Rotary District 1080 GSE, Bangalore 2010

Thursday, 4 February 2010

Dinner and dancing with Rotary International President's Representatives 04.02.10

Tonight we met Lucy, GSE team leader from Arizona (pictured far left) and her team.

Party at Alder's host in week 1 - Deva's family

All of us and our hosts were invited to Deva's house for a meal - with the invitation to wear indian dress. All of the ladies in each family were good enough to loan saris and selwars (please forgive the spelling) and the evening was a good opportunity for us to talk more with every host and catch up with each other after our first real day in India.

This photo is for Ann and for Nick Corke's home rotary club in Framlingham

Dear All - please forgive this frivolous picture on the blog but I thought it would be worthwhile to show Nick in a whole new light and enjoying very new experiences .... ironing of course!! This was for a party at one of our host houses - next blog will show what we all look like after the ironing (Day 2)

Nicks 1st Vocational Day

I went to the 2010 Stona Exhibition yesterday to learn all about the Indian Granite and stone industry. I met up with one of the American GSE team who was also visiting the Show as one of his Vocational Days. It was fascinating but there were one or two slightly tacky exhibits, one of which was this one and half times, life size model of Michael Jackson on the stand of a company that exports tomb stones

MS Ramaiah Hospital - Hosts Rotary Bangalore Sadashivanagar

Morning of Day 4 (03.02.10) and a very moving and very humbling experience at the Limb Replacement centre based at the hospital which provides free treatment. Two of the senior doctors and managers at the hospital were kind enough to show us round and some of the patients answered questions about their conditions and how the surgery had changed their lives - allowing them to work and regain their social status in society. We were also given cards which we can give to someone who needs treatment - we give them the card, they can choose to go to hospital and have a free operation. Met with Pushpa who works on reception and has benefited from the surgery herself - what an amazing person.

Visit to Vidhan Soudha, Local Govenrment Offices, 02.02.2010

The inscription reads "Govenerment Work is God's Work"

We were honoured to be given a press conference with Mr. Suresh Kumar, Minister for Parlimentary Affairs and Urban Development. We exchanged information about local government, politics and health services and Tracey's question about how long the local elections will be delayed for was quoted in the National newpaper the following day. With a population of 51 million in Karnataka state, the problems facing local government may be on a much larger scale, but it was interesting that values and beliefs such as the provision of quality health for even the poorest od people, are commonly shared between our countries.