Thursday May 13, 2010

Today we left our Host families in Klaipeda and headed for our first stop - LCC University in Klaipeda.  We received a brief tour of the University, an overview, and discussion with the University President.  He happens to be from Colorado so language was no problem.  LCC is rather new, has an enrollment of 600 students, 21 of whom are from different countries.  The faculty is volunteer or "borrowed" from other institutions and typically stay no more than 1 year.  This is a different concept.  Students live in dorms and cook for one another rather than go to a dining hall.  Courses are taught in english.  There is 1 classroom bldg., 1 dorm on campus and 1 off campus, and a recreation hall, with plans to build more facilities.   By coincidence we ran into a staff member and her husband who are from Lancaster Co., Pa.  They are from the same town, Manheim, as some of our Team members.  Small world!!!!
We then went a short distance to Master Foods, also known as MARS, Inc. where they make pet food.  We received a detailed overview of the history of the plant in Klaipeda, the Co. philosophy and operations.  They have been trained extensively in "Lean process" and the work of Demming, and are implementing those principles with help of people from Toyota.  We were impressed with their knowledge of process management and implementation of an open plant philosophy.  We got a tour of the plant where several varieties of the foods are made - mostly cat food.  Due to the heat, smell, and visual effects we cut our tour a bit short.
On to the Pazaislis Camaldolese Monestery just east of Kaunas.  It is a beautiful old monestery originally built by monks but now inhabited by the Sisters of St. Casimir.  We received a tour and history of the buildings and yard.  It is in the process of being restored.  See http://www.pazaislis.org/ for more details.

Next we went to a nice restaurant/conference center part way between Kaunas and Vilnius to meet the Dipolis Rotary Club for dinner and presentation.  They are a new Club, made up of very young men - probably the youngest average age anywhere in the world..  It grew out of a Rotaract Club, and is the first CLub to have done so.  Very nice dinner, good conversation, presentation and exchange of banners.  They exude an energy rare in most Rotary Clubs. They have several initiatives underway, one of which is a Leadership Project for young people. I received some written information on it and may seek cooperative relationships with them on this project when I get back home.

After dinner we left in separate cars for our host homes in and around Vilnius.  It has been a long day with alot of driving but worthwhile experiences!

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Saturday, May 15, 2010

District Conference Day!
We met in Vilnius to organize for the one hour drive to Kaunas and the Conference.  We arrived at Hotel Royale in time for lunch.  While the conference participants started their lunch, we quickly set up our presentation and put our favors (Snyders pretzel and snack bags) on their chairs.  We enjoyed a delicious lunch and went up for last minute instructions before our presentation.  The presentation went well and we received positive comments about it from several participants.
After the presentation, the ladies on the Team and some of our hosts went downtown to see what shops might be open.  They say some historical sights and took some great photos.  The conference was well organized and run. Many of the slides were in English so I could follow the gist of what was going on.
On to dinner at 6:00 pm with live music.  By chance, we ran into a Foreign Exchange Student from Jacksonville, Fl.  She was so excited to speak to Americans that we invited her to join us for dinner.  She'll be going home in 3 months but has had a really good experience in Lithuania.
After dinner we left for the Castle at Krakai - a beautiful old castle in the middle of a lake.  It is pictured on almost all PR materials from Lithuania.  It is beautiful!  We were even able to get a few night photos to turn out!  The mosquitoes and late hour forced us to leave for our host homes.
On to the airport tomorrow and home.  Saying goodbye will be a little sad for us.

Submitted by Warren

Wednesday May 12th

Our day started out with a tour around the city of Klaipeda.  We got to see many historic buildings and some small shops.  Pictured in the background is an old warehouse.

From there we visited the Kursiu Nerijos National Park, one of 5 parks in the country, and the Curonian Spit.  The Curonian Split is located along the Baltic Sea, half the split belongs to Lithuania and the remainder to Russia.  We visited the Great Sand Dunes, the Dunes are made up of spectacular ravines formed by strong winds and sand, grassy flora, and the old fragments of the forest soil. 

We then walked around the city of Nida (located on the Curonian Split), stopping for lunch along the way.

Our final destination was the Beach, which according to some is the second most beautiful beach in the world.  Here we enjoyed walking in the Baltic water and looking for small pieces of Amber. 

