The day we had ice cream

This morning we got up much earlier because we decided that we were in too much of a rush around yesterday. Earlier getting up meant that Clare was able to do some washing, Bec and Amelia could make packed lunches and everyone else could generally sort their lives out. 

It has been considerably hotter today in Georgetown and so we were all rather weary and shiny when we arrived at Guiding CHQ. However it was really great to see girls waiting for us and we were really looking for getting stuck in to training. 

On the agenda this morning was training on badge syllabi and Guiding programmes. We started with lots of energetic games and songs and then went into a group discussion about what badges they do at their unit meetings. We soon discovered that badges are not a big part of the Guyanese programme, but all the girls seemed keen to learn more. We then played "hunt the badge" which was absolutely hilarious because some of the girls failed to close their eyes and knew where the badge was all along. Miriam was very slow to find the badge and needed a lot of hot and cold instructions from the rest of the team.

The next session focused on coming up with a yearly badge which the Guides can work towards to demonstrate commitment to Guiding. After working in small groups to discuss ideas and designs, the girls came up with Apprentice style pitches. These were absolutely incredible and both GOLD teams cannot wait to present them to the Chief Commissioner when she returns from the Western Hemisphere WAGGGS conference, on Saturday. We finished the morning session with more songs and games and daytime taps.

We ate our packed lunches- very sweet bread with jam, crisps and small bananas- and then prepared all of our resources for the afternoon environmental session with the girls from the school.

We had five new girls aged 12-13 arrive who all go to the same Guide Company and school. We started by introducing ourselves and adding them to our growing Girlguiding wall map. The girls really seem to like this and enjoyed looking at the map of the UK and where we are all from. 

Our opening activity involved the girls voting for the biggest environmental issue that negatively impacts their school and their community. The key topic they chose to discuss further was inadequate drainage and sewage. We addressed the issues that they raised and problem solved by drawing our really large problem tree (virtually life sized). Causes went on the roots, problems wrapped around the trunk and a full canopy of solutions made up the leaves. The girls all engaged in this activity and enabled them to logically consider the issue, its underlying causes and potential ways to help. 

We then did an interactive environmental survey, which involved the girls running, hopping, jumping and skipping to various corners of the room depending on their answer. This information will be handed over to the Association to aid them in their environmental action plans. 

After all this hard work it was time for some craft fun. We made animal masks, including a very impressive snake, a jaguar and a monkey. This enabled all of us to really chat to the girls and get to know them. 

Throughout the afternoon we played games and sung lots of action songs revolving around conservation, animals and deforestation.

It has been a very busy day and tomorrow is set to be even busier with greater numbers of girls. We have just had ice cream, which was amazing, and some exotic green fruit, which was also very tasty. 

LOGL

Team Guyana

xxxxxx