GSE India 2010

The GSE team is Homeward Bound

2010-03-05T08:19:00.000-08:00

We have been on this exchange during Rotary’s month of “World Understanding” and it could not have happened at a more appropriate time. We experienced first hand the truth that all people and countries are the same in many respects. We all love our families; we all want to share the best sights, sounds, smells, tastes, of our country with visitors. We have been at the receiving end of the outpouring of friendship and love. Everyone was generous with their heart and kind in word and deed.

It is hard to believe that five weeks are now over. We have met many wonderful people that we hope to keep in contact with and have an opportunity to reciprocate with kindness when they come and visit in the future.

Being a member of this GSE program has been an experience that no one could replicate when travelling alone. It was the opportunity to live with families and experience their way of life that truly allowed us all to experience India as no tourist would ever have been able. We learned about the family’s religion, work practices, rituals, marriage arrangements, favorite sports, and hopes and dreams for their children and grandchildren.

The trip is coming to an end and in a few hours we will be homeward bound on our flight back to home and family. While this will bring to a close an amazing trip our experiences and new friendships will be carried on with us indefinitely. A big thank you to the Rotary Foundation and local Rotary clubs for this incredible opportunity and to all our families, friends and employers for your support. Many thanks to all those in India that coordinated the daily and weekly activities and those that were our hosts during the home stays. Words can not express the gratitude that we feel. A world of thanks to everyone!

Saying Goodbye

2010-03-05T05:37:00.000-08:00

How lucky we are to have something that makes saying good-bye so hard.

None of us could have ever imagined the extent to which India and its people would touch us. How can we possibly sum up an experience that has had such a profound effect on each one of our lives? And how can we even begin to thank all the people who have made these last 5 weeks one of the most enriching, unforgettable and unique travel experiences ever? The love we have been shown, the learning we have done, the people we have met, the things we have seen…how can we put all this into words?

As she was showing us around Mumbai the other day, one of our hosts said: “If everyone in the world had an opportunity to do a GSE exchange, then there would be no war.” We couldn’t agree more. What better way to reach deep understanding of culture, religions, and values than through the eyes and perspectives of the people of a country while living life alongside them, even if just for a brief period of time. The speed and depth of the connections that have developed during our time here is a beautiful reminder that at the very heart of it all, people are people no matter where you go. We may be leaving India but we are returning home carrying home in our hearts the kindness we have been shown as well as precious memories that will forever endure.

"I cannot say good-bye to those whom I have grown to love, for the memories we have made will last a lifetime and never know a good-bye." Anonymous

Taj Mahal

2010-03-04T07:12:00.000-08:00

No matter how many times we have seen it in pictures, nothing compares to seeing the world’s ultimate tribute to love in person. Fifth in line at the gate at 6:30 a.m. yesterday, we entered a large courtyard with other “early birds” as the sun rose. Through the doorway of a red sandstone gateway we had our first glimpse of the Taj Mahal – initially a grey blue color in the early morning light, it was enough to give me goose bumps. Within minutes as we admired the incredible view, the sun rose higher and the Taj took on a warm glow as breathtaking shadows cast their way across the marble walkways, shining like ice. Although a few hundred others shared the moment with us, there was a serenity to the place that cannot be described…the Yamuna River on the North side was a mystical site with fog slowly lifting off its surface as a lone fisherman peacefully drifted by; even the birds who soared over the central dome in perfect patterns added to the poetry. By 9 a.m. we were leaving, marveling at the beauty we had just witnessed as thousands more tourists started appearing – as far as we were concerned though, we had caught the best part of the day!