-Krystal-

Tuesday May 11, 2010

Our second day in Lithuania!  It will be hard to top last night's dinner and water park. 
After breakfast with our host families we went to a place called Grutas Park near Druskininkai.  The park ws created by a private individual to tell the story of the Soviet occupation of Lithuania.  Statues and various artifacts from all over Lithuania were brought here to help describe this tragic time in Lithuanian history.  We took a self-guided tour using an audio device that explained what was involved in each display.  There were statues of Marx, Lenin, Stalin and many Soviet leaders who dramatically affected the lives of so many Lithuanians for years to come.  The various displays told about the period leading to the occupation, life under Soviet rule, indoctrination of the Lithuanian people, deportation of thousands to Siberian work and re-education camps, and the killing of hundreds of thousands of people who did not bend to Soviet rule.
The museum was criticized by a few people, but is the most widely visited museum in Lithuania.  It is intended to factually tell the story of that period of history, and it left a dramatic impression on all of us.  We learned alot about life in Lithuania during those times.

  Our Interpreter who spent a day and a half with us.  She is a 12th year student who is studying for her final exams.

                           

We said goodbye to our host families and after lunch took off on a very luxurious bus to the city of Klaipida on the Baltic Sea.  It is a beautiful seaside city of about 200,000 people.  We arrived at the Rotary Club meeting place just in time for dinner.  Three area Rotary Clubs were represented as well as the Rotaract Club.  One of the Rotary Clubs here is made up of women only and the other two are men only.  They are cooperating on several projects now which demonstrates true Rotary spirit.  We gave our presentation with the aid of an interpreter, exchanged banners and gifts and enjoyed yet another delicious dinner.

Guess who is in this picture!

We met our host families and went off to get acquainted and ready for a great day at the beach tomorrow.

Submitted by Warren

Monday May 10th

It is off to Lithuania and time to begin our last week of our GSE adventure.  We have learned alot about Denmark, it's culture and people in the short time we've been here and have enjoyed it thoroughly.

After a relatively uneventful (though Megan wouldn't necessarily agree as her checked luggage was a wee bit too heavy - Darn where is that scale??) train ride and flight we arrived in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania.  We were met by the Rotary Club members led by Simonas Petrulis and a bus was waiting to take us to our first city - Druskininkai.  It took about an hour and a half to get there.  We discovered that this city was established as a spa area many years ago due to the mineral water found there.  It was believed to have medicinal powers and thus was sought after by many european people.  We enjoyed a delicious meal of beef or fish and the great company of our Rotary Club hosts.

We were then treated to a visit to the indoor water park and spa located there.  It is an amazing multi-level complex of pools, slides, tubes, wave pools, steam rooms, saunas, spas, etc, etc, etc.  A true aqua playground for kids and adults alike.  A year-round ski area is in the process of being built so this is fast becoming a major resort for all of Europe.  We certainly enjoyed our time there!

submitted by Warren

Sunday May 9th

Today was another day that we did individaul activities.  In Denmark, many shops and activities are closed on Sunday except those open primarily for tourists.  You could find some shops and cafes and restaurants that we serving customers.

We met as a Team for breakfast to discuss plans for taking the train to the airport the next morning, getting our flight, last minute baggage weight checks, etc.  (Someone carried their hand scale all the way from home then went to share it with the group and discovered it was left in our last host home!!!  Gee Warren, I wonder who did that??!!)

Some of the Team went to Tivoli after hearing about it from their Teammates who went yesterday.  At least one person spent the day reading and resting and getting some individual time.  Another pair traveled around sightseeing in different areas.

After arranging our seats for tomorrow's flight, I grabbed the camera and headed to the Kastellette - Fortress nearby.  Then on to the dock area and saw the Royal Yacht with the Danish flag flying indicating that the Royal family was aboard.  Finding your way Copenhagen is easy by foot, or bike and there are beautiful old buildings to photograph.  Also, as other Team members discovered, there are lovely parks like the botanical gardens and Kings Garden to discover.  It is easy to see why people like living in and visiting Copenhagen.

Submitted by Warren

Copenhagen- Saturday May 8

Today we all did individual activities.  Some of us went to see castles, many of us went to the lovely shops, all of us rested at least a litle bit, and we did a lot of walking.  Warren also watched a special parade.

Megan, Jenny, Krystal, and I went to the Prince's castle and watched the "changing of the guards" at noon.  Warren actually waited in line for 2 hours and went inside the Prince's castle that they're renovating.

