Warning. This will be long and wordy! Excuse the crappy photos. They are photos of photos, we don't have a working scanner.
I joined the Girl Guides of Australia (now called Guides Australia) back in 1977 as a brownie in Tasmania. My Mum and Nan (grandmother) were involved in guiding before me. I was enrolled as a Brownie and later as a Guide using their promise pin. Up until last year I have been involved in guiding/scouting in some form or another since that first day as a brownie. Last year I officially took a break, after 29 years I was approaching burnout!
Guiding has provided me with some wonderful opportunies, great friends, my husband and literally changed my life. Back when my mum took me down to the local guide hall for my first brownie meeting, who knew the effect it would have on my life.
When I joined the brownies we still wore the little brown dress, leather belt, pouch and beret. My first pack holiday was at Orana. (my brother and his girlfriend are now the caretakers there!). And according to this photo I was adorable. Didn't last long.
Fiona and Rachael circa 1977
Here is a brief history of my life in guiding
1997-1990 Guides Australia. I was brownie, guide, ranger guide and then a brownie leader all in the Lindisfarne District. I earned my BP and Queens Guide Awards. And represented Australia at Olympus '84 in Greece, Asia Pacific Jamborella in Victoria, Noora Ku Neena in Queensland and the World Scout Jamboree in Sydney.
1990-1991 Girl Scouts Japan. I was a Junior Girl Scout leader with Troop 41, Tokyo Council . I went to the Tokyo Council 40th Anniversary Camp, learnt how to wear a kimono, participated in a tea ceremony and many, many other events.
Troop 41, Tokyo Council
1991-1994 Girl Guides UK. In London I was again a brownie leader, and my unit met at Pax Lodge. While living in London I also represented Australia at a Juliette Low Seminar at Pax Lodge and at the International Olympic Youth Camp in Norway in 1994.
1994-1996 Guides Australia. Back in Sydney I was a Brownie Leader with two units. I received the Irene Fairbain Challenge and selected to represent Guides Australia at the Dialogue for Peace at Our Cabana in Mexico.
Winter 96/97 I volunteered as program assistant and lifeguard at Our Cabana in Mexico
1997-2006 Girl Guides of Canada as Guide leader, Pathfinder leader and Senior branches leader.
Summer 98 - Waterfront Director at Camp River Ranch, Totem Council, Girl Scouts of the USA (Washington State)
Winter 98/99 I volunteered for a second season as program assistant and lifeguard at Our Cabana in Mexico.
Summer 99 - My second summer as Waterfront Director at Camp River Ranch, Totem Council, Girl Scouts of the USA (Washington State)
How did it change my life? Growing up I wanted to be a teacher and I had no interest in travelling. As a teenager I wanted to quit Guiding. I was done. It was embarrassing to be a Girl Guide. So my parents bribed me. They told me that if I applied for an international event, they would pay for it, and as repayment I would stay in Guiding until I was done school. I applied for 3 events, I don't think Mum and Dad thought I would be selected for any of them. But I was.
I was one of 14 girls, aged 14-15, and 3 leaders selected from around Australia to attend Olympus 84 in Greece. It was a one week international camp with 3000 Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from around the world at the base of Mt Olympus. We had three days in Athens before, and after we had a week of homestay in Xylocastro , a week at Olave House in London and 3 weeks touring Europe on a bus - Amsterdam (Netherlands), Paris (France), Lucerne (Switzerland) and Koln, Koblenz and Heidleberg (Germany). We were gone 6 weeks. In August/September.
In Australia that's the middle of our school year. I missed almost 2 months of school. In grade 9. How amazing are my parents? They sent me half way round the world for 6 weeks with 16 strangers, and thought it would be a good experience for me.
To this day I am eternally grateful to them and guiding.
I had the. best. time. I came home with the worst case of itchy feet. I wanted to travel again. Now. I changed my career path. I was not going to be a teacher now. I wanted something where I could travel. So at college I studied business, majoring in Travel and Tourism. I went on to work in the hotel industry in Japan, England, Australia and Canada. I spent 6 years travelling. I called on my network of guiding and scouting friends. I met new friends through old friends. I met my hubby through a connection from guiding to boy scouts.
