Pete’s Diary

Sunday 16th November

Today we arrived home, so this will be the last blog entry for the trip. (Don’t worry Geri I’ll still put in an entry when we do a GSE-based activity!)

On the one hand I’m glad to be home as I have missed my family. On the other, I have lived the life of a celebrity for a few weeks now and have become used to flashing camera’s, a microphone in my hand and a willing audience. How dull life in Wolverhampton is going to be! It’s straight back to the grindstone tomorrow as I’m due in work.

I really have enjoyed this whole experience. I can’t say enough about my appreciation of what District 5690 has done for me, or my gratitude to Rotary and the Foundation for giving me this experience. I’m moving Districts so I can do it all again!

Friday 14th November

What a day this last one has been. We began with a look around the Youthville operation. It’s a considerable company that essentially acts as a Social Services department for the city of Wichita. They employ a range of social workers to work with young people, specifically those in care or at risk of going into care. It’s a fantastic company, and very forward-thinking. We were shown a new treatment centre they are working on which will utilise brand new techniques for counselling and psychological assessment. If I was a kid going into care, I’d want to be doing it in Wichita!

Our final presentation, at lunchtime, was to the Rotary Club of Derby, (in Blighty we’d pronounce this Darby). They seem quite a small club, though again fairly young. The presentation went really well and Mr C was on fine form. I think we were all very relaxed and that came across. We certainly had a good laugh doing it, or at least I did. The club were pleased with the presentation and many were keen to talk to us afterwards.

Following a rest break we headed for The Anchor in downtown Wichita for our leaving do. All of us were expecting a few people, but nowhere near the numbers we eventually had. People had come from Ulysses, Pratt, Hutch, Newton and all over Wichita. It was so nice to see all of our good friends – including Donna and farmer Mike! I’ll admit I felt quite emotional when it came time for everyone to leave – even though I was still crying from the Tequila slammer we ’slammed’…well done Malcolm for taking part! – as we had formed so many friendships while here. It was very sad to have to say goodbye to those we’d come to know so well. Thanks to all those who attended, though ‘thanks’ is far from sufficient. I’ll certainly miss all of you very much, though I am determined to return if only to see things I haven’t already seen.

It’s hard to leave such a welcoming and friendly place. I really have enjoyed my time here and the whole experience. I’ve learnt so much and met so many people I wouldn;t ordinarily have met. The whole GSE programme, though not life changing, has been life-affirming and shown me just what can be achieved.

I’m going home with a new skillset, a few more values and a whole different outlook on the direction I want my life to take.

Thursday 13th November

As our final day looms, I’m starting to think about all the things we’ve done, what I want to achieve when I get home, and what I’m going to say at my Welcome Home speech – you better be ready for me in Penkridge!

Today was a vocational day with a starting session at Wesley Medical Centre here in Wichita. They were kind enough to give us a very comprehensive tour of their Birthcare and Neo-natal units. It’s always hard for me to see newborn babies who are struggling to survive, so I did find the ICU quite tough. It was a very impressive building however, with plenty of manpower and resources. We were also able to see their Emergency Ward, and meet with some of the senior staff. The highlight of the visit for me was to see Annica being interviewed by a local TV station, KAKE 10. She was bright red, but performed like a champion – well done Annica. If her parents are reading this, (I don’t know why they would be, but…), she did you proud. Look out Jeremy Kyle, her comes Doc Goddard!

Our second presentation was to a really nice, and again relatively young group, Andover. It was a much smaller group this time and they really seemed to respond to our presentation. We met with the Mayor of Andover and were given some really nice gifts. I’m still amazed that so many people have been so good to us. I think I’ve doubled my baggage in gifts alone!

After the presentation we headed in different directions. I went to Allison Junior High to hear a speaker on depression and suicide amongst teenagers. It was a interesting speech, if a little medical in emphasis. There were a few things for me to take away, including a checklist on how to identify genuine suicidal tendancies and depression, with guidelines on what questions to ask and which to avoid.

Following this I was met by my host and taken to Wichita Children’s Home. Now there is an institution to be proud of; It is huge, and well staffed. My host and I were given a guided tour by the Development Director Janet Pack. We met many of the staff, who work shifts so the home is constantly manned, and spoke with some of the young residents. It was fascinating for me as it’s something I simply don’t see in my job. It is something I could do with seeing however, as I think it’s a very useful resource for any community. The support they provide, and the length of time they provide it for, is unheard of anywhere else. They even have young people being referred from surrounding areas because they are so effective in supporting their client group. As with similar institutions at home though, they have been hit by funding cutbacks from Federal government, impacting particularly on their Outreach service. It’s amazing how similar both countries are in that respect!

After such a long and arduous day, I was glad to get back to my hosts who took me for pizza. As with everything we’ve eaten, it was really good – it even came with salad! Desert was a little more shopping – mainly to return things bought earlier in the week, then home.

It’s sad, and difficult to believe, that tomorrow is the last in our 4 week tour of Kansas and Oklahoma. It has been an amazing experience. The challenge will now be to try and replicate the experience at home. I’ve already decided where and when I’ll travel next, and what I’m going to do for my next Rotary expedition!

Last day tomorrow – prepare for a ’slushy’ blog entry, (I have lot’s of people to thank!).

Wednesday 12th November

First full day back in Wichita and it is good to be here. This is a very relaxed city, with wide open spaces, an excellent road system and free parking everywhere.

Today began with a meeting at the Greater Wichita Economic Development Council. We were shown an excellent film detailing Wichita’s historical heritage. Debra Truefel gave us an insight into the Wichita economy and the most successful clusters they have at the moment. There was a particular emphasis on aircraft and medical sectors. It was interesting to hear of the low unemployment rate and very reasonable cost of living for this area. Considering all of the amenities and the high standard of the city, it’s very cheap to live here – certainly compared to back home.

After our meeting, we headed for Wichita Country Club and our first of three presentations to clubs based in the city. Today was for East Wichita, a large club with a relatively young membership. The meal was pretty good and I think our presentation went well. We were able to meet some really nice people and even had a Congressman in our midst to hear us speak! Next stop…the US Senate!

