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Reflections
The ultimate goal of Rotary is to achieve world understanding
and peace. I can think of no better way to move toward the achievement
of this goal than by allowing people from different parts of
the world to experience another culture and come to know people
not as "labels" but as individuals.
As my team and I prepared for our wonderful adventure there were
many friends, colleagues and strangers who had much to tell us
about "the Japanese." Generalizations about what to
expect dealt with the label "the Japanese" not the
individual human beings that we would come to know and count
as friends. The label allowed those well meaning advice givers
to predict
behaviour that did not account for the interaction of human beings
brought together to share cultures, experience, common experiences
and ultimately friendship.
It is frequently much easier to seek out differences than search
for the similarities. When people return from visits to other
countries, they will quickly outline how different the country,
customs and people are from those with whom they associate daily.
The commentary about "the Japanese" focussed on perceived
differences. There were never comments about how similar we all
were. Seeking out similarities requires us to examine our own
behaviours and requires that we open our hearts and our minds.
Throughout our one-month stay in District 2660, we met people
who were kind, compassionate and giving. No matter whether the
people were "Rotarians" or "non-Rotarians",
our team was treated with respect and kindness wherever we went.
It was overwhelming to have strangers welcome us with such open
hearts and minds! The strongest lesson of my one month in Japan
was to strive harder to treat others as I was treated while I
was there (and since I have returned home).
One of the most profound experiences was our visit to Hiroshima.
Prior to leaving for Japan, I knew that Hiroshima would have
an incredible impact on me. However, I had no idea how impactful
that day would be. Throughout our time in Osaka, the English
television stations broadcast daily the progress of the newly
launched war in Kosovo. Our only connection with the
western world was a war. Hiroshima is dedicated to world peace.
It is not about blame but about hope and a call for people around
the world to join to ensure that there is never again another
"Hiroshima."
Group Study Exchange does much to take another step towards our
goal of world understanding and peace. It was appropriate that
a visit be part of our Group Study Exchange Experience. The experience
of meeting people as people and not labels is one that, I believe
helps to create understanding. So many of the wars that currently
wage in this world are wars of labels not of individuals. Time
after time, it has been proven that when two individuals meet
without "labels" they find it hard to understand why
their people or groups are fighting. When labels are stripped
away, we find that we are all the same - we have families, experience
joy, sadness, frustration and euphoria. The only thing that sets
us apart is our culture or religion or
where we live.
The visit to Hiroshima clarified to me the reason that Group
Study Exchange and all other Rotary Foundation programs are so
important. I thank District 2660 for including this important
visit in our exchange and to Rotary International for allowing
me to have this life changing experience.
District 2660 - Our Hosts
I cannot say enough about District 2660! I cannot imagine an
better-organized exchange than what our team experienced. We
were sent a detailed itinerary prior to our departure from Canada.
When we arrived in Osaka, we were given updated itineraries that
noted any changes to times or activities. This was wonderful.
The itinerary became very important to allow us to feel grounded
- we were very thankful to have so much detail.
The vocational visits were well thought out and planned. It was
obvious that a great deal of care and thought went into each
of the visits for each of our team members. Every visit was matched
well with the interests and vocation of each of the team members.
The weekend stays at the Hotel New Otani were a wonderful gift
to our team! Thank you so much. It gave us a chance to plan our
presentations and our gift giving; to call or email home and
to spend a little time just unwinding. The kindness and generosity
of this gift was very much appreciated. Thank you.
Rotary Club visits were outstanding. We were treated royally.
Every club was attentive and very receptive to our visit. We
appreciated the generosity and kindness of each of the clubs.
The Group Study Exchange committee did an exceptional job of
planning and executing our exchange. From the warm reception
at Kansai airport, to the exceptional welcome party to the vocational,
cultural and company visits to our teary farewell - it was all
incredible. I know how challenging it can be to find host families
and we thank you for the work that allowed each of our team members
to have a host family per week (except Dennis who stayed with
Yanni-san for three weeks).
While I know that the planning was a committee role, I would
be remiss to not especially thank Matsuoka-san, the committee
chairman. Matsuoka-san made it possible for us to use our PowerPoint
presentation as so many clubs. He loaned us his personal projection
unit so that we could use the presentation rather than overheads.
He was with us everyday during the first week and many days during
the third and fourth week. We were overwhelmed by the amount
of time he took away from his workplace to be with our team.
We thank all committee members, but especially Matsuoka-san (or
Gadget-san as we affectionately nicknamed him).
District 2660 certainly lived the Four Way Test in how they treated
our team. They helped us to Follow our Rotary Dream. Without
a doubt, District 2660 truly understands the importance of GSE
in achieving Rotary's goal of world understanding and peace.
