Rotary International – Group study exchange

THE CIVIC CIRCLE

In our modern times, people use a lot of acronyms; among Rotarians, RI stands for Rotary International and GSE stands for Group Study Exchange, a Rotary Foundation program that is a unique cross country cultural program of young professionals to exchange visits in different countries. The Rotary Foundation sponsors a free visit for Non-Rotarian professionals to a foreign country for a cultural and vocational experience of a lifetime. The GSE team is usually made up of a team leader and 4 members. For about 4 to 6 weeks, the team members visit a host country and are treated to the host country’s culture and the host Rotarians’ service programs. They observe how their vocations are practiced in the host country, they exchange ideas with their Rotary hosts and develop personal and professional relationships with their host families. The Rotarians in the host district tour their guests and also showcase their club projects.

There are 5 Rotary clubs in Dumaguete City, and 4 other clubs found in Tanjay City, Bais City, Bayawan City and Tolong, and two clubs in Siqujor. Thru the years, the different Rotary clubs here in the local district have played host to different groups of GSE from different countries throughout the world.

This week, the Rotary clubs in Negros Oriental under District 3860 played host to the Rotary GSE members from the United Kingdom under Rotary District 1070. The GSE team is led by Michael Brearly, a gentleman farmer, Dee Stephens, who runs computer courses in her community, Anthony Smith is a firefrighter from Liecester. Emma Jane Crisp is a Police Sargeant and Nicole Lord is a school teacher for children with special needs. The GSE team had come in from Siquijor where they were hosted by the Rotary clubs there.

Here in Dumaguete, the local Rotary clubs, led by the Rotary Council of Presidents Rotarian Ani Pinero took the guests on a tour of our province which were of interest for the visitors. Their visit included our famous PNOC Geothermal plant and lunch at Forest Camp courtesy of Valencia Mayor Jun Gonzales, the Foundation University Hydroponic farming which was of interest to Team Leader Michael Brearly, a gentleman farmer, and a tour of Silliman University. The next day, after attending the Rotary Club – South meeting in the morning the group proceeded to Tanjay where they visited the Special Education school for the mentally challenged, a program of interest for Nicole, who teaches in a special school for children. They then made a courtesy call on Bais Mayor Tata Villanueva and visited a public primary school and observed the ongoing feeding program.

The GSE team spent three days here, with a dinner by our beautiful Rizal Boulevard on their last night in our city. The dinner was hosted by the different Rotary clubs and it was a chance for the GSE team members to meet other Rotarians. The dinner under the stars lit up on the Acacia trees was a happy occasion for the guests to express their appreciation for their tour and stay and enjoy our sumptuous Filipino food in the company of the local Rotarians.

Rotary International lives up to its name in terms of international connection and exchange of different cultures between different races.

Under the Rotary banner of international friendship, Rotarians and non- Rotarians from different backgrounds, culture and beliefs come under one ideal – Service for others.

The Rotary International GSE - Group Study Exchange Program is one avenue where non Rotarians see the Rotarians from different countries really at their best – in SERVICE.