Our afternoon session was superb. We were given a guided tour of the Cessna production plant, or at least a small part of it. The factory is huge, and churns out around 500-600 planes per year. Our guide, John Gabor, was very knowledgable and allowed us to see a range of planes being produced. To conclude the tour we had a look at the showroom. This was a fantastic place with a range of aircraft which we could play in, sorry I mean look at! I’ve put in an order for three Cessna Mustang’s – four seemed greedy. I’ll be letting District 1210 pay for this beacuse I’m that sort of guy! We’ll need for them for all the luggage we’ve picked up over here.

To finish the day I ate dinner with my hosts and some guests, Paul and Jan Longhoffer. It was a great evening and I’m really enjoying meeting new people and sharing experiences. I hope the rest of our week is as packed as today has been. Thanks to everyone who helped set up and keep today running, particularly our drivers! Good job everyone.

Tuesday 11th November – Veteran’s Day

Today see’s a National Holiday, Veteran’s Day. As part of the celebrations here in Winfield, Rotary places American flags in the front gardens of all it’s subscribers. Driving round town it makes for quite a sight and underlines how patriotic they are here. We should be equally proud of the UK, but we dont seem to celebrate with the same overt patriotism.

This morning we were surprised by Jim Snyder’s motorhome, with Jim as our driver, taking us to the Cherokee Strip Museum in Arkansas City. The museum tells the story of the Indians who were removed from their land by the US government, whose land was then made available to ‘US Citizens’, who could grab what they wanted. If anyone has seen Far and Away, one of the final scenes with the race for land is how the Cherokee Land race looked. It was quite horrifying to read of how the government set up boarding schools for Cherokee children to try and ‘educate out’ their native traditions and beliefs. There is a silver lining, however, as the Cherokee were eventually given some land in Oklahoma which turned out to be rich in oil and natural gas, to which they owned the mineral rights! I’m told that even now, one good oil donkey can bring up to $100,000 a year in income!

After lunch at The Ridge – an incredible Hickory Chicken burger with homemade Coleslaw and the remains of Amy’s onion rings! – we left our most recent hosts, in my case Alan and Dordi Hermann, heading for Wichita and our good friend Steve Woods. Though we were all very sad to leave, many of us have a strong intention to return, just as soon as we can get Rotary to pay us to host a GSE Alumni meeting in Kansas!

Arrival in Wichita was very pleasant as it’s an area we’ve come to know and love over the past 3 weeks. Steve was his usual jovial and supportive self, giving us time to relax and discuss our perceptions of the GSE programme over a cup of builder’s tea. Our new host families then picked us up and we were off again. On this, the final ocassion, I’m staying with Don and Rogena Allison. Don picked me up at Steve’s and after a tour of the Eastborough area of the city, we went to the M.I.F Delhi for dinner. Don is a regular here and knows the Lebanese owner Ali. The meat pie was fantastic and just what I needed to finish the day off.

Just when I was thinking of winding down, I remembered that Delia wanted to go shopping, so Don and I kindly agreed to accompany her! We returned to one of our earlier haunts, Towne East, and accompanied by my host and D’s, we had a small spree. I’ll almost certainly be going again tomorrow with the rest of my crew so any orders must be submitted by 9 am tomorrow morning!

So, I’ve come to the end of one of my final days here and I’m starting to realise I go home on Saturday. I’ll be glad to see my family and friends again as I have missed them. Though I’ll also be sad to be leaving so many of my new friends and families behind. I’ll say more on this towards the end of the week but for now I want to say to all Rotarians and non-Rotarians; If you have not already done so, get involved with the GSE programme – it is the chance of a lifetime and an experience you will not forget. If you’re as fortunate as me, you’ll get to spend four weeks with amazing people and four very special women…and Malcolm!

Monday 10th November

Today was vocational with a morning meeting at Winfield High School, where I was met by Diane and Debbie, Counsellor and Social Worker to the 700 students at Winfield High. It was great to meet with them and I learnt a great deal about the Social Care system in the USA. I was also able to learn of the support available in the community for homeless teenagers. The most significant difference between Blighty and the US is that here, the state is responsible for teenagers up until they are 18, then Adult Services takes over – thus, there is no gap in service provision. What’s also interesting is that each school has a qualified Counsellor to deal with the more sensitive issues. Though we have this in most FE colleges, I think we need it in schools also. In terms of their support for students, Kansas provides a wide range of community-based schemes, such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters – a mentoring service where the student can self-refer. Although they are lacking the range of alternative accommodations we have at home, by taking responsibility for young people right up until 18, the US system eliminates the need for such a range of housing. Why have we in the UK not caught onto this yet?

Following on from this meeting, I had a tour of Winfield from Rotary Club President Bob Bourdette. We had chance to look at housing of all kinds, the College and it’s amenities, and the way in which the downtown area has been rejuvenated by local funds, then hit hard by the Wal-Mart that has opened on the outskirts of town. I think we are experiencing a similar problem at home with the diversification of Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s. This is a real problem here and has seen small businesses, and subsequently small towns, completely shut down. It would appear that unless a town has access to an Interstate Highway, (in Winfield’s case it’s I35), it will struggle to stay alive.

Lunch followed, and what a lunch…again! Pizza at Gambino’s. As we pulled up to the restaurant, it looked like something you’d see in The Soprano’s! For $5, around 3 quid, we had all we could eat – and we could eat! I’m not going to point to anyone in particular, (you all know who I mean), but some of our team ate a considerable amount of pizza – possibly even their own weight in pizza. It was good stuff, so if you’re ever in Winfield, check out Gambino’s.

After a quick kip it was back into the breach with a full-on presentation to Winfield Club and friends. The club normally meet on a Wednesday but, especially for us, they had arranged an evening session for tonight. It was well attended with over 70 people, some of them our old friends from Wichita. It was really good to see everyone together again, and not what we expected, so I think it gave us a boost before the performance. For once, the IT went well, although we had no amp for the animation so it was very quiet. Malcolm, once again, was superb and stirred up the crowd. That guy really is funny, and a great team leader. My girls performed well and no-one in the audience appeared to be sleeping! In all honesty, I wasn’t that happy with my performance today as I felt I lacked my usual enthusiasm. Must be getting tired!

An early night for me I think. My hosts here have been superb and I’m still stunned by the cost of some of the homes here. You can’t buy a garage at home for the price of a 2 bed home, with an enormous garden. It still makes my mind boggle!

