Using a program of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, local Rotarians are offering members of the public the opportunity to travel to Germany and study their professions as practiced in that country. The program is called Group Study Exchange (GSE). In a GSE, a team of four young professionals, led by a Rotarian, travel to another country to study the professional life, culture, and customs of the destination. Applications are being accepted now until August 1, 2006 by the Rotary Club of Tyrone, and other Rotary clubs in District 7350, which includes clubs in central Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern West Virginia.
The selected GSE team will visit the northwest part of Germany, which includes the cities of Bremen, Bremerhaven, and Oldenburg from April 27 to May 26, 2007. Applicants selected will be interviewed in September 2006, and the team will have a series of training sessions from October 2006 through April 2007, usually on weekends, to prepare them for the visit. While in Germany, the GSE team will stay in the homes of German Rotarians, and will make periodic presentations to German Rotary clubs. Team members will have the opportunity to meet with members of their professions in Germany and share and exchange ideas and experiences.
Expenses covered by this program include air fare to & from Germany, room & board, and local travel within Germany. GSE team members are responsible for their own incidental expenses.
To be eligible to apply, young professionals may be in any field of work provided they have been in that field for a minimum of two years. They must be between ages 25 and 40 (no waivers accepted), and must be a US citizen. German language and public speaking skills would be a plus, but are not required (team members will be given basic German language lessons as part of the pre-departure training sessions). Applicants may not be directly related to a Rotarian. Additional information and downloadable application forms may be obtained at www.rotary.org. For more details on the program and information on how to contact the local Rotary club, contact the district chair, Glenn Smith at 717-530-5490.
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