Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Hi All,

Since being accepted into the team to travel to the USA on the group study exchange, it has been very busy. The whole experience of being put into a group of complete strangers and having to work together, get to know each other and then live together for 6 weeks is a very exciting opportunity to learn a lot about human nature and myself.

I can not wait to travel to the USA and meet as many people as possible. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and i feel very blessed to be apart of it. I can truley say that the team that has been assembled is amazing and hopefully we will build life time friendships.

My aim during this program is become a stronger character, and build my interpersonal skills more. I have been told that to achieve great things in life you must experience as much as you possibly can, and remove yourself from your comfort zone more often. As Churchill once said 'When the mnd of man is expanded it never returns to it's original form'.


Monday, December 8, 2008

What is GSE?

The Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for businesspeople and professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. For four to six weeks, team members experience the host country's culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.

GSE Team going to North Carolina USA, April 2009

This blog has been established to document the experience of the Rotary Group Study Exchange (GSE) team travelling to District 7710 in North Carolina, USA, in April 2009. We will be representing District 9520 in southern Australia.

The team is:
Margaret Northcote - Team Leader, Rotary Club of Campbelltown
Scott Endersby, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edwardstown
Kelly Fyfe, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mildura Deakin
Tim Gilchrist, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kent Town
Corey Pearson, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Blackwood


The team at our selection workshop/first meeting at Margaret's house, August 2008.