Rotarian Study Program Links Cultures
From fake cake to World Cup madness, Rotarian Group Study Exchange participants are still enjoying their taste of Brazil, which included lots of Japanese food.
"I learned to eat with chopsticks in Brazil, " Betsy Hoffman said.
Hoffman, a Rotarian from League City, addressed Rotary Club of North Port Arthur members at their Monday luncheon at the Medical Center of Southeast Texas.
She joined Vanessa Sikes of Beaumont, a Lamar University professor, on a study exchange this May in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which they say is the largest city in the western hemisphere, with 23 million people in the surrounding area. Sikes visited schools and technical centers. Hoffman, a veterinarian, noted vets offices in Brazil are similar to those in America, but don't include in-office pharmacies.
Nederland Rotarians sponsored Sikes, a non-Rotarian participant, who explained that Sao Paulo metropolis has a huge Japanese population, hence the chopsticks lesson. She also related tales of night Rotary meetings that began at 9 p.m., served dinner at 10 and wrapped up past 11 p.m., after dessert. One club celebrated 53 years of service by wheeling out a fake cake with candles atop. Once the ceremonial cake made an appearance, sliced cake from the kitchen quickly went out to guests.
Sikes stayed with two Italian host families in Brazil, then with a Brazilian family decked out in shirts to show their World Cup soccer support for the country's team.
Hoffman noted that there were as many similarities as differences she noted on her trip abroad.
"Rotary is Rotary, wherever you go, kids are kids wherever you go," Hoffman said.
Rotarian John Delaney of Bryan is in charge of rounding up participants in the study exchange, which is rounding up non-Rotarians, to head to German's Black Forest region next April. For information, visit Rotary 5910.org.
Delaney has visited the local Rotarian group to speak on his exchange visit to Argentina. He told about a woman who wrote an emotional letter after meeting him to say she now knows that not all Americans are focus on economic gain only.
The program is a link across national boundaries that spans political philosophies, he said.
ddoiron@panews.com
