Our first night in North Carolina

The team minus Corey (who had been whisked away by President Jim) at NC airport

We arrived in Raleigh, North Carolina, to the cheers of our friendly hosts. I am sitting here, on my third glass of wine after having devoured a sensational beef stew that my host, Pat, had been slow cooking all day. Pat and I have lots in common. She has a house full of unusual antiques and pieces of furniture. I am spoilt, with a beautiful bedroom and bathroom to myself.

This morning we set out at 5.30am on the shuttle bus to the airport. We nearly died when we saw the line at one terminal but luckily our terminal was not so bad. The baggage police were out and we had to do some quick talking and rearranging of baggage to avoid the $100 (US) fee per piece of extra luggage. We tried the line, "They are gifts for our American hosts" but that didn't fly so we all took extra hand luggage and somehow we managed without having to pay any excess.

The flight to Chicago was smooth and impressed Scott, the plane buff, who thought the rear engines were fundamental to our smooth ride.

Sleepyheads on the plane from Chicago to North Carolina

Pat and I have our day planned out for tomorrow. We are going to the Farmer's Market (which is open 364 days a year, 24 hrs a day - can you believe it?) and then heading to the "thrift" shops. Unfortunately for me, thrifty purchases for me won't be so thrifty once I pay excess baggage so I will have to concentrate on small pieces.

North Carolina is beautiful. There is surface water everywhere - 17 river basins, with lakes full to the brim. If that's not enough, they also have fresh groundwater that they draw on for consumption. Aaah, that's the life.

Until tomorrow.

Kel.

They let us in

After a 4am departure to get to the Adelaide airport in plenty of time so we got grouped seats, we arrived and loaded all our luggage. Some travelled lighter than others, and it was not necessarily gender specific. Thanks to those who came to see us off at the airport at the crack of dawn.

The GSE Team being seen off at the airport by some selection committee members

A short break in Auckland saw us entertained by a girl with a very high pitched voice, cracking jokes over the loudspeaker. Our plane was delayed but some of us just pulled up some floor and grabbed some zzz's.

Sleeping Beauty at Auckland Airport

The long haul was 11 hrs to Los Angeles, which was, as you'd expect, long. It was broken by the odd movie or four, some liquid beverages and actually really great food. We found a steward friend who brought us real champagne in real glasses, courtesy of business class. And he brought me some Toblerone chocolate.

Outside our hotel

We jumped on an already crowded shuttle bus and headed to the Radisson. From there we boarded a bus and headed to Downtown LA. Manhattan Pier to be exact, which had the most relaxed, safe, community vibe going on that you could imagine. There were copious amounts of bikes left on the pier; not one of them locked up.

We stopped for a coffee break and met some nice college graduates, Kate and Kristin, who told us about their current 10 month national service stint (essentially a domestic version of Peace Corps). They're part of a 300-strong team of young people who are assisting in such things as local environmental projects, disaster preparedness and relief, and tutoring in inner city schools. They are based on the West Coast and will also go to areas such as New Orleans.

Our new friends, Kate and Kristin

We took a walk along all the beachfront properties and Scott was snap happy, being the real estate dude he is. This community feel flowed through to immaculately kept gardens, no fences, backyards that were open front yards leading to public roads. BBQs, outdoor settings and the like were left out for all to admire and I couldn't fathom that someone wouldn't just come along and nick them. Such is the community feel that this mustn't happen much in this neighbourhood.

Manhattan Beach houses

We had some very tasty burritos and nachos for dinner down at the pier, at dirt cheap prices, and they were the most authentic version I have ever had.

Tucking in to Mexican, Downtown LA-style

Have an early flight tomorrow morning, to Raleigh, NC, via Chicago. We will meet our first hosts in NC which we are looking forward to. Hopefully we won't miss our shuttle in the morning.

So for those who haven't heard from us yet, this blog entry is evidence they let us into the US!

