Shriscov

In the first British and American handbooks there were kangaroo patrols (Cooo-eee!) and I think that would be a neat name. I've heard kangaroos never go backward.

...but I'll let the patrol pick its own name.

All I know is from the Wikipedia article on Scouts d'Haiti.

Scouts there work on developments projects.

Complicating relief efforts in Haiti is how much disruption there is...

As of last night our President hadn't been able to communicate with their President. The archbishop there passed away in the quake. The UN lost many and so it will take a while for information to come through.

Donations ($) is a need and there are many respectable organizations there, like the Red Cross and Habitat for Humnaity.

I can *imagine* a switch to a collared "polo" shirt with embroidered design and no pockets or embellishment. Didn't I see national selling this almost as a step between Class A and Class B? Many parents object to price and sewing that goes along with the traditional uniform. In my vivid imagination I think this would be an alternative uniform...

I think the "Breaker Morant" posts are still relevant to the original subject. It's not just the subject of the Boer War but the subject of history and how time reinterprets events.

I'd like to add how much a film shapes public perception. It probably has something to do with accessibility and popularity.

Of course, history is subject to interpretation. Recall what Napoleon may or may not have said, "history is a set of lies agreed upon".

It's my first year as a cub scout leader, but I will probably attend an international committee meeting of my council this month, just to see what is done by other units. I am past 30 years old so no staff program for me, but I will think of someday sponsoring international staff here or telling others about the program. My real dream in scouting would be to work with underserved populations, and the fact that speaking a second language is acknowledged would be noticed positively, I bet.

meritbadge.org says that strips can be custom made "just as long as it conforms to the same standards as BSA-provided Interpreter Strips". I hear most locales have embroiders with machines set up to make them. Some day I hope to be able to earn an "Esperanto" strip.

I really appreciate the comments on this page. Thanks, all.

Lisabob, the first belt loop I was interested in for my den (I'm a DL) was language & culture, but didn't just want to imprint myself like that. I participated in Jamboree on the Internet last fall and have some penpals in New Zealand, Venezuela and onetime correspondence with Japan, Kenya and Senegal. I shared that with my den--that scouting is worldwide. One of my den said, "even Africa?" and I shared how Scouting was born in Africa (Mafeking, where it was built around service to the community). We are currently trying to get the international award. Our landlocked council requires 2 reports (one on scouting in another country, one on on different factors in a country) and three months as penpals. One point to make to kids is however many differences there are among people there are more things we have in common.

I have always been interested in languages. I studied Russian in college, during the days of the Soviet Union. I never thought there'd be such a Russian presence in our country. I recall using it with a gentleman at a grocery store and he came right up to me to converse, about a fist's space between us--it's a cultural thing I'd read about but never experienced.

My language story to share was in a Seattle police station while getting fingerprinted. I was going after a childcare job and the couple in front of me were gettting a weapons permit. Between them they didn't have the language to understand "relax your wrist and we'll move this way". I couldn't say it, either, but it made me wonder if they could understand "I'm here to read the meter" or "would you like to buy a magazine subscription?"

I live and work in a community that is not too diverse, but still has parents/grandparents from at least three continents that I know of. I work at a school that is about forty percent English language learners with fifteen languages at home besides English. After working with my son in his pack it would be my dream to work where there isn't yet scouting.

Again, my thanks!

I would guess that lifting of the ban would be rolled in over time and differently place to place. Scout became integrated racially over time--my reading is from the 1950's through the 1970's.

I would also like to point out that many youth are more accepting of homosexuals than previous generations. My local high school has a Gay/Lesbian/Straight alliance (this is Kansas btw) and certain areas, charter organizations, units and leaders would have few qualms about a more open membership.

I was posting and thinking of my own strip-to-be, "Spanish", I mean "espaol". I know it's a recognition of an ability, one I picked up in a bilingual household. Well, the writing part came in bits and pieces at school.

I guess I am over-sensitive and not wanting to appear eggheaded or arrogant with a strip. I like that it recognizes my family's heritage.

I've read for the uncommon languages strips can be custom-ordered. BSA has many suppliers and custom patches happen all the time. The educator in me really would like to see the strip more often. It definitely would be noticed in immigrant communities.

I think it was Picasso who said,

"Minor artists borrow; great artists steal."

That is a super project idea. You know it's going to get presented to my pack, with full acknowledgement of the source. Our tigers and parents were brainstorming project ideas and it seems the environment and recycling our popular ideas.

Only on the second reading do I catch that there were 237 fatalities in Afghanistan since 2001, but 100 so far this year.

I also hope and pray for war to end in the region. It has suffered since Cold War days to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dead and billions of dollars spent.

That is a good joke. I just wondered if there was some perception attached to the strip, since I know someone who qualifies that didn't get one.

I am about to be recognized for speaking Spanish with an interpreter strip and I've not seen it ever on a Scouter or Scout. I am just curious for anonymous input on what impression it makes.

The world Scout shop sells patches from around the world (including the one featured at the top of the Wikipedia article) with some funds going to Scouting movements in the developing world. The original article had links to PARSA and from at that site there are many ways to donate, including the sending of boxes to Afghanistan (via APO, so shipping is reasonable).

Please note that in Afghanistan Scouts are administered by the Ministry of Education. I am not alone in thinking education can make a difference. The book "Three Cups of Tea" details an American's mission to build schools for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

I have few patches after a slim career as a youth and first year as a volunteer.

I think of my parents, especially my late father, when I see my purple knot for religious award as a youth. I also remember how I saw an insignia guide in 1982 explaining knots on adults and I thought, "there's one I could wear..." never imagining myself as an adult in scouting.