GSE GUEST POSTS BLOGS OF HIS EXPERIENCES! FUN READING.

Srijat Mishra



Cece Lojek, Karry and Todd Fischer and Don Lojek.  The Lojeks hosted
the party for the GSE team and Karry and Todd Fischer served as house hosts
for Srijat Mishra.



Editor's Note:  I am posting Srijat Mishra's blog of his reflections on his experiences in Idaho.  Unfortunately, the pictures that accompanied his blog I cannot place in his presentation, so I have substituted some of my own pictures and comments.  You can read Srijat's blog for yourself at http://unmuddlings.blogspot.com.

Anna Ellis, GSE coordinator, with Alok at the Boise Airport

WE COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR MORE

Our GSE travel to RID 5400 has completed one hell of a week. Couldn’t have asked for more really. Great hosts, unbelievable camaraderie and new friendships, lotsa travelling, insightful vocational visits [espl. IT cos and universities/schools for me], a good dose of good dining and endearing fun activities. On the whole a fine blend of purposefulness and partying.

WE WERE GREETED AT THE BOISE AIRPORT BY A POLICE OFFICER.  WERE WE UNDER ARREST? 

And where did it start all. @ Boise, on the 18th of April as we touched down via an Alaska / Horizon Air flight. The walk from the Aircraft to the Terminus sparked with that of Bhubaneshwar and, in a sense, set the tone of what to expect. As we stepped into the terminus we had the fully attired policewoman Shelli [Michelle] Sonnenberrg of the RID 5400’s GSE team to RID 3260 [i.e Orissa, Chattisgarh and parts of MP], greeting us in the security arena. A relief to have a familiar face in the uniform!!

Police officer Shelli appears to arrest Pradip, team leader.



David Romero, Idaho GSE member, Anil, Shelli and LindaSue Shelton at the airport



THEY GAVE US COWBOY HATS!

As we trooped in to the lounge / public arena, there was a rousing welcome in store. The coronation with the cowboy hats sparked off the felicitations and clicks at the airport. All our hosts [Todd, Kiel and Gloria, Stan, LindaSue for day 1] and the DG Terry and his wife, Carolyn, the GSE co-ordinator Anna, Linda [the team leader of the visiting team to RID 3260] and other key cogs of the Rotary GSE programme were around. The list was warm and long, apologies for missing some names. [For more go to http://district5400.blogspot.com/2011/04/indian-cowboys-have-arrived.html]

From there, we moved to have lunch and a drink. Terry quizzed the 5400 Rotarians about India tidbits and we were quizzed, amidst friendly bantering, on a variety of issues ranging from cricket and caste system.

FOUR DAYS IN BOISE PASSED OFF IN A JIFFY
The four days in Boise, passed off in the jiffy thanks to the long list of activities. Looking back we achieved a good deal. Visiting the Capitol of Idaho [equivalent of Indian States’ Legislative Assembly/Councils] and the Secretary of state, visiting the university and select professors, exchanging notes with IT entrepreneurs [Dave and Derek of Tsuvo] and School District IT head [Devan – who is awesomely passionately about his job, and is probably the most involved and effective IT head of an education set-up], visiting the museum and of course taking lots of pictures.

The session with ‘Score’ [a small business facilitator] where I participated in the mentoring of a local start-up idea was both fun and useful. The meeting with Small Business Development Council demonstrated how government institutions can help small businesses to get vibrant; most importantly it demonstrated that facilitations of small businesses have a significant positive impact on economic growth and government cash flows.Thanks to Denise and Kevin, the vocational day was quite amazing.


THE FIRST WEEK, WE ATTENDED A PARTY AT DON AND CECE LOJEK'S AND ADDRESSED 2 CLUBS
Noteworthy were the 2 Rotary meetings I attended. Each one of them was different in its chemistry and camaraderie. The wonderful talk, during the Boise Downtown Rotary meeting, on the direction of health care reforms in USA was extremely insightful and certainly gave ideas on the direction on how the Indian system can be moulded. It was a bonus that our presentations were appreciated by all. The dance routine of Dipti to the tune of Vande Mataram being the icing of the cake.



Dipti poses with Jeanine and Mark Smith at Don and Cece's party

 

Srijat, Anil,Dipti, Melanie Delashmutt, Idaho GSE member, Alok and Pradip, team leader at the Lojek party

The welcome party at the Lojek’s [Don and Cec] was most enjoyable. We got to know and chatted with many local Rotarians. The bantering, the food and the drinks were a treat. It was nice of Linda and Melanie [members of RID 5400 team to RID 3260] to have driven down 250 miles to be part of the party. Also was good to meet Devan [whom I met later at his office]. [For more go to - http://district5400.blogspot.com/2011/04/lets-have-partyfor-our-gse-guests.html]



Devan and Melanie DeLashmutt with Linda Groom, team leader.  Melanie and Linda drove
all the way from Pocatello to attend the party.

