Jamboree on the Air

From the official JOTA/JOTI website: 

What is JOTA?  

Jamboree-on-the-Air (JOTA) is an annual event in which Scouts and Guides all over the world speak to each other by means of amateur radio contacts. Scouting experiences are exchanged and ideas are shared via radio waves.

What is JOTI?  

Jamboree on the Internet, or simply JOTI, offers an alternative to the direct radio contacts in JOTA. Through JOTI, Scouts can “meet” and share information with other Scouts from around the world using Internet technology.

This past weekend the Brownies attended our local JOTA-JOTI event. It is held on the third weekend of October every year and over one million Scouts and Guides from countries around the world participate.

This year we had a bit of trouble connecting internationally and ended up chatting to a Scout Leader in Australia (one of our Leaders joked that was probably somebody stationed in the tent next to ours!). 

The girls were a little thrown at first to be connected with a Scout Leader as they had been coming up with questions to ask based on somebody their own age! Suddenly they were too shy to ask his favorite colour and what outdoor activities he liked. However this Leader was absolutely amazing and kept the girls engaged by asking great questions and even getting them to respond with more than monosyllabic answers!

For participating in JOTA each girl (and Leader!) received this lovely cloth badge. I just love the bold colours and design this year.

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GONE HOME: Founding father of Jamboree on the Air 

Les Mitchell, G3BHK, silent key October 2014

Photo credit: JOTA/JOTI

Sleeping under the stars

When the Brownie Guides go to camp it usually involves a large cabin with a kitchen, working bathrooms and bedrooms filled with bunk beds. However, this past weekend we braved the elements and slept under the stars without tents to raise money for disadvantaged and homeless youth. 

The rain has been constant these past few weeks and the girls were extremely worried that their outdoor camping experience would be cancelled due to rain. Luckily everybody was snug and asleep in their bedrolls before the rain began and so we did end up sleeping outside the entire night! Luckily almost everybody remained completely dry - a credit to their bedroll making skills (thank goodness for duct tape!)

This is definitely an experience they will remember for years to come.

Rolled up bedrolls

Glow sticks hung from tree branches to illuminate the path to the toilet block.

Girl Guides have fun!

We attended a fun activity day this weekend with Guides from near and far. The Brownies and Guides had an awesome time and tried a range of activities - some new and some old favourites.

Inflatable jumping castle twister:

Crate stacking:

Decorated pet rocks:

Creating bubble pictures:

Rock climbing:

Gumnut creatures:

Making delicious lamingtons:

Wrestling in sumo suits:

Pond dipping:

Walking on wooden stilts:

Getting stuck to the inflatable velcro wall:

All in all, a wonderful day - and I even went home without my usual post-Guide event headache!! Thanks girls for a great day!