Hi folks!

We are still enjoying our fulfilled days over here even we are starting to miss home already. Lucky that we are being so busy, that we don`t have too much time to think about things like that. Our days are full of exiting activities. Tomorrow we`ll be changing our host familiest once again, so it`s time to thank our wonderful hosts Mike and Nancy Herr who have made us really feel like home and we have had so much fun together! We miss you already.

Terveisia taalta rapakon takaa. Viela jaksamme nauttia taytelaisista paivistamme, vaikka koti-ikava hiipiikin jo uhkaavasti mieleen. Onneksi ohjelmamme on todella taysi ja mielenkiintoinen, joten turhan paljon aikaa ikavointiin ei todellakaan jaa. Huomenna vaihdamme isantaperheita jalleen kerran, joten on aika kiittaa jalleen yhta ihanaa isantaperhetta, Mike ja Nancy Herria. Olemme tunteneet itsemme taalla todella tervetulleiksi ja olemme jakaneet monia ilon hetkia (naurettu vedet silmissa).

We all are enjoying different things in here. Some of us got the `kicks` from driving in a Hummer. Gerry our great driver in the picture.

Jokainen nauttii taalla olostaan tavallaan. Osalle riittaa elamykseksi Hummeriajelu. Gerry mahtava kuljettajamme kuvassa.

Getting soked in Lady of the Mist. Valmiina kastumaan Niagaralla veneajelulla.

Visiting Tecumseh rotarians on 13th of May. We spent the afternoon hiking in the Hidden Lake gardens with Tony and Jocelyn Menyhart.

Tecumsehin rotareiden vieraana 13.5. Iltapaivan vietimme ulkoillen Piilotettujen jarvien puistossa.

Having dinner at DGN Bruce and Sarah Goldsens house and on a lake with his lovely `hotel` boat.

Bruce ja Sarah Goldsenin vieraana illallisella ja hotellijollalla, jossa nahkapenkit ja kokolattiamatot.

Jorma shows the children of the Blissfield elementary school where we came from.

Jorma nayttaa Blissfieldin ala-asteelaisille mista kaukaa vieraat ovat tulleet.

Pusuja lapsille ja puolisoille

Mari ja Virve

Hi folks!

We are staying at the Adrian area now in Michigan. We came on Sunday from the Niagara Falls (it was 7 hours drive). Adrian seems familiar, for there`s lots of fields and farms as on the area I live in.

We had our vocational days today and I got to see Bixley Medical Center, so thanks to Kathy Greenlee and Lisa for giving me a tour in there. These private hospitals are wonderful with all the equipment and really specialized health care. I want to have mys children in one of those delivery rooms! Big difference between Finnish health care system seems to be the group of really specialized staff on one sector or diagnosis areas. Ultrasouds are mostly done by techinicians for example. The other difference is the large numper of volunteer work they get for the hospitals. I wish we had those people who put their time and efford on helping the staff and the patients on the areas where no education on nursing is required.

At 1 PM we had lunch at the home of Mark and Mary Murray and the afternoon we spent practicing golf (my first time on that game). But the best part was the great Mexican food on El Chaps and the movie we went to see, What happens in Las Vegas. Thank you Nancy Herr for the wonderful evening!

Love you all at home!

Mari the Mom

Heips!

Olemme nyt laskeutuneet Adrianiin Michiganiin 7 tunnin ajon jalkeen Niagaralta. Asumme Mike ja Nancy Herrin luona. Maisemat nayttavat maalaistytosta tutuilta, peltoja ja tilaa. Vietimme tanaan ammatilliset aamut. Olin Bixbyn sairaalassa ja kiitos Kathy Greenleelle ja Lisalle kierroksesta. Pari silmiinpistavaa eroa on sairaaloissa Suomen ja Michiganin valilla: toinen on suuri diagnoosiammattilaisten joukko, joita kutsutaan teknikoiksi ja toinen on vapaaehtoisten joukko, jotka tekevat ison osan tyosta, johon ei tarvita hoitotyon koulutusta.