What I Learned About Rotary
Rotarians in District 2660 treat their membership in Rotary as
a privilege. I have never been to so many celebrations of Rotary!
In our District, we do not have celebratory events where the
founding club is honoured annually by the club(s) that they helped
to start. I was impressed with this respectful manner of celebration.
I hope that our District will begin this tradition.
I did not know that there were Rotary songs until I arrived in
Japan. Almost every club sang a Rotary song. It was a wonderful
experience. We were always touched when the Rotary song was an
English song in our honour. My favourite Rotary song was sung
at our Welcome and Farewell party with all participants holding
hands in a large circle. It was such a joyful celebration of
Rotary!
I was impressed with the joy with which a new club is welcomed
into the District. Rotarians in District 2660 seemed very happy
to further share the good works of Rotary by allowing even more
individuals to participate in Rotary by starting a new club.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Rotary International Convention
in 2004 will be one of the best. When a District celebrates and
lives the ideals of Rotary to the extent that 2660 does, it cannot
help but be a wonderful example to Rotary throughout the world.
Our Host Families
My four host families were exceptional people! I miss them terribly.
Each gave me a good opportunity to experience aspects of family
life in Japan. Each of them gave me the chance to experience
Japanese cuisine.
My first host was the GSE District Chair. He ensured that I would
experience a variety of Japanese foods by starting my "food
schedule." Each week, a record was kept of the foods that
I ate for breakfast and for dinner. The record included comments
on what I did and didn't like. Each weekend, when I switched
host families, my record was faxed to the next family. The food
schedule became a great icebreaker (once I learned of its existence).
I had the opportunity to experience kindness that I will never
forget. I hope that I will always be in touch with each of my
host families and I hope that we will be able to see one another
either in Japan or Canada many more times.
I know how disruptive it must be to welcome a complete stranger
into your home for a full week.
On top of that, each host delivered me to a meeting place and
picked me up at the end of the day for each day that I stayed
with them. This meant shortened workdays for my hosts. But each
of my four families, the Matsuoka's; Ehara's; Shinomiya's and
Suda's made me feel like part of the family and never made me
feel as though I was inconveniencing them. I really feel
as though I now have four new families!
Thank you to each of the host families who so warmly welcomed
our team and who adjusted their schedules to make our stays so
memorable. Your generosity and kindness were overwhelming.
Some of the Moments I will Never Forget
One day, while riding on a subway, I noticed a little girl and
her grandfather sitting not far from me. The little girl was
shyly staring at me - I was the only Westerner on the subway
car at the time. I smiled and said Konichiwa at which point,
she hid her face in her grandfather's shirt. He quietly leaned
over and whispered something to her in Japanese. She slowly turned
and said "hello" and then quickly hid her face again.
I pulled out a Canadian flag pin and handed it to her grandfather.
As he pinned it on her chest, she turned and in English said
thank you.
Another day, I was riding in a very crowded train with my host.
At one of the stops, two men from a Middle Eastern country got
on the train. One glanced around the crowded car and then glanced
at me and gave me a very knowing and wide smile. It was an instant
recognition of three foreigners.
On the first Saturday that we were in Japan, two of my team members
and I were wandering through the hotel. The Hotel New Otani is
a very popular hotel for weddings. As we came upon a wedding
party having their photos taken, I decided that I wanted to take
a picture. There was one Westerner that was one of the guests.
As it turned out, she was from Ontario as well. In fact, she
had been a Rotary Exchange student at the home of the bride fifteen
years before.
When she learned we were from Rotary and Ontario, she told the
family. We then became part of the wedding photos, not only with
my camera but also with the professional photographer!
The instant Rotary connection made us family.
One of my vocational visits allowed me to see how the elderly
are cared for in Neyagawa. Part of the visit allowed me to see
a private home where a daughter and her husband were caring for
their 92 year old mother who suffered from dementia. I was invited
to have tea and Sakura Mochi with the mother and daughter in
their tatami room. In the room was a Japanese stringed instrument
called a koetoe (spelling?) which the 92 year old told me she
played as a young girl.
Her daughter told me that she still played it from time to time.
The mother asked me in Japanese if I would like to hear her play.
I still get tears in my eyes as I recall this beautiful woman
playing and singing Sakura, Sakura. The moment will forever be
etched in my mind.
On that same vocational visit, I was invited to visit the extremely
small apartment of a couple who had a homecare worker who stayed
with them. The blind man was blind and his wife was bed ridden.
The man was thrilled to welcome a guest to his home even though
we could not speak the same language. He warmly welcomed me and
invited me to stay for the day.
Unfortunately we had to move on to the next stop.
No matter where we were, groups of children would always be excited
to see us - waving, flashing peace signs and saying hello or
practicing any other English words that they knew.
