By Christina Welch, Rotary Scholar to UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
As I pedaled my newly acquired bicycle through the streets of Delft, in the Netherlands, I realized I was smiling to myself. Navigating through the cobblestone streets and over the canals felt nothing like home, yet I was so grateful to be here.
This bicycle is on loan from Paul Gompen, a fellow Rotary member. I didn’t realize being a beneficiary of the global grant meant so much more than simply a scholarship. It became immediately clear upon my arrival that I am now a part of an international network of wonderful people that are willing to help in whatever way they can, at the drop of a hat. For example, when I arrived in the Netherlands after a long international flight, it was such a relief to find Henk Jaap Kloosterman, my host counselor, waiting in the airport to ease the transition into Dutch culture.
I am among the first class of graduate students in the newly created Water Cooperation and Peace master’s program. This joint program takes place in three leading international institutions: University for Peace in Costa Rica, UNESCO-IHE in the Netherlands, and Oregon State University in Oregon, USA. …read more
Source:: Rotary International Blog
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