My Selection for Group Study Exchange Program for Scotland

I have been selected as a team member for Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange(GSE) program for Scotland. I am to visit West Scotland for the period of one month, i.e. from September 8, 2012 to October 9, 2012.

Group Study Exchange program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for businesspeople and professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 who are in the early stages of their careers. The program provides travel grants for teams to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. For four to six weeks, team members experience the host country’s culture and institutions, observe how their vocations are practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas.

Part of this program, I shall be given an opportunity to know more about how my profession is being practised in other country, i.e. Scotland here. During this tenure, I shall be participating in few vocational visits, 15 to 20 club presentations, 10 to 15 formal visits and social events, two 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.

Our team for GSE Visit to Scotland in September ...from Left to Right.... Myself, Mirani Patel (Senior Correspondent, Divya Bhaskar, Surat), Himal Pandya - team leader, (Principal, S.S.Pharmacy College, Bhavnagar), Tejal Rajput (Architect, Bharuch) and Dr. Snehal Lokhandwala (Professor, Ankleshwar)

This program is indeed of great value in sense that it gives you once in a life-time opportunity to study how your profession is practised in other country.

Of course, the selection criteria are tough, that you need to study a lot about Rotary as well as about your profession.

I am looking forward to visiting Scotland. I will keep updating my Facebook profile with updates, as and when I can regarding my visit to Scotland.