Taj Mahal

2010-03-03T09:40:00.000-08:00

A Saturday in Mumbai (Bombay)

2010-02-28T05:12:00.000-08:00

O What a Party

2010-02-28T01:45:00.000-08:00

2010-02-28T01:34:00.000-08:00

2010-02-28T01:24:00.000-08:00

Holi-Mania! The Festival of Colors

2010-02-28T01:18:00.000-08:00

We’ve spent the last month in awe of the brilliant colors of India and as fate would have it, our departure date happens to fall on the occasion of one of the most vibrant Hindu festivals of the year – Holi. I can’t think of a more fitting celebration to mark the end of our GSE experience! Based on the Hindu calendar, this year Holi falls on March 1st and was originally an agricultural festival celebrating the arrival of spring and commemorating various events in Hindu mythology. Given that we will be en route to Delhi and Agra early tomorrow morning, our hosts arranged a special event for us today to ensure that we didn’t miss out. What a sight it was! Greeted with fistfuls of colored powder rubbed across our face and clothes, it wasn’t long before we were right in middle of all the crazy action, dumping bucketfuls of colored water over one another and shooting water guns under the cool spray of a huge fountain in the early morning sunlight. Our clothes drenched and our skin dyed various shades of pink, green, purple and yellow, there was nothing left for us to do but laugh uncontrollably and shout over blasting Hindi music: “Only in India!!!”.

Holi Colours

2010-02-28T01:15:00.001-08:00

Small Town* India

2010-02-27T05:51:00.000-08:00

As we near the end of our GSE journey, I find myself prematurely nostalgic for the little eccentricities that make India so endearing. It was in this spirit that I set off through the streets of Old Panvel with Lianne, determined to experience and capture life in small town* India.

Few tourists explore the streets of Old Panvel on their own, or so the perplexed gazes we received suggested; it's their loss.

Old Panvel

Cow crossing the street in Old Panvel

Trying on Kurtas in Old Panvel

*Small Town: In India, a small town like Panvel has about 400,000 people.

Elephanta Island

2010-02-24T04:53:00.000-08:00

Today we had the opportunity to visit Elephanta Island which is located in the Mumbai harbour. The island is named in honour of carved stone elephants found inside its unique cave temple, which was excavated in the eighth century from solid rock. It was an amazing visit enjoyed by all the team where we were transported back in time through the stone temple complex. The architecture was beautiful and even though centuries old still retained much of its original details. There were massive columns and equally large stone carvings of Lord Shiva that even though they were partially obscured by the throngs of tourists it was still a pleasure to see.

To get to the island we took an old but seaworthy open-deck ferry from the port of Uran. The crossing was just over 30 minutes and provided our first glimpse of the Mumbai skyline in the distance. One of the highlights was travelling to the boat launch from the village as it was a feast of the senses with a host of colours and textures from the old and colourful boats and nets, to the smells of the daily catch and saltwater bay.

Magical Matheran

2010-02-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

Surrounding the areas around Pune and on the way to Bombay are beautiful hills and mountain valleys that stretch as far as the eye can see. A dusty, steep and winding car ride took us high up into the mountains today to reach the base of a hill station where tourists from all over India come to escape the noise, traffic and crowds of the city. Matheran is a small village accessible only by foot, horse or if you’re there on time, a small “toy” train that slowly crawls up the mountain in a long and laborious journey to the heart of the village. A few of us chose to make the journey by foot while Tom and Jessica enjoyed the trip by horse. Dusty and rocky terrain led us through leafy forests and we had to hold our bags and cameras tight to avoid the mischievous grasps of wild monkeys who eyed us curiously as we passed. A few hundred people still make their home here and are referred to as tribal people. Many work in the modest hotels and guests houses in town, while others sit on the floors of small shops making leather sandals and shoes selling for the equivalent of 4 Canadian dollars. The peaceful crackling of fires outside homes and the clanging of pots as women prepare meals is interrupted only by the grunting unison of up to 6 or 7 men who heave huge wooden carts of food, drink and construction materials up into the village. As we walked, guests of the village accommodations whisked by, pulled along in handcarts by one or two men while we kept pace with those men who were left to carry their suitcases balanced squarely atop their heads – often 4 bags high!

