Welcome to WAGGGS Full Membership!

This week is the 36th WAGGGS World Conference in India and it's been a special week for guiding in Aruba. It's fair to say there were twelve teary eyes across the UK as we watched video footage firstly of the vote to accept Aruba as a full member of WAGGGS, and then again as we witnessed the APG be welcomed with a reading of one of the poems we read during our project. It brought back memories for us of our amazing experiences in Aruba, but also made us emotional thinking about all the potential opportunities out there for APG members to enjoy!

To get you inspired here's a short list of some of our top recommendations:

• Visiting (or volunteering at) a World Centre. We met several Padvindsters and Pioneers who'd been to Our Cabana, but we'd love to meet up again with our Aruban friends, so why not think about volunteering at Pax Lodge here in the UK? Or experience snow first hand at Our Chalet in Switzerland! 
• Speak out at the UN! Applications are currently open for delegates to the 62nd UN Commission on the Status of Women. It's a life- and world-changing opportunity! Find out more. 
• Taking action to end violence against women and girls. We heard about the APGs interest in rolling out the Voices Against Violence programme on the island and eagerly wait to see the amazing effects this could have. 
• Shaping the future of our movement at World Conference. We were heartbroken to learn that the Aruban delegation couldn't attend this year's conference, but we hope to see representatives in Uganda in 2020 influencing the direction of WAGGGS going forwards. 

Our team members have had some fantastic experiences through WAGGGS and we wish the same joy and excitement for the members of the APG. Here's pictures of a couple of favourite moments:

 

If you're a guide or scout in the UK, Aruba or elsewhere, what's your highlight from being part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts? 

Challenges Complete...and more!

GOLD (Guiding Overseas Linked with Development) is about developing guiding through our project, but also about developing ourselves. We've gained a whole variety of new skills during our trip: driving on the right, surviving parachute games in 30 degree + heat, perfect sunset photography, effective sun cream application, ant infestation management, half-decent cocktail making and, in Helen's case, avoiding allergy-inducing cats! However, at the start of the trip we set out with six specific challenges in mind, one for each member of the group. In true teamwork fashion, though, we helped each other out in their completion. Now we're back in the UK, we can reflect on our accomplishments:

Laura's Challenge = To read a book

Largely on our rest days, Laura made some valiant attempts to devour Malala's autobiography and has progressed through a few chapters. However, more noteworthy, instead of reading a book Laura has essentially written one, with her final hours waiting for a connecting plane back to Scotland spent getting up to date with her trip diary - a mammoth feat!

 

Amy's Challenge = To not get sun burnt

This is where the sun cream application skills came into their own. Despite two slighted toasted days (the sun on the beach and in the pool is not to be underestimated), Amy was by and large successful in remaining burn free. Her diligence was admiral - suggesting that a hat would be a sensible precaution against uncomfortable burns even when swimming at sunset.

Rachel's Challenge = To get a selfie with a donkey

It is safe to say that Rachel went above and beyond converting her challenge to a collection of selfies with the wildlife of Aruba. Donkeys, cats, lizards and even Speedy Gonzalez the tortoise made the list! A picture's worth a thousand words:

Bridget's Challenge = Beach Yoga

Not enough? How about sunset beach yoga? We all got in on Bridget's challenge (because why wouldn't we...) and over the three weeks developed passable tree and triangle poses. Perhaps by debrief we'll be attempting full on sun salutations but it just won't be the same without the sand between our toes.

Pippa's Challenge = Find the Jamboree Attendee's

This one was partially accomplished early on as we met Rose-Ann on the very first day of training in Aruba. She was 17 at the World Scout Jamboree in the Netherlands in 1995, and we later discovered that one of the leaders with the group was her mum. We also found many young women keen to attend the 2019 Jamboree in the USA - so the cycle of international guiding encounters will hopefully continue!

Helen's Challenge = Handstands

Practised first in the pool and then on the beach (for health and safety reasons), Helen's handstand really came on leaps and bounds during the trip. Photographic proof:

Whilst these challenges were a little bit of fun that kept us motivated throughout our project, we also did some serious learning. 

