It’s only Day 3 in Santa Rosa, Argentina and I keep asking myself if I’ve died and gone to heaven. My head is so full of ideas, Spanish, knowledge, and amazement at the generosity and beauty of the Argentine people we have met.

Today I had the opportunity to meet with a woman named Dora Battison who is a professor of literature and is also working on a novel. We ate lunch and talked about marriage, Obama, the distinct literature of La Pampa, and music.

If that experience wasn’t amazing enough, I also got to visit a library called a Cooperativo. I met the head librarian, her boss, and a professor who is writing a book about the women of La Pampa.

I’m filled with so much gratefulness to Rotary for this tremendous learning opportunity.

More to come. Chao!

Photo 1: Dora at our delicious luncheon

Photo 2: The group of women at lunch

Photo 3: The upstairs of the library (Cooperativo)

Photo 4: Lillian, the head librarian, had a unique system of organization. She organizes by theme only. No Dewey system and not in alphabetic order. Her strategy is to allow library patrons to explore more freely and she wants to allow them to browse find books that meet their interests.

Photo 5: Lillian, the librarian (on the left)

Photo 6: The outside of the library

Photo 7: The head of the library (on the left) and the professor writing about the women of La Pampa (second from the right)

We are here – safe and sound – and en route on a 6-hour bus ride to our first stop in Santa Rosa.

Of course, on the way we had to stop for some asado 🙂 Me gusta mucho!
– Jess

And we are off on our daylong journey from Boise to Buenos Aires!

Idaho Professionals Embark on Goodwill Exchange with Argentina
Six-member team to represent the state and Idaho Rotary District 5400??

BOISE, Idaho ??? (May 1, 2012) ??? Idaho professionals from Boise, Pocatello and Idaho Falls depart this Friday on a four-week cultural and vocational exchange to Argentina. The team is part of The Rotary Foundation???s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program, representing Idaho Rotary District 5400.

During the program, teams of professionals exchange visits between paired areas in different countries in order to share personal knowledge of their own country and experience the customs, vocations, and lifestyles of another.

The Idaho GSE team is comprised of:

Team Leader: Rich Kirkham, Pocatello
Occupation: Owner/Operator of Dale???s Commercial Real Estate Services, Dale???s Outdoor Advertising

Team Member: Brooke Green, Boise
Occupation: Mobility Manager, Community Transportation Association of Idaho

Team Member: Caitlin Lanier, Boise
Occupation: Freelance Writer/Editor, Yoga instructor-in-training

Team Member: Jessica Flynn, Boise
Occupation: CEO of Red Sky Public Relations

Team Member: Krista Madril, Boise
Occupation:?? Regulatory Manager with Hewlett-Packard

Team Member: Liz Olson Preslar, Idaho Falls
Occupation: RegisteredNurse, Titan??Medical Group??

The purpose of the Group Study Exchange is to promote international understanding and goodwill through person-to-person contact. While abroad, team members will stay in Rotarians??? homes and have the opportunity to meet their professional counterparts. They will also give presentations to Rotary clubs and other groups about their home country, state and vocation.??

In a typical four-week tour, applicants participate in five full days of vocational visits, 15 to 20 club presentations, 10 to 15 formal visits and social events, two to three days at the district conference, three to four hours per day of cultural and site tours, and three to four hours per day of free time with host families.

The Argentina GSE teamarrived in Idaho on April 23 and is visiting Boise, McCall, Twin Falls, Hailey, Sun Valley, Arco, Pocatello and Idaho Falls. More information: http://igeargentinausa2012.blogspot.com/??

The Idaho GSE team leaves on Friday, May 4 for the Buenos Aires & La Pampa provinces of Argentina, and is sharing their experiences through their blog http://gseargentina2012.com.??

For more information, or to get in touch with individual team members, please contact team member and PR contact Jessica Flynn jessicaflynnpr@gmail.com

??

On Tuesday, April 25, 2012, Rich Kirkham and Liz Preslar were invited to be the speakers to the Preston Rotary Club.  About 30 Rotarians and guests gathered to hear about the upcoming Group Study Exchange team that is headed to Argentina.  The Preston Club meets every Tuesday at noon at Mis Amigos restaurant in Preston.

Tonight we met our Group Study Exchange counterparts from Argentina Rotary district 4920. What an amazing fun group!

They just arrived in Boise last night and are already on the go – having had a vocational day visiting the Idaho courts and the casual welcome reception tonight at the home of Don & Cec Lojak. Don led the last GSE trip from Idaho to Argentina 7 years ago.

It was both exciting – and slightly terrifying to meet our peers. We had an instant bond because of our soon-to-be shared experience visiting each others communities.

Also a bit terrifying because this trip of a lifetime begins for the Idaho team in a week:-) Our peers had us practicing our Spanish (a lot of practice for me!) and they graciously shared insights into their hometowns that we’ll be visiting.

You can follow their blog about their trip through the link at the top of this page.

Keep an eye out for the Argentina team as they visit Idaho this month and be sure to extend a hand in friendship and a word of goodwill as they experience all Idaho has to offer.

-Jess