LUDLOW, Vt. – The Ludlow Rotary Club was treated to a lively overview of Croatia’s history, language, culture, and geography by a Rotary Youth Exchange Student, Klara Lendic, at their recent meeting.
She spoke of how her country has been strongly influenced by neighboring countries, as Croatia is a small country that was at one time part of the Habsburg Empire, the central European monarchy that ruled over a collection of lands from the 13th century to 1918.
The historically difficult yet close connection to its neighboring countries continues, even though Croatia has been an independent, democratic country since 1991, and a part of the European Union since 2013. Long and difficult negotiations have been a tradition, as political and cultural differences overlap the boundaries of so many small countries in such close proximity. Croatia has strong cultural and culinary traditions, which Klara described in terms of extended family groups, traditional foods, and elaborate celebrations of holidays and weddings.
Lendic is being hosted this year by the Manchester, Vt., Rotary Club. She will be participating in the Youth Exchange Ski Weekend at Okemo Mountain, March 1-3. Vail’s Epic Promise Grant to the Ludlow Rotary Club makes this weekend event possible for 13 international students, who are on a year’s exchange in Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
In other business, the Ludlow Rotary Club inducted Mary Davis Realtors as a new business member of the club. Sue Chadwick was inducted by Rotarian Tom Harris, with their sponsor Kim Lampert participating. Club members warmly welcomed Sue as the newest member.