GSE 2009
Fred Hacker reminded us that October is Vocational Services Month and Midland will be celebrating with special programs all month. A GSE visit is a highlight of any Club's activities because it provides a unique cultural and vocational exchange betweent countries. Though the Team Leader is a Rotarian, Team members must be between 25 and 40 years of age and not involved with Rotary. Trips last between 4 - 6 weeks and participants experience the cultural, institutional and business life of the host country. Fred thanked Hank de Jong for an amazing job with the logistics and connections he had managed to make the trip run smoothly.
Hank introduced the team. The Team Leader, Ajay Narain from New Delhi, District 3010, thanked the Club for their welcome and for being part of his team's visit.
He has been a Rotarian for 26 years and was President of his Club for the year 92 -93. He has served his Club and his District in many roles over the last 20 years and he brought greetings from his District Governor. He presented a slide show that celebrated the landscape, the culture and the achievements of India. He said generally perceptions of India held by people who lived elsewhere are out of date. India is now a self reliant and advanced country, the world's largest democracy and 4th largest economy. 82% of the population is Hindu, they have over 180 languages and uncountable dialects (every 20 miles, he says, brings a different dialect). They are now a technology superpower, an entertainment colossus producing over 800 movies a year, have launched satellites and are now net exporters of food where they used to be importers.
Each member then spoke briefly about their lives, their work and their families. Each presentation emphasised what Ajay had said, the team members are all young business people living in condos or suburban style houses and making contacts across India and around the world.
Each had a slide show too which indicated that they are still a culture in transition - the contrast between the shots of modern factories or golf courses and wedding or festival pictures depicting family members in traditional garb or celebrating thousand year old traditions showed these modern young people holding on to their past. Meghna Virk teaches Yoga and writes books on health and exercise and on the day we met she was following a centuries old Sikh tradition of fasting in honour of her husband, praying for his health and good fortune.
They distributed a pamphlet that outlined their bios and business lives.
Arnie thanked the Team for a delightful demonstration of the richness of Indian life and the progress the country is making. He said we share this world and an exchange like this helps us communicate. He hopes the Team takes the good feelings of our Club and of Canada back to India with them.