World Jamboree

[t305spl]

Does anyone know when the World Jamborees are and where?

[wagionvigil]

2007? Gilwell park

[t305spl]

Thanks

[RWSmith]

The 21st World Scout Jamboree will be hosted by the United Kingdom, in celebration of the Centenary of Scouting. It will take place at Chelmsford Hylands Park in Essex, from 27th July to 8th August 2007.

The theme of the 21st World Scout Jamboree in 2007 is “One World, One Promise” – which captures the aspirations and hopes of young people for the future.

40,000 young people will camp, live and work alongside each other, They will come from a variety of different cultures, backgrounds, and religions.

Together they will celebrate what unites them, and learn what they can do together to help build a better world.

[wellread]

I'm told that American scouts are arrogent and do everything very differently compared to other countries. Is that true?

[wagionvigil]

Eamonn??????????

[RWSmith]

I'm told that American scouts are arrogent and do everything very differently compared to other countries. Is that true?

Please understand that you asked an open question when considering this post... Also, I have not attended a World Jamboree and cannot relay my experience based on that; but, I can, however, give you my assessment based on the fact that I've actually lived in foreign countries. There were some occasions, while traveling to and fro, where I was most fortunate to meet Scouts from other countries, e.g, airport, train, ferry, bus, etc.

With all that being said, I have known American Scout(er)s who were arrogant, those who were humble, and those who were sometimes one and then the other. (Ya' can't be both, at the same time though, IMO.) Of those who I knew to be arrogant specifically regarding the subject of foreigners, none had ever set foot on foreign soil. (That should be your big clue right there.)

Generally speaking, Americans can drive for two days in any direction and still not cross a "border". We are very much isolated, in more ways than one, from other nations. Plus, even though we are (still) the world's "melting pot", most of us still take "cultural" issues (barriers) for granted... completely.

When you actually live in a foreign country, not just vacation there, you learn to treat them with respect because you are their guest, you are subject to their laws, their cultural beliefs, their everything. As the saying goes, "When in Rome...." The few times I was disrespected while living or traveling in a foreign country, I just turned around and walked away and found somebody who was willing to work through the language barrier. (Failure to do so could easily land you in jail.)

Most Americans I know, think that "our" way is the right way or the only way... and don't even realize it. (We Anglos inherited it from our Brit-Scots-Irish ancestors, though. )

[wagionvigil]

i have asked Eamonn to respond to this as he as a different view on this having been raised in England and living most of his adult life here.

[wellread]

I don't mean to be rude. I know that this is a very stereotypical question. I have a friend that grew up as a scout in Guatemala. He always tells me that the BSA tries to separate itself from the rest of the scout. he goes on about it being the Boy Scouts of AMERICA rather then just the boys scouts like everyone else. I'm fairly certain that isn't the way they do it in other countries but then I've never been in contact with another scouting organization. The boy scouts is a patriotic movement so it make sense to me to have it distinct in different countries.

Maybe this has nothing to do with it but I was told one of the differences between the BSA and other countries is funding from the government. Other countries fund the boy scouts so they are forced to abide by the rules of that country. Thus usually means a reduction in the Values of the organization. The BSA remains independent of Government funding so we are allowed to follow the scout oath and law. I guess this has nothing to do with American arrogance but it is kind of related so I brought it up.

I'm sure every country has green and red apples so we'll keep this to just in general.

[Eamonn]

