08/13/2023
Well here we are. The flight home from our adventure.
We are sat in the airport waiting to drop our bags for the long long flights home.
We are flying with Singapore airlines which is meant to be good, so it’s quite exciting.
The last three weeks have been a whirlwind, like nothing we ever planned, or expected.
World Scout Jamborees are meant to be festivals of fun, friendship adventure and cultures. Sadly, we had that experience on the campsite taken from us, but do not let that be a reflection on Korea or Koreans, they are beyond heartbroken this has happened. Everywhere we go we receive apologies and free things, we’ve been handed travel toiletries and umbrellas at the airport!
Was human ready to leave the jamboree, not at all, does human believe the leaders of the contingent did the right thing, a million times yes.
Human thought she was ok at being a Scout Leader; but the leadership team of this jamboree have put that in to doubt. Quite frankly they have been phenomenal. Somebody wrote early that they had pulled a jamboree 2.0 from nothing; absolutely nothing, to provide activities for free, hotel rooms for 4500 and support to IST and contigents without complaint. Every single one of them deserves out upmost applause; respect and a bloody big gin! They are simply incredible and I’m in awe of what they achieved.
If you’re a Scout you should consider yourself incredibly lucky to have such strong leadership, governance and foresight.
Though the bonds aren’t the same as previous internationals the people met have been fantastic; human nearly cried when she randomly bumped into a German lady she didn’t get to say goodbye to at a tube station in Seoul, who thanked her for her work on site. That chance meeting has allowed us to stay friends.
Human is insanely proud to be part of this IST, with a work rate that was simply relentless, an attitude that was determined to succeed and the ability to support each other at the toughest of times.
Particularly proud of the younger members that stuck out the tricky times and proved they had what it takes, and then some!
Everyone at this jamboree has proved their commitment to the Scout values, even at the hardest of times, through tears, laughter, blistering heat and pouring rain.
Draw your dream was the theme for camp, mine was always to inspire young people to aim for this, to want to attend the absolute pinnacle of scout experiences, but I also want the young people here at camp to use this most challenging experience to succeed in life, to shine and to continue to Scout as a Jamboree survivor.
