GSE Team Visits Kemptville

The Rotary Group Study Exchange team from District 4520 in southeast Brazil recently visited Kemptville on a reciprocal visit to Rotary District 7040. The team consisted of a Rotarian leader (Patricia Gonçalves-Attorney), and four young professionals (Cibele Borges-occupational therapist, Karine Diniz-civil engineer, Ramon Guelber-mechanical engineer and Cláudio Sátyro-automation analyst). In May a team from District 7040 of which Kemptville is a part, participated in a visit to Brazil.

While in Kemptville, the group were hosted by local Rotarians. The University of Guelph was kind enough to provide several staff members who gave the group a comprehensive tour of the campus which included the Agro-forestry centre, the robotic milking system and barns as well as the equine programme. The team’s visit to the campus concluded with a luncheon. Paul Jansen of Warren and Jansen, Carrie Smith of Kemptville Physiotherapy Centre and Dennis Evans of the Municipality of North Grenville were kind enough to share time later in the day with individual group members who shared corresponding professions.

 The Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business people 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.