Feasting our way through India

2010-02-23T08:58:00.002-08:00

India is full of surprises - not the least of which is its seemingly endless array of cuisine and regional dishes. It didn’t take us long to learn that most of the Indian cuisine we are familiar with in Canada represents only a tiny fraction of the culinary delights available here and comes mainly from the Punjab region. The sheer variety of food and their difficult-to-pronounce (and even harder to spell) names makes them hard to do justice to in writing. Suffice to say that we are not going hungry – in fact, on the contrary, we are still trying to figure out how best to politely refuse 2nd, 3rd and 4th helpings of food at each meal. It is a great cause for concern if we are ever seen at any event or gathering without a plateful of food – unfortunately the explanations “I’m full” or “I just ate” don’t go over as excuses … the best we can do is to slooowwwly savor each bite of food in order to avoid attracting attention. As long as our plates are full, then everyone is happy. Our hosts make sure that we have sampled every dish available until buttons and belts need to be loosened for the rest of the evening. But you won’t hear any of us complaining as there are so many tastes to discover, each one more interesting than the last.
Given Maharashtra’s proximity to Gujarat and Pune’s location approximately midway from the North and South of the country, we are seeing a mix of dishes from the different regions (or as one host put it, “the best of India”). A typical Gujarati meal is “thali” (pictured below) with a huge metal plate and small bowls filled with savory dhals, sauces and stews for dipping chapattis and rotis, chutneys and pickled hot peppers – all refilled before you have time to finish the last bite of your first helping. And the best part of it all is that we get to eat everything with our hands!
Mixed in with all the spicy and savory dishes are the sweets served alongside. And somehow the word “sweet” does not adequately describe the taste. Noodles that melt in your mouth swimming in a liquid of sugar, milk and coconut, balls of fried dough dripping in sticky sauces …. let’s put it this way – I’ve gone from taking coffee with less than a teaspoon of sugar back home, to taste buds that now crave a minimum of three heaping tablespoons of sugar every morning. So if there is any truth to the saying “you are what you eat” then you won’t find 4 sweeter Canadians!

Yogourt made from buffalo milk in earthen pots

Gujarati ThaliA staple in every Indian kitchen - the essential spices

Go Team Canada!

2010-02-23T08:58:00.001-08:00

Tom the Horse and Tom "Goodman"

2010-02-23T08:50:00.001-08:00

Tom the Turkey

2010-02-23T08:42:00.000-08:00

I love Monkeys

2010-02-23T08:28:00.000-08:00

Traffic

2010-02-21T19:16:00.001-08:00

Bloodmobile Project

2010-02-21T19:08:00.000-08:00

Science in Action

2010-02-21T18:58:00.000-08:00

Common Sights

2010-02-21T18:29:00.000-08:00

GSE the Experience!!

2010-02-20T03:46:00.000-08:00

I know we have all said how amazing this trip has been for all of us, but yesterday we got a chance to spend the day with part of the Team that came to our district. They had a wonderful day planned for us and it was really relaxing. We were taken to Mushi at Usha Poonawala’s (team leaders) Farmhouse. We sat around and enjoyed the wilderness and the amazing view, but most of all the company. We spent the day comparing… Their trip to our district was life changing for them; it is astounding the differences in countries but the similarities in experiences.

For me the GSE experience was beyond belief, although I did not get to see any military facilities due to the Bomb blast in Pune, I have learned so much in the last 3 weeks about the amazing people that live in India but also myself. I am returning to Canada early due to a family situation but I keep fond memories of the people I have meet here and the team I travelled with.

Unforgettable Places

2010-02-16T02:18:00.000-08:00

View from veranda at Anandvan Farm (my host family's weekend property located 1 hour outside of Pune)

Pune city centre area with light mid-day traffic

Views of Western Ghat mountain range and remnants of historical Sinhagarh Fort

Aga Khan Palace, Pune

Courtyard and informal teaching area at IUCCA University Campus, Pune

Tata Motors conservation area and bird sanctuary, Pimpri

Visit with Mayor of Pune

2010-02-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

We await our visit with the mayor of Pune, a city of 8 million. The mayor is looking forward to an invitation from the mayor of Ottawa and North Grenville. He was particularly interested in the fact that the North Grenville community pin is green indicating our commitment to being a municipality that is interested in maintaining our environment.
In Pune "if" you get permission to cut a tree down, 3 must be planted to replace it. There are also serious fines if it is done without permission and replacements must still be planted.

