DISTRICT 6250 — 2007 GSE INFORMATION
They Taught Us How to Dance
We Taught Them How to Swim
Four members of a Rotary International Group Study Exchange enthralled the November 21st Downtown Rotary lunchtime crowd with stories and pictures of their exploration of Nigerian people, culture, and institutions, taken last spring.
Team leader Linda Baldwin got things rolling by describing the Nigerian version of mashed potatoes—mashed yams that are formed into globs and eaten with the hands—suggesting that Rotarians might wish to try that with their mashed potatoes at lunch.
The study group, hosted by District 9130 in southwest Nigeria, brought back 13 African Rotary banners, along with “new friendships, new understandings, and lots of love.” They visited Ibadan, Oshogbo, Akure, and the capital Abuja. They also took part in the District 9139 Conference.
Lori Beierle, Hospital Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for Wisconsin, visited several hospitals and clinics, and was shocked at the inadequate equipment, supplies, and buildings that health care workers must endure in caring for the sick. In one hospital, the electricity went out, only a half-hour after she arrived. The staff, unperturbed, carried on with candles until the lights came back on. She recounted visiting a well-respected doctor who makes more money in raising chickens than practicing medicine.
Nick Miller, Director of Science for the Nature Conservancy-Wisconsin, noted first that Nigerians have far different views of both themselves and of Americans. He was impressed to note many cultural differences, but noted many more similarities, including love of family and willingness to extend friendship to others. He was also impressed that Guinness was served at nearly every meal.
Miller, whose prime concern was Nigerians treatment of the landscape, learned a powerful lesson—that before families can devote effort to preserving the landscape, they must first feed their children and themselves. Thus, the first step to conservation is to reduce poverty—and Rotary International is doing more in Nigeria to reduce poverty than any other institution.
Miller showed pictures of a family whose business is making and selling palm oil, and who were eager to describe every step of the process.
Chris Carlson-Dakes, architectural engineer and UW Professor of Engineering, gained a deeper understanding of the people and culture of the region by staying in local family homes. “Building relationships,” he said, “was the theme of the trip.” He shared meals with villagers, played soccer with neighborhood boys in 108-degree heat, and helped to drill boreholes to supply clean water—one of the crying needs of rural Nigerians. Like the other team members, he was impressed with the children of Nigeria, who are bright, articulate, polite, and eager to learn. It’s really true, he said, that it takes a village to raise a child. Nigeria, he said, is rich in natural resources, but lacks the physical, political, and economic infrastructure to turn resources into productivity.
Baldwin ended the program by showing pictures of the team teaching Nigerians how to swim (a skill rarely seen there) and Nigerians teaching the team how to dance. She then led the luncheon crowd in the singing of a Nigerian Rotary song.
Jessica Artz, a fitness instructor from Wausau, was not able to join in the program.
They Taught Us To Dance |
We Taught Them To Swim |
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Resources & Information
Rotary Dstrict 6250 GSE Reports & Information
6250 GSE Exchange to District 1730 [France & Monaco]
the Team departed
April 10, 2007
- GSE Team Weekly/ Daily blog (click here)
- GSE Team Member Bios (click here)
6250 GSE Exchange to
Nigeria
the
Team departed April 25, 2007
- GSE Team Member Bios (click here)
- May 2, 2007 Email Report
2005 District 6250 GSE Exchange to Taiwan - May 5- June 1, 2005 Report
2004 District 6250 GSE Exchange to Norway- May 7- June 6, 2004 Report
Two District 6250 GSE Teams will be leaving in April for study exchanges in France & Nigeria