It was wonderful to be able to welcome Becca Britton back on Mon 13 Nov to tell us all about her “Jamboree Journey 2021-2023” – a life-changing experience.
Please click here to download and view her presentation Becca Britton Girl Guide – PP after World Scout Jamboree Korea 2023
When Becca visited our Club in May 2022 she was fundraising to go to South Korea for the World Scout Jamboree in August 2023. All Scouts and Guides from the UK had to raise £4000 to attend.
https://sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/2022/9may/
If you were following the news in August you would have seen what a disaster the event was https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-66425588
We were mesmerised listening to Becca’s first-hand experience as events unfolded in South Korea. Before Becca went she met with the East Anglia group of Scouts and Guides in Norwich for team building and preparation. The original premise for the World Scout Jamboree was ”Draw Your Dream” with the camp being 1-12 August 2023 in Saemangeum, North Jeolla, South Korea (2.5 hours away from Seoul by bus). They arrived in Seoul and the next day went to the camp-site. There were 46,000 Guides and Scouts there from all over the world, with 4,500 from the UK. The camp-site was vast at 8.8 sq kms! Becca told us how disorganised it was. On Day 1 the campsite had flooded, Day 2 the drains had to be cleared – there was a big problem with bugs. It was excessively hot – more than 40 degrees with high humidity levels. There was not enough shade, just sprinklers to try to cool people down. Events in the middle of the day were impossible due to the heat so they had to get on with things first thing in the morning and into the evening – so people weren’t getting much sleep. People were getting sick from dehydration. Food distribution was a problem, although Becca’s sub-camp were organised and were all fed. On Day 4 the UK contingent was pulled out and taken by bus to Seoul. The typhoons hit the campsite after this along with concerns that this might bring with it a cholera outbreak – so it was vital that everyone was evacuated. The UK was the first country to evacuate, with other wealthier countries following, many of the poorer countries were the last to leave. Groups of Scouts were last, with all the Guides being evacuated earlier – some countries only have Scouts.
The real Jamboree started for Becca in Seoul. Because the UK contingent was first out, they got the best hotels. Becca said sleeping in a clean bed with air conditioning was heaven! When they were out and about in Seoul they were quite an attraction – anyone with a neckerchief was treated as a friend to talk to, and neckerchiefs were traded (you can see in the photo that Becca is wearing quite a few!). The South Korean government funded a $5 million dollars rescue programme for everyone – with hotel accommodation and visits to the sights including temples, a theme park, Tae Kwondo musical, the war museum and ending with the closing ceremony in the famous football stadium in Seoul with some of the biggest K-Pop acts performing. Becca met the UK Ambassador to South Korea. UK Scouts have been left out of pocket and are now fundraising to cover the additional costs.
Becca told us about her experience of eating Korean food including kimchi and Korean BBQ – she said it tasted better before she knew she had been eating tripe… Becca described the friendliness and kindness of people who knew about the Jamboree disaster because it made international news. They were followed by the press when they visited a temple and her photograph was on the news.
Becca is now connected with people on social media from all over the world – including a friend she made queueing for the log flume at the theme park!
Becca’s mum Karen told us how worried she was for her 15 year-old daughter’s welfare! It was really important to hear from her when possible, bearing in mind the situation and the time difference. She said her daughter came back a resilient young woman and she is clearly incredibly proud (rightly so!). Becca told us that some people had struggled with the situation, but she now feels that having coped with that challenge she can face anything!
Spot the difference between this photo of Becca in May 2022 and the one above from Nov 2023 and you can see what a resilient young woman she has become! Well done Becca – we know you have a bright future ahead.