Speaking for myself, though I'm sure some of it's the case for the others too, nearly four weeks after leaving the UK I am coming back having learnt more about guiding, more about the world and more about myself. Things I would never have learnt without this opportunity and people, places and experiences I will never forget. This time last year, due to a variety of personal circumstances, I was reluctant to put myself forward for a GOLD project, but looking back now I am so pleased and relieved and ecstatic that I did. We never know what the future holds for us as individuals until we live it, but through guiding we enable girls and young women to discover their full potential and others often do the same for us. Each and every person I have met and worked with on this project has taken their guiding light, shared its glow and illuminated potential paths. I still don't know where my life will be headed next, but I have so much inspiration of where I could go. 

"No one can pass through life, any more than you can pass through a bit of country, without leaving tracks behind, and those tracks may often be helpful to those coming after in finding their way." 

- Robert Baden-Powell 

Pippa x

#LeadersOfAruba Now and In The Future

One of the aims of our project was to develop the leadership skills of existing and new adult leaders and those of older Padvindsters and Pioneers in Aruba. During our trainings and other activities we've met so many amazing current and future leaders who we haven't been able to showcase in our blog posts so far. Soon we will depart back to the UK, but the APG continues working year round and below are just some of the awesome women who make that happen:

As the sun is setting on our project...

The final two days of our project have seen us work closely with APG board members in a training day and evening evaluation session. Overall, both our GOLD team and the board members felt that it has been a tremendously successful project making a significant contribution towards the shared aims and objectives of the project.

Due to Hurricane Irma our flight home today has been cancelled and we will now be enjoying some unexpected adventures in Aruba for the next four days. The project feels as though it has passed so quickly and there is so much more to the story of what we've been up to that we have yet to share. With that in mind we'll continue to update the blog with a few more resources and posts over the rest of the week so keep checking back. Leave us a comment if there's something in particular you'd like to see - maybe a song or a game from one of our sessions?

The sun is beginning to set on our project, but like the sunsets we've enjoyed in Aruba, that's not the end. Next week a group young women will gather in Northern Ireland for Go for Gold and from there a team will be selected to continue this project into it's third year. We wish them the best of luck and will hand over the baton in a few months time.

Before that, when we're back in the UK, we'll have a few weeks to try and return to the normality of our lives before we are reunited for our debriefing weekend in Sheffield in November. The time will be a chance for us to reflect on our experiences here, both in terms of the project and in terms of how we have all grown as individuals and as a group. However, many things we are already certain of: we have made life-long friendships, we are a formidable team, and we will have more amazing experiences together in the future.

I like being a member of GOLD Team Aruba 2017 because...

During the last three weeks we've played a lot of circle games asking participants what they like about being a leader, being a girl, being a Padvinster or a Kabouter. As we approach the end of our project (we have our final evaluation with the board this evening) we felt it was time to ask "Ami gusta ser un mucha GOLD Team Aruba 2017..." (I like being a member of GOLD Team Aruba 2017 because...):

Amy likes being a member of GOLD Team Aruba 2017...

"...because I got to enjoy an APG camp. Having experienced many Brownie pack holidays and Guide camps in the UK, I was very excited to see what an Aruban camp would be like. From start to finish, it did not disappoint and I had such a great time. I loved getting the time to interact with the leaders and girls that attended and got the chance to know them better. The girls taught us a lot about the island's languages, culture and people (whilst also beating us at Dobble and Quartet)."

Bridget likes being a member of GOLD Team Aruba 2017...

"...because I have made friendships which I hope will last a lifetime. I've had the opportunity to work with inspirational girls and young women and been welcomed like family. This project has been a constant reminder of how much we all have to learn from each other and that was never more obvious to me than n our training sessions. Each training session we met passionate and dedicated volunteers who not only engaged totally in activities but also shared ideas, stories and lessons with us about guiding in Aruba and the Western Hemisphere. I feel that as a team we go back to the UK richer in knowledge and friends. 'Make new friends and keep the old, one is silver and the other GOLD.'"

