It’s nice to have connections in a foreign country. That’s what makes Rotary International so, um, international! Whether you’re travelling for work, or for leisure, you can visit a Rotary club almost anywhere you go. And one of the benefits of being a Rotary member is that you are certain to make new friends, and find valuable local information to enhance your stay, while you are at it.

Need to know the best things to see during your stay? Where to eat? You might even find someone who has a room to rent for cheap.

It’s also great to see how different clubs conduct their meetings. You can discover new ideas for your own club.

Before I joined Rotary, I spent twelve years in Rotaract, Rotary’s program for young adults. I remember back in 2008 when I was on an group study exchange to New Jersey, and I visited plenty of clubs as part of the experience. But one club struck a chord with me — the Rotary Club of Red Bank. A few members of the club made sure we were taken care of. One member in particular, Steven Sanfilippo, took me to the local attraction “Jay & Silent Bob’s Secret Stash” a comic book store owned by director Kevin Smith. He knew I was such a big fan of Superman and pop culture. It’s these little things that make Rotary what it is, a place for friendship.

But you don’t have to go far to experience this benefit of being a member. Visiting other clubs in your own region can build strong connections and develop relationships that make it easier to do joint projects.

With Rotary the journey never ends. Rotary gives you opportunity to travel, meet people from all different backgrounds, and see the world in a whole different way.

Article by Evan Burrell