ANOTHER ROTARY OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME – FRIENDSHIP EXCHANGE.
Taking part in a Rotary Friendship Exchange where you visit another Rotary District somewhere in the World and stay with like minded people is truly an opportunity of a lifetime. My club has taken part by being the hosts of teams from the USA and Sweden and we have taken a team to Brazil, now the opportunity exists for two more great experiences.
Our District has received two requests to take part in a reciprocal Friendship Exchange, one from Tampa Bay in Florida, USA, in District 6890. The second one is from District 9370, South Africa and is well placed for the Cricket Tragics in our District. I will explain more later.
If you are attending the Atlanta Convention in 2017, then the opportunity of taking part in a Friendship Exchange is a possibility. It also leads to other activities as Miami and Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Centre are not far away. Also there are great Cruise liners who leave from Miami for the Caribbean, not to mention Disney World and Epcot just a short distance away.
South Africa is another wonderful place to visit and the Cricket matches between Australia and South Africa will no doubt be a feature in the proposed Friendship Exchange to D9370. A reciprocal visit to Australia and our District would take place when the next cricket season is on in Australia where we would be expected to host a similar group from D9370. If you don’t wish to spend all of your time at the cricket, Kruger National Game Park is not that far away.
An ideal number of persons to take part in such an exchange is 12 and can comprise of both single persons or couples. The trip to the USA has identified three possible locations of 2 or 3 nights in each location. A similar number of persons would be best suited to the South Africa exchange.
Having visited both of these two Rotary Districts, I can certainly vouch for the hospitality and the friendship that evolves from such a trip. It is a fantastic opportunity for a single Rotary Club or Zone to become involved. The major expenses are your air fare and your spending money. You will be accommodated in Rotarians homes and transported to all of the wonderful places that will be shown to you by your hosts.
Of course our District will be obliged to host an inbound team from each District at some time in the future. We will let you know when that is likely to occur as no time frame has been put in place by the other Districts as yet.
If you have any further inquiries, please contact myself or PDG Graeme Davies on gradav@ozemail.com.au and as the Co-Chairs of Friendship Exchange for D 9865, we will assist you in organising your team, or if you wish hosting an inbound team.
PDG John Wakefield OAM