We receive at least 1 bouqet of flowers a day. This day was no different. We each received roses, plaque and a gift from the mayor. The mayor was very kind to take a short time to meet with us. A man who is key in governing a city of this size is not often accessible. Our meeting was covered by the local media.

2010-02-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

We dressed the part while at the District 3131 Conference

2010-02-15T02:04:00.000-08:00

My host was interested in conservation and mentioned snakes. I expressed an interest and the next day there were 2 cobras, 1 viper and another very poisonous snake at my host's home that I could encounter first hand.

I expressed an interest in flowers, therefore, a quick detour was made to a greenhouse which contained roses in full flush. Within a couple of hours they were scheduled to be cut for the Valentine market. The farmer would receive 10-30 cents per stem based on the length. Everyone, has been so kind and accommodating of our every whim.

2010-02-15T01:59:00.000-08:00

This little boy has physical challenges BUT was happy to take part in the dance he and his friends did for the GSE. We rewarded each child with a flag.

2010-02-15T00:17:00.000-08:00

Traditional dancing at the Talegaon Rotary club Lunch meeting held at Essar Farm

2010-02-15T00:09:00.000-08:00

Ox cart is the ceremonial mode of transportation for special events, therefore, we rode in one for our entance into Essar Farms and Rotary Club of Talegaon

2010-02-15T00:04:00.001-08:00

Jessica and I are special guests at the award ceremonies at a kindergarten.

2010-02-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

Baby just born by C section

Pictures of GSE adventures

2010-02-14T23:53:00.000-08:00

The Nano car at Tata Motors

Valentine's Day in Pune

2010-02-14T03:02:00.001-08:00

What a wonderful experience it is to be the team leader of a GSE here in India. Can you believe the good fortune we have had? This morning we had an opportunity to go gliding. Yes, the majority of us took the chance but then the winds died to the point that Lianne and Marie-Claude couldn't go up. Marie-Claude had done it many times in the past so she didn't feel bad.

It was not a frighting experience at all. I saw the pilot check the plane and then he helped me secure the safety harness. He told me not to touch anything and just relax. Very quickly we were in the air and released from the wretch. There is no other sound other than the wind blowing by the craft. The air was clear. There is a whole different prospective seeing the city from the air. I could see a horse race track, open green spaces, modern IT park and housing development and slums all sharing the space that is Pune. The team and I have travelled half way around the world to have first time experience that we would not have imagined. Everyone we meet is a new friend.

Today, I even had a ride on a two wheeler (motorbike). This is a first for me too. I DID select the location for this first trip. We were in a housing development and only had a short distance to travel. In this area there was very little traffic. I even felt comfortable enough to carry on a conversation with the young driver.

Tonight will be our last night with our present hosts. We will be moving on but may see some of them again because in spite of the move we are just going to an other part of the city and there may be some joint activities with the Rotary Clubs.

Bomb Blast in Pune

2010-02-13T09:07:00.000-08:00

You maybe hearing on the news that there has been a bomb blast in Pune. It is true but please be reassured that the GSE members are safe and sound. There are reports of possibility some foreigner killed and many people injured. The numbers have varied over the last number of hours. At this time 8 killed and 40 injured. The location of the blast was the "German Bakery" It has been pointed out to us on a number of occasions because everyone in the city seems to agree that they have the best bread. It is also in an area of restaurants and nightclubs.

Please don't worry about us. Our hosts have done an excellent job of making sure that we are always safe and well(over)feed.

The team was up early to watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. It felt good knowing that most of our friends and families would be sharing the experience with us in spite of living on the other side of the world. The display of talent and art made me extra proud to say that I am a Canadian.

