RIBI LINK Weekend

A cottage at St. Fagan's Museum in Cardiff, Wales.
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Rotary requires its scholars to attend an outbound scholar orientation, which I did last week in Sturbridge as well as an inbound scholar orientation. During my first weekend in the UK, the Rotary International in Britain and Ireland (RIBI) hosted an inbound scholar orientation in Cardiff, Wales where over the course of two days, we engaged approximately sixty or seventy other scholars also studying in the UK. It turned out to be a wonderful weekend of making new contacts and learning about Welsh culture (and lodging arrangements for anticipated travels around the area)!

A scholar from Canada, Wynne who is stuyding Human Rights at LSE, my host father Jeff and myself.
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The train ride from Brighton to Cardiff took approximately four hours with one transfer at Reading. Traveling with three other scholars from the University of Sussex, we had no problem finding our way to the waiting Rotarians thanks to their fluorescent reflective jackets. After brief introductions, we piled into a van and were transported to the University of Whales where we met our host families and continued onto their homes.

My host parents could not have been a more hospitable (or healthy!) couple than Pam and Jeff. This is Pam’s third year as a Rotarian and the two of them are going on lifetimes of humanitarian service. Over a very healthy dinner of a free-range chicken casserole, fresh vegetables, pocket potatoes and an Australian merlot, we discussed everything from our respective Presidents’ friendship with each other, their political popularity among voters, and of course, the common point of wonderment for many Europeans: why Americans are so fat. (We discussed this over a lemon meringue pie Pam prepared with organic eggs and lemons).

Wynne, Pam and me before saying good-bye. Pam presented both of us with welsh love spoons, a traditional way of sharing your appreciation with others.
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The level of civic participation Pam has achieved is remarkable. Among a range of activities, she has advised youth community groups, trained to be a Samaritan, a free telephone counseling service, and organized Girl Scout programs in her district. Her decision to become a Rotarian was a natural progression to broaden her humanitarian service record with an international scope.

On Saturday, we were allowed to sleep in (which was much appreciated) before meeting at St. Fagan’s Museum, a fascinating museum that captured over six centuries of Welsh habitations and the socio-economic disparities that characterized a country greatly affected by the industrial revolution. The museum covers several acres of land and features relocated Welsh cottages that form a structural timeline of Wales’ history. Some of the cottages were burning peat, while others used coal, wood or electrical heating. One dwelling displayed the material wealth a steel worker’s family might expect in the 18th century which contrasted greatly from his countryman who might be a farmer (and not much better than a slave, as the guide pointed out) who struggled to clothe and feed his family while managing his small plot of land.

An example of a Welsh love spoon, a popular gift in Wales and a sign of love and good wishes.
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The afternoon proved exhausting because not only were we taking in the social development and progress of an entire nation, but were engaging scholars from countries including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Italy, Germany, South Africa, Belgium, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Portugal and Spain. By the time Pam picked me up, I was ready to taste her homemade welsh cakes, gratefully accept Jeff’s offer of a Tetley Smoothflow and take quick nap before the evening’s reception.

The highlight of the reception was the performance of a spectacular choir. The group of about twenty performed a range of traditional ballads. The melancholy and soulful tunes aptly captured the peaceful and rainy Welsh countryside.

The only aspect of the weekend that I found surprising and a great shift from the Rotary Clubs in the USA was that of the seven Rotary groups in Cardiff, only one accepts women members. Although I was forewarned that many clubs in the UK are male-only, I still found it surprising that women would not be welcomed to join unconditionally. Especially witnessing the crucial role women play in clubs in Hawaii and the northeastern states, it is hard for me to imagine women like my host mother Pam, whose career is defined by her service to her local community, would be biased against on the grounds of gender. All in all, it was a very satisfying weekend and a great opportunity to further explore the UK.