An Aruban Adventure!

Tuesday was our one full day off, with no morning or evening training sessions. Delivering effective and engaging training requires lots of planning that often runs all through the day, and late into the evening. Our tour guides for the day were the beautiful and inspiring Guiding sisters, Eli and Rose. We have come to know them well from many training sessions and despite Rose being unwell, and it being Eli's birthday, the ladies arrived at our apartment bright and early!

First stop was to the famous red anchor, which we proceeded to climb all over for photo purposes. We saw the island's prison, and the oil refinery that is currently closed. The views of the sea were absolutely breathtaking and we even saw some brave kite surfers, sharing the sea with strong currents and sharks!

We then visited Baby Beach and were lucky enough to catch the Grade 6 school children learning to swim in the beautiful sea water. We've been in something of a training bubble for the last two weeks, so we were completely bowled over to see the true beauty of the country. There are no words to describe the beach, however, Zoë has created a fantastic 360 picture that is already on our Facebook page. Next we were off to the Arikok National Park to explore the Quadiriki bat caves and drive through some incredible desert scenery!

We stopped by a natural fish foot spa, and there were plenty of giggles and squeals as the largest fish came to clean away our dead skin! The sun was shining and we proudly gifted two of our Aruba badges to our fabulous hosts. We soon broke into singing and spirits could not have been higher!

We headed out of the National Park to grab some lunch at Glenn's Bar. We tried an Aruban Cheese and Cornmeal delicacy called Funchi and it was lovely to chat more with Rose and Eli. After food, we headed to the newly renovated California Lighthouse, which offers astonishing views of the sea all around. (This is also where Sophie and Zoë took their wedding picture!) Some of the team were sunburned, as even factor 50 couldn't protect us from the glorious sunshine!

We stopped for a final picture in front of one of many portable Aruba signs, and then said farewell to our brilliant Tour Guides. We headed home in lots of traffic, feeling incredibly happy that we'd had such a wonderful day with our Aruban friends.

Whats coming next?
- Guides/Padvindsters and their +1's training tonight

Ridiculous moments...
- Taking our mini van over some very exciting terrain in the Arikok National Park...
- Alexandra singing in the car whilst stuck in the traffic jam
- Sophie, having had a Lush deodorant bar for 2 weeks, is still not sure how to use it! (Readers, any advice on whether it should be wet or not would be greatly appreciated.)

Leaders of the future... Guide sessions begin!

Monday began with frantic planning and resource creation to prepare for an evening of training with the Padvindsters (Guides) and we had to get creative with dinner plans to ensure we were set up with plenty of time! Our team have really developed over the last 2 weeks, and our increased ability to work to challenging or changing deadlines is something we're proud of.

We took the scenic route (Miriam got us very lost!) to Savaneta Padvindsters Club House, which was our first training venue without air conditioning. The outdoor covered space was the best place to train, given the excessive 37 degree heat! Our aims for the session were to empower the girls to have a voice, to provide a space to reflect on what they love about APG, and to think about becoming future leaders, whilst having fun.

The girls loved 'Elephant Football', Thunderation and 'Bon Dia Padvindsters', incorporating a glitter handshake to show how one Guide can spread positive impact into the wider community. Encouraging the girls to think about what makes a good leader, and making sure that they understood that leaders come with different strengths and circumstances, it's the combined effort of different people that make a great Guide unit.

We finished the 4 hour session slightly delirious, rather sweaty and with a reminder for the Padvindsters to bring a friend along with them to our Wednesday evening training session.

What's coming next?
- Our one day off is on Tuesday, and we will be exploring the island with Eli and Rose.

Ridiculous moments:
- Miriam trying to pronounce APG with the Papiamento accent
- Alexandra having to create sandwiches from an empty fridge

Goats, crabs and Venezuelan lightening storms!

Our weekend training sessions are without doubt the most intense, but are also the most rewarding! Today we hosted training sessions for Guides (Padvindsters), existing leaders and those new to Guiding. The pre-session prep was immense. Day 1 has been a great success, as although we saw lower numbers than we hoped, our training hit exactly the mark we were aiming for.

The morning involved a role model themed balloon debate, which challenged participants to choose to save 2 flawed role models from 10 in a sinking hot air balloon! The key aim of the session was to convey that no one person is the perfect role model, we always have something to learn and skills to enhance and grow.

