- 24th World Scout Jamboree - https://www.2019wsj.org -

The small things that make the great impressions

As I woke up in my tent in the morning of my very first day here at the Summit, I had to take a moment just to assure myself that this is actually happening, that I’m actually here, at the 24th World Scout Jamboree! It is unbelievable, but at the same time, it is not. We’re Scouts, so we make the unbelievable reality- right?

After having had a quite busy day, of which a lot of time was spent at the welcome orientation for the Global Ambassadors, where we all got to know each other and were given information about was is expected from us, I was heading down towards the Scott Summit Centre, the heart of the Jamboree, and prayed silently that I would be in time for the rehearsal of the flag parade that would take place during the Opening Ceremony held on that same evening. I knew that I was late, and, admittedly, I was a bit stressed since I had no idea how long it would take me to get to where we were supposed to gather. Suddenly, something happened that I have seen only in movies- my beloved hat, which I hadn’t owned for more than a couple of days but nevertheless had come to love, was hit by the wind and blew off my head and straight into the water. Oh no… What  do I do know?? I really needed that hat, ‘cause I had planned on wearing it during the flag parade and had therefore skipped today’s shower, which meant that my hair was a total mess. But here it was, floating around in the water, just out of my reach. I simply stood there for a moment, weighting the value of my hat against the fact that my only pair of dry shoes were the ones that I was currently wearing. Slowly, I started to untie my shoelaces and pull off my socks. Suddenly, a group of other scouts walked past. I heard one of them saying to a friend that “we should help her”,  and before I knew, one of them had jumped into the water and waded out to get my hat. A few seconds later I had it in my hand and my brain started to process what had just happened. Unfortunately he was gone before I got the chance to thank him properly, and I was left alone feeling both grateful and a little stupid (for not being able to take care of my own belongings, obviously). So- I have no idea who you are or what your name is, but I would like to send a big “thank you” and let you know that I am extremely grateful that you, sacrificing what probably was YOUR only pair of dry shoes, saved my hat- and with that my day.

It is in moments like these that I am extra proud of being a scout, because it reminds me of all the amazing people that the Scout Movement consists of and how much potential we have to change the world we live in to the better. Because sometimes you don’t have to do anything extraordinary to make a difference, sometimes, it is enough to just do something really small, but perhaps a little uncomfortable- like jumping into the water to rescue someone’s hat.

And yes, I did make it in time to the rehearsal! And what a parade it was…


Great views and scouts everywhere at the Summit Centre.


Scouts showing their support for everyone’s right to be who they are- another example of how small geastures can contribute to spreading happiness and perhaps making someone’s day.