Yhdelta lounastimme Mike ja Mary Murrayn kotona ja sen jalkeen olin elamani ensimmaisissa golf-harjoituksissa. Joka tapauksessa paivan mahtava lopetus oli meksikolainen ruoka El Chaps-ravintolassa ja sen jalkeen Cameron Diazin elokuva: Mita tapahtui Las Vegasissa. Kiitos Nancylle ihanasta illasta!

Rakastan teita kotona!

Mari-aiti

Terveisia Adrianista!

I had a very good vocational day today. I visited in INAI studio, founded1973 and named after the Japanese word for within a moment of time. It is headed by Dominican sisters, Barbara Chenicek and Rita Schiltz. The name of the studio describes very well how they make interior design. I have never visited in such a calm and classy studio. (I hope I can get some pictures out of my camera and add to the this plog.) They design sacred places. Mostly renovation work but also some new ones. How they have used light and space takes after Finnish architect Juho Leiviskä. He has also renowned by churches. But the sisters use more natural colours and materials. As it was said in brochure of Dominican Chapel of the Plain: "All is natural here - clay floor, handblown glass, stoneware vessels, black iron, flickering wall candles, reminding the community of deep needs of the world". I spent two hours in their studio and I really want to remember what I have learned today. They have unspoken sureness what is important.


Taman paivan ammatillinen vierailukohde oli pieni, mutta sitakin vaikuttavampi. Kaksi nunnaa, toinen yliopistokoulutuksen saanut taidemaalari, toinen kultaseppa, ovat pitaneet katolilaisiin kirkkoihin erikoistunutta sisustussuunnittelutoimistoa ( INAI) yli kolmekymmenta vuotta. En ole viela missaan tavannut yhta kaunista ja vaikuttavaa suunnittelua. Ja mina tutustuin heidan kohteisiin vain pienoismallien ja valokuvien kautta. Myos heidan studionsa oli niin hillityn harras, kaunis ja samalla toimiva verstas, etta se oli kuin kirkas lahde amerikkalaisen proystailyn ja tekovanhan keskella. Heidan suunnittelunsa on ajatonta, vahaeleista ja luontoa kunnioittavaa. Ehka varsin skandinaavista tai japanilaista, joka tapauksessa todella kaunista.

GSE-matkan parhaita puolia on se, etta matkaamme niin ammatillisesti kuin luonteeltaan erilaisten ihmisten kanssa. Silloin oppii ymmartamaan, miten monella tapaa voi samoja asioita kokea ja tuntea. Valilla minulle nauretaan, kun jaan haltioituneena katsomaan yksityiskohtaa talossa, vaikka vieresta ajaa mielettoman hieno ja iso Ford tai Pontiac tai jokin muu muriseva nelipyorainen.

Katja

Farewell Canada!

Many many thaks for Your hospitality for our GSE Team. Your people are so frienly and kindly!

O Canada!

Our home and native land!

True patriot love

in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts

we see thee rise,

The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,

O Canada,

we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land

glorious and free!

O Canada,

we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada,

we stand on guard for thee.

Our Team and the Dinner on Saturday evening.

Niagara Falls, our dream during the District Conference!

Hi,

Time to me to write some lines on the blog, too. We have now stayed here almost two weeks and are soon going to leave for District Conference in Niagara. Every one of us have been hosted by two families and and we stayed in a cottage close to Point Pelee Natural Park since now. Everyone, host families and those who have taken care of us during the visits in attractions and vocational organisations, as well have been very very hospitable and nice. They have done everything needed or even more for our accommodation. Many Thanks to them!

Thanks to Team Members, as well. They have done well, no problems, no missings, nothing negative - great Team!

My personal vocational day in USA was usefull, I visited two consultancy companies dealing with satisfaction surveyes. Both visits gave me ideas to develope my own company. The day in Canada differed from that one in USA; I had a very interesting possibilty to follow with Teemu training in the police and military training center in Windsor. We made pistol and rifle shootings were in both Teemu as an professional did pretty well, neather bad me as an amateur.

The rest of the days have we visited tourist attractions here in South Ontario and received a general outview on Canada and people in there. Surprisingly Canada seems to be a pretty strong wine producer as well as there have been a real war about two hundred years ago, not a total one but several major battles any way.

Some words about Rotary: fund raising for donation making and voluntary work are in totally higher importance compared to ours in Finland. Several, even millions of dollar financing wide projects have been implemented or are under way. Our small domestic and/or local projects seems to be unremarkable compared to them. The purpose of Rotary to contribute humanity is realising in an understandable way through these immense projects.

