Farewell Visit from Indian GSE Team

If you needed any proof of the effectiveness of Rotary Group Study Exchange as an instrument of peace and understanding, as well as its primary purpose of providing young people, established in their life’s work, to study and understand how another culture goes about the same task, you only had to listen to what members of this team had to say about their visit.

Apart from their appreciation of the hospitality and the opportunity to study how their professions are conducted in this country, all had some individual point or points to make.

Their leader, Dr.Vaijayanti Padyhe, whose main task was to manage the team and to see the objectives of the visit were met, also gained something to take back to her District for consideration. She was impressed by the effectiveness of the Probus movement to provide fun & fellowship to retirees and will see what can be done to start it in District 3030.

Team member Sonal Trivedi within the course of study of her own interests of dance, choreography and education, was very taken with the ease that Australians had of balancing work and life. However, she also observed that she would like to introduce more Indian spices in our cooking.

Fellow team member, Dr. Mugdha Phadke will carry strong and fond memories of the
hosts, who not only made the visit an outstandingly pleasant one but were able to show her the way that hospitals were taking some new approaches that she can propose for adoption when she returns home.

Asif A.K. Shaikh spoke of the great examples he observed in mining and engineering that exhibited creativity and innovation. He was also impressed with the general discipline showed in all phases of work and home life.

Pawan Sarda’s first host conducted him through areas pointed out as ‘where the rich people live’, so much so that he thought he might be going to be hosted in a slum. Imagine his surprise when the ‘modest’ home of his hosts turned out to be about five times the size of a home in India. He also spoke of the private and public cleanliness he saw. Being something of a cricket tragic he appreciated being able to walk on the hallowed MCG pitch but feels he must return as he must meet Shane Warne in the flesh. Probably the most telling thing he had to say was that being away in a team like this gave him the opportunity of learning more about himself.

All spoke of the appreciation they had for the way Rotarians made sure they saw the things they wanted to. The sense of humour they observed and general goodwill will be impressions they will take back as well the discipline of the traffic. Another aspect they had not appreciated was the great number of races and cultures that already called Australia home.

There was however, some divergence of opinion about the great Australian icon, Vegemite. Some liked it or got used to it, but Asif went so far as to say that if we wanted to keep people away, all we had to do was feed it to them.

It was clear that the objectives of the GSE program were met and that Ambassadors for Australia have been created, as well as we in turn, being able to understand and appreciate Indian people better and to know something of their culture.

By Jack Ings