Our farewell dinner

On Monday 23 March the Rotary Club of Campbelltown hosted the GSE Team’s farewell dinner. It was a special night for the team, signaling the countdown to departure and the first formal opportunity to give our presentation.

It was a packed house with nearly 140 guests, made up of RC Campbelltown members, our families, and visitors from our sponsoring clubs: Kent Town, Edwardstown, Blackwood and Mildura Deakin. There were a few nerves facing such a large crowd, but after some top notch Aussie fare (roast lamb and pavlova!), we took to the stage. The team was presented with a Rotary Foundation badge by District Governor Peter Shipp, and we were introduced by GSE Chair Dave Mellen, who has been a great help in preparing for the exchange.

The team with DG Peter Shipp

Prior to presenting, my mentor Peter Poulton from RC Kent Town had issued the challenge for us to be the first team ever to not have “too long!” as the first feedback on their speech. Sadly, coming in at 45 minutes meant we failed that challenge, however we did feel good about our presentation and have received fantastic feedback that will help us reduce and fine tune everything prior to meeting our first audience in North Carolina. It was also the first outing in our official dress uniform, which was well received.

As soon as we were finished the realisation set in that we were in countdown to departure. Our last week at work to tie up all the loose ends. Frantic last minute shopping to make sure we have everything, checks that our luggage is OK and our tickets are all in order.

Right now it’s Wednesday night, and we’re leaving on Sunday morning. Only four more sleeps… North Carolina here we come!

The Leader is Last

to contribute to this Blogg that is. She may well be last in other things too, but that is not relevant here.  

I am so lucky to be part of this adventure. It all started, for me, with that interview on 23 August 2008. The next weekend the team was chosen. Scott, Tim, Corey and Kelly interviewed so well, and I could see that they were all outward going alpha types.

The fun started for me the next day, 31 August 08, with lunch for the chosen ones and the GSE committee at my home. Corey, because he was 'on call', came in his police car with his uniform. Can you imagine the neighbours' comments with a police car labelled "Crime Investigation Unit" parked outside my home for most of the day!

There was a list of tasks that had to be done: I put my name beside the ones that the leader had to do, then I went to the kitchen to get lunch. The four them signed themselves up for the everything else, and they have done it, either singly or working together. It has been great to observe such diligence from fulltime working professionals.

Since then we have had meetings in each of our homes: Tim's, Scott's, Corey's (all in Adelaide metro area) and finally Kelly's in Mildura. At each venue we have reported on our allotted tasks made plans and shared a meal together. Of course most of our planning and decision making has been done via email.  How teams ever got on without email I do not know. Kelly has written on our Mildura weekend. It WAS fun. We did come up with some novel problem solving techniques to solve that maze. 

All of us have been impressed with the Vocational plans that have been made by D7710. Each of us has a vocational mentor who has endeavoured to facilitate the vocation requests that we outlined way back in September 08. Mine is such an exciting program of school  and university visits to observe both the teaching of IT, the training of teachers, and some IT innovations. Wow!

So we have our tickets, insurance, the program outline from D7710, and our travel plans to and from USA. Our 'uniform' has been purchased, badges made, souvenirs organised, brochures and cards printed. 

The presentation which we have to give, possibly 18(?) times is shaping up. It is to have it's first real run through at our Farewell dinner on Monday 23rd, before what will be quite a large crowd of ~150.  DG Peter Shipp will be present, together with the GSE committee,  members from sponsoring rotary clubs, and our close friends and family. It will also be meeting #1990 of my club: RC of Campbelltown, membership 79, with partners invited. Who's getting nervous?

The remaining days will simply fly.

Watch this space!

Introducing me

Hey everybody, what an opportunity to introduce myself. I am Corey. I would like to add, straight away that I am not doing this entry out of duress, but sheer embarassment. I am the last one to add to this site, and it can be easily accounted for. I recently had laser eye surgey. When I lost the need to wear my glasses, suddenly my knowledge of computer went away with my blurry vision. I now no longer get asked computer related questions, simply because I have glasses on my face. Hence, today is my very first blog entry ever, anywhere, anytime.
So far it has been a top experiece and no doubt will only get better with time - like australian wines. So until next time just ponder over my image - if i can work out how to attach it..... nope - upload picture FAIL... damn, where are those glasses!!