Unforgettable Faces

2010-02-12T11:29:00.000-08:00

Unity in Diversity

2010-02-10T07:33:00.000-08:00

India is the land of contrasts – and as we have discovered, the national sentiment of “unity in diversity” could not be more fitting for a country with a truly stunning amount of diversity that has taken us all by surprise. And somehow it all comes together in a hectic yet peaceful co-existence of the old and the new, the rich and the poor, the traditional and the state-of-the-art.

On a national scale, each of the 28 states have their own regional cuisine, language, traditions, dress, etc. My current host family exemplifies a “blended” family with respect to regional differences where husband and wife speak English and Hindi to one another, Marathi to one set of parents and Gujarati to the other.

As we are learning this week, even within Pune itself are remarkable displays of mind-bending disparities – exploring different neighborhoods feels like visiting entirely different cities. Last week we stayed in a more industrial part of the city and the hub of manufacturing. Back again this week after the conference in Lonavla, we are closer to the heart of the city and old town Pune. As we discovered today, the old town is an overwhelming and thrilling experience of narrow laneways (by North American standards, wide enough only to accommodate one way traffic but here are multidirectional by-ways) clogged with cars, motorbikes, garbage and waste, colorful fruit and vegetable stalls, stunningly vibrant textiles and cloth, ornate balconies and crumbling facades of buildings. It is a mysteriously chaotic and beautiful sight.

On an even smaller scale, witnessing contrasts is unavoidable even while driving down the same block … within the span of 2 minutes you can pass a small boy playing in a puddle of stagnant water, billboards advertising lavish condo developments, ladies expertly balancing bowls of rice on their heads, gated homes, cows lazily making their way down the street, shiny new malls with huge glass windows, women washing their clothes in metal buckets and hanging them over open windows … One of our hosts put it this way: “Pune is a bustling city that still has not lost its small town feel. Where else would you have to stop your car and wait for 2 ladies to finish catching up on the days news halfway in the middle of a busy laneway?…”

Indian Architecture

2010-02-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

Tata Motors Industrial Plant, Pune

Well it has been a week and a bit since landing in India and probably long overdue that I make a contribution to the blog. We have seen and experienced so much in that short amount of time that it is hard to know where to start or what to describe. So I’d thought that I’d try my best to paint a picture of Indian architecture and its place in the city.

I would describe Indian architecture as a series of contrasts. Due to the incredible population density and lack of space in the cities you will find temples interspersed with shacks and then with modern corporate office towers and industrial complexes. It is a cosmopolitan architecture of both chaos and control that somehow works together to create a vibrant and diverse city. This also makes it incredibly hard to get your bearing as each street corner is so different from the next. I routinely feel completely lost as we travel around the city from one GSE event to another which is definitely a new sensation for me.

Ultimately what seems to hold the city together and connect the new and the old buildings, the rich and the poor areas, are the temples and other religious centers. We have had an opportunity to visit a few of these places and upon entering or viewing you feel like you have been transported to another place. They offer a welcomed peace from the bustle of the city and constant car horns, and the architecture is a collection of beautiful carvings and sacred spaces that hopefully these pictures will do justice.

Residential Area, Pune

Infosys Technology Campus, Pune

Lord Ganesh Shrine, Talegaon

Jain Temple, Talegaon

District Conference 3131

2010-02-07T20:37:00.000-08:00

What an experience! Here, in India, the District Conference is very well attended. 1500 people were in attendance for our presentation. To keep the interest of everyone there are other things in the agenda other than just Rotary related presentations. A famous, award winning actor, Nana Patekar, from Pune was interviewed BUT unfortunately this was done in the local language. Everyone in the audience seemed to be very interested and inspite of the fact that he went overtime there was no move to stop him from speaking which was not the case in other instances.

There was an very interesting presentation by 14 year old Yugratna Srivastav from India. She talked about "Saving our Planet" 2 years ago she addressed the UN. She was the second young person to do this. I believe the first was Ryan Hreljac of Ryan's Well from my home town of Kemptville, Ontario Canada. What an outstanding pair of young people. She spoke with great confidence about global warming and the impact on the world.

2010-02-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

One of the family...

At the district conference in Lonavla - Our first time in 5 metre saris (dressed with some help from the experts). By day 2, we managed them on our own!

