IV. COMMENTS
Can you suggest ways to enhance the GSE program’s effectiveness?
Ellen: · When it is time for a Rotary club to think about the program for a GSE, work together! Learn better and more specific about the several professions of the team members and start looking around. We experienced that there had been only a few people to prepare the program for our GSE and whole Rotary clubs wanted to change that program from the moment they hosted the GSE team… · The vocational activities need to be on a (more) operational level instead of on a management level. For a social worker it is not that interesting to speak with a manager instead of talking with a colleague social worker about their experiences and activities. · The vocational activities need to be more similar to the work you do. I work in a treatment centre for adolescents with psychological problems. It is not so interesting for me to visit a children’s hospital. |
Linda: Make a good program that suits the interests of the profession of each team member, and if possible, ask – before the exchange – if something is not explicit enough, so you can make a good program, professional and cultural |
Laura: More hands on vocational activities! Better following the interests of the team members according to their Essays of Intent. More specific vocational activities would have been of greater value than the now mostly ‘general’ activities. |
Michel: The vocational visits were not always very appropriate for the line of work of the GSE members. The hosts should read the application forms more carefully. |
Richard: We met a lot of people who were members of a board, higher management level. Meeting people of your own professional level is much more effective |
Welcome to the Dutch GSE-team at Los Angeles International Airport, April 19th 2011
What suggestions do you have for future GSE team members?
Ellen: Be sincere. It is your exchange and vocation. This is your chance to see your profession in another country, so just ask to reach your goals! Be as distinct, transparent and direct as you can about your profession. The more a Rotary host club knows about your field of work, the better they can prepare and organize visits and meetings for you. The better the result of a four week stay far away from home… The same about your hobbies, interests and allergies. |
Linda: Give a good and explicit description / explanation about the daily practice of your profession. |
Laura: Be critical towards the program as presented to you. Feel free to ask questions about possibilities and changes in the program as presented! |
Michel: - Use banners, flyers and personal business cards - Don’t buy special clothing: we didn’t need it in California. - Prepare just one presentation: we made several presentations, but at the Rotary meetings we could talk for only 20 minutes at a max. |
Richard: Know well what you want to experience and learn, and do what you want! Make sure that your goals for GSE are well known to everybody concerned. |
FINAL REPORT
What were your reasons for participating in a GSE?
Did this GSE meet your expectations?
Ellen: My personal goals: · experience the American culture, habits and traditions · learn methods and therapy for teens with psychological problems in residential care. How do these teens and their family experience their treatments, resocialisation · learn about American policy and vision on youth care The GSE did indeed meet my expectations: a once in a life time experience, indeed! I did not only learn about my personal goals in life and work, I also learned about politics, I lived with American families, visited their churches. I learned about my own boundaries and values. I lived a month far away from home and family, created new contacts and found support and friendship with a new ‘family’: the GSE team! |
Linda: To learn more about being an American, how my colleagues work, what is the position of mental health care in California. As far as culture is concerned, GSE met my expectations, professionally not. There were for me only two professional activities… |
Laura: My motivation to join the GSE was mainly to experience American culture and to learn from American colleagues. In some ways the GSE went far beyond my expectations. I was impressed and inspired by the hospitality of the host district. They treated us like royal highnesses. It’s quite something to let a stranger into your home and to be nothing but nice! Next to that, they organized so many great activities and experiences for us. The one thing that didn’t meet my expectations were the vocational activities. I think these activities could have been more specific and could have suited the essays of intent better. For example: everybody kept calling me a teacher, despite the fact that I explained several times that I’m an educational trainer / advisor (train the trainer). At last, it would have been nice to meet more young professionals and learn from them. |
Michel: · To go on a adventure · To make new friends · To be able to live in a totally different culture · To build a new network of professionals · To see how MD’s are working in a different country |
Richard: I was interested how in a different country and culture my profession as logistic manager was doing. I wanted to exchange knowledge and opinions and experience a different culture. GSE was an eye-opener. By learning the culture I understood better the differences in practicing our professions. |
How did the materials etc. prepare you for GSE. Suggestions for improving?
