BELLEVUE — They came as strangers and they left as friends! The Rotary clubs of RI District 5030 on the Eastside of King County welcomed the GSE Team from Rotary District 4690–Bolivia at a reception for the team and their host families at the Bellevue Hilton, Sunday, May 23, when they returned from a weekend on Hood Canal.



The team includes Paola Abudinen, who works in International Trade Administration; Silvana Aldozosa, who owns a Adventure Tour Business (bicycles); Alejandra Kolbe an Environmental Engineer who is involved in several Community Services Projects and local national Environmental Education initiatives; Vanessa Valles, a Business Administration professional who works for a Mining Company; and the Rotarian Team Leader, Victor Cruces, GSE Chair for District 4690 and a Civil Engineer and Construction Manager. All GSE members are billeted in the homes of Rotarians. Their hosts were Jim and Peggy Price (Bellevue Rotary), Kelly and Gordon Kyle (Redmond Rousers), Nancy and Derick Pasternak (Bellevue Rotary), Paul Prochaska (Redmond Rousers), and Paul and Brenda Dressel (Bellevue Rotary). BBRC member Dr. John Armenia was the Eastside Coordinator. Bellevue Rotary members Judd Lees and Jim Price served as Assistant Coordinator and Supervisor of 5 drivers, respectively. BBRC members who also participated in the hosting were Margie Burnett, Jonathan Koshar, Chris Monger, Jenny Andrews, Steve Waters, and the BBRC Exchange student from Spain, Jon Quinlivan.



This GSE Team of young professional women experienced a "whirlwind tour" in their pursuit of knowledge and understanding of the lifestyles and work of professionals and businesses that match their vocations and occupations. They visited Microsoft, Nintendo, HopeLink, RotaCare, the Bellevue Botanical Gardens, Snoqualmie Falls, Camp Korey, Overlake Hospital, Bellevue College and City University of Seattle, Bellevue's City Hall and Art Museum, and Belle Square and the Kemper Development Company. In addition to FAMILY TIME and a visit to Mt. Rainier, the team attended the Mariner-Tigers baseball game (won by the Mariners), the Sounders-Boca soccer game (won by the Sounders), and went salsa dancing and bicycle riding. It's been a busy time for the team. "I had a blast today at Mt. Rainer!" said Paola Abudinen, "I played a lot with snow, made snow angels, snow fights, took lots of pictures."

Group Study Exchange is a longstanding program of Rotary International. It offers an all-expense paid experience, with home stays with Rotarian host country families, vocational visits, and an opportunity to exchange ideas and customs with counterparts. The exchange is designed to develop professional and leadership skills, and to better prepare participants to address the global needs of their own communities when they return. It's a month-long program in which participants will travel throughout the district, engage in professional exchanges, and tour business and cultural facilities they would never see as a tourist.

A Farewell Party for Team Bolivia is being held on June 4th, at 6:00 PM, at the Best Western Executive Inn, 200 Taylor Ave N in Seattle.