Then we walked to the Marble Church and its huge dome and looked around inside- boy was it beautiful!

We also saw some really fancy gelati while we were walking on the pedestrian street

and some really cool fountains.

Megan and I also went to Rosenborg Castle and the castle gardens.  This castle houses the Royal Danish collections.

In the evening, while everyone else rested, Megan and I took the train into Copenhagen and went to Tivoli, their amusement park. 

We went at a good time because we were able to see the park both during the day and the gorgeous lights at night.  There were some really cool rides (but it was pay per ride), beautiful gardens (which are found just about everywhere in Denmark) ,shops, and tons of restaurants. 

We also saw a small statue of the Little Mermaid on the pond even though the real one is currently in ShangHi.

-Heather

Thursday May 6th

This is our last full day in Odense.  We started with a tour of TV2, one of 2 Danish TV stations.  The other is called DR (Danish Radio). TV2 is located in an old cattle building in Odense.  It has been refurbished and is  now very big and nice looking.  We saw the TV studio, the news room, the library and several research, programming and business offices.  We also saw a video presentation about the station and watched some of the shows they aired.

Danish TV is funded in part by the Government, and the government sets some priorities related to what % of air time can go for different types of programming, what must be aired like Royal ceremonies and some sports events, etc.  Compared to the US, Danish tv news is unbiased and the government does not dictate content.  Some shows are produced locally and some is purchased from other european countries and the US.  Also, Danish TV is not censored so you can see some things that would be considered risque in the US.

We then went our separate ways in town.  Some mailing packages home, some shopping and all getting something to eat and drink. 

We were invited to meet at a Rotary members home nearby for refreshments before we went to dinner.  He and his wife were most hospitable and showed us wonderful pictures of their wedding last August.

Then we walked to the restaurant Marco Polo for a very nice meal provided by the Rotary Club.

Then it was off to the Koncert (Concert) Hall where we were guests of the Rotary Club for a performance by the Odense Symfoniorkester (Symphony Orchestrra).  They were very good and featured a flojte (flute) player by the name of Lucia Klonner.

Home to pack and get ready to leave for Copenhagen in the moring by train.

Submitted by Warren

Vocational Day in Odense

It's mid week in Odense and we've been lucky to have good weather this week. Today was our vocational day in the city. I had the opportunity to visit the Danish Railway Museum. The curator, Jørgen Larsen, gave me a tour of the various engines and passenger cars they have on display at the Museum. The Danish Railway Museum is one of the largest of its kind in the area and sees about 90,000 visitors each year. They just had a Thomas the Tank Engine event which was a big success, which reminded me of the Strasburg Railroad! 

After a morning of specific vocational time, we went on a walking tour of the city. Our guide, Anna Sophia, pointed out some of the city's sculptures which were inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairy tales. 

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Today we started off our day by listening to a presentation about the Danish higher education system at Syddansk University.  We learned more about the secondary school system as well as the Bachelor and Masters programs that are offered and the recent changes that the school system has undergone.

From the University we took taxis to the local Sydbank branch were we watched a video about the growth of the bank, it's mission and vision.  Sydbank is the 4th largest bank in Denmark with 110 branches in Denmark as well as 3 in Germany and a subsidiary bank in Switzerland. 

After the bank presentation we walked to the museum of Hans Christian Anderson where we were able to tour the writers birthplace and learn more about his childhood and adult life.

To complete our day before heading home to our host families we had time to walk around the 'old town' of Odense.

Megan Balmer

Sunday in Odense

We arrived in Odense on Saturday night.  Today we took a ferry ride to the zoo! We had a alot of time on our own in the zoo, then watched the seal show and had a more guided tour.  In the guided tour, we were able to go behind the scences of the lion cages.  It was really neat, and we learned that they use perfume to attract lions back into the cages. After the zoo, we made a short walk home to eat "cripsy pork" with our host family.  It was delicious! Below are some pictures from the zoo and the ferry to the zoo.

megan and heather on the ferry

spider moneys- We were able to get very close to them!

My favorite the zebra!!!

-Melissa

Saturday May 1, 2010

Saturday - moving day once again!  We spent time with our host families today doing a variety of things.