Sunday 9th November

I woke to a cold but clear morning and realised how similar the landscape is here to home, particularly this part of the state. After a slow and leisurely morning, walking with Delia and chatting with Annica and Amy, we all sat down to brunch around half one.

As with everything we’ve eaten here, brunch was good! Swedish pancakes, ham and scrambled egg. I know I shouldn’t have done, but I took some maple syrup with it! A tremendous breakfast, and a great way to finish our stay at the Bluestem B&B, or at least I thought it was. At the end of the meal, the host Ken asked if I wanted to go shooting. Now I’m not usually a fan of shooting, but it’s not something I’ve tried before so, sticking with my theme of trying something new every day, I agreed. Ken is a former Marine and very experienced with weapons. He was a great trainer and after some work with a .22 Luger and a .45 Colt, I was within the black circle of a shooting target. It was a very enjoyable morning and early afternoon. The Bluestem was a great place to stay and I would highly recommend it!

Our hosts picked us up and I was taken to the home of Alan and Dordi Herrman, in Winfield. Alan is a realtor and on our way home, he showed me an open house he was having on a property he’s trying to sell. The house was a two-bed, single storey dwelling with a large yard, going for (you’re not going to believe this), $69,000!!!! I’m moving here, no question. Apparently, there are lots of houses here for that sort of price. Can you believe that?

The evening was spent at the home of Jim and Laurie Snyder. They own a massive piece of property as Jim is semi-retired from the oil business. Talking to him was very interesting as he has met quite a few people in his lifetime. The food and company were fantastic and it was nice to meet some of the Rotarians from Winfield. We discussed tomorrow’s presentation and I think everyone is going to be really impressed.

It was good fun today and Winfield is a really nice place – much more like home than anywhere else we’ve seen so far.

Saturday 8th November

Today we travelled from Pratt to Winfield, via Harper. We met some of our hosts in Harper, who kindly transported us to a Mexican restuarant in Winfield, where we ate the best Mexican yet – if you get the chance, go to Neive’s in Winfield – food from the Gods! Then onto the Bluestem Bed and Breakfast.

This place is heaven on earth. It’s so quiet and peaceful, it’s the perfect place to sit back and reflect on our journey so far. We also have time to look at some pictures and make sure our journals are up to date. For example - I sat on the veranda for a few hours today, as the sun was setting, to see a small herd of deer cross the field in front of the house and make their way to the front lawn. I sat about 10 feet away from a large female deer!

That’s it for today. I’m sitting in the front room of the B&B waiting for dinner, listening to my crew chatting about dogs. Had someone asked me a few months ago if I thought the trip would be this good, i would have looked pensive and said, “We’ll see”. I know our final week will be the culmination of this trip, with any final questions answered and presentations mastered. Bring it on!

Friday 7th November

After yesterday’s success, today had a lot to live up to. It started with a few hours vocational development. I had an appointment with Mike Garratt from Horizon Mental Health Centre. He has recently been promoted and will soon be leaving Pratt for Hutchinson, so I was lucky to get some time with him. We chatted for three hours about a whole range of things, from the system of government in America to how mental health is administered in the UK as compared to the states. It seems to me, an outsider remember, that the system of govenment in the US is quite complicated, but does work. It was also interesting to me that young people here in America are having the same problems as young people back home. From depression to problems at home, young people all over the two continents seem to be going through the same things. It was also interesting to hear from Mike that funding is delivered to mental health services in roughly the same way. Thanks Mike for spending some time with me – I really appreciate it and found it very informative.

After lunch at Woody’s Bar & Grill, I sped off with my host Donna to a farm in Edwards county. This farm of 5600 acres belongs to Mike Hermann, who has farmed here all his life. He allowed me to ride with him on his combine harvester and cut some of his crop. Due to recent adverse weather conditions, he is late in collecting some of his crop and is eager to get it in before the weather changes at the start of next week. After driving a $95000 combine, and harvesting six acres, I felt like a real farmer! Even though I nearly turned the combine over going through a badger den ather than around it! Sorry about that Mike, I know you only have one heart! Thanks for taking some time to show me how it all works and chatting with me – it was the highlight of my time spent in Pratt.

The evening meal was at Amy’s hosts, Phil and Joan. Although I arrived late, I still managed to get something to eat and enjoyed chatting with Amy and her hosts. We even met some new exchange students, Elvis and Boris. It was a good evening – thanks Phil and Joan.

Thursday 6th November

Today we were given a real treat – a guided tour around the Z-Bar ranch. This is spread over 45000 acres and is owned by Ted Turner, owner of CNN and the number one private landowner in America, (Mr Turner owns over 2 million acres across the country). This was an awesome morning. We saw Buffalo, looked at the system they use to seperate calves and examine the animals, and had a tour of the prarie dog farms they have installed. Z-Bar is also trying to settle a pair of golden eagles, though we were not able to see them on the day. The ranch, the tour and our guides were superb. It was a fantastic day and I scored some superb pictures.

Lunch was at Dave’s Pizza Oven in Coldwater. It was a good buffet, proven by Annica’s four plates! Mind you, I was a close rival with three. We then headed back to Pratt, so by half three I was asleep at my hosts home. The rest of the evening was spent preparing for our evening presentation. Pratt club had invited some guests and altered the normal meeting time to the evening to allow for our presentation. I hope we met your expectations folks! The presentation, I think, went really well and the feedback was very good. This was closely followed by some work on the Great British Pub Quiz. It is always amusing to me to hear people really getting into the quiz, saying “Yes” when they answer a question correctly.

Overall, it was a really good day. I enjoyed meeting everyone and seeing some of the sites in the area. If I have the chance, I will return to Pratt to see everyone again.

Wednesday 5th November – “Remember, remember…”

Today has been an awesome day. We started with a trip down the salt mine in Hutch. 650 feet down, then a guided tour and a walk around the exhibits. As one of the largest salt mines in the country, this one uses any spare space it has, once the mining is complete, to store documents and items of significance. In particular, Hollywood movie studies store film and costumes, such as the original Wizard of Oz film reel, the Batman and Superman costumes and much more. It was incredible to see the amount of space they had carved out down there, and to think of the work that went into mining the salt reserves.

