After speaking at the Rotary District 6290 International Conference about my past international exchange experiences, I was invited to speak at several individual clubs around Michigan. Past District Governor, Chris Etienne, arranged a sort of mini speaking tour for me and organized host families and contact information. I left on Monday, May 11 and didn't get back until late Thursday night. Though it was tiring to be on the road and speaking to so many clubs, it also gave me kind of a rush to be able to share my passion for international exchange and hear similar stories from local Rotarians.
I spoke in Petoskey, Traverse City, Elk Rapids, East Jordan, Charlevoix and Holland. In some cities, I spoke at both the morning and the noon meetings or both the noon meeting and the evening meeting. It was fascinating to see how each club was a little bit different but at all clubs I was warmly welcomed and encouraged. It was also a privilege to get to know Chris better as she accompanied me to many of the meetings and also let me tag along to some of her community development events. One highlight of the trip was a wine tasting fundraiser during which a picture of me and Chris made it on the front page of the paper the next day! Another highlight was pulling the winning raffle ticket for Tom Jackson and then having him sign over the winnings to me! I was very grateful for the generosity as the money helped with the expenses of the trip as well as with future visa paperwork for my upcoming trip to Japan. Thanks for letting me share my story with you, Rotary!
Post a Comment