Chip misses the Typhoon

Chip lands in Hong Kong after long delays in the air.

His airplane had to circle the airport until they were given clearance to land. There was a typhoon that was supposed to hit Hong Kong yesterday, but it moved over and hit Taiwan instead.

Lucky! Chip may have not been able to land if it did hit Hong Kong.

Chip stayed in with Boris in Hong Kong for the night. Boris was in scouts and school with Kevin when they were younger in Vancouver.

Here's a view of HK from Boris' house in Tsuen Wan. A little foggy in the morning. Boris says that's Hong Kong air for you!

Here's Chip getting to know Boris' cat Coco.

In Vancouver airport Chip met some of his Cousins who work for the RCMP just chilling out, what a coincidence!

Depending on whether Chip get's internet, there may or may not be an update before August 4th!

Chip just keeps on going and going and going...

Chip is wasting no time being idle this summer!
His itinerary for the next two weeks is packed and will include Hong Kong, Rural China, and Japan.

In a few hours Chip will be off on a plane to Hong Kong to meet up with Scouters from Hong Kong's Chai Wan District at the BP International Hotel. From there, they will travel to Shenzhen, China and then fly to Guizhou Province. There they will meet up with the Scouts Canada's Pacific Coast Council's Rover Crew and begin work in a small village nearby where villagers are unable to easily get drinking water due to a harsh winter that destroyed their water pipes.

Chip and many other caring scouters will be helping to restore their drinking water supply lines so that villagers don't have to hike up a mountain in order to retrieve drinking water.

It's doubtful that there will be internet access from that area, so stay tuned for updates when Chip and the PCC Rover Crew get back to Hong Kong.

Oh one more thing! Chip wants to thank everyone in British Columbia, Canada who helped support the Rovers in raising enough funds to get to China to provide aid.

When Chip told the story of the Chinese villagers to his friends 'the woggle buddies', they decided that they had to come along to help as well!

WSC - Highlights!

Chip was WAY TOO BUSY preparing for his next trip and didn't have enough time to report back on each day of the World Scout Conference separately. Frankly, little beavers can only remember and do so much.

No more updates? Not a chance! Here are some of Chip's most memorable moments!

Meeting Si Won, a Korean girl who Scouts Canada had helped after a tragic childhood accident 15 years ago.

John Neysmith being elected to the World Scout Committee! Way to go John!

Some of Jeju's trademark souvenirs.

The heat was really getting to Kevin...

Another Cow!

On top of one of Jeju Island's awesome craters. What a hike, but it was worth it!

Jade from Australia and Paul from Canada with some of the many and colourful Singapore Jamboree Bid Performers.

One of the workshops on Membership Development!

Taking a break with Kevin and some of Chip's Korean friends!

Fireworks at the closing ceremonies, WOW!

Rick Cronk from the USA becomes the Chairperson of the World Scout Committee!

Iain being happy

Glowing charcoal from one of Chip's lunches

Kevin meditating underneath a waterfall

The Jeju Stone Figures

Iain learning how to make a box using traditional Korean paper at the Airport

That's all for now folks. Next up for Chip is China and Japan!

WSC - Day One

Monday July 14

Today was the first official start day of the Conference held at International Conference Centre (ICC) on Jeju Island. Here's a photo from inside looking out onto the water. It was a little foggy in the morning.

National Scout Organizations (NSOs) from around the world have sent delegates and observers to take part in shaping the direction of the Scouting movement for the next three years and beyond. There were over 1200 participants. Look how big the room is!

Canada has sent Glenn Armstrong, John Neysmith, Iain Tait, and Kevin Li are delegates. Chip and Centenary Bear are some of the many observers from Canada.

Highlights of the day included:
The welcoming of seven new National Scout Organizations into the family of World Scouting )

• Cambodia
• Kazakhstan
• Montenegro
• Russia
• Serbia
• Syria
• Ukraine

Introduction of the candidates from around the world running for a position on the World Scout Committee. The World Scout Committee is the highest decision making body within WOSM and members are selected every three years at conferences just like this one.

Here’s a photo of John Neysmith from Canada who is vying for a position on the World Scout Committee.

Good luck John!

Chip arrives in Jeju!

Sunday July 13

Youth at the Inter Program Event were ferried to Jeju Island. Everyone was very tired on the ferry. Check out the ferry and how much junk Kevin had with him!

Chip got the feeling that he was on a cargo ship with all the rust on the boat. It wasn’t anything like the ferries in British Columbia, Canada.

When Chip got to Jeju he knew that he was in paradise. Jeju Island was known as the Jewel of the Asia Pacific and it was truly a beautiful place. Palm trees, hot weather, and being surrounded by sand and ocean. What more could a beaver ask for, sunscreen perhaps?

Here’s the view from Chip’s room at the Seogwipo KAL Hotel. A little cloudy, that morning, but you get the idea!

Chip missed the Singapore reception at the Hyatt because of a room mixup, but they ended up trying out the black pig that Jeju was famous for at KAL Hotel. Here’s Iain trying the grub!

Time for bed, tomorrow’s a long day!

Chip does Suncheon

July 10 - July 12

Between the Youth Forum and the World Scout Conference was the Inter Program Event. This was the time between the two major events where the Youth got a chance to re-energize and prepare for the Conference in Jeju. Most youth that attended the forum would also attend the conference.

Chip was bused from Wongkwang University in Iksan to the Inter Program Event that was to be held in the southern city of Suncheon. Things were a little busier than expected. Chip was looking forward to a little bit of hibernation time.

Chip got to visit Suncheon Bay, a marshland wildlife reserve. At the marshland there were many tiny crabs, mud skippers, and birds. Unfortunately, Kevin’s camera ran out of batteries right after he took a photo of the boat they got to ride and couldn’t photograph any of it.

Chip also visited an ancient fortified city. Here’s a cow that Chip liked with Cedric on the right from Cameroon.

Chip got a chance to do some shopping for food and supplies as well. He really liked their supply of fibrous foods.

There were also performances and of course lots of dance and celebration! Here are some other photos that Chip liked. Can you see where Chip is hiding in the second photo?

Chip recommends...

Thursday 10 July

Thursday was the day that we got a very significant part of the Forum; the development of the official recommendations to the World Scout Committee. This is the where youth delegates propose recommendations to be submitted to the WSC and other countries vote whether to accept or reject the proposed recommendations. In total 15 recommendations were tabled and about 75% were accepted after amendments were made. It was a very interesting process and Chip was glad to have been a part of this.

Here’s Chip holding up a voting card!

After the recommendations session, the Forum was drawing to a close, so participants took part in the final session called, Taking Action. This was a chance for everyone to reflect on what they have learned over the course of the forum and decide what they are going to take back and do with all that they have learned. Chip would really like to bring back more information about Scouts of the World and what other countries are doing because he felt that it was a truly great program to educate scouting and non-scouting youth about the world scope of Scouting!

After the taking action session. The Youth Advisors were called on stage to announce the new Chairperson for the 11th World Scout Youth Forum to be held in Brazil. The youth advisors were bound by secrecy and couldn’t reveal the decision until now!

Congratulations to Milena for being selected by consensus as the new and first female Chair for the Youth Advisors.

She is the one on the far right!

To bring the Forum to a close, there was a closing ceremony with buffet dinner in the stadium near where we had our meetings.

Here is a photo of chip with some local cub scouts who came to join in on the festivities!

And now for a bunch of photos from the closing ceremony!

Next Chip is off to the Inter-Program Event in Suncheon Province!