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!