Scouts Speak Up.... Hoe-downs, Happiness and a Whole lot of Tea.

The weekend just passed I went to a Scouts Speak Up course up at Gilwell park in north east London. This is the home of scouting in the UK, and as the website says, 'It’s our biggest centre and boasts excellent facilities that rival any activity centre.' It really is a very cool camp site, and was a perfect choice for the course! The course itself was a media and communications course, trying to train people who were going to the Jamboree how to talk to the media in the press, on TV and on the radio. This meant a lot of practical stuff, like using a portable radio mike to record interviews (in which I managed to forget where curry came from!) and then listening to them back. It was strange how weird your voice sounds on the radio!

We also did some interviews with a video camera, which I found much easier. This was probably because it was just like having a conversation with someone, it was very relaxed. There was also a press activity, and a main project on campaigning, which was A LOT of fun. I was in the Hot Pink group (woo!) and our topic was anti-social youths, which was a lot harder than you might imagine! We came second over all, which I think we were all really chuffed about! 

On Saturday night, we were told we were going to have a 'cowboy themed party', but I don't think any of us were expecting what was to come! There were hay bales everywhere, cactuses, palm trees (okay?), decorations, and all the leaders were properly dressed up! We all had an amazing night (well, I certainly did!) with all of us rocking out most of the time to the top hoe-down hits. We did have some 'normal' music at the end, but there was nothing more enjoyable than watching people slip sliding around trying to dance like a cowboy. With my AMAZING partner and a whole bunch of new friends, I had the best time ever.

All of this was split up with cups of tea (8, count 'em people! A world record, I'm thinking) and getting to know other people. I made some great new friends, and learnt a lot! I really hope I can keep in touch with them, and see them again at the Jamboree, which I am more excited about than ever!

H x