March 25, 2015

We love Nantou County!

Natalie reporting in! Our days continue to be packed full of new experiences, good food and even better people... here's a quick recap of just two incredible days in Nantou County, the only county in all of Taiwan that does not border the ocean.

DAY 5 - SUN MAR 22
Our fifth day in Taiwan started by saying goodbye to our host families in Yuanlin and driving about 45 minutes to a gorgeous hotel in Puli, Pretton Garden Inn, owned by Propeller from the Rotary Club of Taichung. There we were greeted by DG Jim, GSE Coordinator C.S., the Outbound GSE Team, and some other Rotarians. The Taiwanese GSE Team practiced their presentation and we can't wait for them to be able to share it with our District when they come to Orlando next month! 


We dined not once but twice at Jin-Du Restaurant, which features local ingredients and herbs that are known to promote health and healing. The 15+ dishes at each meal were all absolutely delicious!


In the afternoon, we visited Chung Tai Chan Monastery, one of the largest Buddhist temples in the world. We then toured the local chocolate factory to learn about the process and - of course - sample some of their incredible chocolates. Chocolate is not very common in Taiwan, so our visit was a special treat for us and our Taiwanese friends! 




DAY 6 - MON MAR 23
Our day started bright and early at 6:30 AM for a walk to the large Taoist temple up the road from the hotel. Most of us woke up eager to enjoy the beautiful scenery and get some exercise, which is a luxury on GSE Trips.


We then headed to Dong-Feng Black Tea Farm where we learned about tea farming and the process from seed to sipping. As you can imagine, we then tasted some local teas. Coincidentally, two tea farmers from India who have a small organic operation were in our tour group, which made for very interesting discussion - we got to learn from experts in two different parts of the world! 



Later in the day, we visited Sun Moon Lake, the largest lake in Taiwan and one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. It was extremely foggy out but it was beautiful none the less, especially from our view on the 11th floor of The Wen Wan Resort and the cable car that goes over the mountain ride,


We then visited the Formosan Aboriginal Villages, where we learned about the lifestyle of the different Taiwanese aborigines tribes. The day ended with dinner with the Rotary Clubs of Nantou County and Sun Moon Lake, where we met our new host families for the next three days and returned to our new homes to rest for more adventures in Nantou County that were to follow.

March 22, 2015

Adventures in Changhua & Yuanlin

Kyle reporting here for the GSE Team.

Wow! What a great first two days in Taiwan! But like all great adventures, there’s always more to come, and the rest of our first week continued to blow us away.


DAY 3 - FRI MAR 20
On Friday morning, we parted from our first host families and were driven to the campus of Da-Yeh University, a private university with more than 10,000 students studying everything from engineering, language, to arts and culture. It was a true privilege to visit and explore such a beautiful campus. Rotarian Cheryl Bain Bain, a professor at the university, introduced us to the President of Da-Yeh with whom we took several photos. We then enjoyed learning about the school, which has been in existence since 1976 and boasts an impressive line-up of fields of study and faculty and staff with world-class credentials.


After our walk through campus with Cheryl and three students — where we especially enjoyed walking through a forest-like atmosphere admiring various plant life — we had lunch in a campus cafe. We were joined by two totally blind students who are studying at the University. Ruby, is a talented artist who lost her sight when she was 12 years old. We later were honored to view much of her work which is on display in the University study lounge. She also provided each of us with small keychains she made through stringing beads on fishing-line and then shaping to form the keychain. She later spent over an hour attempting to teach us how to make these beautiful pieces. Unfortunately, none of us were successful.


We also met Ivy, a freshman who’s decided to study English and who’s been blind since birth. A talented singer, she entertained us all at dinner with a beautiful rendition of “How Great Thou Art.”

Both of these young women are testaments to how to live a life without limits. I think they will become great leaders in the Taiwanese blind and visually impaired community.

After a day on the college campus—no studying or lugging heavy backpacks filled with textbooks for us though—we met our new host families at a golf club restaurant which has hosted LPGA Tour events in the past. We had a delicious spread of rice, chicken, vegetables, soup, noodles, and lots of smiles and laughter.



DAY 4 - SAT MAR 21
The following morning, Barry, Hailey, myself and our host families—Morn Sun hosting Barry and me, and A-Lin hosting Hailey—went on a long walk through a village famous for its pineapple farms.




