Making the Dream a Reality

Step 1: Creating the Vision

It all started on our way home from Savanah...We realized that the trip had kept our troop of Juniors interested and committed to scouts for three years. But what next? Well, if it worked once, it should work again. So we asked the scouts "Where to next?" We did put some limits on the vision: no place they would go on a family vacation or school trip; it had to be a place they would go only with scouts.  The natural response was a World Center.  The vision changed over the years as our scouts changed but it was always there, keeping them reaching for their goal.

The Interest Patches we worked on included:
Dollars and Sense
(Learning to raise and manage money)
Travel
(Emphasizes preparation needed for travel)
Creative Cooking
(Expanding understanding about why different countries have different foods)
A World of Understanding
(Learning to respect diversity)
Photography
(Capturing the memories to share)

Step 2: Building the Skills

Girl Scouts emphasize progression in building girls' skills and confidence.  We had already started on the travel progression: overnight --> camping --> out of town travel.  What other skills would they need? Planning, understanding diversity, managing money, the list is endless.  As a troop we identified activities and interest patches to help the scouts develop those skills.  We worked on skills together as a group while supporting each other through individual achievements, such as the Silver Award.  As the years passed, the vision of the opportunity to experience international travel guided the scouts choices.

Step 3: Gaining Commitment

To pull off an adventure of this magnitude we knew we would need the support of our troop, our parents, our council.  We began talking about our vision, sharing our hopes and the reason for our plan with everyone.  At every opportunity we updated our parents on our progress.  We shared our plans with our service unit and sought our Field Executive's input in the planning process. This up front work paid off in the end when things got complicated their; support made it possible for us to defeat the obstacles that appeared between us and our goal.

Step 4: Defining the Vision

To make the trip a reality we had to have a clear plan.  After consulting with other leaders who had take their troops on international trips, we began to define our options.  We evaluated packaged tours versus independent travel, comercial packages versus educational packages and decided on using an educational tour company.  Then the next question was "Where?" We put a map of Europe on the wall and asked the scouts where they wanted to go.  (If we had stopped there the trip would have lasted a year!) We sent the scouts out to research possible destinations.  After much discussion, we used a selection grid and multi-voting to come up with our 'ideal' trip.  Finally, we found a company that specialized in student travel, could meet our unique needs and had a package that we could afford.

Step 5: Raising the Funds

We would of loved to raise enough money to cover all the costs of the trip.  However, we were concerned about the feasibility of doing that and continuing other program activities.  So, we encouraged our scouts to discuss the trip with their parents early on and develop a savings plan. After that, we focused on raising as much as possible to reduce the cost for all.  Product sales, which had lost their appeal several years earlier, gained new importance.  We also sponsored activities for younger scouts, at a modest price, to supplement our funds.  Although they didn't raise much revenue, these activities had the added benefit of letting younger scouts see that scouting was still 'cool' when you got older! Along the way we kept track of who contributed to the fund raising efforts and divided the funds among the scouts based on their commitment and effort.

Fundraising Activities included:
Peanut Sales
Cookie Sales
Halloween Hoopla
Juliette Low Birthday Bash
Dancercize
Outdoor Fun
Ukrops Golden Gift Certificates

Step 6: Final Preparations

The last year before the trip was a busy one! Some of our scouts had never flown before while others were experienced travelers.  We recruited additional travelers, discussed expectations and planned the logistics of the trip.  During the last three months before we left, we met every other week to share experiences and help everyone prepare.  The travelers researched the places we were going, currency exchange and customs. Passports were gotten or renewed, luggage and packing lists were prepared and safe traveling practices were discussed.  Finally, after five years of dreaming, hoping and planning, the day of departure arrived!

Lessons learned along the way:
* No matter how much you plan, expect the unexpected.
* Get it in writing!
* International travel expands your horizons.
* Break the back of jet lag!
* Pick-pocketers do exist :-(
* You can spend money a lot faster than you can earn it.
* The world is full of wonderful and interesting people --  many of them waiting to be you friend!
* No matter what you are doing, have FUN!

If you are a leader or older scout planning an international trip and would like more information, feel free to e-mail us and we would be glad to try to help! (Just click on the angel!)

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