The first weekly meetings we have attended, have been a new experience for me; not very formal, much noise, singing, positive mood raising. Attractive! Our presentations, four times since now have been a challenge for us: the material has been good but the presenting in foreign language - the purpose of the GSE-programme, to deepning the professional skills is fullfilling.

Good team, good programme, excellant host, beautifull country - what could we hope more!

Jorma

Virve, Gordon & Mary Lou Drake and the wonderful breakfast with pancakes and homemade maple syrup
Pointe Pelee
At the downtown Windsor is a Rotary peace memorial

Hello there,

Yesterday in vocational day my host Gordan Drake took me to his work, to the University of Windsor. We walked around the campus and visited physics labs. Then we went for coffee with a wonderful man from Hungary, professor Mordechay Schlesinger. We were compering our mother tongues and found out lots of similarities.

After that we met professor Angela Sodan from School of Computer Sciences. She told about her research, job scheduling for clusters and grids. She is doing amazing work there and I got some ideas for my master's theses.

Then we quickly met the head of Computer department Akshai Agarwal and had nice little chat with him.

After visiting the university Gordon drove me to St. Clair College. Jamie Wilson, chair in School of Business & Information Technology. He gave me a tour in College and we visited many different departments and met many wonderful people. We had a lunch with Ruth Susannah, Professor in School of Business. Ruth is doing same kind of work as I do back in Finland so we shared many ideas. Of their curriculums I got ideas how to improve ours.

At the dinner in our host family, we had a visiting professor from Cuba Victor Fajer. See, how international this programme is!

Virve

Me and Mike at the outdoor shooting range.

Police department's shooting qualification, my result 63\64.

Preparing a dinner

Me and my C7 with 203 in FATS.

Hi there,

I had my first vocational day today. Me and Jorma visited Major F.A. Tilston VC, Armour and Police Training center. It's a combined training center for Military and Windsor Police department with great facilities. It includes classrooms, equipment storages, drill hall, medical services, both indoor and outdoor shooting range and a large indoor shooting range for semi-munition shooting training with live targets. There's also a one acre space for outdoor training.

The morning was hosted by Mike Akpata, a 40 years old local policeman and a teacher of the training center. During the morning we got familiar with police department and police training system, we did some indoor shoooting with 4046 Smith and Wesson, patrolled Detroit river with police boat and followed the training of Police department's tactical squad.

The afternoon was hosted by Chief warrant officer Kirk Drew and liuetenent colonel Hardy Wheeler. We got aquainted to Canada Army's organization, training system and training center's equipments and vehicles. After that we did a shooting exercise with FATS (pneumatic system for indoor basic and advanced shooting training). For a dinner we had a Army's food ration. I cooked Chicken a' la King. Portion was prepared with 40 ml water, which was warmed up with chemical reaction in a special bag. Quite a quick way to make a dinner, took only under 10 minutes to get it done.

At the end of the day we followed Army Reserve's basic training. About 25 young men did drills concerning company hide, raid and obstacle crossing. The training itself was quite similar to the training we give to our conscripts.

I had a really interesting day. I can't wait to visit Us National Guard next week.

Teemu

Hello!

I had a great vocational day today, with all the lovely people showing the work they do. In the morning I went to Canadian Mental Care Assosiations one clinic whic belongs to City Centre Health Care of Windsor and had a tour in there. Shannon was very nice to give some of her time to show me around and tell about they do in there.

After that I got to enjoy the company of 4 to 5 year olds at the Summit Centre for Preschool Children with Autism. I was taken care of Laurie Leeming, the senior therapist in there, and rest of the wonderful staff and got to observe the work they do in there. You can see them in the picture above. We also had lunch with Mary Lou Drake, my host, at the the Queen Elisabeth Cafe (with her picture on the wall) and afterwards went on to the Building Blocks for Better Babies, (supervised by my host Mary Lou Drake) Canada Prenatal program for pregnant and just delivered mothers with low income. There I got to attend their nutrition and physical exercise classes, and ofcourse to hold all these lovely children under 6 months! They all are so lovely!

