Travel is a concept, it is a mindset,
and it is always an adventure. Whether Girl Scouts go around
the block or around the world, they always learn something
about themselves as well as others. Check out the following
pages for planning information as well as trip ideas and first
hand accounts of Girl Scouts on the go. Happy traveling!
World Centers
WAGGGS,
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts maintains
four world centers where members of all nationalities
can meet as friends, share experiences, and exchange
ideas. The purpose of WAGGGS is to teach and promote
an understanding of the basic principles of Guiding
to encourage friendship among girls and young women
throughout the world and help them to develop to their
full potential. These four centers are: Our Chalet located
in Adelboden, Switzerland; Our Cabana in Cuernavaca,
Mexico; Pax Lodge in London, England; and Sangam located
in Pune, India.
Our Chalet in Switzerland
was the first world center to open in 1932. At Our Chalet
you can climb a mountain and explore the Swiss Alps,
go skiing or snowboarding, sing around the campfire,
take a sight-seeing trip, try sledging in the moonlight,
meet Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from around the world,
and more! The program varies according to the season.
The second World Center
to open was Our Ark in London, in 1939. The ark was
chosen since it is a symbol of security and when it
opened it offered refuge to many members of the Guide
Movement who had been forced to abandon their home during
World War II. It was relocated in 1963 to a new home
in Earl’s Court and was renamed Olave House in
honor of the World Chief Guide, Lady Olave Baden-Powell.
Olave House was closed in 1988 and a new World Center
Pax Lodge was opened in Hampstead. A variety of programs
and seminars are offered. They focus on women’s
issues, the environment, topical events, or on historical
and cultural aspects of London.
A third world center was
discussed at a Guiders’ conference in Cuba in
1946. The idea was to help Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting
grow and develop in Latin America, so a site was chosen
in Cuernavaca, Mexico and in 1957, Our Cabana was opened
to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lord
Baden-Powell. It offers a cultural program including
hand arts, music and dance, service projects, sight-seeing
to historic places, and shopping.
Sangam, the only world
center in Asia, was opened in 1966 by Lady Baden-Powell.
In Sanskrit Sangam means “coming together”
and was created to enable Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
from very different backgrounds, cultures, and languages
to meet one another. Special program sessions are organized
at various times. The topics may vary, but all highlight
the development of international understanding through
living together and sharing of one another’s cultures.
Each session includes some exploration of the rich cultural
heritage of India.
Girls can find out more
by visiting www.girlscouts.org and clicking “Who
We Are” on the site’s home page and then
clicking “International” on the toolbar.
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Council Trip FAQs
WHO
Q. Who can go on council trips?
A. Trips in the U.S. to Savannah are open
to second year Juniors and older. The Washington D.C. trip
is for girls at the Cadette level and older. International
trips are for registered Girl Scouts 16 years old and up.
References and applications may be required, but girls and
adults should show up to planning meetings if interested.
Q. Who organizes the trip?
A. A council volunteer with input from the
participants.
Q. Who pays for the trip?
A. The participants raise money as troops
or individuals. No financial aid is available.
WHAT
Q. What is the council trip program?
A. An opportunity for troops and individual
girls to travel with others.
Q. What do we do on a council trip?
A. The participants help decide on the destination
and activities.
WHEN
Q. When do trips happen?
A. When girls can travel, usually in the
summer.
Q. When are the planning meetings?
A. Several times before the trip, usually
on a Sunday afternoon. Upcoming trip meetings are September
18, 2 p.m. for the International Trip meeting; 3 p.m. for
the Savannah meeting and 4 p.m. for the Washington D.C. meeting.
Q. When do I sign up?
A. Usually in the fall, but anytime there
is space available before the trip.
WHERE
Q. Where do the trips go?
A. Where the participants decide –Savannah,
Washington D.C., Big Bend, New Orleans, Japan, World Centers.
Q. Where are the trip meetings?
A. Usually at the Girl Scout office, but
could be another convenient location.
HOW
Q. How are the trip dates set?
A. The participants select the dates.
Q. How do we raise money?
A. A troop can designate all or part of its
product sales for a trip. Other fund raisers may be approved
to help raise money.
Q. How do I find out more?
A. Contact George Ann Barrett at 713-292-0313
or gbarrett@sjgs.org
NOTE: The STUDIO 2B destinations trips
have a separate application process. |