A team meeting in Mildura (about time)

Well, after several trips to Adelaide to attend team meetings, although well-fed and watered (?) whilst there, the 9hr return drive for the Mildura girl (that’s me) was wearing thin. My team-mates kindly offered to make the trip to Dura for our final team meeting.

This wasn’t just any old team meeting; it was a chance to finalise last minute trip details and kick up our heels (some may say bond) as a team, which we sure did!

I planned an itinerary quite a few months back, which the team seemed to like the sound of. As the time drew nearer I realised I’d better ask the people I’d nominated to host individual team members for the night whether they were up for that and check other arrangements I had made without asking.

One of my hosts was in India, so that was one person ‘bedless’. Another host had a last minute change of plans and so there was another one. I did a bed count at my place and realised (as the kids were away for the weekend), that we could all fit. My manager at work, Bill, had offered to host Margaret but in the end it was cosier if we all stayed at mine – but thanks anyway Bill.

So Margaret got my bed (age before beauty they say), Tim got my son’s, I got my daughter’s and Corey probably did best of all with his own self-contained bungalow pad outside.

Scott brought his lovely wife Amy, so I gave them some privacy at a friend’s house (who was in Melbourne for the weekend). They found the spare key in the chook shed and made like home. Very comfy, thanks J (can’t use her full name otherwise she’ll have to change her spare key hiding spot). I am so thankful Scott brought his lovely wife Amy, who was the best designated driver and photographer I’ve seen! Much appreciated.

Now onto what we did. The Adelaideans arrived late (I couldn’t say anything as at least they’d found their way here and my track record wasn’t flawless). Lunch was almost ready on arrival, which wasn’t bad considering I’d been going flat strap cleaning the house up until I got the ‘We’re in Merbein (15 mins away)’ phone call.

Light beers were cracked all ‘round. Light they were coz we had a presentation to do later in the day so had to be at our best (and also coz that’s all I had in the fridge, leftover from months ago).

Over lunch, which was chicken breast poached in white wine, sage and home-made chicken stock, accompanied by chat potatoes, with a pumpkin, spinach, fetta and toasted almond salad, a green salad, beautiful fresh cooked Ciabatta bread from Stefano’s bakery and wine, we talked.

We had so much to talk about that Margaret was left at the table finishing her 2^nd (3^rd?) helping while we were madly scrambling around getting dressed into something ‘smart’ for our presentation. We had both irons and ironing boards in operation (I was very impressed to see the boys right onto that one) whilst poor Tim was dealing with my hotch-potch of under-prepared slides for my part of our presentation.

We arrived at my place of work (who I thank for letting me use the conference room on a Saturday) fashionably late, but I just blamed the Adelaideans. After chatting for a while, we launched into our presentation.

Margaret started fine, followed by self-proclaimed ‘Museum Geek’ Tim and then Scott (whose presentation was almost as skint as mine). I was next and due to my ‘hotch-potch’ of slides given to Tim at the last minute, didn’t know which was coming next so found myself making stuff up as I went along. Unusual? To make things even worse for me, I was followed by Corey, who apart from taking up almost the entire allotted presentation time on his own, was (along with the Tim) the most prepared and also the funniest of the lot.

After taking 3-4 times the alloted time for our presentation (Margaret and Corey the worst offenders), it was over to our ‘critical friends’ in the audience, who were fantastic in their feedback. Our thanks to Jeremy, Noeleen (and Chinese exchange student whose name eludes me just right at this minute), Sharyn, Kevin, and Bill for your comments and encouragement.