Lunch was at the Amish restaurant on the outskirts of the town. The food was unreal, possibly the best we’ve eaten yet. Fried Okra and green beans, chicken-fried steak and corn, banana/cherry/sour cream and raisin/coconut cream/tollhouse pie, (we each ordered one and shared!). Check Annica’s blog for more on the food! With a quick look at some of the Amish craft stores, we headed off for Pratt.

Arriving later than expected, we were met by all our hosts and given some gifts, already! Each team member was then taken by their new host and given time to settle in. I’m staying with Donna Meier Pfeifer, the GSE Coordinator for this club. She works for the Red Cross and, as with all the Rotarians we’ve met, has been very kind, friendly and helpful. I feel like I know her really well already.

To finish the day we ate at Jack and Janet Black’s. They had put on a beautiful meal for us and all our hosts, to give us chance to get to know one another. It was a great opportunity to meet new people and I certainly enjoyed it. This group seem really relaxed and easy going – they even joined in when the girls started winding me up! It seems as if we’ve landed on our feet, again…

Tomorrow see’s an early start so I can eat breakfast at the Cattle market – I hope it’s nicer than it sounds! Then onto Z Ranch to see an enormous herd of buffalo, pizza for lunch, then an environmentally friendly house before back to our hosts. Tomorrow evening it’s our presentation to the club and they’ve altered the time of the meeting to give us as much time as possible to speak! They don’t know what they’ve let themselves in for…

Tuesday 4th November – ELECTION DAY!!

Apologies again for not updating – I’m really falling behind in all this!

We arrived in Hutch on Sunday night and spent the evening getting to know our new host families. Myself and Delia are staying with Ed Maschler, on the outskirts of the town. We get on quite well and he’s a jolly good bloke! I have to say though, I travelled here with Amy and Hayley, in the car of John Deerdoff. Amy and Hayley spent the entire drive, nearly an hour, telling John all the nicknames they have for me! Thanks girls. John thought it was very funny and even encouraged them to continue working on new ones! Thanks John!

On Monday we began with a tour of the Promise Regional Medical Centre, of particular relevance to Annica. It was a very impressive facility, with a range of equipment and staff we don’t usually see in the UK. They had some extensive plans to expand the facility and the demand for their services. Staff from the hospital then took us to the Convention Centre for the Rotary meeting. It was a large group – maybe one of the largest so far, and I think there was a problem with the microphone feed so not everyone heard us. Most of the people present however said how pleased they were to have us there and how impressive the presentation had been. One gentleman kindly informed me we were the best GSE team he had ever seen, with the best presentation. I can never hear too much of that sort of praise! The club were friendly and considerate, keen to meet and chat with us.

After the presentation we had a real treat. Hutchinson is host to one of the best space museums in the world, with a larger range of space artefacts than you will see in any public museum. We were given a guided tour by the Museum Director, Chris Orwell. The museum houses a Blackbird spy plane, full size replica of the Discovery craft, T-38 jet and…several actual pieces of kit that have been to the moon! I held, in my own Wolverhampton hands, the hatch to Apollo 13!!!!!! Can you believe it? After a tour of the Museum and a look at Dr Goddard’s Science lab, Chris showed us into the archives. Only arund 7% of the Museum’s collection is on display at any one time. We saw artefacts from the Liberty Bell 7, including money and a medical kit retrieved from the capsule when it was pulled from the ocean! I touched space suits that Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and others had trained in. We saw gloves, glove molds, watches, switches and helmets from a range of space programmes! It was amazing, history in the flesh and not something you see every day. I’ve been told off by the girls for making some really ’slushy’ (their words not mine!) statements, but how can I not thank Chris for organising this for us?! He did mention that the museum run an Astronaut training programme for kids up to 18, where they actually follow a programme similar to that used by Astronauts, using the same machines and exact replica’s of space modules, command centres and aircraft cockpits. The people who created these pieces of kit and software are ex-mission control staff! I intend to plan a project involving young people, and introducing them to Rotary, utilising this museum. CHRIS, I’LL BE IN TOUCH. To finsh, Chris gave us all a box of tricks full of information and gifts. The one that made the biggest impression on me was a signed picture from Charlie Duke, who is the youngest man to have walked on the moon as part of the Apollo 16 mission. It really was an amazing experience.

More was to come: In the evening I had dinner with Ed, his three lovely children, (hi to Katy, Jenni and Lindsey) and one of his close friends, Bryan. It was a really good evening with much laughter, food and a few drinks. It was nice to sit with a family and eat, even if Jenni photographed everything!

What of today, Tuesday 4th November? Well, we are all very excited to be here on the day of what is going to be a historic election, no matter what the outcome! I haven’t mentioned it so far in the blog as I’m not a political animal, but we have discussed it with some of our hosts.

Before I get onto that however, I spent the morning with the Big Brothers, Big Sisters programme in Hutch. This is an international charity which operates a mentoring/buddy scheme for children. Suitable kids are matched with a suitable older person, who really does become their big brother/sister. As an older brother myself, I think this is an excellent concept and one we should all embrace. I was lucky enough to meet with Tommi, the Marketing manager, Lynette, the Executive Director and Andrea, one of the Casework managers. After a chat with Tommi and Lynette on the charity’s mission and core target group, Andrea took me to see a match-up being made between a ‘big’ and ‘little’. I cannot go on enough about how much of a worthy cause this is. I have yet to see a Big Brother, Big Sister project in the UK – I’m sure they are there I’ve just never seen one.  At the risk of sounding ’slushy’, I do want to say thanks to Lynette, Tommi and Andrea for showing me aroud today, (and Rachel of course) for devoting so much time to me and for being so nice! DONATE TO THIS CHARITY!!

After lunch at Carl’s – a fantastic sandwich on marble rye, (I’ll buy some when I get home!), we went for a tour of the sports facilities and to meet some teenagers at a youth club-type centre. The sports arena was huge, with gym, physio and training facilities for students at the college. It is incredible to think that a student who has some physical ability, can come to college in the US for free on a sports scholarship and receive all the training, physio and support he/she may need. We met a female footballer who has recently been injured, receiving physiotherapy for her knee. We were told she is good enough to be recruited by a larger University for a four year course, which she will pay for with a football scholarship, even though she will not be a professional when she leaves! This is how sport and physical fitness are embedded in the American system. It is no wonder that this country can produce a huge number of international athletes when they have so much support available. When will the UK catch on to this?