We explored the area stopping to talk and sample the delicious treats the vendors were selling. We tried cakes, jellies, pastries—one vendor even had us sit down at a table and brought us out a crepe-like delicacy made with egg. From the same vendor we enjoyed a natural drink made from water and a concoction of fruits to make a gelatin. Drunk/eaten/slurped on a warm day was extremely refreshing.





We spent several minutes playing/attempting to be acrobats at an open air jungle-gym. More accurately, A-Lin showed off his skills and we all failed to replicate him. I hope I’m half as strong and in shape as he is when I’m 65. (Hailey's inner child made a special appearance, too...)


After stunning mountain views, and the enjoyment of such friendly people, we returned to the cars and drove into the town square. Here is where pineapple cake and pineapple juice is given out to everyone—for free—every day of the week. Morn Sun told us that more than 10,000 pineapple cakes and cups of pineapple juice are given out every day. It seems as though many Taiwanese business owners are very generous and believe in the “Give to receive,” principle. We experienced this even more when we walked through yet another market in town and were constantly being given small samples of the goods to try. From goat milk candy, to organic fruits and vegetables, to various kinds of tea, the vendors enjoyed sharing their goods and speaking to us.

I know we’ve said it before, but the people here are so welcoming and laid back. After enjoying our pineapple cake and juice, we posed for a picture with what appeared to be a local motorcycle group. We can hardly turn a corner, or go a minute without making a new friend.



After a morning filled with grazing on snacks none of us were particularly hungry for lunch, however, we had a small meal at a restaurant which has been featured on Taiwanese TV several times. There we enjoyed bowls of soup, rice, meat and vegetables. Afterwords we returned to our host families homes for an afternoon of rest before a party in the evening.

At the dinner party, there was an exchanging of numerous Rotary Club flags, many group pictures, and the entire GSE team were presented with small gifts. The food, beer and laughter flowed faster than water, and it’s not looking like it’s going to stop anytime soon.

March 21, 2015

Two Great Days in Changhua, Taiwan

As we were told would happen, from the moment we arrived in Taiwan, we have been treated with great care, been fed more food than we could eat in the next month, met delightful people, and visited treasured places.

On Monday, March 16, Barry, Kyle, Natalie, and I (Hailey) hopped on a 6:45am flight from Orlando to San Francisco. (Due to his post-Taiwan travels, Fabio was on another flight route to Taiwan.) Soon after, we boarded our plane and made the 14-hour journey to Taipei, Taiwan... and arrived on their Tuesday evening. We were greeted by Philip, Yvonne and C.S. and then we drove an hour+ to the Hotel National of Taichung City where we rested well.


Our first full day in Taiwan - Wednesday, March 18 - was an overwhelming experience, in a good way! District Governor Jim and about 15 others came to the hotel for a special breakfast and we gave our first presentation to about 15 people. Good morning, GSE Team!


Wednesday and Thursday were spent with the members of the Changhua County Rotary Clubs. They were a fun bunch of people who loved taking pictures and enjoyed the sights just as much as we did. First, they took us around the historic town of Lu Kang, where we visited Baker's meatball shop. He is the 8th generation to run this store that makes the best dumplings in the area, and his daughter opened a French bakery and coffee shop next door after years of living in France and Italy.




Baker 
and
Claire










The rest of Day 1 included a spontaneous tour of the Folk Art Museum, the Taiwan Glass Gallery, a walk down "O Street" and lots and lots of food!



Thankfully, Day 2 had a slower pace and started with a tour of the Wann Ying Art Garden, which is famous for award winning bonsai trees, enormous pieces of jade, and an impressive art collection from China, Japan and Southeast Asia.


After lunch, we visited the Changhua Roundhouse and got a scenic overlook of the city - next to the Big Buddha. We had some downtown before our first Rotary meeting, and so we did what Taiwanese people love to do in their free time: sing karaoke.


Ivan and Barry were totally in their element. They really stole the show!

Singing our jet lag away, we were amped up for our first Rotary meeting with several Rotary Clubs of Changhua County. To be honest, I don't know how many clubs were represented... there were too many to count! Our sponsoring clubs need to start making space for all the Rotary banners we are bringing back with us. There are over 5,400 Rotarians in this one district of Taiwan (D3460) and over 30,000 in all of Taiwan!


The first two days were a wonderful start to our month long journey in Taiwan. We really enjoyed our hosts families and our host clubs, who took such great interest in us and showed us the best of their city. To them, we say "Xie Xie!"