Ulrich took me to Egeskov castle.  This a castle that has been in his family for generations.  His cousin lives there now with his family.  It is HUGE! and built on oak pilings in the middle of a lake. As long as the water level is kept at a certain level, the oak will never weaken. Much care is taken to monitor the water levels.  I believe it dates back to the 1500's or earlier.  The castle has been opened to the public as well as the grounds, beautiful gardens, and outbuildings.  The past several owners have begun collecting a number of antique items which are on display in the outbuildings - automobiles, motorcycles, emergency vehicles, horse drawn carriages, an old time grocery store, etc.  There is also a play yard for children. Many rooms in the castle are open for viewing and period furnishings are on display.  This is still a working farm too.

We then drove up north on Langeland to vistle Tronakaer Castle where Ulrich and his older brother lived from the age of 10 years old in traditionally royal style.  Ulrich's nephew now lives in the Castle with his family. It sit imposingly on top of a hill.

Then down to Rudboking to meet our new hosts.  The team gathered to say farewell to our host families and friends from Rudboking RC and meet the folks from Odense International Club.  We learned that there are many members of this club who are not Danish but who hail from other countries. Thus the term international in their club title.  We went to a mamber's home where we were treated to a most welcome dinner of soup, nacho's and cheese, hamburger, baked potatoes, and three scrumptous desserts from which to choose.  We like Danish food, but it was also nice to get a "taste of home" as well.  Lena, the youngest daughter in their family just returned from a trip through the States.  We were anxious to hear where she went and what her reactions were.  A great time was had by all and we then went to Odense to temporary host homes due to confirmations and this holiday weekend.  We'll be with our new families tomorrow.

Submitted by Warren

Goodbye Rudkøebing - Saturday

It was yet another emotional day preparing to leave our lovely host families in Rudkøebing.  We started the day with breakfast at our houses as well as doing individual activities with our host families such as relaxing, shopping, hanging out at the beach, and packing.
With my family, I went shopping in Svendburg, went on a horse drawn carriage ride (it totally felt like home) and had a delicious lunch.  Then I went home and packed my belongings and prepared to meet the group at 4PM to head to Odense.
We all said farewell to the wonderful people we met on the islands and loaded up to head to Odense (with one car totally full of luggage). 
After a short 45 minute drive through dreary weather we went to Birthe's house and met her family.  We were able to relax and rest before dinner.  She made an incredible dinner for us that included ham, baked potatoes, salad, soup, bread, chili nachos (with homemade guacamole that her daughter made), desserts (several of them which were all yummy), and much more.  It was delightful!  We sat around and shared stories with them and got to know a little bit about the town.
Afterwards we departed and dropped Megan and Jenni off at a Hostel for the evening.  Melissa, Amanda, Krystal, Warren and I all came to Ida's house for the night.  


Heather

Friday April 30,2010

Friday is a special holiday in Denmark.  There were three 1/2 days break and they were consolidated into one full holiday.  Thus this is a holiday where business, banks, etc. all close down for a nice three day holiday.  In addition, tomorrow, Saturday is May 1.  Some years ago there were demonstrations, parades and speeches by blue collar workers on May 1st.  There are no longer clashes between workers and the gov't but it is a day which many young people use as an excuse to "party" and there are parades in a few towns.  As has been the case since we arrived, Sunday is a day where conformations are celebrated in many areas.  Consequently this is a busy weekend and not many things are open as normal.

Friday was spent with our host families visiting sights on Langeland, going to Egslav Castle, shopping, or chilling out. The weather has turned cooler overcast with sprinkles of rain.  Ulrich and I visited a local artist studio -Ulla Keramik near Bagenkop so see her works of art.  She creates many pieces in clay then paints decorations on them - many scenes of Langeland.  We then went to the harbor area of Bagenkop to view the commercial and recreational vessels docked there. This is a popular summer vacation spot for sailing, fishing, and boating of all kinds.  The waters are good for sailing and there are many small harbors within easy travel by boat.  There is also an Efterskole located here which emphasizes navigation.

We then went to a birthday party for a friend of Ulrich's who just turned 75.  16 people gathered at Christian and Else's house for a wonderful traditional Danish meal including a variety of snaps. 

We returned to a relatively new restaurant near Bagenkop for our farewell dinner.  We enjoyed a tasty dinner, buffet-style, lively conversation, and words of appreciation for the week's stay.  We especially commended Leif for an outstanding job coordinating the week's activities, and our host families for housing us this week.  We have come to expect that these farewell dinners are bittersweet since we say goodbye to many new friends and get ready to move on to our new "home".  Odense here we come!

Submitted by Warren