With a quick visit to the local polling station, where they appear to be several years ahead of us in terms of electoral technology, we went for some frozen custard. It was pretty good, though I’m not sure it compares to Dairy Queen Blizzards! I’ll need a few more tests before I can come to a conclusive decision. It was then back to the teen club to meet the young people. Sadly, I think youth clubs in the UK are not as prominent as they once were, but should be rekindled. Seeing this project at work here gave me some ideas to take home and look into. I think we could operate a similar venture…

This evening we eat with Ed and his partner, before going onto the Democratic HQ in Hutch to watch the results come in. I’m really looking forward to this as I think it’s going to give us a real insight into election fever over here. I think the whole team’s excited about it, so it should be a good party – win or lose!

Sunday 2nd November

Wow…what a few days! On Friday we spent over 6 hours travelling from Boise City to Wichita for the District Conference. It still amazes me, two weeks in, that we can travel for 6 hours and only cross one state line. So, here’s the update:

Friday night we went to Steve Woods house for a Haloween get-together. A few blocks down from Steve’s place, the streets are closed off every Haloween and the houses are dressed. We had a walk down these streets and saw queue’s of people waiting to get to the front door of a house, just to collect some sweets! I mean, thousands of people, all in costume, with some real effort spent on the houses. It was quite a sight. The girls took some photo’s so keep an eye on the photo gallery for that. THANKS KITCHEL AND STEVE FOR LOOKING AFTER US, IT WAS A GOOD NIGHT.

Saturday morning was spent at the conference. Carrying a flag for Mike Barnes, (incoming District Governor), was quite an experience. We also delivered our masterful Great British Pub Quiz, with Quizmaster Small. I think I’m starting to enjoy having an audience and a microphone! The quiz went down really well and the crowd were getting into it. Overall, Rotarians in the US know a little about the UK, but there’s always room for improvement! The team went out for lunch to relax and chat. This was really good fun and helped us all unwind. Saturday afternoon was a free few hours and we all spent it in our own way. Delia and I went shopping with the Youth Exchange students and Carey Binney. Levi’s for $30!! Email me with your orders! The rest of the crew relaxed with a walk and television. We met again in the eveing for the Cowtown entertainment.

I must admit, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to this as I thought there would be some dancing involved. Now it’s not that I can’t dance, but the world is simply not ready for my dancing talents just yet. It wouldn’t be fair on the girls. However, when we arrived at Cowtown, decked out in our full Sheplers cowboy/cowgirl gear, we were surprised. A nice meal of BBQ brisket, potato salad and beans, with a few drinks, was followed by apple pie. Superb! Then came the really fun bit – we were entertained by one of the greatest live bands I have ever seen. If you live in the UK, or in the US, you must make every effort to see a group called the Diamond Wranglers. They are true musicians and were fantastic. Toe-tapping cowboy music, in the traditional style. We also had quite a surprise in that we were all called up to the stage and awarded a Sheriff’s badge, made honorary Sheriff’s of Cowtown. The band were fantastic and we all really enjoyed it. The night finished with a few drinks in Oldtown, THANKS ROB, ERICA AND CAREY FOR ESCORTING US. By the way, Rob has got rhythm – the boy can dance!

So, onto today and it’s the big day. We had our presentation at 3 and it seemed to go down quite well, though we were way over on our time allowance. The IT worked well and I made a remark about how nice it’s been to travel with the girls, and how supportive they are as a group. I know they were waiting for the punchline but it was a genuine comment. Following on from this we met a few more people and ‘pressed some flesh’! Sorry to Steve J who was waiting to speak with us – we keep missing each other Steve and we are gutted we didn’t get to chat. We’ll email you and see you again soon though, for sure!

After a brief chat with Dave Yoder, we returned to the evening banquet and listened to the RI Representative tell us the story of Paul Harris. This was very interesting, and well presented, leaving us with a clearer picture of Mr Harris and the reasons for the foundation of Rotary Club. Then it was off to Hutchinson, or ‘Hutch’ as we now call it.

It was sad to say goodbye to some of our new friends. They have been so good to us all over the district, it’s a shame we don;t have more time to spend with each of them. I think some of us will be returning, however, so don’t worry everyone, you will have the pleasure of my company again!

Thursday 30th October

As you might expect, today was a great day, again! We started with breakfast burrito’s – I had 2 but don’t tell the girls that. Americans love their breakfasts, and I have to say I’m converted! The whole team has been able to have breakfast together while we’ve been in Boise City, which has been really nice – THANKS TERRI AND HELEN. I think being here with these lovely people, and the relaxed schedule they’ve put us on has really helped the group bond together, as if we needed it! The girls have come into their own over the last few days and are now giving as good as they get. I’m not finished yet though!

So, today has seen us travel to Black Mesa, one of the most stunning landscapes I’ve seen here. In a country we thought was flat, it was so refreshing and heart warming to see some monster hills. On the way there we stopped at the Texas border for photo’s, then on to Autograph rock. As a historian, that was a fascinating place. As migrants have travelled over the plains, exploring, trading and working, they stopped to carve their names into this rock. Cimarron county was quite a volatile place, with regular encounters with bandits, soldiers and Indians. This led to a lot of deaths in the area, so bodies were buried in unmarked graves, with Autograph rock acting as a memorial. THANKS TO DAN SHARPE AND HIS WIFE FOR LETTING US ONTO THEIR LAND, AND ACTING AS TOUR GUIDES. It was quite surreal to stand there and think of all the people who had died in that place before us, and how little it had changed since the first time man set eyes on it. It made me realise what a frontier this place was, until relatively recently, (speaking in terms of British history of course!).

After Autograph rock, we stopped at a little piece of heaven. Vicky’s B&B in Black Mesa is paradise. (Check out www.bmbb1.com). This lady is a master chef in disguise – as a fan of home cooking I was especially pleased to have some really good stew, cornbread and green tomato pie for dessert. That’s right, tomato pie for dessert; it was a cross between apple pie and gooseberry pie, but really, really, really tasty. Vicky was so kind and friendly, showing us around the house and telling us a little about herself. THANKS VICKY – WE WILL BE BACK FOR THE GSE ALUMNI CONFERENCE (THAT WE STILL HAVE TO ORGANISE) IN A FEW YEARS!