We also ran activities that focused on the unrealistic images of women in the media, talked about coping mechanisms for stress, and we ran another session of Girls Can themed activities. The fabulous resources we have been donated by Girlguiding North East England have been an incredible help; women and girls have bowled us over with their powerful responses.

It has been 37 degrees today in Aruba, and the heat is challenging both for the GOLD team, as well as the Aruban women. Our journey home was very warm, and was delayed by goats roaming in the road! We swam in the sea, watched an astonishing lightening storm light up the sky 20 miles away in Venezuela, and enjoyed watching our Ghost crab neighbours clambering over the beach!

Ridiculous moment of the day:
The realisation that, so far we've broken quite a few things... 4 glasses, the decking, many many pegs, a portable washing line, a hook, a toilet seat, Anne's plug socket and Miriam's elbow skin.

Mountain top moment:
Knowing that the strong bonds we have formed as a team are the fuel for us to deliver training that is receiving great feedback and making the difference that we so passionately want.

First Week Reflections

This morning spirits are high, after a fantastic evening with Lula from Guiding in Aruba (APG) at the Carubbian street festival of San Nicolas. Street vendors, colourful costumes and Pastechi were the tonic we needed after a very busy first week! We've been training in Santa Cruz and San Nicolas, and are now being recognised from TV most places we go!

Each GOLD project contains the same ethos and passion, but projects vary so much in content and context. For Aruba, we have an audience with fair English, drinking water, WiFi and we've hired a vehicle. Being a first year GOLD project, there are many firsts for our group to experience! We are building a structure that delivers over 3 years, and one that results in the APG progressing from associated to full members of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

Our greatest joy in training here is without doubt the incredible feedback we have had at the end of each session so far! So much work hides behind the flow of each session we run, and hearing that it is making a positive impact gives us the energy to continually tweak and improve for the next two weeks. As we get to know Guides and Leaders here, our love for and respect for the women and girls we meet continues to grow.

Ridiculous moments
- Miriam walking in on Sita going to the toilet
- The genuine struggles to open, close and lock all doors in our accommodation.
- Sophie's 'light packing' means the team must scrape together to dress her!

What's coming next?
- We have a huge weekend of training ahead, with existing leaders and their plus ones, and we couldn't be more excited!

4 days in, time for a talk show appearance!

Our first training session with the community was set up for retired women, and we had an intimate and positive session. This is a key aspect of GOLD, being flexible and adapting to the situation you are presented with! We had a fantastic few hours with women from the APG board, and the Women's Club of Aruba. Strong, successful and inspiring women, coming together to consider their skills, and the wider world of Guiding that supports 10 million individuals across 146 countries.

'I see APG as my family, I keep them safe, so nobody can hurt them' - Cecilia

If newspaper coverage, and 2 TV interviews weren't enough, it was time to head to the recording studio to appear on Dika's national talk show. This was extremely exciting for all the group, and Steph and Miriam did an incredible job of handling the pressure of the studio! We're excited to be back on telly again in a few days, the novelty will not be wearing off anytime soon.

We came home to a fabulous vegetarian curry, lovingly prepared by Zoë and Anne earlier in the day. Our third and final outfit change was for our first evening training session at the YMCA, in San Nicolas. We set off in our fabulous mini-van, and spent a lovely couple of hours talking with some of the board, some of the leaders and a truly inspiring young guide named Gabby.

What's coming next?
More TV appearances!
Training sessions in new locations

Ridiculous moment:
Alexandra accidentally crashing the TV talk show credits

Mountain Top Moment
Being on a talk show!

Getting to know our Guiding sisters

Today concluded our first weekend training the Guides of Aruba, and it was a day of laughter and utterly incredible Girl Power. The morning began with song sharing outdoors, and then a focus on the Aruban Guiding values. We used a Friendship Shop, Helping Hands activity and a ladders game to get the girls thinking about their Guiding laws. 

Our helping hands came up with some wonderful quotes! 

         'I help my grandma cook'       'I help at animal shelter'      
                     'I help my Dad with the groceries'

It was soon time for lunch, and then our fantastic 7 station activity to challenge female stereotypes and really consider self-esteem. Using 'Girls Can' resources donated by Girlguiding North East, a Mountain Top Moments mountain range, the Always 'Like A Girl video' and Little Miss cards, we considered obstacles women face, and we actively challenged them. The session was genuinely moving, the girls gave such powerful and inspiring responses. We brought together the messages of the training in a short film we made, this will be shared shortly.