Helen likes being a member of GOLD Team Aruba 2017...

"...because I have had the opportunity to get to know inspirational women who are passionate about improving the lives of young women and girls. Over the last 3 weeks I have been working with my incredible team of leaders from the UK and I have watched us grow as a team and develop our training skills together. I cannot thank my 5 new friends enough for all of their hard work. As well our amazing team I have had the opportunity to make new friendships with the awesome volunteers in Aruba. The APG have been like a family to us over the last 3 weeks and we couldn't have had a successful project without them."

Laura likes being a member of GOLD Team Aruba 2017...

"...because swimming in the Caribbean Sea is awesome! Our favourite swim had to be on Saturday afternoon during our camp; after a very busy sweaty day (average 'feels like' temperatures of 40c throughout our stay here!) we cooled off with a dip in the sea. I think we had as much fun as the girls and it was truly magical to watch the sun go down with our new Guiding friends."

Pippa likes being a member of GOLD Team Aruba 2017...

"...because during our time in Aruba the leaders and girls have shared their culture with us, taking us to see landmarks from the lighthouse to the anchor, and to events from the Carubbian Festival to the cultural parade in Brasil. We've been introduced to some delicious dishes: arros con pollo, cabrito stoba, and pastechi; and attempted to recreate the Aruban fried rice we tucked into at camp. We've been able to travel far off the tourist track, learnt a little Papiamento along the way, and are indebted to the girls and women we've met who have made our trip into a true exchange of cultures."

Rachel likes being a member of GOLD Team Aruba 2017...

"...because I have made the most amazing guiding friends in the UK who I would never have met without being part of GOLD but I have also made the most inspirational guiding friends internationally from the moment we landed in Aruba being picked up at the airport to our first leader training session, the Padvindster camp, the visits to the girls at their first unit meetings back after vacation and finally to our last training with the APG board. Everyday of project I have made new friends, laughed until our stomachs ached and passed our six smiles around the island and I have loved every part of it."

Visiting Groups and Finding The Best Use For a Blue IKEA Bag...

The final Saturday of our project was a marathon day with scheduled visits to five unit meetings all over the island: Dakota, San Nicolas, Santa Cruz, Savaneta and Noord. Each meets for two hours staggered throughout the day on a Saturday with all age groups meeting at the same time. There are currently Kabouters (7-11) and Padvindsters (12-16) at all the groups we went to, with Beyisimas (4-6) and Pioneers (17-18) at about half.

Thanks to a very generous donation from Ormskirk District we were able to bring three parachutes for Aruban units to share, so parachute games were a major feature of the activities we ran with the girls. Many had never played these games before or even seen a parachute.

Here's just a few of the games we played and their instructions:

• Cat and Mouse

Pick one (or two) cat(s) and one (or two) mouse (mice). Cats are on top of the parachute and the mouse is underneath. The cat is aiming to catch a mouse and the mouse to escape the cat. Everyone else around the outside is kneeling/sitting down and creating waves to help hide the mice.

• Sharks

Pick a shark to go under parachute and 2 lifeguards to run around the outside of the circle. Everyone sits with legs out long under the parachute making waves. The shark pulls people under and the lifeguards can save them if they get to them in time.

• Me too

Everyone stands holding parachute, on the count of 3 lift the parachute high into the air. On '3' announce a fact e.g. wearing something blue and everyone who that applies to must run under the parachute and find a new space before it comes back down.

• Mushroom

On the count of 3 everyone lift the parachute up over head and bring it down behind them to sit on the edge of it. Everyone should be inside the mushroom. If it’s a good one you could play 'Telephone' or other similar games.

• Parachute volleyball

Divide the parachute in half into two teams. Each team is aiming to get the ball off the side of the other team by working together to waft it in that direction meanwhile defending their own side.

Being a girl guide or girl scout is a really great opportunity to have fun and play games, but also stresses the importance of community action. The news over the past week or so has been filled with stories of Hurricanes Irma, Jose and Katia which have been severely impacting other parts of the Caribbean during our project. During our session with the girls in San Nicolas we found out about and got involved in their contribution to providing relief to inhabitants of sister islands. 