 PRAISE FOR TODD AND KARRY FISCHER, HOSTS

My diary insert about Boise will be incomplete without mention of the Fischers. Todd, Karry [two collegemates, who are married for 20+ years now] and their daughter Hanna. I hit awesomely well. Todd, who was a very key member of Hewlett Packard’s RD team for years, runs a company that specializes in embedded Linux.

Hannah Fischer on her horse.  Hannah is an outbound Youth Exchange student.

He has a development center in Costa Rica. In addition to that he does almost everything else on earth – rides bicycle rides [160 miles at a stretch at times!!], doubles up as a mechanic in his a full fledged bike workshop that equips him in his long rides, brews beer, makes grape juice from vines of his courtyard, reads books, does yoga and above all spends time at helping out Karry [for household work] and Hanna [with homework]. I also went with him to Yoga sessions and played an unfinished game of chees – in short a great guy in all respects. Karry is the glue who makes all that possible – his better!! half.

MCCALL, HERE WE COME!

Shore Lodge in McCall where the club meets

Overall the first stop at Boise was as warm and fascinating the drive to McCall with Kiel and Gloria was; where we loved the photo opps with river and snow. Special thanks to Terry, Anna and Dave for making this GSE Boise visit not just a reality but a memorable one.

Nampa, Idaho

April 26, 2011

Posted by tasrij at 6:57 AM

LET'S HAVE A PARTY...FOR OUR GSE GUESTS!

DON AND CECELIA LOJEK HOSTS

A PARTY FOR OUR GSE TEAMS

In this blog, I present happy pictures from the GSE party of April 20. 
Thanks to Don and Cecilia Lojek and the guests from the Boise Downtown Club.



THE INDIAN COWBOYS HAVE ARRIVED!!

YES, WE GAVE OUR GUESTS COWBOY HATS.  DON'T THEY LOOK SPLENDID?

Our Group Study Exchange guests arrived at the Boise Airport on April 18 at 5 p.m.  We greeted them warmly, put cowboy hats on them and asked them to pose.  What a splendid looking group they were.




From left to right:  Srijat, Anil, Terry and Carolyn Gilbert, Pradip, Alok and Dipti

BEFORE THEY ARRIVED, BOISE-AREA ROTARIANS AND LINDA GROOM FROM POCATELLO GATHERED IN ANTICIPATION OF THEIR ARRIVAL.

1st row:  Linda Groom, our GSE leader to India poses with David Romero, GSE member.  Other include tall Todd Fischer, Greg Evans, Caldwell president, and Anna Ellis, GSE coordinator extraordinaire!

DGE Kathleen Simko and DGN Bret Vaterlaus joined the eager greeting committee.

Boise Downtown hosts waited to greet their honored guests. 

From left to right we see David Bennion, LindaSue Shelton, Kiel and Gloria VanInwegen,

 Todd Fischer, and Connie and Stan Olson.

Kathleen Simko's granddaughter also joined the welcoming throng.

ONCE OUR GUESTS ARRIVED, SUDDENLY THEY WERE GREETED BY A POLICE OFFICER!

It looked serious as the officer seemed to be ready to

give our guest Pradip Lath a ticket!

Imagine our relief when we realized the officer was none other than Shelli Sonnenberg, a member of the Idaho GSE team that went to India.  Actually, she greeted the contingent as they walked off the plane.  She said the Indians didn't recognize her at first and then yelled, "Shelli"!   They were amazed she carried a gun.  because Indian police do not carry guns.

WE HELPED THEM GATHER THEIR LUGGAGE

David Romeo, Shelli Sonnenberg and LindaSue Shelton

pose with Anil Bisen, vice principal of an engineering college.



Dipti is surrounded by Rotarians, includng Catherine Greenspan

on the far left, a brand new Boise Sunrise Rotarian.

Anna Ellis and Alok Shrivastava pose with colorful balloons.

Pradip Lath, Rotarian and former GSE participant 20 year ago to Texas,

poses with David Bennin, Kiel and Gloria VanInwegen and Bret Vaterlaus.

Catherine listens intently to Srijat Mishra and Todd Fischer.

FROM THE AIRPORT, WE WENT TO

BARDENAY'S ON THE BASQUE BLOCK FOR FOOD

AND CONVERSATION

Yes, we had lots of questions about the continuing influence of Gandhi, forms of recreation, the caste system, and work life among other topics.    We had time to converse in depth, just before the team were whisked off by their hosts to get well-deserved rest from their long flight from Delhi to Amsterdam to New York to Seattle and finally to Boise. 

Don Lojek and Srijat at Bardenay's

Anna Ellis addressed the Indian team.  They were surprised when she

introduced herself.  "We thought you were an old woman," they exclaimed.

I told Anna she will now be known as "Anna the Elder." 

James Bedal of Boise Downtown and Greg Evans of Caldwell

converse at Bardenay's.

Catherine Greenspan (left) and her husband Mike pose with Carolyn Gilbert.

OUR WISH FOR OUR INDIAN TEAM

IS THAT THEY ENJOY IDAHO AND THE UNITED STATES AND LEARN MUCH FROM US AND WE FROM THEM.

WELCOME TO BOISE!