      

Our Mountain Top Moments came up with beautiful celebrations of our Guides key moments!

  'I won a medal for basketball'    'Visiting Nuestra Cabana'      'Being a Mom' 

  'Overcame my fear of swimming in open water'     'Meeting the GOLD Team'

The day ended with lots of cuddles, and a real sense that girls truly can do anything.

What's coming next?

- Training retired women and parents of current girls

Ridiculous moment 

- Zoë forgetting the words of The Funky Chicken, and instead letting out a full on chicken squawk in front of all the girls!

Arrival, TV appearances, and 'Wobble Technology'...

We awoke at Pax Lodge and were part of their flag ceremony after a hearty breakfast! Pausing to pick up a limited edition 25 year pin badge, we loaded up our huge bags and marched in the sun to the tube, beginning our day in London. Next stop was a quick explore of Girlguiding Headquarters in Victoria, and a pizza pitstop to fuel us for the travel ahead.

It was soon time to take the tube to Heathrow, making friends along the way! We boarded our first flight, and 8 hours later we landed in JFK, New York. Our 9 hour layover was spent trying to sleep on the airport floor, but loud announcements about taxi dispatchers prevented much sleep occurring! Before we knew it, we were boarding our final flight to Aruba...

Arriving in Aruba was surreal, and a big relief after a long journey to get there. We were greeted by wonderful women from the Aruban Guide board, and picked up our car from Hertz, before discovering our beautiful home in Savaneta for the next three weeks. Living on the beach, with pelicans and crabs for neighbours is certainly a fabulous base.

Our first morning in Aruba included 2 TV interviews and a journey to San Nicolas YMCA, which is an amazing Community building that supports up to 150 young people on a daily basis. This venue will be an incredible place for us to deliver training from, with large meeting rooms and a fantastic covered basketball court. 

What's coming next?
- First meeting with the board members tonight.
- Our first training with Guides will happen tomorrow!

Ridiculous moment
- Our 'Wobble Technology' Samsung washing machine, continues to only massage our clothes, despite 8 attempts to get it to wash them!

Mountain Top Moment
- Seeing the inside of a Guiding hut, and talking with Aruban unit leaders about our shared experience in Guiding in different parts of the world! 

All about Anne, our fab first aider!

 In volunteering, I have not had much interaction with other young women my age, and I felt GOLD would be a good opportunity to do this, whilst giving back. As an adult member of Girlguiding, I absolutely loved the Go for Gold weekend which was part of the selection process for GOLD. This was the first time I had participated in a Girlguiding event that wasn't for Brownies. The weekend was a  fantastic adventure full of different challenges, games and some unexpected twists and turns.

'this was the first time I had participated in a Girlguiding event that wasn't for Brownies'

I joined as a Rainbow with 30th Halifax St Jude’s and stayed through to Guides. For my Duke of Edinburgh I went back to my Brownie unit to volunteer, and I'm still here! I believe Girlguiding is special because it is truly an inclusive environment where every girl can be themselves.

As part of my GOLD fundraising, I held a cake stall in my town centre, and this was the first time I had promoted Girlguiding within the community. Some girls had very traditional views of Girlguiding; asking if ‘you had to get everything right’, and some parents seemed concerned about the expense of an extra activity. Some people are unaware of the fantastic opportunities the organisation offers at such an affordable price.

'GOLD has definitely taught me that you can't say yes to everything!'

Balancing GOLD with other commitments has been difficult. I unexpectedly became the Brownie Unit Leader in March, after the sudden death of our Brown Owl. This meant completing my Leadership Qualification and Pack Holiday Licence. Doing this, along with GOLD, University, and work has been pretty hectic! I have been late completing tasks and missed phone conferences, however, my team have been extremely understanding and supportive. GOLD has definitely taught me that you can't say yes to everything!

Top activity learnt through GOLD has to be 'Ride my Tuc Tuc', my Brownies love this game! I'm not even sure if we’re singing the song to the right tune anymore, but regardless they love it! We recently adapted it to our Harry Potter Pack Holiday theme, singing ‘Riding on my broom’