SPEAKER

 
 
Greg Lestikow, former Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar to Brazil, was our speaker on Monday. Greg went to Salvador da Bahiz, Brazil in 2007 on a 3 month Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship to study Portuguese. Greg is a near native Coloradan (he has livede 31 out of 32 years here), graduated from Regis High School and Colorado College. The opportunity to go to Brazil was a gift, for which he thanked everyone in Rotary for their support.
 
Some highlights from Greg's presentation:
  • As a high student, he traveled to Ecuador. That journey opened his eyes to the reality of Latin America and the economic hardships endured by most people in that part of the world.
  • He found out about the Rotary Scholarship and began the process of applying. The Ambassadorial Scholarship is 47 years old. More than 38,000 people have had the opportunity to study abroad thanks to this program. Applicants have a sponsoring club (Greg's was in the Vail Valley) and a host club in the country of origin. The application process is intense and rigorous. Since he was going to Brazil to study a language, his application committee included a Portuguese speaker who tested his knowledge. As a result of that experience, Greg enrolled in Portuguese classes for a full year before he went to Brazil.
  • Brazil is a country of 200 million people with the 8th largest economy in the world. Nevertheless, the economic inequality is pronounced. Brazil has 56,000 Rotarians in some 2400 clubs. This year's International Rotary Conference is being held in Sao Paolo, Brazil.
  • Salvador da Bahia is called the cultural capital of Brazil. It was originally one of the principal slave trading centers in Brazil, and retains a strong African identity. There are 15 Rotary clubs in the city.
  • While Greg was in Brazil, he tried to engage the local host Rotary Club. They quizzed him about fundraising and service projects in his sponsoring club, and seemed very interested in the idea exchange. He also volunteered at several of the organizations that benefited from the Salvador Rotary Club's service activities He also taught English to Rotarians and business people he contacted.
  • Greg's scholarship was only for 3 months. He strongly recommended the longer 6 month or year stays in order to get to know the people.
Greg, thanks for your service through the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship program.