GSE 2004 NETHERLANDS

Group Study Exchange (GSE) to R.I.District 1570, Central Netherlands

In October 2003, a team of 6 young professionals was selected through a process of rigorous interviews and interactions spread over two Sundays. The team comprised of Madan Sanglikar - a media professional, Vivek Daswaney - a corporate lawyer, Silloo Kotwal - an event manager and Niketa Dedhia - an educational counselor. Alternate team members were Binaifer Daruwala, a corporate secretary and Dr. Rashmi Pashine, a Dentist. I was selected by our District to lead this team of dynamic professionals while Rtn Prafull Sharma was chosen as an alternate team leader. Our teams have always been excellent and this team was no exception. We organised three pre-tour orientation programmes to get the team well versed in various facets of Dutch people. We prepared documents on table manners, European etiquettes, Dutch etiquettes and their way of thinking etc. All of us prepared presentations/documents/points about our vocational exposure in Holland. We organised two very interesting meetings with Dutch Consul General M. Reuchlin before we went to Holland. Also we had a very good meeting with the Dutch incoming team, which again led to our understanding of the Dutch people.

We had number of meetings for preparation of presentations and practice of a special dance. We prepared about 10 different presentations on India, Mumbai and Rotary District 3140. Thus our team was very well prepared even before we set foot on foreign soil.

We arrived in Holland on 15^th April 2004. GSE Chair Theo Kok, DGE Dik Huijsman, the incoming Dutch GSE Team and other members of the GSE Committee were present to welcome us. After the initial formalities, we were escorted to our respective host families and one of the most exciting periods of out lives started.

Dutch have a different system of hosting than ours. In our District, almost every Club comes in contact with the visiting GSE Team. In Holland, seven Clubs hosted us during our GSE Programme. Thus each of us stayed with seven different host families. The Clubs were RCs of Vinkeveen-Abcoude, Soest-Baarn, Doorn, Utrecht, Hilversum, Gouda, and Utrecht Noord. In every Club, we had different presentation during the Club Meeting, which is not a joint Club meeting like in our District. In each Club, I gave the Presidents 3-4 different Matching Grant proposals from the Clubs in District for their consideration. We learnt our Dutch introductions and Dutch Rotarians were surprised and were happy to listen to our introductions.

Their hospitality was really something worth experiencing. Due to our preparations, we could mix with them without any trouble and this really surprised them. Our vocational days were really well planned and all of us benefited from these vocational experiences. The Dutch were also flexible enough to incorporate our wishes within their sightseeing programmes. Thus we could see most of the important sites in Utrecht, Amsterdam, The Hague and Rotterdam. We also visited Flevoland, saw the Tulips in their most blooming phases, and saw the massive auction of Tulips at Almere. We saw water locks at Amarongh, dykes and polders with which the Dutch have fought water so valiantly, their flat land and penchant for biking, their openness toward same sex marriages, euthanasia (mercy killing) and atheism. It was amazing to see their method of greeting with three kisses, their wooden ("klomptan") shoes while working in their gardens, their extreme and humorous witticism, their easy going personality and their openness towards another culture. All of us cooked Indian dishes in our host families, which also surprised them very much. The incoming team hosted us for "Queen's Day" and together both teams had great time. We ended with a wonderful barbeque hosted by Team Leader Wiberthy. We were able to change their concept of India and showed them an India, which is modern yet ancient, advanced yet dogmatic, unorthodox yet orthodox and open but still family oriented.

I had a very good interaction with District Governor Koos Iseger, R. I. Director Stan Templaars, DGE Dik Huijsman, DGN Douglas Alexander, IPDG Georgette Hoogveld-Libar and District Secretary Dr. Wim. DG Koos Iseger and his gracious First Lady Meia hosted this important meeting. We discussed possible extension of co-operation between our two Districts in terms of Rotary Friendship Exchange, Youth Exchange Programme, Intercountry Committee, matching grants and twinning of Clubs. The District Leadership of D1570 agreed to progress along these possible avenues and I hope that our mutual co-operation will take our two districts on the path of progress.

Our team also had a very interesting meeting with Utrecht Chamber of Commerce. In this two-hour interaction, we agreed to look into setting up of a possible Bombay-Utrecht Trade organisation or Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the benefit of trade in both countries. In future, we hope that something along this line will be set up.

I had a good meeting with Rtn. Ines van Born (from Amsterdam Rotary Club), at the behest of DG Nitin. Alongwith Gynaecologists from Utrecht and Amsterdam Medisch Centrums, we may be having cross training of Gynaecologists of both countries and also exchange of speakers. In future, a body may be set up to make expensive instruments available at affordable costs for doctors/institutions of our country.

The Dutch have a very interesting District Conference. On the first day evening, which is called as District Governor's dinner, about 90 to 100 top District Officers attend. On 2^nd day, there is a Club Presidents' Luncheon meeting followed by a conference meeting of about two hours (only)!! We were invited for presentations on both the days. We were attired in traditional Indian Dresses and performed a three-minute dance based on our traditional folk dances. This really impressed them and District 3140 became a very popular District with them.

All these led to lot of praises for our team. We were variously called as "the dynamic group", "a beautiful team", "fine people" and "the best Team in last 10 years".

We are thankful to DG Nitin, DRFC PDG Suresh Rathod, Advisor Dr. Madhukar Bhide, DGE Shrirang Prabhu, District Chairman Deepak Chawla and his team of committed members and District Secretaries Dilip, Ulhas, Rajendra and Yogesh for our selection and their assistance. Alternate Team Leader Prafull Sharma, apart from helping us in our preparations, also attended the D1570 District Conference and was a pillar of strength for the team. We are also thankful to District GSE resource persons Namita, Dr. Gurudutt Bhatt and other past GSE members as well as Rtn. Chandra Shetty for their invaluable help.

It was an experience of a lifetime. We are indeed very proud that we belong to this dynamic Rotary District 3140!!

By ---- Rtn. Dr. Balkrishna Inamdar (GSE Team Leader)

DISTRICT GOVERNOR NOMINEE 2012-13, DIST. 3140