Following on from Vicky’s, we went to see the preserved dinosaur tracks that form part of the Black Mesa park. We also had a look at a camping ground which has a wooden bench made by the hands of the next District Governor, Mike ?. Then we spent some time at the 3 state marker. This means that I can say I have been to New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas on this trip. Not forgetting Illinois for the change-over!

Dinner tonight was at Terri’s house – homemade hamburgers and hot dogs. It was so nice to sit back and relax with all our new friends, Stan Minsky, Judge Kincannon, Dale Harper, Terri and Jimmy, Mike and Helen, John and Anita. (pologies to anyone I haven’t mentioned but I’m starting to struggle with names). As with everywhere else we’ve been, people here have been so much fun, so friendly and welcoming. I’m going to miss the openness and hospitality of Oklahoma’s residents.

While I’m at it; Massive thanks should go to Helen and Terri for putting up with us over the last few days, and organising a relaxed yet informative programme. You will always be welcome in my home guys! Also, Jimmy, I’m coming back to beat you at snooker, if it takes me the next 10 years!

Thanks to everyone. I’m looking forward to seeing you all again in Wichita over the weekend, and to meeting the remaining clubs and hosts. Halfway through and I feel like I’ve been here forever!

Wednesday 29th October

Yet again, a superb day. I’m going to have to find some new superlatives. Today the team have had a really nice, relaxed day. We began with a visit to the courthouse, where Judge Kincannon allowed us to sit in on a few of his hearings. THANKS JUDGE!It was interesting for me to see the real American judicial system, as opposed to the version I see on TV or read about in John Grisham novels. We then went to a beef jerky factory, where the owners talked us through the process of cutting and drying the beef. We then got to try the finished product, which I thought was good. So good in fact I bought some! And yes mother, it has no sugar in it so it won’t affect my diabetes!

After our lunchtime presentation to Boise City Club, which went really well – THANKS GUY’S FOR A WARM RECEPTION; THANKS TO ROD O’HARA WHO BROUGHT ME SOME ‘GOODIES’ AND JOINED THE GIRLS CAMPAIGN AGAINST ME!- we headed off for some vocational time. I was able to visit the High school and meet with the Superintendent Dan Faulkner. We talked about the education system in the US and how schools are managed. After a short chat on problems US students are currently facing, we went for a tour of the school. As with the other schools I visited, this one had a woodshop, garage and welding workshop! Schools back home would kill for these facilities. Big thank you to Mr Faulkner for his help and time today – I know you’re a busy man and I appreciate it.The team then reconvened at the museum, where we had a look at some artefacts the previous residents had collected. A lot of work had obviously gone into the museum and its collections were really good.

We finished the day with, surprise surprise, some more shopping! Closely followed, of course, with a visit to Dairy Queen for ice cream. Another first for me, and it tasted fantastic! It was nice to sit and relax with the team, without having to worry about anything. A nice meal at Terri’s followed, which was well attended by Boise rotarians.

Another great day…it’s going to be hard to go home at this rate!

Tuesday 28th October

Busy day, again! First thing this morning, yours truly made the local radio station, KULY. Jerry kindly invited me along to take part in his interview – THANKS JERRY! The interview was a blast, and another first for me! Thanks also to Bob Dale for his excellent interview skills. We spent the morning having a look at Sullivan Elementary school, where we were given the guided tour by a very friendly and polite group of 5th graders. These kids were superb. They were articulate, pleasant and polite – well done to their parents and teachers, and to the kids themselves. I especially enjoyed playing with their interactive white board, though my team did not manage to get every question correct. Big thanks to Bryce and Samuel for their help today – you kids rock!

After this we returned to the Alternative School, though the kids were a little shy this morning. They had a few questions for the team, mostly about how much we earn, but they seemed happy for us to be there and speaking with them. I really like this group and would love to spend some more time with them – MR HALL, GIVE ME A CALL!

After a Sonic meal, and a Pizza Hut session 20 minutes later, we met with Terri from Boise City. What a lady! We almost instantly had a good rapport with her, and though we were sad to see Rob and Margaret go, we knew we were in good hands. I’m actually staying with Terri and Jimmy and they are really nice people. Jimmy also has a huge pool table, though he’s beaten me a couple of times already. Delia and Annica are also staying here with me…within about 1 hour of getting here, Annica is off running. The girl is not normal. Even Delia got in on the act with some time on the cross trainer! I feel so guilty. Oh well! The schedule here looks great, with some vocational and some general tourism. I’m looking forward to being here.

Finished with some real good Mexican food. I think it was quite spicy, but I’m quickly getting used to that now!

Monday 27th October

This morning we’ve been to the top of a local grain elevator – which is where the farmers store all their grain before selling it. This was pretty good and gave us a great view of the town. We also went to a plastics factory and an old people’s home. These were quite interesting and gave us an insight into the big employers in this area. The morning finished with lunch at a Senior’s Centre, where we gave a short speech on who we were and what we were doing here.

For me, the afternoon was a highlight. We went to UCLA – Ulysses Central Learning Academy, (the Alternative School). I spoke with a class of kids, very similar to the ones I work with, for around 2 hours. We talked about all sorts of things, from the job I do to popular US culture vs UK culture. They seemed a really good group and had a load of excellent questions for me – although many of them wanted to know about drinking laws! I got myself into a bit of trouble with the Principal over that one, but I think she forgave me. I really enjoyed meeting these teenagers, and they asked me to stay and do PE with them. Bear in mind I had not done any PE for at least 5 years, (not having really participated previously), I was a little nervous. Imagine my surprise when PE turned out to be playing with a Nintendo Wii! So, today I beat up a 16 year old kid, then beat a couple of girls at a game of tennis…I am ashamed of myself. I go back to see them tomorrow with the rest of the team so I’m really excited about that.

After this we went to see Carey Benny’s grocery store. Carey is something of a local legend, and a really, really nice guy. I arrived early and he offered me anything I wanted from his store, then we sat and chatted for a while as he introduced me to his family. I think every single one of them works for him! What a fella!