March 2, 2015

Meet the Team of 2015

Ni hao friends of Rotary and welcome back to the GSE blog! After serving as an alternate for the 2014 GSE Team, I am thrilled to announce that I will be representing Rotary District 6980 of Central Florida as a member of the 2015 Group Study Exchange Team

On March 16, our GSE Team will travel to Taiwan, and we will spend a month with District 3460 of Taichung City. In these last two weeks before we depart, we are making final preparations for our trip, which includes rehearsing our presentation, packing up our Rotary pins, and meeting Rotary International President Gary Huong, who just so happens to hail from Taiwan! Before we jet off on a two-day journey to the other side of the world, allow me to introduce our team!


Meet Barry Gainer - Team Leader and Rotarian

Kind-hearted and sincere, Barry is a laid-back guy and a pleasure to be around. He has been married to Lynn for 44 years, and they have two daughters who are both married with children. Over the years, Barry has lived in Milwaukee, Detroit and New York City, but Orlando has been home for many years now. With a career that spans from accounting to owning his own business, Barry now works in real estate sales. He is a member of the Seminole County South Club and has been a Rotarian for 17 years. He has a philanthropist’s heart, and we are fortunate to have such a caring leader.


Meet Kyle Coon

A man of many talents, Kyle brings the adventurous spirit to our team. Kyle is an accomplished athlete, having competed in multiple marathons and summited some of the world’s highest mountains like Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount St. Helens. Due to a rare form of eye cancer, he lost his sight at age 6, but that fact has obviously not hindered his abilities to enjoy life. After growing up in Jacksonville, Kyle moved to Orlando to attend UCF and is now a Customer Care Professional for Lighthouse Works. He lives in East Orlando with Tyrone the Golden Retriever.


Meet Natalie Hamer

Like a sister to me, Natalie is a brilliant woman with a compassionate heart. Born in Iowa but raised in Naples, Florida, Natalie moved to Orlando to attend UCF. After graduation, Natalie spent two years living in Solerno, Italy before returning to the Sunshine State. Natalie is a loyal friend, and she has a heart for fighting against the many injustices we find in our community and around the world. She works for LIFT Orlando, a non-profit organization that seeks to break the cycle of poverty through asset-based community development. Natalie is sure to impress our Taiwanese friends with her professionalism and earnest nature.


Meet Fabio Vargas


Born and raised in Colombia, Fabio and his family moved to Florida when he was in high school. Fabio is a diligent worker, and he is a visionary. He studied Psychology and performed research at the Florida Mental Health Institute in South Florida, but after some time in the healthcare industry, he decided to make a switch in careers. Currently, he divides his time working in Tallahassee and Orlando, and his major role involves bringing electric bicycle programs to Florida as his company, Efficient Systems, works with local governments, Fabio has proven to be a reliable team player, and his business acumen will surely intrigue our hosts.


Meet Hailey Domeck
Orlando has been home for over four and a half years, which is exactly how long I’ve been married to Justin, a member of the 2014 GSE Team! However, I call many places home: Dothan, Alabama where I was born and raised, Greenville, South Carolina where I attended Furman University, and Madrid, Spain where I taught English for two years – just to name a few! After teaching and working in church ministry, I find myself in my first year as the Founder of my own travel website: Global Heartbeat. I have a passion to see the world and experience different cultures, and I can’t wait to recount my experiences in Taiwan on Global Heartbeat… once we return from this trip of a lifetime!
Updates from Taiwan
Our team is planning on taking turns writing for the blog to keep you all abreast of our journey. As many who have gone through the GSE experience would know, our days will be full of meetings, tours, and meals with our host Rotarians, and our beds may seem more appealing than writing a recap on any given night. We are going to try our best to offer up our thoughts on this incredible whirlwind of an experience! We hope you’ll subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss a word! Also, you can keep up with our travels on our team's Facebook page and Twitter handle.


Thank You, Rotary:
We cannot fully express our gratitude to Rotary District 6980 and the Rotarians who are working so hard to send us on this incredible journey. A big THANK YOU goes to Chris Stubbs, the GSE coordinator, who has spent hours sifting through documentation, coordinating uniforms, and sending countless correspondences to our Taiwanese counterparts. We are grateful for his attention to the myriad of details that go into sending a team of 5 across the world! Thanks to Pete Burg and Bill Potter for our team’s photography and printed materials! And finally, we’d like to thank our Sponsoring Rotary Clubs and the District Governor, Jo Weber, for her support of this program.
And so, it is with excited hearts that the 2015 GSE Team say Xièxiè and Zàijiàn!
谢谢再见