Group Study Exchange Visit from Nepal

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.

In a typical four-week tour, applicants participate in five full days of vocational visits, 15 to 20 club presentations, 10 to 15 formal visits and social events, two to three days at the district conference, three to four hours per day of cultural and site tours, and three to four hours per day of free time with host families.

For each team member, the Foundation provides the most economical round-trip airline ticket between the home and host countries. Rotarians in the host area provide for meals, lodging, and group travel within their district.

Our Rotary district currently have a GSE team visiting from Nepal District 3292 under the leadership of Rotarian Nugal Vaidya.  Their first formal presentation was at the weekly meeting of the Mapperley & Arnold Rotary Club.  The host club had also invited other guests along including Sue Leyden of the Himalayan Trust UK.  Sue is the second daughter of Lord Hunt was was the leader of the successful 1953 British Expedition to Mount Everest.. The Mapperley & Arnold Club had supported the Himalayan Trust and Sue spoke about ongoing work to rebuild schools that had been devastated in recent earthquakes in Nepal.

 

Each member of the Nepal GSE team were introduced and spoke a little about themselves, their background, vocation and then shared different aspects of Nepal’s culture.