Dancing the night away at the district conference

2010-02-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

Awaiting our tour of the Cadbury factory

At our welcome celebration on a farm in Talegaon Dabhade

Breakfast with our friends at Rotary Club Pimpri Town

Beautiful faces at a rural school

2010-02-07T10:22:00.000-08:00

Waiting to see the doctor at Talera Eye Hospital

2010-02-07T10:15:00.000-08:00

Here comes the sun ... early morning yoga and sun salutations

2010-02-07T10:10:00.000-08:00

At the "lake house" of the Tata Motors plant in Pune (VIP guests only!)

Rotary Club of Talegaon-Dabhade

2010-02-04T10:34:00.000-08:00

Rotary Club of Talegaon-Dabhade

Everyday in India has something special to offer. The hospitality has been beyond what anyone could expect. The matching of host families was exceptional. My host Mom, Aruna Ogale, and I have much in common. We both have volunteered many years with our respective country's blood donor collection agencies. She loves to read, travel, walk, garden and we both are rather opinionated. She is the first lady in India that I have met that has grey hair. We agree that grey will soon be the new blond (the wiser variety)

The highlight for me during the last 2 days was the visit to Sai Baba Seva Dham School. They receive most of their funding through many different NGO and also some Rotary Clubs. The reason this visit was so special was the short dance that some young children put on for us. These children have many physical and mental difficulties but in spite of this their smiles filled their faces. At this school they learn to move with confidence and not be made fun of because they were different. Here everyone is different! There are children who could not walk when they arrived at the school, now they walk and climb rope ladders. Many will return to their villages with life skills such as everyday shopping, money changing, and hygiene knowledge. We also met young blind girls that learned beautiful basket weaving skills. Most take 2 days to get it right. The varies size baskets are sold in markets. This skill will allow the girls not to be a burden to their poor families.

I have just returned home for the evening. The GSE was the program at the Rotary meeting. We were greeted again with flowers, gifts and were shown great honour. Our presentation went well. Part of the evening also had 3 Rotary couples do traditional dance from different areas of India. Each one was unique. One was a tribute to his beautiful wife, comparing her to various vegetables. "red lips like beets." The evening ended with a tasty meal and ice cream for dessert.
The organization of everything these last 2 days, AND since we arrived in India, has been executed with great attention to detail.

Tomorrow we are off to Cadbury India, and to a Horticulture Farm. It should be very interesting. While driving today I noticed huge areas of greenhouses. I will learn more details BUT was told by my host that the Dutch introducted flower gardening into this region. In the afternoon we will more to the District Conference. I hear that there maybe more than a 1000 people in attendanc!.

What a week!

2010-02-04T01:16:00.000-08:00

Has it really only been 5 days??? We have found ourselves completely immersed in life here - we are guests of honor at every event we attend and honorary members of the family in each household we visit. I can't even begin to count how many moments every day take my breath away, inspire me, and open my mind. From seeing a newborn baby girl in her first moments of life at a small hospital in Pune, to an early morning hike to a hilltop temple as the sun rises and the smell of incense floats on the breeze, to a ride in a bullock cart pulled by oxes on a farm in Talegaon... sometimes it's hard to believe that this isn't all just a dream! Although the farewell to our first host families was an emotional one, I am now known as "Di Di" (older sister) in a new home with 2 adorable little girls who follow my every step around the house and are fascinated by the album of pictures I brought with me of friends and family back in Canada.

Our hosts have noticed how ofen we say "thank you" and are trying to get us out of the habit. They laugh at how often we do it and are having a difficult time changing our ways as there are so many things for us to be thankful for! They tell us that when you are part of the family, there is no need to say "thank you" - that it is too formal and that the appreciation is understood. When I asked what I could do to communicate how thankful I am, they advised to focus on commenting on the other things such as how delicious the meal is. .. Given the elaborate and mouth watering food we are offered every day, this should be the easiest thing in the world!

Pictures promised soon!