Westerners are not seen quite as often in Osaka as other parts
of Japan and thus are a bit of a novelty. I have many photos
of school children in uniforms that were always eager to pose
for a photo.
I had the wonderful experience of wondering why people were looking
at me and suddenly remembering that I looked a little different.
It was only at those moments that I would remember that I didn't
look Japanese for the majority of the trip that was never a conscious
thought.
I was overwhelmed at our farewell party to see the number of
men who were in tears as they heard each of our team members
speak. I knew how much each of our team had been impacted by
the visit but was surprised to see how profoundly the exchange
had impacted our hosts.
While spending a free morning with my fourth week hosts, I had
the opportunity to see a Shinto ceremony of thanksgiving. It
was wonderful to participate in this spiritual experience.
One of my team members and I had the good fortune to have our
photograph taken with Akebono, the Sumo Yoko Zuna. After Lisa
had asked in Japanese to have our photo taken with him, Akebono
spoke to us in English. We had forgotten that he was originally
from Hawaii.
My second week host Ehara-san was a member of the Daito Rotary
Club. Their Rotary Club hosted a party in my honour. They wanted
to introduce me to three traditional aspects of Japanese culture.
To begin the evening, a sado or traditional tea ceremony was
performed.
Later in the evening, I had the chance to try out kendo. The
last aspect that I tried was shodo or calligraphy. It was an
incredible evening.
I could go on for pages with memorable moments, but this is not
meant to be a book. Every day,
I remember another moment that has impacted my life.
Role of Team Leader
Before my selection as team leader, our District called to check
whether or not District 2660 would have a problem with a female
team leader if I were selected. The answer (thankfully) was no.
I must say that never was there a moment when I was not treated
with kindness and the utmost respect. I was always treated as
the leader and as a Rotarian. The concerns that
having one male team member might mean that Rotarians would defer
to him rather than me was totally unfounded.
Although there are not many women in Rotary in District 2660
(yet) - there was absolutely no problem with my being a woman
Rotarian. This was yet another example of people treating one
another as people, not as labels.
The role of team leader allowed me to learn a great deal about
myself. I knew that the role would be challenging but was surprised
at just how challenging it was while I was in Japan. The team
leader needs to constantly be aware of the needs of the team
as well as the needs and expectations of the hosts. You must
always have your ears and eyes open and constantly are anticipating
what will happen next. There are times when the needs of the
team must come before the expectations of the hosts and there
are times when the team's needs and/or wants must take a backseat
to the plans of the hosts. It is an exciting role but an extremely
mentally tiring role. It is an opportunity to learn and grow
that I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to experience.
Some Observations
One of the great personal learning experiences was to put myself
completely in the hands of another person. Each morning, I went
by subway or train or car not really knowing where I would end
up. For one month, I virtually made no decisions. For someone
who is used to being in control it was a good learning experience
to give up that control for one month. It was a
good lesson for me.
The Exchange places each team member in situations with which
they are not comfortable - this is one area of the exchange that
challenges people to grow personally. I observed each member
of my team deal with these moments and watched them grow. I also
have observed many areas where I have been challenged and have
grown as a result of the Group Study Exchange.
We were extremely fortunate as a team in that we develoepd a
close relationship with the District 2660 team. We spent time
with the team in Osaka and also with the team while they were
in Ontario. I believe that we have not only established lifelong
friendships among our own team but also with the team from Distrcit
2660.
The age of electronic communication helps to make our world much
smaller. There have been very few days since I returned to Canada
that I have not received at least one email from Osaka.
I have had two visits from new friends since I have returned.
I have no doubt that I will return to see my new friends and
that many more visits will be made to Canada. I have Rotary to
thank for this gift.
In Conclusion
I always believed in the benefit of Group Study Exchange. However,
now I know in my heart as well as my head just how important
it is.
GSE teaches you about yourself and your own country as well as
the country that you visit.
You have the chance to be personally challenged in ways that
you cannot imagine. You learn to open your mind and your heart,
you learn to examine your beliefs and values, you take a giant
step towards a personal commitment to world peace. As a team
leader, you have the opportunity to work with a group of strangers
to develop them into a cohesive team, you have
the chance to impart your knowledge of Rotary and you have a
chance to challenge yourself.
It is so difficult to put into words all that I have learned
through my Group Study Exchange experience. It is impossible
for me to select out one great experience or one particular learning
experience. There were so many life-altering experiences; it
is hard to select only one. I have learned more than I know from
the exchange. I find myself almost daily recognizing one more
thing that I have learned about myself and/or about our world.
I must thank my District for having the faith to select me as
team leader, my team for being such outstanding individuals and
teaching me so much and our hosts, the Rotarians of District
2660 who truly understand the importance of Group Study Exchange.
Domo arigato goziamashite.
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