Now let me introduce my three closest friends, all of whom I met through Guiding. Friends I would fly half way round the world for at the drop of a hat, if they asked me to. Friends I can phone at 3 in the morning if I need a shoulder to cry on.
Jo - we have known each other since we were 7. We were cute little brownies together. That's 30 years! We haven't always been close. In fact there were periods of time when we refused to speak to each other. There was even a night in a youth hostel in Luxembourg where I threw a saucepan at her! We've drunk beer in Munich, belted out the songs from Hair in a London Tube station at 2am, sat silently admiring the beauty that is Prague, got lost in Budapest, been awed and frightened by the atmosphere that is Dachau and admitted we thoroughly enjoyed the Sound of Music Tour in Salzburg. We used to phone each other at 2am to go for hot chocolate at the 24 hour coffee shop. She's taken me to more hospitals around the world than I care to remember and I've nursed her through more hangovers than she cares to remember. She's one of the first friends I see when I go home. Sometimes she'll go visit my mum and dad, just cause. Jo was our Maid of Honour.
You think I could find a better photo of us, but no.
Narelle - we met when we were 14, when we were both selected to attend Olympus '84 in Greece. That's 23 years. We lived in different states, but spent time together every summer. I was a bridesmaid at her wedding to Justin, and they now have two adorable boys Dale and Liam. Narelle was our Matron of Honour.
Narelle and Justin with Dale
Jane - we were 24 when we met . I was representing Australia, and Jane was representing the UK at the International Olympic Youth Camp in Norway for the Lillehammer Winter Olympics. 13 years ago. We supported each other through some rougher times - breakups, low self esteem, loss of jobs, deciding what to do with life. Jane was in Sydney when I pretty much decided to quit my job, give up my career, my steady and steadily increasing salary to travel again and to Volunteer for WAGGGS. Jane was a bridesmaid at our wedding, and even met us in Sydney for part of our honeymoon. I had the honour of being able to participate in Jane and Cindy's commitment ceremony. That was the last time we saw each other - 2 years ago for 4 days in England.
Jane, Me, Cindy
"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." - Anais Nin
Julie, Lori, Niamh and I all became friends at Pax Lodge in 1992. (yep 15 years ago. Girls - we are getting old!) Julie and Lori were volunteer house assistants, Niamh and I were representing our respective countries (Ireland and Australia) at the Juliette Low Seminar.
Julie - She helped celebrate many a birthday in London, Aussie Style. Julie is now back in Australia. On the opposite side of Australia to where my family is. But we've managed to meet up in Perth, Sydney and Tasmania. Distance is no barrier. Julie was a bridesmaid at our wedding.
Julie and Rachael circa 1996
Lori - I was one of the many who was not looking forward to the loud American arriving at Pax Lodge. But Lori changed that pretty quickly. Many nights were spent drinking Long Island Ice Teas, or having a pint at the pub. Despite not keeping in touch regularly and galivanting round the world, she to India, me to Mexico we remained connected through Julie. Dave and I were guests at Lori and Tim's wedding, and they were able to make it to ours. The world of blogging reconnected on a much more consistent basis last year.
Rachael, Julie, Lori - photo stolen from Lori.
Niamh - After she went home to Dublin, and I found a job in London we stayed in touch. I visited Dublin a few times, meeting her family and fiance, Jim. I was lucky enough to be able to return to Ireland, from Sydney for their wedding. And Niamh and Jim made it to Australia for a month. Unfortunately I have never met her three kids - Sarah, Emer and David. Gotta work on that. (I can't find any photos of Niamh but I know I have some, somewhere).
"Never shall I forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours." - Ludwig van Beethoven
Guiding taught me to live by the 10 guide laws. A guide:
- is loyal and can be trusted
- is helpful
- is polite and considerate
- is friendly and a sister to all Guides
- is kind to animals and respects all living things
- is obedient
- has courage and is cheerful in all difficulties
- makes good use of her time
- takes care of her own possessions and those of other people
- is self-controlled in all she thinks says and does
It also encouraged me to live wider and open my eyes, to be tolerant and accepting, introduced me to friends, gave me itchy feet, found my hubby, and gave me a camp blanket with more badges (patches) than I have room for.
Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.
So be careful what you sign your kids up for!
