rotarians. I know I speak for the entire group when I say that we will ALL miss our Peruvian Rotarian family very, very much.

So, on our last day together, I raise an imaginary pisco sour for brindis to my Nancy, Molly, Maria, Gabriella, and the entire cast of characters in the U.S. and Peru who made this adventure possible. May there be many more pisco sours in our future. :)

Thankfulness

"Blessed are those who give without remembering. And blessed are those who take without forgetting."

This afternoon, the District 7170 team met at Cornell Cooperative Extension for final preparations. We discussed our presentation, packing, attire, travel plans, and a million other details. It seems that there is so much to happen over the next four days for all of us!

Even though last minute preparations are occupying our thoughts, we took a moment to reflect on the generosity of the many organizations and individuals who have helped us get this far. We would especially like to recognize the following:

• Gary Herzig and the District 7170 GSE Committee: thank you for this amazing opportunity and all of the guidance you've given us!
• The Ithaca Cayuga Club (especially Chuck Broadhead & Doug Armstrong), Ithaca Sunrise Club (especially Christine Hausse), and the Ithaca Rotary Club "Noon Club" (especially Rich Spingarn): thank you for your endorsement and your sponsorship!
  
• Sergio Pedro, Department of Modern Languages & Literatures, Ithaca College: thank you for your crash course in español--you did a great job of presenting helpful and relevant topics!
• Museum of the Earth/ PRI (especially Warren Allmon, Executive Director): thank you for the fossils for sharing with our hosts!
• Ed Forman: thank you so much for graciously printing our team business cards!
• Gina Gammage-Sikora and Rebecca Heller-Steinberg, our talented team alternates: your involvement and support every step of the way has been invaluable!
• Nancy would like to thank George Gull and Bill Cadwallader.
  
• Gabriella would like to thank Ann Hales and Nicole would like to thank Charlie Brundza & Sue Willcox. We learned about Group Study Exchange through you, and without your advocacy we wouldn't be here!
  
• We would all like to thank our employers & colleagues for their support and for allowing us to take time away from Ithaca to develop professionally and personally. Thank you to the Department of Modern Languages & Literatures at Ithaca College, Cornell Cooperative Extension, John Snyder Architects, Ithaca Youth Bureau, and Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit.
• Finally, we would all like to thank our families and friends. Your love and support goes with us on our adventure!

We depart at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 2. Perhaps our next dispatch will be posted from PERU!

Team 7170 Group Presentation

Here is the presentation that we'll share with our host Rotary District.

Condolences

Yesterday, the team received very sad news: the Governor of our host District, Antonio Garcia Angulo, passed away in the morning of Sunday, April 19, 2009.

We are very sorry to hear of his passing. We understand he worked very hard on our group study exchange experience, and we were looking forward to meeting him.

We would like to send our deep condolences to Antonio Garcia Angulo's family, friends, and Rotary colleagues in District 4460.

Repaso de español

Today, the 7170 team met at Ithaca College for a short Spanish review. Maria is a Spanish professor at Ithaca College, and she organized a session to review common vocabulary, expressions, and pronunciation. Her colleague, Sergio, graciously volunteered to help us out.¡Muchissimas gracias a Sergio y Maria!

Before we started our Spanish lesson, we got together to take a group portrait. Everyone wore black and white so we'd look cohesive as a team. The picture came out very nicely--and it sounds like it will appear in the District 7170 newsletter!

After we finished our Spanish lesson, we reviewed our presentation. All of the slides are coming together well, although we still have a little work to do.

Nineteen days until departure!

Introduction

In May 2009, Rotary District 7170 (central-western New York State) will send a team of five women to Rotary District 4460 (northern Peru) as part of a Group Study Exchange (GSE).

What is Group Study Exchange?

According to Rotary International, "The Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women in their initial years of professional life. Rotary districts in different countries are paired to send and receive professional study groups of four to six non-Rotarian team members and one Rotarian team leader to travel for four to six weeks, staying in the homes of Rotarians when possible."

There are four goals of a GSE experience: vocational visits, cultural experiences, fellowship opportunities, and Rotarian involvement.

For more information, see www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/164en.pdf.

Who are the District 7170 (NY) team members?

In no particular order, we are:

*Nancy Potter (team leader), Family & Community Development Issue Leader with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County
*Molly Bargar, Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program Assistant at the Ithaca Youth Bureau
*Maria Difrancesco, Spanish Professor at Ithaca College
*Gabriella D'Angelo, Architect with John Synder Architects
*Nicole Tedesco, Service & Operations Analyst with Tompkins County Area Transit, Inc
*Gina Gammage-Sikora (alternate team leader), Spanish Professor at Tompkins-Cortland Community College
*Rebecca Heller-Steinberg (alternate member), Community Educator for Opportunities for Otsego