Ellen: GSE team handbook was useful for insurance and medical stuff. All the rest we prepared ourselves during our eight GSE preparation meetings. Learning about the host country, people, habits, each others professions, personal goals, interests, background, families, values, etc. The language was not a problem, we thought, and that was true. The Foundation did not give us so much: we learned ourselves and that is the key to a well functioning GSE team. Our GSE started at our first meeting! |
Linda: We had a lot of preparatory meetings with the team. So we got to know each other well and that’s important for a team and a good exchange. I do not recall that we received specific training or materials. The cultural program looked very nice in advance, but eventually a lot of things changed and some also did not happen… (Reagan Library for instance) |
Laura: The orientation process was a lot of paperwork. But our team leader guided us very well. I think we were well prepared because of the forms we filled in like the essay of intent. But because California was unknown to us, it was difficult to know what to expect and what to wish for. Maybe it’s a good idea if the host districts gives some suggestions in an early stage of the preparations, at least, before the team members make their essay of intent. |
Michel: Our team leader prepared us. The foundation or our sponsor district didn’t. We could have received more information about practical things such as clothing, banners and preparing what kind of presentations. We ‘invented’ a lot of things we didn’t need. |
Richard: The program was not quite clear… What for instance were the possibilities on an open day with your host family ? It looked like the host families were not informed about our interests and hobbies. |
What professional experience did you gain from the GSE?
What was the most important aspect of the exchange?
Ellen: The youth care in The Netherlands is not that bad! That’s the most important observation I made… The youth care in the USA seems re-inventing the wheel everywhere! Every community, town and district is on its own. Work together and you will reach a bigger group of people that need you! One of the main problems in the USA is finding sponsors for the different foundations. There is only minimal support from the government. The support of the government goes mainly to orphans, abused children and young criminals. To receive help you must fit into these target groups or… have very wealthy parents. So there is a big grey area… In The Netherlands as well, but not as big as it is in California. And there are huge problems: gangs, drug abuse… Working together is necessary, but how can you reach it if the mindset is liberal, liberal, liberal… Most people are afraid of a social system imposed by the state or the national government. Because of the economic crisis the youth care systems in both California and The Netherlands are not that promising. Also here in NL within a few years the cities will coordinate youth care. That offers opportunities to work practically together. Keep your neighborhood clean, safe and healthy. California is a beautiful country. The people are friendly and interested. The USA is in a big crisis and people live a very hard time. This country is first with nearly everything, has worldwide a lot of power and pride, but in the same time is very arrogant and stubborn… I am glad to live in The Netherlands. The ‘down to earth’ mentality here suits me better than: ‘O my God, that’s awesome, amazing, great, wonderful….’ |
Linda: GSE taught me a lot about California and the America(n)s. Looking at my professions I also saw things that I thought were negative. I expected to learn more about my specific profession. All the cultural events and visits were great! |
Laura: I learned a lot about American culture and way of life, including the political system, legal system, religion, etc. Automatically, I learned a lot about our own Dutch culture at the same time because of the fact you can compare. That really gave me some other perspectives, insights and eye openers on both cultures and world issues of which I’m very grateful for. I’ve learned a lot in general, which developed me in a certain way. But if you ask me what I learned in particular for my profession… I have to be honest to tell, that these experiences didn’t suit my essay of intent or my profession. But in the end this fact doesn’t outweighs the other great experiences I’ve had. In other words, this wasn’t a big disappointment, because other experiences went far beyond my expectations, but it is worth some improvement. |