San Nicolas is home to a specialist medical facility and the girls and leaders in the district told us about 65 residents from St Martin with long term health conditions who had been transferred here to escape the hurricanes. A local church building had been transformed into a collection centre for supplies for these displaced people and others affected, and the girls had messaged each other ahead of their first meeting back after the summer break and made arrangements to collect toiletries and supplies that were needed. We accompanied the group to deliver these to the donation centre during our session. 

The co-ordinator told us what they need more of: we'll collect some toiletries and other items over the next few days, but whilst we were there we were able to contribute some of the bags we've been using to transport resources during our project. Before we left the UK we were tasked to find the best use for a large blue IKEA bag: what better use could there possibly be than transporting donations for communities in need!

Tomorrow is our last day of training and the end of the project has come around all too fast. We will be evaluating the project on Monday with APG board members, but it's already clear from our interactions with the girls and leaders today that we have definitely been able to leave some lasting impressions from our time in Aruba. 

#LeadersOfAruba #3 and #4

Next up in our series of #LeadersOfAruba, we have two leaders who have made our stay in Aruba extra special and fun, especially at camp last weekend. First up is Annelien.

On day one, Annelien picked us up from the airport and helped us to find our accommodation. Throughout our stay she's been at many of our sessions and activities, giving us a chance to learn from each other during the project. She took the lead on the logistics of our camp at Papaya Ranch, enabling us to focus on the programme. Everybody we have come across on the island seems to know Annelien (from the members of Quota Club to the dean of the University) and she uses these contacts to provide even more amazing opportunities for the Padvindsters in Aruba.

The second leader we want to mention in Rose Ann. At camp she got the girls organised at mealtimes and to carry out their chores, and we saw a little of her competitive side as she joined in with our peg collecting wide game. Early on, Rose Ann helped Pippa to complete her project challenge as she attended a previous World Scout Jamboree in the Netherlands. Through the conversations during project and activities we've run with young women about international opportunities, we've found plenty of Padvindsters who would be delighted if she lead a group of them to the next World Scout Jamboree in the USA in 2019!

To both of these leaders we want to say thank you for helping to make our project a success so far and for the opportunities you offer to the girls and young women of Aruba! 

If you have a skill, resources, or a small amount of time that you too could give to support Het Arubaanse Padvindsters Gilde, then we have a fun session planned this evening at YMCA San Nicolas (6-9pm) where you can find out more and get a taste of girl guiding and girl scouting. 

Padvindsters, Pioneers and Plenty of Fun

Other than camp, so far during our project we’ve run two different sessions for Padvindsters and Pioneers. The Padvindsters (aged 11-16 years) and Pioneers (aged 16-18 years) travelled from all over the island to attend and meet up with other APG members.

The latest session (on Tuesday) took place at the YMCA San Nicolas with 18 girls and 6 leaders coming from different units across Aruba. Our session and activities focused on leadership skills, WAGGGS and opportunities open to young members in girl guiding and girl scouting. Our leadership activities were very popular with girls and really started them thinking about their Guiding journeys.

Through the activities, the girls and leaders shared their proudest moments and hopes for the future. One of these activities was “Dreamers”: statements are written at the centre of pieces of paper and each person writes on an ending to the statement, for instance “Who says we can’t be…” and the response of “ourselves”. Here’s three of the responses from girls and young women who took part in the session:

Another activity we ran was “Fortune Tellers”. For this activity, you fold a fortune teller (instructions here) and on the inside write four things you’re proud of in Guiding and four things you’d like to achieve. The girls and leaders shared their moments with each other such as: “I have learnt different skills that help me in my everyday life”. “I want to visit the World Centres”. “I want to raise money for people that are in need” and “I want to be a Leader”.

At the end of our session the girls and leaders evaluated the session by filling out speech bubbles with something they had learnt or really enjoyed about the evening. Here’s our favourite picture.