That was my this weeks vocational activity, now we have some Rotary meetings to attend and on thursday we head to Niagara.

Love you all at home. Lots of kisses.

Mari the Mom

Heips!

Olipas mielenkiintoinen ja antoisa ammatillinen paiva. Aamusta olin lyhyella kierroksella Kanadan mielenterveysjarjeston yhdessa toimipaikassa, jossa Shannon esitteli minulle organisaatiota ja ymparistoa. Sen jalkeen sain osallistua esikouluikaisten autististen lasten kontoutukseen organisaatiossa, josta kuva on. Siella seurasin opetusta ja leikin lasten kanssa, joiden ika on 4-6 vuotta. Ihania, kuten lapset aina. Useimmilla on ongelmia kouluunlahdon kanssa, monet eivat puhu tai ovat vasta alkaneet puhua joitakin sanoja.

Lounastimme kuningatar Elisabeth II:n cafessa, jossa seinalta katsoi itse kuningatar Mary Lou Draken, emantani kanssa. Paasin myos hanen mukaansa hanen omaan organisaatioonsa, jossa tarjotaan vahatuloisille raskaana oleville ja juuri synnyttaneille naisille ohjausta ja tukea terveelliseen ravintoon, liikuntaan ja lapsen hoitoon liittyviin asioihin liittyen. Parasta oli, etta nama upeat naiset antoivat minun hoitaa lapsiaan. Ne kun ovat joka maassa 6 kuukauden ikaisena syotavan ihania!

Taman viikon ammatillinen ohjelma oli siina. Huomenna osallistumme joihinkin rotarykokouksiin ja torstaina lahdemme kohti Niagaraa.

Rakastan omiani kotona. Suukot ja halit!

T: Mari-Aippa

Hei!

Perjantaina kiertelimme Windsoria ja kaupungin eri osia. Walkerville syntyi tislaamon ymparille, silla perinteiseen patruunatyyliin tyontekijoille rakennettiin asunnot, kunkin yhteiskunnallisen aseman mukaisesti. Ei liene vaikea arvata, mista Ford City sai nimensa. Henry Ford levitti autoteollisuuden myos Kanadan puolelle. Mutta autoteollisuuden alamaki nakyy myos taalla. Ford Cityssa on paljon tyhjia taloja ja vilkkaasta menneisyydesta muistuttavat vain suuret seinamaalaukset. Ensimmaiset eurooppalaiset tulivat Windsoriin 1700-luvun alussa ja asettuivat Sandwichiin. Eras mielenkiintoinen vierailukohde oli rotareiden aikaansaama Children Safety Village, jossa opetetaan lapsia valttamaan vaaratilanteita niin kotona kuin liikenteessa. Talon toiminta-ajatus oli mahtava ja sain monia ideoita, joita tuoda myos kotikaupunkiin. Perjantaina kiertelimme paljon autolla paikkoja, silla aina kun yritimme tehda pienen kavelyn, alkoi sataa
.

Friday was our city tour day. We visited in Albert Kahn's Willistead Manor (I am an architect, I remember designer, not a owner) and we saw Walkerville, Ford City and Sandwich. We also tried to see parks and sculptures on the riverside, but each time it started to rain. We all liked to see Children Safety Village. I got a lot of ideas to bring back to my home town. The Finland needs that kind of places too!

Lauantaina aloitimme kahvilla Tim Hortonin kahvipaikassa, niita loytyy vahan joka kulmalta. Kahvittelun jalkeen suuntasimme kuljetus- ja automuseoon. Museolla olisi ollut myos mielenkiintoinen ulkomuseoalue, mutta jalleen satoi. Loppuohjelma olikin sitten sisaohjelmaa. Vierailimme puutarhamyymalassa nimeltaan Colasanti's. Toiminta oli alkanut kurkkujen ja tomaattien viljelysta 1940-luvulla ja nyt se oli valtava viihdelaitos. Kasvihuoneiden keskella oli minigolfrata, elainpuisto (mm. kilpikonnia, alligaattori, minipossuja, papukaijoja...) huvipuisto, pelisali, juhlasaleja, kaikkea mahdollista puutarhaan ja sisustamiseen, ja kylla - myos kukkia. Alue, jossa liikuimme, muistutti Pohjanmaata, ja kaikkialla oli kasvihuoneita. Vierailimme yhdessa niista, pitkat tomaatti- ja paprikarivistot olivat uskomaton naky. Ja tuoreet kirsikkatomaatit uskomattoman hyvia. Melkein kuin oman aidin kasvattamat.... Vierailimme myos Pelee Island Wineryssa. Saimme pienen turistikierroksen, jonka jalkeen olikin kiva maistella erilaisia viinilaatuja. Ja poimia muutama pullo mukaan, silla illalla oli ohjelmassa kaivattu lepohetki nuoren rotarin mokilla lahella Point Peleen luonnonpuistoa. Istuimme iltaa, soimme hampurilaisia ja nautimme kuumasta kylvysta ulkona isossa poreammeessa.

