Recently, Ambassador Girl Scout Troop 314 traveled to London, England, for a week of sightseeing and adventure.
The troop, comprised of Girl Scouts and their advisers from Durham, Lewiston and Lisbon, planned the trip during the course of the past four years as a celebration of the young women graduating from high school, as well as their bridging to adult girl scouting. The troop conducted their bridging ceremony on the see-through glass floored pedestrian walkway of the Tower of London Bridge that is 143 feet above the high tide mark of the Thames River. Numerous other visitors to the attraction stopped to watch the ceremony and inquire about Girl Scouting in the U.S.
Troop members spent their first day in London taking in the layout of the city from the top of an open air, double-decker bus — a common mode of public transportation. Big Ben, Wellington Arch and the London Eye — a gigantic ferris wheel — were just a few of the sights.
During the course of their holiday, the troop visited many of London’s major attractions, such as the Victoria & Albert Museum, renowned for its artistic treasures, the royal residence at Kensington Palace, Westminster Abby, where many royal coronations have been conducted, Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, London Bridge, and The Tower of London.
The Girl Scouts attended a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral and stopped to feed the pigeons afterward as a nod to “Mary Poppins.” The Royal Mews, home of the royal horses, carriages, and vehicles, was particularly interesting as the guide, Sanjaya Punjabi, brought the history of the Mews to life. The troop was also present for a changing of the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace on a particularly warm afternoon, and all were thankful not to be in the guards’ heavy red British uniforms.
Other notable outings were to the London Zoo, a riverboat cruise down the Thames River, and Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station of the Underground — the city’s subway system where “Mind the Gap” announcements advised commuters to be aware of the variable open space between the train cars and the platform. The Harry Potter attraction offered visitors an opportunity to try their luck at getting through to the magical platform with trains to Hogwarts. The troop also visited London’s Pax Lodge, one of four International Girl Scout Centers for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
The London adventure also included trying out some of the local food. Fish and chips, pot pies and traditional English breakfasts with scones. Tea time was another delightful moment for checking out London’s diverse food selections. Another aspect of the adventure was learning the local customs and about British money.
The trip to London offered the Girl Scouts of 314 a wealth of learning opportunities, from learning to set long term goals and planning appropriate incremental steps to achieve them, as well as gaining financial awareness in budgeting and earning money. These young women enriched their leadership skills throughout the process as they worked as a team, interfaced with the community at fundraising events, and engaged in learning opportunities and community service activities.
The trip itself offered opportunities for personal growth, in addition to building positive memories with their Girl Scout sisters in troop 314. Troop members include Madeleine Walk-Elders, Katie Johnson, Brianna Miquelon, Heather Perry, Debbie Williams, Denise Morin, Dawn Walker-Elders and Cathy Hunter.
For more information about Girl Scouts, go to: girlscoutsofmaine.org.
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