Rotary District 9550 GSE to District 7750

We would like to thank Ken Tucker and his team from the 7750 District for the amount of hard work you have put in for us. It has been great and we have had some fantastic experiences that we would not have seen as tourists.

This GSE experience has been life changing for us all. We have met some great people, made new friends and developed amazing relationships within the team.

District 7750 – Thanks for the memories.

From your Aussie mates, Brad, Lescha, Min, Raquel, Raymond and Rob.

Brad asked that some Chimpmunk photos get posted for Kiralee

We spent a lovely day in union visiting the great new baseball facility out there (contributed to by Rotary and the community) - really impressive facilities! Toured Main Street visiting the wonderful history museum (if you have not gone please find the time it is brilliant) hit a beautiful little gift shop and saw some impressive amateur art. The Train mural is something to see (talk about impressive check out the photo)  main street is lovely with cute lights and flags flying all the way. Then off the the Rose Hill Plantation (such history and really beautiful) and then to a great turn out to bbq dinner – and a quick presentation with a loud hailer (much to Raymond delight) – beautiful houses, beautiful people – Great day 

Just a few photos from the zip lining, we were all so proud of Lescha as she is not good with heights (so there are a few of her hugging the trees as we moved from platform to platform)

Min

Clemson campus was amazing below are some photos but they of course do not do it justice…. think massive, orange, orange orange and purple and paw prints EVERYWHERE

Raymond made a friend (Dwayne Allan) who was lovely and posed for photos… Raymond keeps telling himself that you can’t see Dwaynes muscles around His

Today is our last day in Clemson/Seneca. Once again, we have been treated like VIPs. The preparation for our vocational has been exceptional and our thanks must go to Kim Gramling for all her hard work.

Hopefully we will get to see the Clemson Tigers baseball game unless the rain stops it.

The warmth and friendliness here shown to the team has been wonderful and there are so many people to thank, especially all the host families, you have truly spoiled us.

Our big adventure was the white water rafting and the zip line.

Our next stop is Spartanburg.

yesterday we had a great (and somewhat terrifying) day we hit Chattooga ridge Canopy tours and Wildwater white water rafting. Lescha (who is terrified of heights) was extreemly brave and went on the zip line although I am not sure she was convinced of her decision the whole way – like when crossing bridges with gaps at 20-30 foot above ground.

We had an absolute ball zipping on10 lines over 20 acres it was really fun and thanks to Eric and Steve who accompanied us photos can be seen at http://www.photoreflect.com/store/ThumbPage.aspx?e=6680794&g=1UHD001R00

Then a quick bite of lunch, Kim, Perry and Patrick joined us for WHITE WATER RAFTING and Lescha sidelined it but got some awesome video. Erin was our guide  and unfortunately for Raquel Erin had presented to the Morning Rotary club and Raquel had managed to slip in some friendly Kewi – Aussi rivalry into the proceedings (you will see how this pans out later). So carried the rafts down to the river on our heads (the guides were all amazing) and then  split up into boats I was with Erin, Raquel, Raymond and Patrick (the GSE team leader from the recent group to Australia). Brad was mr spashy and was in a rival boat whilst Rob was trying to keep it cool in the third boat but coped and gave a fair bit of splashing too.

So headed down the beautiful river with absolutely no dramas - despite the other boat trying to pirate our boat and push Raymond in and when unsuccessful tried to take me in but our awesome Team survived the onslaught and sort retribution in the form of Raymond leaping between boats and pulling the offending (unsuspecting) guide in. Until we got to the last rapid – massive! so Brads boat went down no dramas and he came up from under the water cheering, then Robs boat decided to up the anti and got down backwards… a little unusual but they did really well and then it was our turn!

So paddling down our instructions were to get down in the boat when Erin called it but if we didn’t hear just do it anyway… So getting closer and closer no call and just when we thought we must have missed it the call came. I think Raymond and I were in the boat in a millisecond unfortunately (and there are varying opinions) Raquel did not get down quite fast enough OR Patrick pushed her out… either way Raquel went for a unannounced swim and Patrick – bless his heart – did try and catch her however I am not too sure how much she appreciated him just catching a foot whilst the rest of her was under the river. All was good she finally popped up and then we all jumped in the rapid but check out the photos on http://www.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=6682045

I thought it might be interesting to put up some photos of the food we have been getting here in South Carolina so far. I will let the images do the talking, but lets just say that I have now eaten shrimp and grits a number of times, that I don’t really like the boiled peanuts, and that the Country ham is just a tad (like lots) too salty for me. Generally, you can describe the food here as being more salty, sweeter, and larger than what we would get at home. And if you like sweet tea, well we are in the right place. It has been a surprise to see sugar added to mashed sweet potato, and icing sugar (called powdered sugar here) added to the sweet potato fries. And that monstrous looking deep fried flower thing is called a Blooming Onion – and yes it is dipped in batter and fried.

It has been a very rewarding vocational trip so far with all the team gaining valuable vocational experience.

The contacts they have made will certainly help them with their work.

They have also discovered the many delights of life in another country and this is something they will have forever.

The Rotarians here have all been so friendly, helpful and will to do anything to accommodate the team. All the area coordinators have done so much to prepare the team for their vocational and I thank them all for their work. You have a great Rotary District and I am sure George Fletcher and Ken Tucker are proud of your achievements.

As for myself, I was fortunate to visit Charleston and some of the sights.

I have found how much Rotary now means to the team, thanks also for that.