THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 14, 1995 TAG: 9505110189
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 33 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
AS IS CUSTOMARY, the Rotary Club opened its meeting at the Pine Lakes Country Club with a song - a patriotic rendition of ``My Country, 'Tis of Thee.''
The next selection was less typical: Four women, in the dress of their homeland, joined to sing India's national anthem, ``Jana Gana Mana.''
``Probably the first time the golf club's heard that one,'' quipped Rotary member Winnie Wood, who organized the Elizabeth City Rotary's role in the international exchange that brought the Indian group to northeastern North Carolina.
Since April 22, the four women and their team leader, Dr. Shakuntala Dawesar of New Delhi, have been touring the Carolina countryside, stopping in such towns as Wilson, Tarboro and Murfreesboro.
The group spent the beginning of last week in Elizabeth City and stayed on the Outer Banks before beginning a southward jaunt. The trip will culminate next week in Greenville.
The ``group study exchange'' program is a chance for young people from around the world to visit different countries through the international Rotary organization. In more than 15 years with the program, Elizabeth City has hosted teams from such places as Australia, Italy, Germany and South Africa, as well as from India.
The group has also sent representatives abroad.
``It has given a wonderful opportunity for young people from all over to be able to experience firsthand everything that goes on in another country,'' Dawesar said in her address to Elizabeth City's two Rotary clubs Monday.
``We've been very heartened here to see that people everywhere are much the same. They're warm. . . All of us here are very grateful for what you've given us.''
The visitors' day had begun with trips to J.C. Sawyer and P.W. Moore elementary schools, where the women greeted students in traditional fashion and told stories of education in India.
``They seemed to enjoy it a great deal,'' said J.C. Sawyer Principal James Britt. ``The students certainly did.''
In the afternoon, the women - a journalist, a World Bank finance officer, an entrepreneur and a lawyer - split off on tours of local business related to their professions.
The weekend had been loaded with pleasure activities such as boat tours of the Pasquotank River and meals in a variety of venues. The fare proved problematic, though; Wood said it was hard to come up with food spicy enough for the guests.
``We get to know what are the problems you can face when you go to another country,'' Dawesar said. ``Everywhere we've gone, people have had a tough time finding something that we want to eat.''
Their stay in America, Dawesar told the Rotary, has shattered some stereotypes and highlighted some differences between the cultures.
``You can't generalize and say that all Americans are like this and all Indians are like this,'' Dawesar said. ``We just have to discover each other.''
The women learned, for instance, that not all Americans are materialistic, and that many people are actually happily married. But they also saw some things that disturbed them.
``We do not have the concept of nursing homes,'' Dawesar said. ``We visited one, and I think it made us very sad.''
In India, she said, the elderly are revered and are cared for at home. Several generations live under one roof in a close-knit family structure. America's lack of that structure, she said, has led to many of its social problems.
On the other hand, the visitors were amazed by America's efficiency, and Americans' punctuality. One of the women, Vijayalaxmi Aithani, said she found North Carolina to be ``very clean.''
And the entrepreneur took time to make a sales pitch to the Rotary members.
``India as an investment opportunity holds a lot of promise,'' said Shalini Khanna, a director in a family-owned business that manufactures mustard oil.
Above all, they seemed impressed with the hospitality.
``I think it's a wonderful place,'' Dawesar said before Monday's lunch. ``I'm being taken care of, and being welcomed everywhere.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CHARLES WHITE/Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Schools
Dr. Shakuntala Dawesar, Shalini Khanna, Vijayalaxmi Aithani and
Monica Juneja, all of India, visit with students at J.C. Sawyer
Elementary School in Elizabeth City.
by CNB