Hugolin

Thank you... I will try to select and to organize them better when I will receive all the photos. If you want to see our uniform, there are photos (more beautiful) on the national website : http://www.scouts-europe.org/

Your word "camp" was the good one... "Raid" is only for a walk. I'm glad to learn that you also salute the flag. We "stand up "colors" (it is a very poor word by word translation from french : "monter les couleurs") every morning singing tradition salutation song. In your country it is quite usual to do that. But in France, it is very exceptional... Out of the soccer, the flags are not very used, because it looks like "old France"... During the camp we stand up 3 flags on a "mat" (word? like on a boat...) : French, Scout and European flags. Oh! I just have an idea... I put a few photos for you from our summer camp. I'm disappointed because they are not very good and we can't see the flags. It can give you an idea about our scouting. adress is : http://famille.bergier.free.fr/Photo%20Camp/ I think I will have lot of very good photos later... Waiting, you can have a look on these one.

It is interresting to see how do you consider training and its necessity... I think that we share exactly the same point of vue about this. I'm glad for that because in French lot of scoutmaster are not trained. I think we can't serve our next correctly without good training. My movement (GSE) is allowed by Youth Ministry to conduct its own training. It is a good thing for adding a scout spirit you won't find in Scouts of France. Training is for 1 complete week in situation (Scoutmaster are in the skin of those they will lead - It may be funny when it's about 8-11 years old). Topics : Security, Legacy, Pedagogy,... In Pedagogy (Lot of things, all our method) : The Scoutmaster role (post?), the Patrol Leader role, the personal growth (of the boys AND of the chiefs...), the game, the camp life, uniform, etc...........

Hi friends ! Thank you Alki for what you said about my english. It is very friendly... Maybe that discussing like arround a virtual campfire I will progress. It would be great!!!  I see that you understand how work scouting in France. However, youre not completly right about relation between religion and founding received by movements. French state doesnt care (I am still polite) about religions. On the countrary, I think we have one of the less religious state of the world. My scouting movement (the 2nd more numerous) doesnt receive anything. If you want to receive government funding, you have to be politically correct (in the norm). In that sens, youre right saying that you were not fairly juged and I am not surprised. I am sorry for the feeling you keep from that... What is a LDS mission? Thank you Trevor, I learn lot of things... It is excellent! Your 8 methods looks like our 5 goals of scouting : 1 Sens of Health (body, sport,...) 2 Sens of Caracter (word?) 3 Sens of Concrete things (technical capabilities?) 4 Sens of serving (service?) 5 Sens of God (which give sens to all the others) One more time, translations are not very good. I am very glad, because when I see Ideal, outdoors, personal growth, uniform, etc... I exactyl recognize our method. It a joice to know that throught Atlantic, scouting is very similar, scouting is a brotherhood. It is interesting to learn how works one troop management, with the troops committee and the troops sponsor. In France, the scoutmaster (leader In France he is called chief of troop) is also choose by 1 or 2 older adults (often parents of scouts) Men for boys, women for girls. I asked this question because, here, the scoutmaster will be allowed to camp 15 days only if he passed, not an exam, but a kind of training. If the chief is not in the rules during the camp, he can be pursuited in justice (go to tail?). But knowing youre a national scouting movement, you may not have such problems. Different training are avaible. 2 degrees per age field : louveteaux (little wolves) field, scout (claireur in French) field and road field. Corresponding age are : 8-11 ; 12-17 ; 17+. I was chief (leader) in road field, so I passed my 2 degrees for that. I also have my degrees in scout field because I was scoutmaster this year. These degrees are recognized by Youth Ministry. Your Jamboree seems to be great! 32,000 scouts... It is amazing. We did it at the european level (eurojam), but selecting a limited number of troops per country, because it was in Poland and they cant receive 50,000 scouts. We were 10,000. The biggest national movements in the GSE are France and Italy. Poland is increasing more and more. Thank you very much Scoutldr for saving my word pedagogy. It is very friendly, but I think its a word created by french for french who try to speak english.

Dear friends ! I have a question. For example, some units of GSE are, today, at Cologne for the WDY (the World Days of Youth ???). No troops of course (too young!), bu some units of elders, as we say. Elders (there are boys and girls) are 17 and more... Most of them are scout chiefs (Scoutmasters, Cubmasters, ...). It is possible for us because we all are catholic. Is it possible for BSA to go to such a meeting? Another question : Is BSA allowed to form (to teach?) his own scoutmasters for framing (managing?) a camp or you have to pass a State diploma ?

