Rotary Group Vocation Exchange D9800/D3820

Posted on Jan 24, 2017
 
Amanda Argyros is being sponsored by Hawthorn Rotary in her participation in the forthcoming Group Vocation Exchange between our District 9800 and District D3820.
 
The four person team from D9800 together with leader Michael Lapina are due to visit that area south of Luzor in The Philippines which is the domain of D3820.  This will occur soon in mid February for 4 weeks.
 
The incoming four (plus leader) from D3820 will arrive in Melbourne in anticipation of a parallel stay.  A welcome/bon voyage BBQ for both teams is set for 12 February locally.
 
It was a privilege to hear from Amanda and Michael at our lunch meeting on their plans for the trip and some facts about The Philippines and the projects in that country in which they will study and participate.
 
We were reminded that these Rotary exchanges are "vocational" with the goal to learn, contribute and bring back ideas to the home country.  In fact in D9800 terminology they are the renamed "study" exchanges.
 
 
As a team member Amanda's vocation is titled "Education Administration & Technology".  It's an apt one for a person with proven problem solving skills, especially in web based and like matters, plus 10 years past experience at Camberwell Grammar School and current roles with the Skin & Cancer Foundation developing web based medical software.  The three other team members are an audiologist, an educator and performance coach.
 
Michael Lapina the team leader with an intrinsic Philippines background followed on with a detailed review of that country.
 
There were facts such a +120 Million people, with Manila alone more than 20 Million.  About half speak English and 90% are Christian.  These are all crammed into an extensive archipelago but overall limited in space by our standards.  This sets the scene for extremes of social well being.  Positives included massive modern shopping malls, beautiful tropical resorts and wonderful food ranges but offset by stories of extreme poverty and difficult living.
 
The team particularly planned to visit an ocean rehab project (a massive underwater Rotary wheel has been constructed to stimulate reef life), explore projects providing free prosthesis to many limbless and efforts to distribute food and material in the aftermath of Typhoon Nina.
 
On a personal note we learnt of Michael's very wide past involvement as a Rotarian over many programs in Melbourne, and his present career as an operatic principle with leading Australian opera companies.