Michel: 1) People in different countries have the same worries, but different solutions 2) Sometimes prejudices are just true 3) I’m very happy to live in my home country, I’m a real Dutchman 4) The exchange increased my self-confidence |
Richard: The most important learning experience was the difference in thinking! There are a lot of different ways of doing your job. That, in combination with the cultural differences made GSE very interesting. I do understand decisions better now. |
· Interactive lecture ‘conflict management’ at Chapman University · Nixon’s Presidential Library and Museum (and helicopter…) · Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove · Baseball Game (40.000 visitors!) in Angels Stadium of Anaheim · Disneyland, Anaheim · Lecture by the Dalai Lama at University of California, Irvine – the Bren Events Cente · Living Peace Center at University of California, Irvine · Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at University of California, San Diego = meeting with (Rotary sponsored) brave students from Saudi-Arabia, Ecuador and Uganda! · Tiger Woods Learning Center · The Queen Mary in Long Beach · USS Midway (aircraft carrier), San Diego · Youth care shelters · Several hospitals and hospital administrators · After school programs · Orangewood Children and Family Center · Health Care clinics · Orange City Police Department (including the 911-room and the special forces cars) · Olive Crest Home (homes and services for abused children) · Dana Hills high school + project ‘alternatives to suspension’ · Courthouse Los Angeles: murder trial before Judge Ito, with two suspects and two juries · Orange County Superior Court / meeting with Judge Scott Steiner · Lobby committee to change a law about child abuse (can a child testify?) · Dinner with a group of military veterans in their clubhouse of the American Legion · Rehearsal by a group of architects to present their concept of a new state building · Rehearsal of a big church choir, Newport Beach · Lessons dance, choir singing, orchestra, ceramics, theatre at a high school · Primary schools · Disney Concert Hall, the Cathedral of Los Angeles, Hollywood Boulevard, Melrose Avenue, · The Getty Center, Los Angeles · Pastry factory ‘Two chefs on a roll’, Carson · Several production plants, like the one for parts of space shuttles and Boeing planes · Galleries in Laguna Beach, shopping mall in Carlsbad · Visiting and presenting ourselves at the Rotary Clubs of · Orange, · Newport Beach / Irvine, · San Clemente / San Clemente Sunrise, · Los Alamitos, · Laguna Beach, · Long Beach (at the Queen Mary!) and · Huntington Beach · Visiting and presenting ourselves at the Rotary District Conferences · 1590 at the Van der Valk Hotel in Emmen, NL and · 5320 at the Hilton Hotel, Irvine, CA. · Diners, parties and BBQ’s at the homes of the DG and the DGE and of individual Rotarians, in Chinese, Italian, Mexican and fish restaurants, brunches and lunches in In&Out, McDonald’s, Hooters, Suzy’s, at the pier of San Clemente, etc. etc. |
What advice or information would you give future GSE participants?
Ellen: · Be sincere! It’s your exchange, it’s your profession. This is your chance to experience your profession in another country and culture, so: just ask! · Be as distinct, transparent and direct as you can about your profession. The more a Rotary host club knows about your field of work, the better they can prepare and organize visits and meetings for you. · Create, but most of all update your weblog on a daily or at least weekly basis. |
Michel: Join, you won’t regret it! Make sure that your host families know your profession and make them understand what you want to do. It’s your exchange, not theirs. |
Richard: Know what you want and do what you want to do. Make sure your goals for your GSE are clear to everybody concerned. |
How will you continue to stay involved in Rotary?
If invited would you become a member of Rotary or Rotaract?
Ellen: I’d like to think along with the GSE program for 2012. Maybe join activities. I’d like to give information, tips, personal experiences to future Dutch GSE members before they go. Becoming a member of Rotary or Rotaract is not one of my short term ambitions because of the time and effort that would take. I like the way of thinking of Rotary. Service above self is also in my system, work and personal life and way of thinking. Maybe in the future: after having raised my children and later in my career…there might be a Rotarian inside me… |
Michel: Whenever applicable, I will help organizing next year’s visit of the USA participants to our country. |
Richard: In the future I would like to become a Rotarian, but now I do not have time enough to be continuously active within Rotary. |
