The WSJ was to be held in West Virginia in July 2019 and hosted by North America, Canada and Mexico. What I hadn’t appreciated when I attended the selection event was that not only was this a 3 week trip to America, but that we would have 5 training camps before we would go with a reunion after the main event – what could be the down side of accepting such an adventure – well the £4,000 that I was going to have to fundraise. Part of this fee would be donated to Scouts who were unable to pay or were unlikely to be given such an opportunity, for example there was a Scout at the Jamboree who was living in a refugee camp in Kenya.
The Jamboree was a life changing experience. I took part in a lot of activities that I hadn’t done before such as white-water rafting and stand up team paddle boarding. I gained many new life skills and now have more confidence in my own abilities. I made many new friends from many different countries, and it will be an experience I will remember and treasure for the rest of my life.
As my Jamboree journey came to an end, the memories I have made and the skills I have learnt will last a lifetime. I spent nearly two weeks living in a city with people from all over the world, in peace and harmony. As Former UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon said at the closing ceremony:
"Scouts, you have discovered the key to live in peaceful coexistence over these last ten days. If you can do this for ten days, you can certainly do this for one hundred days, and then a thousand days. Choosing this path is yours."
It was an honour to be one of nine representing Girlguiding Scotland and I encourage everyone to have an adventure, unlock their potential and become a global ambassador.
The full article will be released in the next edition of The Columban.