D. G. Paul came to one of our meetings to discuss our trip and outline the GSE experience from the Rotary District aspect. He requested we write down our goals and what we expected to receive personally from this trip. I wrote back to D. G. Paul that I wanted to climb their mountains, walk in their forests, meet as many Korean people as possible and make friendships that will last a lifetime. All of this has come true and is reflected throughout this report. He also discussed the Matching Grant Program where two Rotary Clubs put up money and through the District and R.I. through the matching program, it can increase substantially to do a project somewhere in the world for the good of mankind. This opportunity is being worked on and I will lay out my plans in my final reflections.

NIGHT BEFORE

The going-away party for the team was an excellent gesture on behalf of the District and allowed the team to say goodbye to family and friends in a relaxed atmosphere, spending the final night with our loved ones. If budget is an issue, this could be cancelled at no detriment to the team.

Michael attended that evening and notified the team that because of a family emergency, he would be unable to make the trip. It was a letdown to myself and the team because of the work involved to have Michael make the trip, but we understood that his family came first.

FLIGHT OVER AND WELCOME

The flight over was uneventful and allowed us to finalize preparations for the month ahead. The layover in Vancouver allowed us to rest for the longest leg of our journey and reflect on what we might expect from our GSE experience.

We were welcomed at the airport in Icheon with signs and cameras by Jae-woon, General Secretary Mr. Kim and our interpreter Mi-Ae. There were lots of hand shakes, hugs and pictures taken which made it a very warm welcome and we boarded the bus for our two-hour trip to Cheong-ju.

1ST WEEK IN CHEONG-JU

The team was billeted out to their respective host families for the week and I was welcomed in Jae-woon's home with his wife Mi-Kyong. We were very busy during the first week as our schedule reflects, but we immediately found out how hospitable the Rotarians in Korea were.

The Joint Club Welcome Party was very well prepared and presented, and gave us the opportunity to meet a number of Rotarians that would play a major role in our GSE experience, and allowed us, for the first time, to present our video and slides as a team and let everyone get to know us.

WELCOME PARTY GREETING/INTRODUCTION IN CHEONG-JU

"Annyong haseyo. Jae idaman Larry Brokenshire imnida and I am the Team Leader for the Canada 2002 G.S.E. (Group Study Exchange) from District 7080 Canada to District 3740 South Korea.

I bring greetings from our District Governor, Paul Truex, and on behalf of the team, we are grateful for your kindness in allowing us to visit you beautiful, culture-rich country.

We are very excited about our schedule over the next month and the opportunities that will provide us to see the Province of Chungcheongbuk-do and working hands-on with fellow Rotarians on current Rotary projects."

The team then introduced themselves and we went through our video and slide presentation.

The tree planting in the Rotary Park and the monument dedicated to our team was my highlight of the week. I felt a part of their soil, and I have every intention to return to Cheong-ju and see the growth of the tree we planted.

The visit to the Governor of the Province of Chungcheongbuk-do, Mr. Lee, was another eventful experience, and the replica of the millennium bell I received as a gift sits on my mantelpiece today.

The one evening we did stay home that week, Jae-woon, Mi-Kyong and I made kimpops and kimchi, two traditional Korean foods. It was necessary to sample our goods and it was an excellent opportunity to get to know my new-found friends.

TRAVELLING THROUGH WEEK 2 AND 3

The next two weeks were extremely interesting as we travelled to the cities of Okcheon, Boen, Yeongdong, Jeungpyong, Ensung, Jincheon, Checheon and Danyang. The Rotarians were very hospitable as we were taken to various cultural and historic locations, as well as vocational sites to fit the requirements of R.I. During these two weeks what really impressed me the most was the children we met. The young people, especially the girls, would come up to us when we were visiting a site, and one would get the nerve up to say "Hi!" We would say "Hi" back and conversation would start with picture taking and a general welcome to Korea.Mrs. Kim's kindergarten class in Jeungpyong literally blew me away. Their costumes and their dedication to performing for us from ones so small, only served to astound me when we learned they had been practicing for 5 weeks.

To be continued.