To finsh the day, we spoke to a collection of Rotary clubs, spearheaded by the Ulysses club and Rob Oglvie, (a giant of a man, in every sense). This was a great session! I drivelled on for ages, taking some good questions and winding up the girls a treat! They played along though so well done my hareem! We were the warm up act for Jerry Traylor, a professional speaker for over 30 years, who had a fantastic and inspiring presentation. He said some really nice things about our presentation and remarked on all of us. THANKS JERRY AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE TOUR – SEE YOU IN WICHITA.

Fantastic day. Fantastic people, again! If anyone reading this has the chance to meet Rod Kreie, do it. The man is a hero. ROD, I LOVE YOU BLOKE! I’m going to miss everyone at Ulysses, but I will be back.

Sunday 26th October

We arrived in Ulysses at 10 this morning. On the way here, Rod was telling us you can buy a piece of land and do anything you want with it!

While in Ulysses, I’m staying with another Rod and Dana, who both seem really nice. Later on today I’m meeting with Jerry Traylor, a motivational speaker who has cerebral palsy and ran across America, amongst other things. He’s also staying with Rod so that should be good fun.

The schedule looks busy again, but we had a few hours this morning so Larry took me flying in a light aircraft! That’s right, I went up in four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza and saw Ulysses at 180 mph from 6000 feet! Awesome. I am now in love and will be pursuing my pilot’s license when I return home. Hayley felt sick up there so when we came back down, we all agreed that she must have low blood sugar and needed some food. Larry informed us that in the US, this was called ‘bonking’! How we laughed… So today, I’m pleased to inform anyone who’s reading, Hayley spent several hours bonking at 6000 feet!

For the afternoon we went to see the new wetlands and golf course project, which we were able to explore on the back of a safari buggy! Despite Delia’s best efforts, I managed to stay in the vehicle when we got to the ‘recycled water’ lake. We also saw a museum detailing the historical heritage of the area, which was great.

Finished the day with a superb meal and get together at Margaret Nightingale’s – THANKS MARGARET!

Saturday October 25th

Final day in Guymon today and it has been superb. We started the day by attending the homecoming parade at OPSU, (Oklahoma Panhandle State University). In fact, we had our own vehicle in which to sit and wave at the locals. It felt so surreal to look ahead and see the basketball team and band, to look behind and see various prom queen’s from local towns and the school band. It really did make us all feel like celebrities. We also met with Bowdy Peach who is running for State Representative – GOOD LUCK BOWDY!

After the parade, we met with Steve, a student at the University who is originally from Cumbria in the UK. He’s here finishing his studies in Animal Management and intends to go up to Canada after December to work on a ranch in Northern Alberta. We couldn’t work out if he puts ‘Cowboy’ on the section of his passport asking for his occupation! After some BBQ beef, (check Annica’s diary for mention of this!), we headed over to the football ground.

To be sitting in the President’s box, watching a game of American football, (cheerleaders and all), was unreal! The game seemed to be pretty good, and the more I see the more I understand. The crowd really got behind the team and created an amazing atmosphere. We took loads of photo’s and wondered what drives someone to want to become a cheerleader?! I want to thank the President of the University, Dr Jay Bryant, for everything he’s done for us over the last two days. Not only did we get to watch the game from his box, eating his food, but he gave us a bag full of goodies also! We are definitely going to need a third, fourth, fifth bag to get this stuff home. Thanks Dr Bryant – if you ever need an International Officer, I’m your man!

To finish our day, we went horseriding. This was something I’ve been looking forward to doing, and it didn’t dissapoint. Big thank you to Rod and his friends at the rodeo for organising that for us. I broke my first horse and had to change midway. The girls really enjoyed it and Annica and Delia looked like naturals leaning up against the gate. We have some down time now before a mexican meal this evening and an early start tomorow to get to Ullysses, KA.

Again, we’ve come to another town we don’t really want to leave. Everyone here has been so helpful, supportive and friendly. Big thank you’s to Rod O’Hara and his family, (Tyler – good luck with the rest of the season), Elmer and Charlotte Nossoman and finally Jess and his wife Lou. A really big thanks to Russ and Jane Guthrie for putting up with me for the last few days…they even fed me! Thanks Guthries – come and see me next time you’re in Shropshire. I’ve really enjoyed it here and I’ll be sad to leave. You’ve given us a lot and I appreciate everything you’ve done for us.

What can Ulysses offer? Can this trip get any better?

Friday October 24th

First day in Guymon and it’s been a good one. I was met this morning by Rod, the GSE coordinator, and taken to the restuarant hosting Guymon Rotary club. The presentation went without a hitch, though I ad-libbed more than usual – being modest, I was on fire today! We took a couple of good questions after and managed to meet everyone there. As before, we were given a whole bag of presents, from mugs, to brochures, to t-shirts. Tomorrow we are the guests in the homecoming parade for Oklahoma Panhandle State University. We will be in the parade, at the BBQ afterward, and watching the football game from the President’s Box! I’m excited to be watching, live, my first ‘football’ game. We have also been told we’ll be going to a rodeo training facility to learn to ride – how cool is that?!

Today has been a great day as I got to spend a couple of hours with the school counsellor here at Guymon High School, Dana Martin. Thanks Dana! The lady has so many jobs she performs at the school I’m lucky she had the time to meet me. We had a really good chat about the major differences in our education systems and I was given a very comprehensive tour of the school. Their buildings and system are so different here. I would go so far as to say I would be tempted to return to teaching if I could work in a school like this!

Following this I returned to the Guthries for a while, then onto the home of Dr Elmer and Charlotte Nossaman. They are hosts for Delia and Annica and I had to check they were taking care of my girls! It was Charlotte’s birthday – HAPPY 21ST CHARLOTTE! The meal, again, was superb and we had a good chinwag afterwards, about all sorts of things. We wound up with a sing-song, though I didn’t feel they were ready for my talents so I took some photo’s instead. Time willing, I’ll put them on the gallery tomorrow.

This is turning out to be one hell of a trip. Everyone is really friendly, honest and open. Nothing is to much trouble and everyone is pleased to see us! I keep looking over my shoulder to see if it’s someone else my new friends are beaming at. What have we done to deserve this!

I can’t wait for tomorrow. Between managing my own hareem, watching football, eating and learning to ride a horse, I’ve got my work cut out. At least the horse will be easier on me than the hareem!