I will post news about the Jamboree as and when I get it.
I was talking to Simon Carter, who works for the UK Scout Association, in their communications department, he was hoping that they would get a lot of visitors at Eurojam and thought that the public would gladly pay ten pounds a head to be a day visitor. I couldn't help thinking about the fuss there would be if we decided to charge $17.00 a head for day visitors at our National Jamboree.
As for Americans being arrogant?
I have never found them to be so.
I was a ASM for the Greater London Central contingent to the 1975 Nordjamb. We camped next to a BSA Troop. Our troop had shipped over the tents and equipment that belonged to my home unit. Patrol tents that slept six Scouts and Patrol cooking boxes. The BSA Troop had all brand new, still in the box equipment that had never seen the light of day. We were green with envy.
In 1976 our Troop went to Kandersteg. Due to the high cost of food in Switzerland, all of our Scouts carried a suit case full of dehydrated food. In camp at the same time was a BSA Troop stationed in Germany, they invited us to eat with them and they were eating real food!! We took them up on their offer to take our older Scouts climbing and hiking across glaciers, they had leaders that were far more experienced than I was. They played a big part of me wanting to come and visit the USA in the first place. These guys were so nice, so kind and really did make the Scout Oath and Law come alive.
As a kid I worked in a hardware store on the Kings Road, Chelsea. Which is a very trendy part of London. We had a lot of Americans come in. It always amazed me how many never took the time to learn our money!!
They would just open their purse or bill fold and ask me to take what I needed. I couldn't help but think that they were just begging to be ripped off. Of course I never did rip them off!!
The other night I somehow ended up watching MTV. I think the show is called Trips?? It showed a group of young Americans maybe in their late teens or early twenties in the Serengeti. One part showed them with a local tribe, the kids were equipped to the hilt with every last latest high tech toy. They were shooting videos on palm sized video cameras, taking digital photos and allowing the tribes people to listen to their i-pods.
These tribesmen didn't look like they had seen a good meal in a good while and these young people had all this stuff.
Some might see this as some form of arrogance? I don't. I think these young Americans were in no way trying to say " Here look at me with all my toys" They just had this stuff and it was and is what they are used to.
It is hard for us who live here to understand how well off we really are. We live in the greatest and one of the richest nations on earth. We take many of the freedoms that we have for granted.
At times we don't understand the customs of others or fall back on some Hollywood idea of what the customs should be. People are sometimes shocked when I don't talk like Eliza Doolittle and are surprised that I don't visit Buckingham Palace to join the Queen for tea and think that I'm making fun of them when I ask when was the last time you had coffee at the White House with the President?
Not everyone from Japan is a black belt, the French don't eat snails for breakfast and yes the Eiffel Tower is bigger than the Washington Monument.Big Ben is a bell, it is the hour bell of of the Great Clock of Westminster.
The churches of Europe are real churches and are not Disney World, sure the folks back home want a picture but wait till the service is over there are people praying.
I have never found Americans arrogant, maybe at times shall we say lacking sensitivity.

[wagionvigil]

Well said E Thanks!

[riverwalk]

Well, there are some differences in the BSA when compared to other places, sure. But, I have an impression (my own) that the BSA's official name has more to do with identification or establishment as a Business name. It's our way in this Country, to protect a name, or separate a group from similar groups. Besides, these other Scout groups do have names generally.

And as for attitudes....I don't think our Movement has an attitude, though our culture does get blamed for some things. As a person that keeps up with news, and having been a Host Family (for Scouts and Scouters)...other places have "issues" and problem Scouts. Only one visit as a Host family saw Scouts we wouldn't want again. I won't name their country, as it might not have been representative of all their Scouts. But, they were a problem at several stops in my State. They even acted like we were supposed to wait on them. Being a Host, you want to "wait" on them, but not have them expect it.

[Eamonn]

Good afternoon riverwalk,
I didn't take my smart pill today or stay at a holiday Inn Express last night.
I'm having a real hard time understanding what you mean in the first paragraph that you posted.
Many Scout Organizations or Associations are called after the country from where they are at Scouts Ireland comes to mind.
There are some countries that have more than one Scout Association, I haven't checked lately but Sweden at one time had two.
Many Scout organizations have stores or shops where you can buy Scouting supplies and camping gear. The UK had Scout Shops Ltd, but renamed the stores to some thing like Outdoors Ltd in an effort to attract more non Scouts who wanted to buy camping gear.
Nearly all the Scouting organizations I know of do have a uniforms that are a line of clothes that are made for them. Sure in some countries the uniform is only a top, but that shirt is a uniform shirt that is made just for them.
I don't understand what you mean by a business name?
As I say I haven't had my smart pill.