Dear friends and colleagues,

I was asked to write a short overview of the GSE team trip to Thailand. I hope that you find this helpful..

Thank you for allowing me the privilege of representing Rotary on this incredible adventure.

Sincerely,

Len Brass
Aide to the District Governor
Team Leader --GSE Thailand

                                                                                              April, 25, 2004     

It was midnight on March 1, when six tired GSE team members stepped off of the plane in Thailand.  We hoped that some Rotarian would meet us and guide the team to a hotel where we would have the opportunity to sleep.  As we walked out of the baggage area we saw a banner, held by about twenty-five joyful Rotarians and the Thai GSE team to the states.  There were hugs exchanged and smiles.  This was our welcome to Thailand and the enthusiasm, love, and caring never changed as we moved from place to place… host to host...Rotary club to Rotary club.

The temperatures, we found out quickly, would be about 95 f. every day and the humidity would match that.  The team members never complained.  As a matter of fact, no one complained throughout the entire trip about the weather, host families, food, vocational visits, speaking engagements at clubs, or at any other time.  The team took care of itself and not one person suffered so much as a headache or stomach ache during the four weeks.  Each member gave 150 per cent, and I was more than proud to have helped select each of them.  We were warned that tempers could flare, arguments arise, and patience would be tested in the humid weather.  None of this happened.  The three months of training and team building and sharing was our foundation for success.  Our desire to make a difference in the eyes of the Thai people,  and to work on service projects  which would touch lives, were major goals..

Our adventure began with a training day on do’s and don’ts, customs, history and language.. District Governor Saowolak presented our first vocational experience addressing education matters.  We enjoyed many vocational visits and attended and presented at about 20 club meetings. We were taken to see the Aids Clinic and held the hands of people who would die that day, and the team never flinched. 

We realized after our first presentation, that the formal work we’d done would not work.  We shifted to a completely different tact.  Each member shared their Thai language ability and then spoke from the heart about GSE, Thailand, our hopes, and about those things they felt would touch the hearts of our hosts.  Each presentations was warmly received and we gained respect and admiration.  When asked what we wanted to eat, the answer was always, “whatever you’d like to offer us.”  At one meeting, I jokingly said that I was Thai, wanted to join the Bangkok South English speaking club, and would be its president in two years.  This humorous statement was mentioned as was our team reputation doing Karaoke.  The Thai people seemed to love us, and we loved them back.

You need to know that Monica Madrid, Michelle Gayeski, Janelle Weissman, Bo Vongsakoun and Yi-Chun Buckingham represented our clubs, our state and our nation with pride.   They are among the most caring, focused, professional, sensitive, and loving young people that I’ve ever had the fortune to meet.

I’m going to share two quotes, and the first is from my journal.  It reads,”Day 26.. This was a big day.  We said goodbye to our last host families and had our final club visits.  It allowed us to reexamine and to assess.

The joy in the eyes of each team member reflected their pride.  The never wavered, never missed an hour of any trip or meeting.   They gave their all even when they were tired.  They smiled like the Thai.  There are tears in my eyes as I write this.  They are tears of happiness.  I’m overwhelmed with my “children” and honored to have been able to share the experience that is beyond description.  We have surpassed my greatest dreams and expectations in every way possible. 

The last club we visited had the word “Rack” in its name.  That word in English means “love.”  How fitting!

My final quote comes from “Sam.”  His Thai name, like so many, is very long.  He writes, “You all have an open heart(to wholeheartedly embrace our Thai culture, Thai customs, spicy Thai cuisine, the Thai language, our chit chat in your presence) and your patient souls ( our scorching sun, snarling Bangkok traffic, hot temperature and humidity….You are the indeed the dream team from Colorado, USA.  We shall remember you deep and long.  Your GSE team has taken up a special chamber in the hearts of all Thai Rotarians in District 3350, who have encountered you by appointment or by chance.  We will earnestly look forward to your many happy returns to our country and in particular to our homes.”

There is so much more to say.  I would like to share more about the service needs we want to address.  We saw the desperate longing for fresh water, the aids clinic that could provide more but for a lack of funds, the schools that want our used books and the women’s prison that is helping its prisoners gain skills by teaching them massage.  We saw these things and much, much more.

We all look forward to sharing our adventure with you.

Sincerely,

Len Brass

Team Leader