Sunnuntaina retkeilimme koko paivan auringonpaistessa luonnonpuistossa katsellen lintuja, kevatkukkia ja luonnon monimuotoisuutta. Pienelle alueelle mahtui niin soita, kuin kuivia katajistoja. Point Pelee on Kanadan etelaisin karki, samalla leveysasteella Rooman kanssa. Kun karjen nokassa seisoo ja katselee aaltojen hakkaavan rantakiviin, ei voi uskoa, etta olemme jarven rannalla. Vesi on turkoosia ja horisontissa nakyy vain taivaanranta. Oli ihanaa kayda lapi kuluneen viikon kokemukset keskenamme ja rentoutua. Ja siina sivussa taisi kylla palaa naama ja niska itse kullakin. Joten kun blogiin ilmestyy uusia kuvia, niin tiedatte mista nama kaikki punanenat tulevat. Ja ai niin, kanadalaiset ihastuivat Molkkyyn, jonka toimme mukanamme. Sunnuntai-illan barbecuen jalkeen pelia ollaan tilaamassa useaan kotiin.

Saturday we visited in Canadian Transportation Museum. Sadly weather wasn't good so we couldn't see historical village at all. But the museum was very nice. Essex is green house area(Heinz!!!) and we saw two very different kind of places. One was Colasanti's and other was more traditional green house with tomatoes and peppers. Colasanti's is not a only green house, it is a wonderland with animals, plants, indoor playground and mini golf. We also visited in Pelee Island Winery. We didn't know there is wineries in the Kanada. We loved Ice Wine!

We took some wine bottles with us and we went to spend overnight in summer cottage with Ken near park Point Pelee. We had very unwind time there. Just sounds of lake, lots of laughing, card games and good food. Sunday was really SUNday. We spent almost 5 hours all around Point Pelee. All those birds, flowers, and different types of nature. We also saw cactus, which grows here. And we got a lots of sun too, I have very red neck and face now. But we have a very nice weekend and at the Sunday evening a excellent barbecue with Molkky!

Katja

Mari, Bev, Gerry, Teemu, Jorma & Katja at the children's safety village, which Rotarians have founded
Wind...sor
Canadian mountinair
Queen Elisabeth II park

Home street in Grosse Point
Lunch at Z's
DAC Rotary meeting
GM building
Mari is changing country

Guardian building in Detroit
Mari and her host family: Sheri, Johnny and John Conway
The Windsor wood carving museum
Katja with Beverly, Gaylord, Betsy and Ben

Hello!

We are over to Canada now. You were right, things are a bit different over here. At least they are using km instead of Miles, that`s our first notice.

Just as we arrived, we got to take part at the big Multicultural Herb Grey Harmony Award Gala here in Windsor, where we met the Rotary District Governor Jennifer Jones and Financial Minister of the Ontario Province, Sanra Pupatello, and of course many other interesting people too. The programme was for the fundrising, but the funniest part of everything is this unbelievable story: They sold some silk scarfs for charity ot the gala (lovely looking too) and Katja bought one just for to wear with dresses and warmth. Which she didn`t know was, that there was a lottery included in the bargain, so she also got a lottery ticket and won a diamond ring. Truly a land of opportunity, I would say!

Today we will be taken on tour in Windsor, having lunch at the Serbian Centre and dinner at Johnny Shotzwere we can also play pool and meet the Rotarians of the area.

Wishings
Mari and the others

Moro kaikille!

