GSE Team 7890

Kristin Kalar, Christina Oneglia, Brian Ferguson
Matt Ryan, Jean Atwater-Williams

For those of you that haven't met us yet, we are the Rotary District 7890 Group Study Exchange team that will be traveling to Rotary District 2120 - the regions of Puglia and Basilicata, Italy for the month of May. Jean Atwater-Williams, our team leader, is a long-time member of the Farmington Rotary Club of Connecticut, and owns BizTech Associates, LLC, a technology consulting company. Matt Ryan is a 6th grade teacher who lives in Ellington, and is being sponsored by the Rotary Club of East Windsor, Connecticut. Christina Oneglia works with her family's construction company (O&G, Inc), and is sponsored by the Torrington Rotary Club (Connecticut). Brian Ferguson works as a certified financial planner with Merrill Lynch, and is sponsored by the Simsbury-Granby Rotary Club (Connecticut). And lastly, Kristin Kalar, is a pediatric physical therapist who works at Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and is sponsored by the Avon-Canton Rotary Club. We are really looking forward to this wonderful experience, and will be posting entries along the way for those family, friends, Rotarians and others that are interested!

Kristin, Matt, Jean, Victor Atkins, Sue Atkins (District Governor 7890), Brian, and Christina - at a lovely dinner hosted by Sue and Victor!

Italy team arrives!

What a wonderful weekend! The Italian team from Distretto 2120 arrived on Saturday night. They had a long journey to get here, and delays in New York, but they made it! Team Leader Fabio, and team members Silvio, Elvira, Pina, and Daniela flew in from Bari, Italy. The region they are from, and where our team will be going is Puglia and Basilicata in the South of Italy. Puglia is basically the heel of the boot, and Basilicata is like the arch of the foot. Our team from district 7890 will be leaving on May 1st, and will be there for the month of May.

So, on Saturday we were able to meet and greet the Italian team at the airport. On Sunday night, our entire team had dinner in Litchfield at Robert Rovezzi's house with the Italian team, the Group Study Exchange committee members, Sue and Victor Atkins (District Governor), and the host families for the Italian team - week 1. It was fantastic! The food was delicious, the wine was flowing, there was much laughter, a bit of singing, and some conversing in both Italian and English. Thanks to Robert for being a wonderful host! Attached are a few pictures of the event, one with the incoming and outgoing Group Study Exchange teams. Our team leaders Fabio and Jean are in the front. In the lower picture is Elvira (from GSE Italy), Kristin (outgoing GSE member, from Avon-Canton Club), Janis (GSE Committee member), and Silvio (from GSE Italy)....new friends! What a wonderful experience this will be!

Welcome

Welcome to the new GSE Blog for Rotary District 7890. We are currently preparing to welcome a GSE Team from Italy D2120. The Team arrives at BDL on Saturday, April 14th at 6:38pm. Our District 7890 Team to Italy will be departing from BDL on Tuesday, May 1st at 12:52pm. Keep watching this space for additional information!