Life is exciting and filled with adventure.’ This spirit was indeed enhanced at the International Girl Scouts Challenge Camp held at Mt Deoguy, Korea from July 23-27. Scout leader Suchita Sainju from EG Pioneer School, Bhaktapur and myself, a troop leader from the St Mary’s Scout, represented Nepal in this exciting event.

The camp with the slogan ‘Our challenge for the better world’ provided us with a lot of experience along with enjoyment.

The entire programme was well-managed for all participants who had come from all over the world. There were over 10,000 girl scouts from 22 countries. We were able to interact with scouts from all over the world and make many friends.

We got a chance to take part in activities like swimming and rafting along with learning yoga, tap dance, belly dance and much more. Many of us also got to try adventure sports like tri-motor riding, shooting and mountain biking.

We visited the insect museum where millions of insects and their fossils are preserved.

I introduced Nepal as a beautiful Himalayan country with mountains and gentle and warm people, the Land of Gautam Buddha. I also performed a Nepali folk dance to give them a taste of Nepali culture, which was appreciated very much.

Prior to the event as well as after the jamboree, we were provided with home hospitality where we stayed with a Korean family. This was an excellent experience for us to be able to spend time in a Korean home and learn about their culture.

The Korean family where we stayed was a small nuclear family with parents and children.Their friends often visit them. They were attached to each other. The Korean family made us feel so comfortable that we felt at home. We were taken to the Gyeongbokgung Palace and old traditional street where we got to learn more about Korean culture.

I found the city of Seoul very beautiful, clean and full of facilities for all its citizens. The transportation system and the city was rather well planned unlike our own cities.

The camp has made me more self-confident. It has helped me realise the true essence and meaning of life. Camp life makes us face reality and prepares us to face the challenges of life. It helps us gain abundant experience, build confidence with a lot of fun. This is what scouting is about. Such camps should  be encouraged.