The Iceland travelers were not Rotarians themselves but were accompanied by Saratoga Rotarian Gene Zambetti.

The exchange students selected for Iceland through applications and interviews were firefighter/paramedic Arthur Belton, tax accountant Joces Lyons, artist John Koller and research librarian Cynthia Hsieh. Applicants for travel had to be between 20 and 40 and non-Rotarians.

The group stayed with Icelandic Rotarians and spoke at their club meetings. The Rotary Foundation pays for the flight, but other expenses are borne by the host Rotarians, 42 in all. Students are housed with people in like professions.

Saratoga Rotary gave the team $250 to perform a random act of kindness—in this case the planting of trees in Selfoss, Iceland. Three of the four team members spoke at a recent Saratoga Rotary meeting and relayed fascinating experiences and stunning sights.

For starters, the sun didn't go down in the 28 days they were there. They visited volcanoes, glaciers, geysers and waterfalls. Sometimes their days were so full they were on the move from 2 a.m. to 7 p.m. And there were some hairy moments, as well.

On one expedition, their van got stuck in a river the driver thought safe to traverse. Water reached their ankles before they realized they had better vacate the van—and pronto. They headed back to the warming station on foot with two elderly Icelandic Rotarians, one of whom walked with a cane, useless in the snow.

Thanks to a cell phone and an emergency team, they were rescued after walking two miles and waiting two hours in the hut. The marooned van was towed out of the river.

Other adventures: The group toured fish factories and visited a kindergarten, a forestry school, a lighthouse, the parliament, art galleries and archeological digs.

In more active mode, they rode horses, went rock climbing, planted trees, investigated ice caves—and hunted puffins.

"I held a puffin, even felt its heart beating, and the very next night was served puffin for dinner," lamented Hsieh.

The travelers reported that Icelandic schools are exceedingly clean and well-maintained: Students take off their shoes when they enter. Another emphasis on cleanliness comes from a school-sponsored cleanup program. Students are paid for two-week stints of cleaning parks and other public places.

Icelanders are tri-lingual—Icelandic, Danish and English are taught.

Artist Koller said he was so impressed he intends to go back. His artist's eye found the landscape incredible—from lava fields that look like something on the moon, to green pastures.

"There's something in the air in Iceland, and they have a great sense of humor, know how to have a good time," the artist summarized.

GREETINGS FROM THE OTHER SAN JOSE: Here's an update from Saratogans Dan, Berit and Kristina Wick, who are currently living in San José, Costa Rica, in preparation for their missionary work in Columbia. They are taking Spanish lessons and learning more about the culture while working with the needy.

The family will relocate to Colombia in January. A highlight of their summer was having the youth group from their home church, Immanuel Lutheran Church of Saratoga, come to Costa Rica for a short-term mission. The youngsters lived in a barrio neighborhood, conducted programs and played with the kids.

"One of the programs had close to 200 in attendance, and although the youth group didn't speak Spanish, many friendships were made, and the Costa Rican kids are still asking about the gringo kids from the States," the Wicks wrote in an email.

"The love that was shown by the youth will have a long-term effect on many of the kids in the barrio. It was a life-changing experience for several of them."

SILICON SECRETS: Catherine Burr's first novel, Silicon Secrets, is now out, and one of the first copies went to California first lady Sharon Davis, whom Burr met recently. The author suggested SS would make for good campaign trail reading for the gov. It's available through Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and various bookstores.

Earlier, Burr co-authored with her sister, Beverly Rose Hopper, the lighthearted book Motherhood is not for Wimps. Her own children are Tim Jr., a senior at UC-Davis, and Daniel, a sophomore at California State University, Monterey Bay. Husband Tim is a high-tech exec.

Burr majored in psychology at San José State University and was a finance officer before her children were born. The Burrs are active in Sacred Heart parish: Catherine serving as vice president of the Sacred Heart Women's Club and the boys attending Sacred Heart School.

Got a story? My email address is maryanncook@earthlink.net.