Tonight and tomorrow we’re running sessions for anyone who is interested in volunteering with the APG. If you think you could contribute to making some of these girls wishes for the future come true, then head down to YMCA Dakota (6^th Sep) or YMCA San Nicolas (7^th Sep) from 6pm-9pm to get a taste of what girl guiding and girl scouting is all about.

Our Weekend at Camp: Swimming at Sunset, Palm Leaves for Kindling and #CampHairDontCare

This weekend we camped with girls and young women from across Aruba. As sisters in guiding our camps have a lot in common, but there were some noticeable differences from our camps back home. Here's our top five similarities and top five differences:

5 things that we recognised

1. Spontaneously bursting into song. The weekend was punctuated with musical interludes: energetic renditions of 'Thunderation', morning wake-ups with 'Alice the Camel' and 'Everywhere You Go' in both English and Papiamento. 
2. Roasting marshmallows on the campfire. Smores. Enough Said. 
3. New best friends after 48 hours. We got to know the Aruban leaders and the young women who guide here, but it was also an opportunity for girls from different districts to meet for the first time.
4. Food, Food, Food. We enjoyed the chance to sample some delicious Aruban dishes, but just like at a camp in the UK there was plenty of food and opportunities to tuck in. 
5. Giggles from the girls past midnight. Leaders anywhere in the world share the experience of a first night of camp where you want to get to sleep, but are partly delighted to see the girls having so much fun talking and playing games together late into the evening. 

5 things that were new for us

1. Sunset swims at the beach. This was no cold paddle at Skeggy, as the sun set over the Caribbean Sea we enjoyed the tepid waters at Palm Beach. 
2. New materials for lighting fires. Talking of palms, there was no difficulty lighting a campfire built with dried palm leaves as kindling. In the UK, we'd usually use screwed up balls of newspaper.
3. Iced Tea on tap. Another new one for us as at camp in the UK we're more inclined to drink our tea hot to keep us warm!
4. Flip flops not wellie weather. Walking boots are not required here in Aruba as the chance of rain is minimal. Whereas mud is a consistent feature of UK camps. 
5. Sleeping under the stars. Whilst some of us have bivouacked in the UK before, sleeping on the patio here was preferable to getting into a hot tent and another new experience for us. 

As guides we all have so much in common, but as individuals and with our different cultures there is so much we can learn from each other. This weekend we had so much fun doing just that. 

#LeadersOfAruba #2

In the second instalment of our #LeadersOfAruba series, we want to introduce you to Mirtha who has been our superb tour guide and a great support during our stay in Aruba.

Mirtha is a leader with the Dakota unit and has been a joyful presence at all of our trainings so far in Aruba ensuring we have plenty of water and/or ice tea to drink. She's also been making sure we get to discover the island, its culture and heritage: on Sunday, after our sessions with the leaders, she took us on a tour which included both the most northern AND most southern points of the island, and last night accompanied us to the Carubbian Festival in San Nicolas. Mirtha's supporting us again this weekend at camp and we're grateful for her loan of camping equipment as we only packed sleeping bag liners in our luggage.

The APG is looking to recruit even more leaders, and we'll be running two sessions next week for new volunteers. Check out our Facebook page or comment here for more info.

Rest Days in Paradise: Our Discovery of Baby (Flamingo) Beach

After 6 project days and training sessions involving leaders, Padvindsters, board members and other community organisations, it was time for a well earned rest. Before our departure, a lot of us had been tagged in a viral video of Flamingo Beach, Aruba, that did its rounds on Facebook - therefore, this was the prime opportunity to see it for ourselves. We made a video to share this once in a lifetime experience with all our friends and family. Check out our video from Baby (Flamingo) Beach...


With a day on the beach, it was also a chance to make some headway on team member challenges. Laura read a chapter of her book, Amy liberally applied sun cream to avoid getting burnt, Rachel added to her animal selfies collection, Helen practised her handstand and we all joined Bridget with a spot of beach yoga. Here's some photographic evidence:

Now we are preparing for our camp this weekend with the Padvindsters and Pioneers. We'll have another update on how it all went on Monday.