The Rotary Club of West Chester

Gerardo was the Rotary Club of West Chesters short-term exchange student from Santiago, Chile. We enjoyed visiting with him, sharing our culture and learning about Chilean customs, especially eating hot dogs with avocado.

Adventures with Gerardo

Aug 7 - Saying adios to Gerardo

Aug 6 - Goodbye party!

Aug 5 An evening at a classic car show with Rotarian Mike Steinberger and family

Aug 4 - Back to Pennsylvania

Aug 3 Seeing another Chilean - Gerardo and Carol attend the Legg Mason Tennis Classic to see Nicolas Massu.

Aug 2 Washington, DC -A visit to the National Air and Space Museum Gerardo the astronaut

Aug 1 A walking tour of our nation's capital, Washington, DC - White House, National Museum of the American Indian; Capitol Building and memorials - Lincoln, Jefferson, World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War

Hoping to see President George W. Bush
Capitol Building

July 31 A trip to Philadelphia and a conversation about sports with Jim, Linda and Jake Hicks.

July 30 A night at the auto races with Gary and SunAe Hewitt

July 29 Learning about U.S. history at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Dinner at a Moroccan restaurant with Metzkers, friends and Vasanth Prabhu of the Rotary Club of Central Chester County

Gerardo the Tennis Champion
Gerardo - campen del tenis !!

Rotary, a motorcycle ride with Rotarian Andy Close, tour of Rotarian Charles Streitwiesers coffee roasting company and a late game of tennis with Eric Metzker. Below: Gary Hewitt, 2004-5 president of the Rotary Club of West Chester, and Gerardo Soto

A day at Dorney Park with friends!

An invitation to see the streams and wildlife with biologist Win Fairchild of West Chester University

The Brandywine River Museum paintings and sculpture by local artists. Photo Left, Sitting on a bronze sculpture of a pig

Evening Swimming, eating hoagies and seeing the racehorses at Rotarian Patty Jefferis house.

Relaxing in West Chester; An evening of lacrosse, soccer and dinner with the Guman and Combee families.

A trip to New York City with Rotarian Frank Helms and West Chester University exchange student, Ilana, from Moldavia.

A trip to the Hickory Run State Park in the Pocono Mountains with Bill and Evelyn Hart (Carols parents) and the Metzkers. Photo of Eric and Gerardo climbing on the rocks at glacier-formed Boulder Field.

A picnic lunch with the grandparents.

Gerardo attended a meeting with the Rotary Club of West Chester with the Metzkers.

An afternoon hike along the Brandywine River and an evening trip to a Phillies game with Mark, Tracy and Chelsea Sammarone and a evening tour of center city Philadelphia.

Un alza de la tarde a lo largo del ro de Brandywine y una tarde disparan a un juego del bisbol de Phillies con la familia de Sammarone y un viaje de la noche de la ciudad de centro Philadelphia.

Gerardo, Carol and Kathryn visit Longwood Gardens -- Left Gerardo at Longwood. (right) Water Lily.

Gerardo, carol y Kathryn visitan los jardines de Longwood -- Gerardo izquierdo en el lirio (derecho) del agua de Longwood.

a.m. another trip to the airport
p.m. Gerardos first trip to a community/public libary. A visit to see the renovations of the West Chester Public Library (right) ends by meeting Pennsylvania Senator Bob Thompson

Then a tour of West Chester University ...(left)

maana - otro viaje al aeropuerto; tarde - primer viaje de Gerardo a una comunidad/a un pblico libary. Una visita para considerar las renovaciones de la biblioteca pblica del "West Chester" (derecha) acaba con senador Bob Thompson de Pennsylvania de la reunin; Entonces un viaje de la universidad del "West Chester"...

Saying goodbye/adios to Elizabeth before she leaves for Santiago, Chile, to stay with Gerardos family. But her flight is changed to July 18 because of the storm!

Decir adios a Elizabeth antes de que ella se vaya para Santiago, Chile, para vivir con la familia de Gerardo. Pero su vuelo se cambia al de julio 18 debido a la tormenta!

Gerardo visits the DuPonts and attends the Turks Head Music Festival for five minutes (until the rain begins).

Despite rain, we walked around West Chester. Left: Gerardo and Elizabeth in front of the West Chester Courthouse

Gerardo is not a Harry Potter fanatic. But as a business major, he probably learned a lot about American consumers at the midnight Potter party at Borders book store.

De julio 16 el 1:00 maana. - Gerardo no es un fantico del potter de Harry. Sino como un comandante del negocio, l aprendi probablemente mucho sobre consumidores americanos en el potter de la medianoche que el partido en las fronteras reserva el almacn.

A game of Spanish Monopoly after coming home from the airport to the Metzkers' house

Un juego del monopolio espaol despus de venir a casa del aeropuerto a la casa del Metzkers

Barbecue with the Lorgus, Metzker and Kittson families

Barbacoa con las familias de Lorgus, de Metzker y de Kittson