Thursday October 23rd

Today was spent travelling from Newton to Guymon, 250 miles and a different state. The landscape hasn’t changed all that much – although Oklahoma has less trees and a few more hills.

We stopped at a couple of truck stops along the way and I had the chance to experience a real American diner for lunch, where we filled up on burgers and tater tots! The travelling was good fun as I got to know the girls a little better, and showed them that I am the true King of 20 questions. Although Steve Johnson from Newton put up a good effort – well done Steve. We also stopped at Dodge City, though it was far to cold for any sight seeing. Our final stop on the tour was to the Wizard of Oz Museum. Not somewhere I would have chosen, but the closer we got, the more and more excited Amy got! It was pretty cool, with some scary munchkin type characters and a very excitable Tin Man. Sadly, Tin Man photograph is not broadcastable, but see me on my return for a copy!

Guymon is very different to Newton – far more agricultural with huge open fields housing ranching operations, rodeo stadiums, training grounds and feed lots. They have a large hispanic population as they are prepared to do they jobs most wont, working in the meat packing plant being one such example.

I’m staying with the Guthries and they are a lovely couple. I’ve even had traditional southern food tonight with fried chicken, mash, gravy and beans! It was pretty good too. I’m excited to see what this little town has to offer, and what we can offer it.

Wednesday October 22nd

Another busy day. Started at Druber’s doughnut shop for breakfast, where local men meet to set the world to rights. This is a great idea and something we should do in the UK. Again, everyone was really happy to see us and had lots of questions. We also met the Editor and publisher of the local paper and it seems we are going to be local celebrities!

We spent the morning at President Eisenhower’s memorial in Abilene, before going onto the rebuilt ‘cow town’. This was pretty good and we all came away with some good pics and a sense of the history this small town has. In the afternoon we met with the Director of the Newton Economic Develoment Centre to discuss how they bring in new business while retaining and supporting the old. As with Wichita, they really encourage new business and provide a lot of support. Following our visit to the EDC, we went to see the local community bank, First Trust. They gave us a tour of the facility includng inside the vault – which stands open in a corner of the bank, clear to all customers – and a look behind the scenes of their drive-in ATM machines, (something we should definitely have in the UK! To end the visit, and I’m smiling as I type this, the Bank’s President sat with us to discuss how the current economic crisis may impact his bank and his community. To conclude, he told us he was ‘honoured’ to have us in his bank! These are five young people from the centre of England, and he’s ‘honoured’! I still can’t quite get used to that. I think it’s a good summary of my impression of the state so far – nothing is to much trouble, and no matter who you are, you are important and a valued member of the community. I have never encountered this in Blighty, ever.

I had a good chat with David Yoder on the way home and the man is a visionary. He has established projects and initiatives in this county that are far ahead of their time, and he’s given me a range of ideas I’d like to implement at home, with his help. Look out Eileen and Helen, I’ll be coming to you for support with some of these!

The day drew to a close with a nice steak meal – 20 oz Porterhouse for me! Annica made sure I ate it as I’ve been winding her up all week about how much she eats (count the number of times food gets a mention in her blog and you’ll see what I mean!). I received yet more gifts from the hosts and club. None of us want to leave these wonderful people. It’s a cliche but this is a big country, with big-hearted people, at least the one’s we’ve met so far. Never have I come across such friendship, kindness, hospitalty and congeniality. These people, this community and this Rotary club are exactly what humanity, society and Rotary need. More please…

Tuesday October 21st

Met at the Harvey County Courthouse this morning with David Yoder, (County Attorney) and had a tour of the facilities and projects the county is involved with. This was very informative and gave me a few ideas for similar projects to try at home. I was particularly interested in their Heart2Heart project, which provides facilities and staff for the interviewing of children who have witnessed, or been a victim of sexual/domestic abuse. This is a great project that does some wonderful work, but as with most community initiatives, it is struggling for funds.

We also had chance to meet with representatives from Probation, Social Services and the court advocates team. They seem to have a similar system of social services to us, yet their funding is much more localised – easier to do when your locality is still as big as the UK I suppose! Tried Mexican food at lunchtine and it was good! I’m certainly eating well here.

In the afternoon we toured a farming machinery production unit, which takes in raw steel at one end and churns out fully functioning combine harvesters, planters, tractors etc at the other – IN 8 DAYS!! Incredible. We really do not have anything like this in the UK – especially as the car manufacturers are no longer functioning as they once were.

To finish the day, we delivered our full presentation to Newton club. A much smaller and less formal club, where we seemed to go down really well. They gave us so many presents at the end it was incredible. Never have I met such friendship and genuine affection. They treat us like Kings and seem grateful to us simply for being here!

Today has really been a great day. I will be sad to leave these guys.

Monday October 20th

First presentation today! Very nervous, pretty much all day. Presented to a huge club of over 150 members, and the computer would not work! Malcolm managed to fill like a champion and I made them laugh when my turn came so it wasn’t all bad. Girls also did really well.

After the presentation we drove to Newton, 45 mins north of Wichita. It’s quieter and smaller than Wichita, though it has more of a community feel to it. We met with David Nygar, David Yoder, Frank Stucky and Steve Johnson, Newton Rotary President. They seemed even nicer, if such a thing is possible, than Daddy Mac and Marion! Once in Newton, we went to a ‘weiner roast’ at the home of one of our hosts, Dwight and Connie Claason. The meal was fantastic and we had time to chat with our new hosts and their guests. As before, people here are very friendly and approachable.

Full day tomorrow…

Sunday October 19th

We arrived yesterday to much warmer weather than back in Blighty, with far fewer delays! Steve Woods, Mark, Mac and Walter were the welcome committee, and a very friendly one at that. The hotel is superb, and we each have our own huge rooms. We had chance to sit and eat with the welcome committee, along with a few drinks, and get to know each other.

I am amazed at how friendly, approachable and well meaning everyone here is, from the waiters to our Rotary colleagues. I think we are going to have a superb time, and it still seems somewhat surreal to actually be here, after the months of planning and discussing it.

Next stop is the biggest ‘Western clothing’ store in the US where we are buying our outfits for the first evening of the conference. Stupidly, I agreed to the girls choosing mine! Keep your eyes on the photo gaallery to see how that turns out.