***TWENTY-NINE*** days to go!
After I posted the link to the NZ scout association website, Graham "sub"
Morine posted (on November 17) a brief write up of our trip on the "chatbox"
found on the right hand side.
See: http://scouts.org.nz/sanz/news.php
As a result, Graham tells me he has been *inundated* with notes from local
scouts who say they are going to come and visit with us at our various
accommodations. Graham urges me to pass on that our participants should be
"sure to bring plenty of badges to swop". So, do NOT forget to pack that
package of badges you got at the last meeting, and bring any others you may
have lying about. Again, even if you are not interested in swopping, you
can still give away!
Make a friend!
I also received a response from BSA on European Camp Staff for 2009.
Attached is the fact sheet from BSA, which includes a link to the European
website that has the list of camps accepting staff. Can you imagine
spending a summer in Denmark? Too cool!
Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 8:17 AM
Cheers
Don Roberts
Trek Organizer
Monday, November 17, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
More international opportunities
Okay, I admit it, I am an international scouting junkie.
Trouble is, taking youth on an international trip is sooooo cool, I just
can't help it.
I wanted to highlight another great scouting international opportunity.
European Camp Staff.
Close your eyes and picture this: Summer in the Austrian Alps, with young
people your own age (of both sexes), all scouts.
For almost free.
Okay, do you have that picture in your mind? That is European camp staff.
If you are from 18-30 years of age, BSA has a program where you can
volunteer for camp staff at a limited number of European scout camps
(examples include Gilwell in England, Vassaro in Sweden, Zellhof in Austria,
Kandersteg in Switzerland, etc.). You commit to a length of time depending
on the camp (Gilwell as short as 4 weeks, Vassaro 6 and Kandersteg 12, as
examples). You pay for the flight to Europe. The camp provides you room
and board in exchange for spending a great summer. If you fulfill your
commitment, BSA will pay you half your airfare. If they have extra in the
budget, they may pay more (last two summers, they paid full air fare).
Before or after your commitment, you are free to do whatever you want, tour
Europe, hang with your new scout friends, whatever.
If you use youth hostels and get a rail pass, that European touring option
is pretty reasonable. However, we have found that instead, our European
Camp Staff end up getting invited to visit and stay with their new European
scout friends. Last year, a scout who went To Vassaro was then invited to
staff the Swedish National Jamboree. Another was invited on a special
expedition in the Alps. You just never know where it will lead you.
All that for half air fare. Can you believe the opportunity? That doesn't
happen every day, you know.
Sure, it takes a special sort to do this. You have to be 18, and you have
to have parents who will support you having a summer off work and school.
Also, Kandersteg takes short term staff at other times of year, if you have
an interest in taking a semester off for this excellent opportunity.
You would be surprised how much fun you would have.
So, if you find this interesting, contact me for the application and list of
camps.
Cheers!
Don Roberts
Trek Organizer
Trouble is, taking youth on an international trip is sooooo cool, I just
can't help it.
I wanted to highlight another great scouting international opportunity.
European Camp Staff.
Close your eyes and picture this: Summer in the Austrian Alps, with young
people your own age (of both sexes), all scouts.
For almost free.
Okay, do you have that picture in your mind? That is European camp staff.
If you are from 18-30 years of age, BSA has a program where you can
volunteer for camp staff at a limited number of European scout camps
(examples include Gilwell in England, Vassaro in Sweden, Zellhof in Austria,
Kandersteg in Switzerland, etc.). You commit to a length of time depending
on the camp (Gilwell as short as 4 weeks, Vassaro 6 and Kandersteg 12, as
examples). You pay for the flight to Europe. The camp provides you room
and board in exchange for spending a great summer. If you fulfill your
commitment, BSA will pay you half your airfare. If they have extra in the
budget, they may pay more (last two summers, they paid full air fare).
Before or after your commitment, you are free to do whatever you want, tour
Europe, hang with your new scout friends, whatever.
If you use youth hostels and get a rail pass, that European touring option
is pretty reasonable. However, we have found that instead, our European
Camp Staff end up getting invited to visit and stay with their new European
scout friends. Last year, a scout who went To Vassaro was then invited to
staff the Swedish National Jamboree. Another was invited on a special
expedition in the Alps. You just never know where it will lead you.
All that for half air fare. Can you believe the opportunity? That doesn't
happen every day, you know.
Sure, it takes a special sort to do this. You have to be 18, and you have
to have parents who will support you having a summer off work and school.
Also, Kandersteg takes short term staff at other times of year, if you have
an interest in taking a semester off for this excellent opportunity.
You would be surprised how much fun you would have.
So, if you find this interesting, contact me for the application and list of
camps.
Cheers!
Don Roberts
Trek Organizer
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Other international opportunities
Kia Ora! (that is the New Zealand Maori greeting)
I wanted to take this opportunity to mention a great opportunity that is
available in scouting. For the last few years, BSA has been having
international friendship exchanges where a small contingent of BSA youth
would be put together to be wined and dined (well, maybe not *wine*) by a
scout association in another country. Japan has been hosting two per year,
and last winter they had a scout winter Olympics at Kandersteg in
Switzerland. This summer there was a Philmont intl exchange where a group
of intl scouts teamed with a group of US scouts to do a trek.
The Intl Friendship exchange is subsidized by the host country, and the
typical fee for the US scout has been around $500 plus transportation to
Dallas. For a two week experience where the scouts of another country have,
as their prime motivation, the intent to show you the best time of your
life, that is pretty hard to beat.
In order to be selected, you must be nominated by the Council International
Representative. To be nominated, you have to fill out the attached form
(there is a youth form and adult form) and return it to me or to council.
We rarely know more than two months ahead when one of these come up, but the
last Japan Intl exchange was selected entirely off the existing list.
Now that you have up-to-date passports and are getting a taste of
international travel with scouts, I'm sure you can see that this would be a
tremendous opportunity if you get picked.
Cheers!
Don Roberts
Trek Organizer
I wanted to take this opportunity to mention a great opportunity that is
available in scouting. For the last few years, BSA has been having
international friendship exchanges where a small contingent of BSA youth
would be put together to be wined and dined (well, maybe not *wine*) by a
scout association in another country. Japan has been hosting two per year,
and last winter they had a scout winter Olympics at Kandersteg in
Switzerland. This summer there was a Philmont intl exchange where a group
of intl scouts teamed with a group of US scouts to do a trek.
The Intl Friendship exchange is subsidized by the host country, and the
typical fee for the US scout has been around $500 plus transportation to
Dallas. For a two week experience where the scouts of another country have,
as their prime motivation, the intent to show you the best time of your
life, that is pretty hard to beat.
In order to be selected, you must be nominated by the Council International
Representative. To be nominated, you have to fill out the attached form
(there is a youth form and adult form) and return it to me or to council.
We rarely know more than two months ahead when one of these come up, but the
last Japan Intl exchange was selected entirely off the existing list.
Now that you have up-to-date passports and are getting a taste of
international travel with scouts, I'm sure you can see that this would be a
tremendous opportunity if you get picked.
Cheers!
Don Roberts
Trek Organizer
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