Bavaria came to the Rotary Club of Duvall at their weekly meeting on Wednesday, April 5.

As part of Rotary International Group Study Exchange (GSE) teams of five non-Rotarian young professionals, led by a Rotarian, travel abroad and share vocational information with the representatives of their respective professions in another country.

The GSE program was started in 1965 by a New Zealand club. A few years later it was adopted by Rotary International as an educational program. Five young, non-Rotarian, professionals are selected to travel abroad and learn about other cultures and their professions. More than 500 exchanges between paired Rotary districts occur each year, advancing the program’s ultimate goal of promoting international understanding and goodwill.

The 2006 Rotary Group Study Exchange Team (GSE) from Bavaria arrived in Seattle on April 2 for a month-long stay in the Seattle area. While visiting Seattle, GSE Bavarian team members follow a carefully planned itinerary, including visits to government and cultural institutions, corporations, schools, religious and historic sites and other points of interest.  In addition, each member spends at least three days studying and observing the practice of his or her profession. They will also attend the Rotary District 5030 Conference at Whistler and local Rotary Clubs.

The GSE Bavarian team led by fellow Rotarian Joachim Heintz shared some information about their country.

Thomas Wenninger is a lawyer from Augsburg, Gunnar Grafe is head of technology development for a mobile mapping enterprise in Munich, Hella Schneider is head of department for languages and health education in Grafenau, a small town in the Bavarian Forest, Dr. Stephan Kolmann is a lawyer specialized in insolvency administration, bankrupt and corporate law and Katrin Horns is currently organizing drug prevention for schools and enterprises. Our Bavarian Team presented Club flags, sang songs, and spoke about the area they are from.

The Rotary Foundation grant funds round-trip air transportation for each team member. Rotarians provide lodging in their homes, meals and group travel, allowing the opportunity for participants to become acquainted with the customs and culture of the people in their host districts.

For more information and to see the Rotary District 5030 team that is traveling to Bavaria in May, visit rotary5030.org/gse.

The Duvall Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at the Twin Dragon Restaurant in Duvall at 7:15 a.m. Breakfast is $10 for members and potential members and $15 for everybody else including visiting members and guests. For more information visit www.duvallrotary.org.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. There are approximately 1.2 million Rotarians who are members of more than 31,000 Rotary clubs in more than 165 countries. For more information, visit rotary.org.