After that, we all did a quick change into our casual clothes and headed to Trentham Estate for wine and cheese, a debrief of our presentation and the continuation of our team meeting.

supposed to happen! Corey hadn’t been listening to the host’s instructions to take a change of clothes and also refused to wear some spares that I offered, so we had to go back interstate to make him comfortable. Going back interstate took 5 mins as Mildura is on the border of NSW and Vic, but that sounded good so I’ll leave it in.

Wine and cheese on the banks of the Murray River was a lovely way to spend the afternoon and surprisingly, we got a lot done at part 2 of our meeting.

We popped home where we all coordinated showers and making ourselves beautiful very well indeed. We headed out for drinks at the Mildura Brewery, where, like the good host I am, I forgot to let everyone know there was a beer tasting platter. The comment was made halfway through the first beer, that it would be good if they had a sample of each beer. “Oh yeah, they have one of those. Probably should’ve told you that,” was my response.

A highlight of our time at the Brewery was me nearly having a heart attack by my daughter running up and throwing her arms around me in mid-conversation. She was with her Dad and grandma who was visiting and they were out picking up some dinner too. Was a lovely surprise!

We dragged ourselves away so as to not upset Joseph at the Pizza Café by being late to our booking. I’d done pretty well there, by forgetting to book for Amy, but an extra seat was quickly found and all was well. The best pizzas in town were thrown down the hatchet and rinsed with more of the Brewery’s beer. But we saw no sharks. The best bit was that a great meal with drinks only cost us $20 each! Nice.

After our meal we headed down to check out a very funkily renovated pub called the Sandbar. Scott and Amy dropped Margaret home but true to their word, came back to join us. The night was full of good conversation, with the highlight being Corey’s choice of drinking glassware.

We headed off home, taking in some of Mildura’s delights on our way, and all woke up to a big breakfast of eggs and bacon. Except Scott and Amy, who missed out and found their own in town.

I played tour guide again and took the team to Woodsie’s Gem Shop which I admit, is one of my favourite places to go. We first went into the cave and the school teacher in Margaret was working overtime, so she gave the owners a few pointers on how to make the display more enjoyable for those with a chemistry background (!!??).

We tackled the maze and can I just say right upfront, that I was first out. Although, I wished I had my kids with me coz it would’ve taken me a quarter of the time. Corey copied me and so came out just behind me, even though he tried to trip me over in the last hundred metres. The others underwent a fantastic team-building exercise, with each refusing to go to the ‘give up’ gate when clearly they were losers. I reckon Margaret was the instigator of this, but they tell me they kept one person in the centre and sent others out in different directions! Funny, but I still won. And no, I don’t subscribe to the ‘home advantage’ theory; I was the best on the day.

After a coffee and a look around the jewellery at Woodsie’s, I took us all on a wild goose chase. I thought I was showing Scott (the real estate agent) some nice Mildura houses, but since he was in another car, he tells me he didn’t see any coz he didn’t know he was supposed to be looking!

We went to the Old Mildura Homestead and I gave a very swift history lesson on the irrigation colony developed by the Chaffey brothers. We also took in the beach at Apex Park, admiring the river and right on cue, the P.S. Melbourne majestically steamed right on past us. We then headed home to my house to do official photos for the brochure. Before that we had to agree on uniforms from copious samples, which was a miracle, but happened.

My backyard was scouted for good back-drops and some suitable ones were found. However, it was my lovely neighbour (who doesn’t know this coz he wasn’t home) who lent us his lovely big tree for the group shot. Thanks Chris.

Everyone then packed up and we headed to the Art Vault (gallery) which was very interesting and then picked up some lunch and the Adelaideans headed off on their long journey home. I meanwhile, leisurely took in a movie and walked home where I read the paper, did a spot of gardening, etc.

So that was our weekend in Dura! With or without a remote team member, a weekend like this is a must-do for any GSE team as the way we are as a team now is fantastic. It was a great time together.

That brings me to the end. Tim, when you suggested I have a go at posting something on our blog, did you expect it to be a thesis? Oops, about that.

Kel.