Olemme nyt siirtyneet Kanadan puolelle Hudson joen ali (tunnelin kautta). Ero, jonka taalla heti huomasimme on metrijarjestelman kaytto mailien sijaan.

Heti tultuamme paasimme osallistumaan suureen Monikulttuuriseen Harmonia Gaalaan (noin 500 osallistujaa) Windsorissa, jossa ryhmammekin esiteltiin taputuksineen. Keskustelimme erilaisten ihmisten kanssa mm. rotaripiirin kuvernoorin, Jennifer Jonesin seka Ontarion provinssin talousministerin, Sandra Pupatellon ja muiden ihanien ihmisten kanssa. Gaala oli tyypillinen varojen keraystapahtuma. Hauskin tarina tulee kuitenkin tassa: juhlassa myytiin silkkihuiveja hyvantekevaisyyteen kerattavilla rahoilla ja Katja osti yhden koska ne olivat kauniita ja hanella olisi sille kayttoa. Huivin mukana tuli myos pieni oranssi arvontalippu ja kuinka ollakaan, Katja voitti myos timanttisormuksen. Uskomatonta, eiko!! Todellinen mahdollisuuksien maa, eiko.

Tanaan paasemme Windsorin kierrokselle, lounastamme Serbiklubilla ja illastamme Johnny Shotzissa, jossa voi myos pelata biljaria ja tapaamme alueen rotareita.

Mari ja muut

Hi folks!

Our days here in Detroit area have been filled with excitement and new knowledge of USA and the companies and specialities of this area. We have been able to see some of your oldest industries in car manufacturing and also some of your newest industries of high tecnologies and research (also in the world) in gen technology, which both we have been totally impressed of.

And what a wonderful vocational days we all have had! Rotarians of Crosse Pointe have really put an efford on what we would like to see. It was so interesting to see the working procedures of ones profession being done a little different, yet so familiar.

You wouldn`t beleive how similar people and professions are almost on the other sides of the world, really. And, still there`s always some procedures and hints to take home with us to develope each profession back at home.

We are overwhelmed on your hospitality.
Thank you Crosse Pointe Rotarians!

Mari and the rest of the crew.

As Virve wrote, we had Ford-day yesterday. We visited in Edsel and Eleanor Ford Estate. The house was a beautiful English style home with stylish furniture. Architect was Albert Kahn. Garden was well desingned look like nature but with swimming pool and rose garden. And every girl would like a playhouse like there! (even adults like us)



After that we visited in the first Ford factory. It was a amazing place. Lots of old cars with full of history. And the building itself. It looks almost like 90 yeas ago. Of course a lots of renovations work should be done but even now it is easy to fantazise employees working with cars. And the history of Detroit and car industy. It is not to same read about it when You have change to feel and touch it. Even I, who usually knows only the color of car, was very stoked about legeng of Ford.



We also visited in Motown. The story begins with Berry Gordy Jr. and a small house in Detroit that he christened, Hitsville USA . This museum exhibit is a telling representation of the growth of Motown from a small startup business begun in 1959 to what became by the mid-70s the largest independent record company in the world. Is such names like the Temptatios, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and the Jackson Five familiar? That's the place...

Katja

Hello there

Like you see it's almost summer here (but not so warm, HURR!!). We have had a great time and we have saw everything ... and I mean that. Yesterday I was driving ;) and we went to Ford's house, saw some very old Fords and we went to Motown. 

Well now I have hurry up, because another great day is coming!

Virve

Hi homefolks!

We all have safely arrived and yesterday evening we transferred to Windsor from Detroit. Us sporty mums and dads started morning with jogging and walking in a sunny park by the Detroit River. The scenery was breathtaking in the sunrise.

After that we attended at the World Peace Summit. That had Robert F. Kennedy Junior as a keynote speaker. He made an inspiring speach in how peace and environment are connected and how environment and democracy work together. He was strongly defending the freedom of getting the right information through media. We all shared his thoughts and were inspired in attending the summit. Lucky we had time and opportunity to do that.

Now we are heading to Grosse Point and staying five days spread in different families. We are looking forward to meet our hosts. Tomorrow evening we`ll be getting together with a BBQ.

Love and kisses for all there at home!

Moms and Dads!