Rotary Friendship Exchange Trip FROM South Africa

Last Sunday our Rotary friends from East London, South Africa arrived in Houston to reunite with old friends and to make new Rotary friends.  Our visitors include Willie Orsmond, Mark and Noel Meyer.  Special thanks to the RFE Coordinators Irene Hickey (University Area Rotary Cub), Lindsey Kroll (Memorial-Spring-Branch Rotary Club), and Wendy Yates (Brenham Rotary Club) for all communications to plan the trip, details of the itinerary and transportation, home hosting arrangements, and entertainment.  PDG Ed Charlesworth and Robin hosted Willie since they were his guests in South Africa last March. The trip began with a taste of Texas history as they toured the San Jacinto Monument and the Battleship of Texas.  The next day the RFE team were introduced to local politics with a tour of City Hall, the downtown tunnel system and then our Texas Medical Center.  G.V. and Bhuvana Krishnan hosted an Indian dinner with assistance from Julia Maldonado one evening (all three had made the trip to South Africa). Rotarians are interested in service projects so we toured Northwest Assistance Ministries followed by lunch and tastings at Karbach Brewery.  We enjoyed the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo even though it was a rainy evening.  However, some of the most favored moments were simply at home sipping wine or scotch together!  In Brenham our friends toured the Bluebell Ice Cream Factory, Boys & Girls Club, George Bush Library, Large Animal Clinic at Texas A & M University's Vet School and the Miracle Farm.  Hope the rain didn't beat up the bluebonnets so they could take a traditional photo in a field of Texas bluebonnets!  Of course, a tour of NASA is on their itinerary and a quick visit to Galveston.  Thanks for all who shared in this Friendship Exchange which is really a great program for those interested in traveling and building a network of friends all around the world!