Page 8 | Anyone got a Scout or Explorer going to WSJ in South Korea?

lazylittlelucy · 2023-07-16T15:57:23+00:00

Just thought I'd start a thread for parents if there are any on here. My 17yo DD is going as an Explorer and is getting excited now. Anyone else?

RedToothBrush · 04/08/2023 16:18

Next year there is Explorer Belt in Bulgaria (14 years +) and Roverway in Norway (16 year +)

So there are other events apart from WSJ and the European only version.

PeasInOurTime · 04/08/2023 16:25

Late to this - DD is devastated to be leaving the camp. Her unit seems to be one of the luckier ones with regard to site location and kit. It’s such a shame.

Sololifeisgreat · 04/08/2023 16:29

toomuchlaundry · 04/08/2023 14:31

I'm assuming most won't have been to Seoul before so at least that might be interesting for them. Are other countries moving your people out?

Most will have had several days in Seoul beforehand

UsingChangeofName · 04/08/2023 16:29

CheersToMe · 04/08/2023 15:41

@Lemonsole it seems barely possible that it was only 4 years ago! Mt Bechtel is an established Jamboree site so although there were a few hitches, it had the benefit of an experienced site organisation. Whereas nothing similar in SK.

Thanks for the Olympics analogy, that's very helpful.

True, but the WSJ before that was on a purpose built site in Japan (so similar weather challenges) and also Sweden in 2011 and Essex in 2007 were all purpose built.
It was the WSJ in America that was the exception.

Sololifeisgreat · 04/08/2023 16:33

RedToothBrush · 04/08/2023 14:31

I love how the UK scouts tell the parents not to tell their kids what is going nor to tell the press.

Do they not understand social media and phones????

Journalists have now been banned from site, which isn't going to help matters.

I've done the catering shop for camps before. So to see what the kids have been given to eat being circulated on twitter is fucking nuts. What part of planning was that?

WTF did the South Korean government spend £120million on?!

all they are saying is just give the leaders on the ground a bit of time to receive the details from the UK contingent and talk to the units that they are looking after. Then the kids can talk to parents etc not that they can’t contact them at all

NotSorry · 04/08/2023 16:36

oh no what a shame - my young leader is there

MrsBigTed · 04/08/2023 16:46

Do encourrage your DS to go for Poland. The polish team are amazing, the organisation as a whole are excellently run and safety will be paramount. They also have a huge amount of experience in very large scale events.

MrsBigTed · 04/08/2023 16:52

Sorry, my previous comment was aimed at @RedToothBrush. I didn't quote properly.

Hairlikeabewitchedhaystack · 04/08/2023 16:53

Following a meeting, the Irish Contingent have decided to stay and assess daily. The scouts seem to be enjoying jamboree despite the ongoing issues.

PinkIcedCream · 04/08/2023 16:59

Hairlikeabewitchedhaystack · 04/08/2023 16:53

Following a meeting, the Irish Contingent have decided to stay and assess daily. The scouts seem to be enjoying jamboree despite the ongoing issues.

I didn’t know they had Scouts in Ireland? I don’t think we have any local groups although maybe they do in the cities?

Hairlikeabewitchedhaystack · 04/08/2023 17:02

PinkIcedCream · 04/08/2023 16:59

I didn’t know they had Scouts in Ireland? I don’t think we have any local groups although maybe they do in the cities?

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There are lots of Scout troops in all parts of Ireland, particularly in Dublin. There are 222 Irish Scouts in Korea in 4 troops.

toomuchlaundry · 04/08/2023 17:02

@PinkIcedCream
https://www.scouts.ie/

Scouts Ireland

https://www.scouts.ie/

PuttingDownRoots · 04/08/2023 17:04

PinkIcedCream · 04/08/2023 16:59

I didn’t know they had Scouts in Ireland? I don’t think we have any local groups although maybe they do in the cities?

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There's only about 5 countries in the World without Scouts... like North Korea I believe!

Such a shame for the jamboree participants. Unfortunately weather is one thing that can't be controlled... I've known big Scout events in the UK cancelled due to weather and large scale events in other countries!

My DDs are attending (hopefully) a small scale Scout event in Poland next summer.

PinkIcedCream · 04/08/2023 17:06

@toomuchlaundry @Hairlikeabewitchedhaystack

Thanks. I’ve just looked and there aren’t any groups near to us, we’re probably a bit too rural. 😂

RedToothBrush · 04/08/2023 17:12

DH is saying he thinks one of the reasons UK scouts have pulled early is because they don't know where that typhoon is going to hit yet. The UK scouts know it will take 48hrs to get their contingent off site. That's when they know when the typhoon will hit. In the meantime all the coaches are being monopolised by the British. So that makes it harder for anyone else to get off site even if they want to.

