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Vanderford returns

from Down Under

Lydia Vanderford, SmartBodies' rehabilitation coordinator and fitness

instructor, and adjunct instructor for the School of Health Sciences at Clayton

College & State University, has returned from her Rotary Group Study

Exchange to Western Australia.

Rotary International's Group Study Exchange is a unique program that

provides young professionals the opportunity to grow professionally and personally

through interaction with individuals from another country. District Governors

meet at the Rotary International Convention and select one or more districts

as exchange destinations. Teams from the districts then trade places and

spend time in the host country/district learning and sharing professional

and cultural experiences.

Vanderford, a resident of Griffin when she's not globetrotting, and

the rest of the team from Rotary District 6900 visited District 9450 of Western

Australia for five weeks. The majority of their time there was spent in Perth,

as most remote a city as there is in the world. Although Western Australia

makes up roughly a third of Australia's landmass, its population is

only 1.8 million. And of that 1.8 million, Perth contains 1.25 million.

"Once you leave Perth and the surrounding towns, you don't see

much, just bush," said Vanderford. "The whole of Australia has

a population of only 20 million, just a little over double the population

of Georgia.

"The weather was comfortable, for the most part. However, we did experience

a couple of days of around 105 degrees. The rest of the time, however, it

was usually in the 80s during the day and 60s or so at night."

Vanderford reports that the food was quite good with seafood being very

popular, along with lamb with mint jelly. Other food choices, names, and

traditions demonstrated the strong English heritage, she adds, noting that

cookies are biscuits, morning tea is common, and scones or biscuits and tea

are everywhere.

Vanderford and her team also found that the people were genuine and kind,

entertaining and very keen on sharing their interests, opportunities and

way of life.�

"Most everyone we met were very complimentary of Americans as a whole

and those we talked with who had traveled in the States could not say enough

about how kind and accommodating those they met had been," she said. "Many

still referred to MacArthur and America's involvement in Australia's

defense in World War II."

While Australia Austraila, the local Rotary team presented to more than

20 Rotary clubs, sharing information about Georgia, their professions, and

how they deal with national trends or events that have impacted our workplaces.

"The Australian clubs were very impressed and complimentary of our

team's presentation and evident professionalism, especially as our team consisted

of five women," noted Vanderford. "Women are involved in the workplace

in Australia, but business leaders, especially those involved in Rotary,

are still predominately men."

"It was a fabulous experience, and I am thankful to all those involved

who made this opportunity possible," said Vanderford. "I would

especially like to thank SmartBodies Director Cindy Lauer, who took extra

responsibility on her already full plate."

Vanderford will be presenting her pictures and experiences in a "Lunch

and Learn" around the end of June or the first of July. Contact SmartBodies

at 770-961-3408 for more information.

Also, anyone who is interested in participating in a similar opportunity

through Rotary, who is between the ages of 25 and 40, should contact Lydia

Vanderford at 770-960-4358 or Clayton College & State University Foundation

Trustee Robert Lee at 404-366-6172.