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D7190 GSE to GSE 1910

a travel blog by GSE7190-1910


'The Team'
Follow the GSE Team from Rotary District 7190 New York, USA as they travel to District 1910 Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzgovina. Rotary District 7190 is sending a team of young professionals abroad to Central Europe to learn about work and life in a different culture. This year’s team has been sponsored by the Sharon Springs, Middleburgh, Wilton, Colonie-Guilderland, & Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Rotary clubs of District 7190.

Since 1965, Rotary International’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program has provided inspiring vocational, educational, and cultural experiences to more than 32,000 men and women. Rotary districts in different countries are paired to send and receive professional study groups of four to six non-Rotarian team members and one Rotarian team leader to travel for four to six weeks, staying in the homes of Rotarians when possible.

Learn more about Rotary GSE at http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/gse_faq.pdf


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Thursday, May 15 - Driving tour of Slovenia

Podkoren, Slovenia

From the atop the Julijske Alps down 1700 meters to the Adriatic Sea - whirlwind tour describes our awesome and exhausting day today as we embarked on a driving tour of Slovenia today. From the beautiful & picturesque Bled we travel to Planica and then onto to small town of Podkoren for a quick bite to eat before heading up into the sky to the Julijaske Alps and then onto visit a WWI museum in the small town of Kobarid. For many, this museum visit offered new introspect of the war. In another 2 ½ hours we were at the coast in Trieste for some shopping and sightseeing.



permalink written by  GSE7190-1910 on May 16, 2008 from Podkoren, Slovenia
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Saturday, May 17 Travel day to Bosnia-Herzegovina

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina


Ruins and Rebuild
The bus ride from Slovenia to Sarajevo is a long 5 hour ride. There are only 12 Miles of 4 lane road coming to Sarajevo from about 220K away. It is a road much like State Route 10 at home, for over 150 Miles. If there is one word to describe the countryside as we entered this area, it is that of contrast. You cross the border with armed guards, checking passports, they have the power and they know it. Our first views include many bombed out building, bullet holes . . . the war here was only 10 years ago. It not the images they want to be remembered by, but the story is just too much to ignore and to impacting to forget. This will no doubt be one of the most emotionally moving leg of our trip. For the first time on the trip, we will all be staying with host families rather than hotels, a welcome change.


permalink written by  GSE7190-1910 on May 18, 2008 from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Sunday May 18 Mostar bridge, Stari Most, Buna & Počitelj

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina


Stari Most
A place we are all aware of due to war and recent rebuilding of the Stari Most, but words cannot express the feelings of what it is to walk on and touch history being made. The Mostar Bridge was a very famous and historical bridge before its destruction in 1993 during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (part of the former Yugoslavia). The elegant bridge spanned the River Neretva and was designed by the Ottoman (Turkish) architect Mimar Hayruddin. It was completed in 1566 after nines years of building and the surrounding town became a thriving trading centre. The bridge was 29 metres in length and stood at a height of 20 metres, a classic example of a single span, stone arch bridge and was an example of advanced technology in its time. It became a World Heritage site during the twentieth century. The Sultan of the Ottoman Empire swore to execute Mimar Hayruddin if the bridge collapsed after the wooden supports were removed. It is said that Hayruddin started to dig his own grave on the day the supports were removed. However, the bridge stood for 429 years, a testament to its excellent design and construction.
Excerpt: Bosnia-Herzegovina Rotarians celebrate rebuilding of Mostar Bridge
By Vukoni Lupa-Lasaga, Rotary International – 9 September 2004
When the Rotary Club of Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, was chartered in 2002, one of the issues uppermost in the minds of its members was how to heal their community, torn apart by a brutal war that pitted one ethnic group against another. Rotarians proposed to city leaders to rebuild the 427-year-old historic landmark, which was destroyed by hostile tank-shell fire in 1993, to signal that it was time to repair the physical and emotional damage that the war had inflicted on Mostar. After winning the approval of politicians, technical experts, and residents, Rotarians took the lead in mobilizing international support and raising funds for the project. Amir Pasic, an architect, and Marin Raspudic, the Mostar airport director and current club president, are just two Rotarians who have been closely involved with the rebuilding of the stone bridge. Both served as chief organizers of the 23 July opening ceremony for the completed bridge.To read the rest of this story, see www.rotary.org/newsroom/main/news02.html, or read your September 04 Issue of the Rotarian.
After this awe inspiring stop we were onto see the source of the Buna River, a tributary of the Neretva. The source of this river is a strong karstic spring that ‘com from out of the mountain. Vast waters have been calculated but a true origin has never been discovered.

Vrelo Bune - the Bun river source

Then onto the quaint oriental-style town of Pocitelj, located about half an hour's drive from Mostar, less than 30km south on the M-17 road towards the Adriatic. Besides its stunning oriental architecture, Pocitelj hosts the longest operating art colony in southeast Europe. Artists from around the world gather here to paint, among other things but importantly, the shiny red pomegranates and figs that grow in abundance on the hills of Pocitelj.
An incredible day, in an awesome place, hosted by generous people . . .

Relaxing with our Hosts

permalink written by  GSE7190-1910 on May 19, 2008 from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Monday May 19 Vocational day & Tour of Sarajevo.

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina


Cathedral Church of Nativity of the Theotokos - Serb Orthodox Cathedral in Sarajevo
After a morning of vocational tours and visit with the locals, the team re-grouped and was given a combination walking tour / bus tour of Sarajevo. Our guide Mohammed was a child in Sarajevo during the war and shared a great deal of personal insight into life at that time. He lived through things we can only imagine in our nightmares – bombings by military tanks and how much of life was restricted to movement under the cover of the dark of night, for protection from snipers. You may recall Princess Diana’s works with victims of landmines that remain in many war torn countries, well here it is a very harsh reality. On average two or three people per month are killed from landmines.
As we walked about the city of Sarajevo we have opportunity to visit the Olympic Stadium of the1984 Winter Olympics, mosques and churches as well as the site of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination which began World War I.
The many people we have had the opportunity to meet and spent time with, although they are very private people as a whole they have been so very generous and willing to share with us some of their most private thoughts and horrific experiences – something that is awe inspiring. Both we as visitors and they as host have learned so much about each other as individuals, countries and cultures. Rotary’s Mission of peace keeping, understanding and tolerance is clearly in full motion through this GSE Tour.

Sebilj Fountain in Bašcaršija

Assasination site of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Sarajevo Cathedral

Cevapi - Bosnian national specialty



permalink written by  GSE7190-1910 on May 19, 2008 from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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1910 District Conference

Zagreb, Croatia



permalink written by  GSE7190-1910 on May 21, 2008 from Zagreb, Croatia
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Wien, Austria



permalink written by  GSE7190-1910 on May 25, 2008 from Wien, Austria
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The Group Study Exchange (GSE) program of
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 in the initial years of their professional life. The program provides...

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