Mylobsterteapot · 04/08/2023 17:57

PinkIcedCream · 04/08/2023 17:06

@toomuchlaundry @Hairlikeabewitchedhaystack

Thanks. I’ve just looked and there aren’t any groups near to us, we’re probably a bit too rural. 😂

Well, that sounds like an excellent opportunity to open a unit!

Gateappreciation · 04/08/2023 18:04

A typhoon and heat wave. Not good.

Feel sorry for all those scouts who have raised a huge amount of money for a trip of a lifetime to have it curtailed line this. It’ll be memorable, for all the wrong reasons.

StillWantingADog · 04/08/2023 18:07

our 16yo NDN is there, spent so much effort fundraising and getting excited, what a shame. His mum seems satisfied the situation is all in hand though.

sounds like a nightmare for the adults to have to try and organise alternative stuff
to do. Surely you can’t find tens of thousands of hotel beds at next to no notice? Or if the Brits nab them presumably it will be slim pickings for everyone else. poor kids and poor adults
hopefully such a car crash will be avoided in future.

RedToothBrush · 04/08/2023 18:09

StillWantingADog · 04/08/2023 18:07

our 16yo NDN is there, spent so much effort fundraising and getting excited, what a shame. His mum seems satisfied the situation is all in hand though.

sounds like a nightmare for the adults to have to try and organise alternative stuff
to do. Surely you can’t find tens of thousands of hotel beds at next to no notice? Or if the Brits nab them presumably it will be slim pickings for everyone else. poor kids and poor adults
hopefully such a car crash will be avoided in future.

It's summer. There may be university accommodation available.

Rewis · 04/08/2023 18:09

PinkIcedCream · 04/08/2023 16:59

I didn’t know they had Scouts in Ireland? I don’t think we have any local groups although maybe they do in the cities?

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I know you got answers already. But only Andorra, China (mainland), Cuba, North Korea, Laos and Vatican city doesn't have scouts/guides. Irish guides are very active on the international scene and have been to many camps with them. Its unfortunate if there is no group nearby but maybe there are some others who would be interested in aswell? Hopefully there will ve a group coming soon!

RedToothBrush · 04/08/2023 18:10

StillWantingADog · 04/08/2023 18:07

our 16yo NDN is there, spent so much effort fundraising and getting excited, what a shame. His mum seems satisfied the situation is all in hand though.

sounds like a nightmare for the adults to have to try and organise alternative stuff
to do. Surely you can’t find tens of thousands of hotel beds at next to no notice? Or if the Brits nab them presumably it will be slim pickings for everyone else. poor kids and poor adults
hopefully such a car crash will be avoided in future.

Also a reason the Irish contingent may have said they will stay for now.

Rewis · 04/08/2023 18:14

CheersToMe · 04/08/2023 15:43

@Rewis there's a lot of spin and putting on a brave face. Or, in the case of UKC, a deafening silence since the units left Seoul. That was telling.

I'm not surprised at all about official scout media veing quiet but I'm in a few national non-official groups that are critical of all the organsations to the point of being exhausting. So I'm a bit surprised this hasn't cropped up. Same with a few of my friends posting that are defo not pr posterboys. Gonna do a deep dive

Badgerstmary · 04/08/2023 18:18

I’m just wondering what their plan is for keeping the young people entertained for nearly 2 weeks in Seoul & where this money for food…will come from. My ds 14 is gutted to be leaving after having spent 18 months fundraising but obviously understands why.

mycoffeecup · 04/08/2023 18:19

Have now heard from someone that for those kids with allergies, coeliac etc it has been a nightmare with no labelling/info etc. That's nothing to do with the weather.............

BiddyPop · 04/08/2023 18:19

I am a Scout leader (well, Cubs) and while none of my Group's scouts are there this year, we did have 2 leaders and a couple of scouts in the US. And lots of the leaders have staffed big annual events (eg Ventact) and bigger jamborees in Ireland over the years. There's always some element of chaos - but normally it's rectifiable in a developed country like Ireland.

We were over in South China in august for a junior sailing world championship event a few years ago. Huge similar issues - hotel barely finished and regularly flooding with sewage issues. Very poor catering (we were getting taxis to the nearest town to go food shopping and make lunches for the sailors as the food provided was making them sick due to lack of chilling). Weather problems - heat, sun, but also lots of rain etc (it's typhoon season in that part of the world).

The event was tough for the kids, who were all well used to tough conditions (and funnily enough, a LOT of them were also Scouts!). But particularly for the adults, who were running around trying to source things to make life easier on the kids and stuck in a very rural location with very poor facilities. At least the kids were out sailing most days.

But it was also interesting seeing how different nationalities sorted things. The US had a person with transport in their group who was "shore support" and got things sorted and had the language. The English flapped. The Irish contingent and separately the Scottish group who neither had logistics support both organised themselves in parents groups with some minding the kids and dealing with their issues while others went to source food, parts, lunch boxes etc.