In November I was involved in a two week exchange trip to Japan with 13 other Guiders from the UK. The theme for the exchange was Education for Sustainable Development. This was a fantastic experience which really allowed me to get the feeling of Guiding as an international community. I would encourage anyone to take up any opportunities they get to travel as a member of either the Guide or Scout Association - I almost didn't bother to apply for this trip but am extremely glad I did. I gained so much both personally and in terms of activities to share with my units about Japan and the trip's theme of sustainable development.
It was a packed trip with visits to three different areas of the country and plenty of chances to meet Girl Scouts and see places, both tourist attractions and places you would not get to see as a normal tourist. The first four days were spent in Oak Village, a craft community whose policy is to operate in a sustainable way with everything made lasting the time it took for the tree to grow and a new tree planted for each one cut down. Here we got to do something very different from anything I would normally do, we made various items from wood in the workshop (including a large bowl made with a hammer and chisel). The experience was enhanced by seeing the wood right through from tree trunk to finished product. A highlight of the building we stayed in was its heated rugs!
We moved onto Nagoya, Japan's 4th largest city. Here we experienced both Japanese and Western style rooms in the Women's centre and later home hospitality. We spent a day with Girls Scouts making a Green Map (a mapping system highlighting environmental issues) and exchanging crafts, food and songs. I shan't forget seeing the Girl Scouts eating pancakes with chopsticks (or my attempts at the boiled egg - I managed the fried egg though!). We also had a forum with Rangers discussing issues such as peace, international relations and the environment. We made visits to a Christian Women's university to discuss differences in the education systems, to a china factory and biosphere, to a shrine in a shopping centre and to the local government (where we were welcomed by two giant green mascots!).
The rest of the trip was spent in Tokyo including some free time for sightseeing. The highlights of the sightseeing for me were a visit to the 45th floor of the Metropolitan Government Building and a trip on the ferry. We also had official visits to make to the Girl Scouts of Japan headquarters, to St Hilda's School for lunch with Girls Scouts belonging to Japan's oldest troop and to the government ministry who partially fund the exchange programme. The trip was rounded off by a forum with about 150 Girl Scouts and leaders including groups who had been on international trips over the summer.
I was originally selected in November 2002 to lead the North East England group. After 12 months of planning we finally left Leeds at -3C on December 30th heading for Auckland. We celebrated New Year 2004 somewhere over Australia. The next 6 days were spent on a sightseeing tour with the Australian contingent which was a great way to start the trip as by the time we arrived at jamboree we had already made some new friends. The first day we travelled north stopping along the way to see the giant Kauri trees and have lunch in Whangarei by the marina. Our destination was Waitangi where the land treaty was signed in 1841 between the Maori and Pakeha (Europeans). The following day we enjoyed a boat trip round the bay of islands and saw dolphins at the side of the boat. We then swam in the sea in January - while warmer than the north sea it wasn’t tropical. We then travelled to Auckland and went up the Sky Tower which is the highest building the southern hemisphere then on to Mount Eden an extinct volcano with spectacular views over the city. For day 5 we visited the Waitomo caves where glow worms give an effect of fairy lights on the cave roof. That night I stayed with Karen the Australian contingent leader in a log cabin with the most amazing view down the valley where we were up at 5am to watch the sun rise. Finally we arrived in Rotorua where the jamboree was to be held. I spent that night looking across the lake to Mt Tarawera. Through out the tour we had been hosted by guiding families and had our photo taken for local newspapers. While it involved moving every night it gave us the opportunity to see normal New Zealand life and meet some fantastic people though you never quite get used to sitting on the deck in sun and walking back into the house to see the Christmas tree. On January the 7th we arrived at Tui Ridge Park along with 4000 others to take part in ROCK. The group were split across the sub camps so apart from brief Hi's and big smiles I didn't see very much of my UK group for the next 7 days. I was in tiger eye unit 10 with three New Zealand leaders and 29 girls aged 9-14 with a very small area to put up our tents. We got them up and then re-pititched them the following day to create more space. All the catering was done centrally in the tiger eye dinning room who fed us great in shifts. My unit had 3 other leaders Caroline, Michelle and Susan who were absolutely brilliant fun even if we were told off for talking by the tent behind us. The opening ceremony included a Maori dance performance and a lot of noise. Our first two days were site based activities - problem solving, orienteering, vertical bungee, motor cross display in the evening and some star gazing the highlight for me being seeing the southern cross. Friday night we went into Rotorua to go to the luge (think go cart and a wide toboggan track) which was awesome fun and possibly one of my best memories of the week. The following day was open day for families to visit so for me as contingent leader this was spent in the international tent apart from joining my group to sing some campfire songs as part of the international entertainment. The following morning we were off to Lake Rotorua for water activities of raft building, kayaking, jet boating and fishing. The afternoon was more water on site the highlight of which for our group was getting to dunk three of the leaders (we enjoyed being cooled off). That night we had a campfire (without the fire - to big a risk in summer) but two fantastic leaders who more than made up for that. The next day our morning activity included the international tent, radio controlled cars and making wind chimes. In the afternoon went orienteering in a redwood forest and then to Whakarewarewa where the hot geysers are. Here I got to see a kiwi in the kiwi house, smell the sulphur springs and see bubbling mud pools. The final full day was a trip to Taupo which was more than worth the early start. We went swimming followed by mountain boarding which was tremendous fun even if Caroline and I opted to take the safe option and site down. Then the site seeing really started with Huka falls and the craters of the moon. Another thermal area where you walk on the board walks and steam comes from vents around you, more bubbling mud and Mt Ruapehu in the back ground (Mt Doom from Lord of the Rings). The final part of the afternoon was a scavenger hunt around Taupo and a bit of shopping. The final night saw the closing ceremony where we watched a video of the jamboree and a final bow from the mascot - Hini the volcano. We said goodbye to the Australians and were given Skippy their mascot to bring home. Sadly the next morning it was time to leave our new friends. So with a few tears the UK group travelled the hour north to Tauranga and the beaches for our homestay. I stayed with an ex- New Zealand trainer whose daughter had also been at camp. Here I went in the hot pools, travelled down the coast to miles of sandy beaches and went for a bushwalk from their local guidehouse. We also visited Te Puke the home of the Kiwi fruit which was great for souvenir shopping. On Monday afternoon we boarded our bus to take us to Auckland airport.
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