Saturday morning I dropped, Lidia, Cornel, Galina, Sergiu, Nicolae, and Octavian off at the airport; it was full of hugs, watery eyes, and gratitude. This was a special group of people, They started off as nervous strangers and ended up as comfortable friends. We are one of the smallest communities to host an Open World delegation, the feedback we received from the interpreter and the facilitator was that the hospitality and camaraderie was through the roof. When they have been in larger, more metropolitan cities, it has felt sterile and stuffy.

 

Our Club is capable of big things. Our Club is capable of doing this again. Our Club will be doing this again. This experience has been wonderful for our Club and our Community. By Monday afternoon, word had spread throughout Waseca that our friends were here. I was receiving calls, text messages, and emails from people and businesses wanting the Moldovans to visit them. Everyone wanted to be part of the excitement. I wish I could have accommodated everyone's requests. 

 

Thank you to our host families, Eric and Leah Work and Amy and Matt Potter. It is quite unusual to have three delegates stay in one home, but it made for a real family atmosphere for the delegates. Bill Hoversten was beyond valuable in being my partner in picking the Moldovans up at the airport, I could not have done it without him. Thank you to all the Rotarians who invested their time in taking the crew out to eat or on excursions; especially, Jillene Gallatin, Molly Byron, Lisa Wiblin, Bruce Boyce, Kristie Biehn, Sarah Berry, Penny Vought, Jon Stagman, Bill Hoversten, and Rick Morris (please forgive me if I missed anyone). 

 

 

If you have any question about the impact of this initiative, please talk to Eric Worke or Amy Potter. They both were very nervous to be host families, but I know it was difficult for them to see their "kids" go at the end of the week. Our little Waseca Club has had a global impact. 

 

Happy Holidays,

Ann