The Pune Driving Experience

2010-02-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

I have a theory about driving in India: it's similar to a video game in that you have to weave around two wheelers (bikes and scooters), dogs, cows, pedestrians and even the odd tree embedded in the pavement. However, when I was jokingly told by my host brother that I could just drive myself to an early mornng event, I couldn't help but point out that unlike a video game, I only have one life.

Suprisingly though, after only a few days, I find myself comfortable on Indian roads *as a passenger*; I've come to learn that in driving, as well as every other aspect of the GSE experience, if I trust my hosts completely, I'm bound for nothing but wonderful experiences.

Based on the warm and thoughtful welcome we recived today from the Talegaon-Dabhade club, I think we an be assured that the tremendous experiences and wonderful hospitality we have received thus far will continue throughout the remainer of our journey.

Moving On...

2010-02-02T23:16:00.000-08:00

Today was a sad day we had to leave Pimpre and Nigri area to move on to our next destination, and leave all the friends and know also family members. They have a saying in India “Atithi Devo Bhav”, which means our guests are like gods, so you can see how we fell in love with the generous people that have hosted us. My host family making sure I had enough cloth to go on with out my lost suite case, they even got me a Sari so I can be dressed properly at this weekend’s district conference. If all goes well I should have my suit case today. We were hosted this morning by the Pimpre club for breakfast, and than off to a pre-school that the club sponsors.

Our schedule is still very busy but we are enjoying every minute spent here. We have now moved on to our second destination Talegaon, and are expecting that this is going to lead to more friendships that we will not really want to leave.

2010-02-01T10:36:00.000-08:00

After months of planning and anticipation we have reached India! Barring one lost suitcase and another covered with the contents of two broken maple syrop bottles, the journey found us all here in one piece. Although I really should be fast asleep right now (with a 5:30 wake-up call awaiting the group for a morning hike), I feel so energized from our last two days. The team has been completely awestruck by the welcome we have received from everyone we have met so far. We are truly overwhelmed by the generosity of our hosts and every moment here is a feast for the senses - the food, the people, the colors, the music ... it is all more wonderful than we could have ever imagined. We are just back from the cinema (a Hindi movie) where our host families sat attentively beside each one of us and translated the whole way through while we laughed and had a good cry too! This is truly the experience of a lifetime and there is much more to come! Stay tuned...

Finally Leaving

2010-01-29T10:59:00.000-08:00

So here we are at the airport and our trip is finally starting. We are all very excited about this new adventure and so far so good everything is working out. The weather outside is about -20 and we are not only excited to go to India but also get away from this cold winter in Canada.

Group Presentation

2010-01-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

Last night we had the opportunity to practice the group presentation that we will be presenting on numerous occasions while in India to the Kemptville Rotary Club. The evening went very well and we would like to thank the Kemptville Rotary Club for the generous hospitality and all their welcomed comments on our presentation. We had a great time participating in the Rotary meeting and enjoyed meeting all of you.

Marie-Claude, Tom, Anna, Jessica, Lianne

Where We're Heading

2010-01-15T16:55:00.000-08:00

Two weeks from today we'll be boarding our flight to India for the start of our Group Study Exchange! For the month of February we'll be travelling throughout Rotary District 3131, which is made up of 83 Rotary Clubs in the Revenue Districts of Raigad and Pune in the state of Maharashtra, India.

Raigad Revenue District

Pune Revenue District

While abroad we'll be visiting numerous cities and towns within District 3131 where we'll have the opportunity to meet a host of local Rotarians and their families, observe the practice of our respective vocations, and visit sites of national and cultural importance. It will be an amazing experience to say the least!

January 10th Meeting

2010-01-10T12:31:00.000-08:00

Flights are booked! We're all getting excited about our upcoming departure date. Here's a few pictures of our Indian buffet lunch, and our attempts to become expert bloggers.

First Team Meeting November 2009

2009-12-14T12:12:00.000-08:00

Anna Rochon, GSE Team Leader; Marie-Claude Vallée; Lianne Kay; Jessica Brown; and,Tom Bonhomme