Ok! It is really interesting! Sorry, I made a mistake about the word sectarian. In french we make the difference between sects (sectarian organizations) and religions. Scientology Church is a sect, but Reformed Church or Catholic Church are religions. That is why I said that our main scouting movements were not sectarian. But there are religious (exact word in french is confessionnels, like for a catholic private school for example). Some of them are not (Eclaireurs Neutres de France [ENF], for example). We can see, in scouting policies (word? Politics?), the differents country policies, namely that your scouting seems to be more multi-culturalist. In France, as for school, you have the choice between neutral (lacist?) scouting or religious scouting. But be careful! The first is not the gathering of all the religion like BSA, but it is the gathering of no gods . It is the great idea of the French Republic. I like BSA system. Multiculturalism and republicanism both have their qualities and problems... Personnally, it is important for me to be able to pray with my scouts after de campfire before to go to sleep. Thats why I am glad to belong to a catholic scouting. But it is very personnal and I understand that others prefer a neutral movement. I am sorry for the word pedagogy. I used it a lot thinking I was right . It is simple. It means the method used for making youth to progress. Adventure... Yeah! It is a great link... Very beautiful! And it seems to be very intimidating as you wrote. It is very interesting to see a kind of activity you can do... Adventure is very important in our pedagogy. During our activities we always go in the middle of nature. Here, each game can become an adventure. For example, a night game. During our summer camp (at least 15 days) we have a 3-days game. Scouts leaved the camp for 3 days by team and this is often a surprise departure in the middle of the night. I think that for a 12 years old youth, camping in the airs during 2 weeks is an adventure. For the olders, we organize raids : walk with a boussole (I dont know the word object for finding the North or the azimut 46, or etc...), without card. This raid is necessary for becoming 2nd class scout then 1st class scout. The first raid is with 2 or 3 scouts, the second one was alone, but for security reasons we are forced to have 2 scouts together. There are a few scouts (not a lot) who are 1st class and who make a survie raid (maybe overlife raid or safe-life raid??? Its the name from the verb which means to resist in order to life). This is a raid without food in the bag. The scout have to manage. What else? Sometimes we make rappel (descend a wall with a twist??). When we built a scout raid, we can give an azimut (a direction with boussole) which cross a river, without bridge. For example, my sister made planner (plane without motor) this summer with the guides (girl scouts). All is possible... BUT !!!!!! Now, in France, we are all submitted to the reign of SECURITY. All is security. There lot of things we cant do for a few years. It is good to protect the youths, but now it is crazy and adventure become very hard. And it is worst for see scouts! Sorry for being so long, but I am impassioned.

It is funny to meet someone who knows Angoulme here. World is small as we say. My family also have a very old house near Confolent (also in Charentes). I am sorry for your friend who died in Croatia. I have a friend who just leaved a 3 weeks meeting in Croatia. Meeting name is Renewing Our Minds. The goal is to built peace between nations who were in the war a few years ago. I hope that such deaths wont more exist. That is why I am glad to belong to an international scouting movement (International Union of the Guides and Scouts of Europe). I know that in 15 countries, I can find the same values, the same ideal. I think such things can help Europe nations to leave in peace and to built an strong union. In fact it is not really limited to Europe : Russia is asking to join us and there is also canadian scouts who belong to my movement.

Wow!!! A french speaker! Hi alki! Merci propos de mon anglais, ton franais est excellent. [Thank you about my english, your french is excellent.] C'est amusant que tu ais t chef scout Angoulme. Mon pre tait scout Cognac, prs d'Angoulme. Je connais beaucoup d'anciens scouts de Cognac. Ma famille vient de cette rgion (Charentes). [it's funny that you were scout in Angoulme. My father was scout in Cognac, near from Angoulme. I know lots of former scout from over there. My familly comes from Cognac.] Dans quel mouvement scout as-tu travaill? Tu sais probablement qu'en France il n'y a pas de monopole comme les BSA... [What was the scouting movement where you worked? YOu probably know that in France, there is no monopoly like the BSA...] A quelle occasion as-tu t Angoulme? [Why did you have the opportunity to go to Angoulme?] Je serais ravi de converser en franais avec toi, si tu veux. [i would be very glad to have french conversation with you if you want.] Personnellement, I suis trs content de pouvoir amliorer mon anglais en discutant avec tout le monde ici. Mon anglais est encore trop pauvre. [Personnally, I am very happy to be able to improve my english discussing with everybody here. My english is still too poor.] Very nice to meet you.

Boys and Girls... An other big debate and big difference between movements in France. - Les Scouts de France (SdF) are co-educated : Girls and Scouts can be mixed. - Les Guides et Scouts d'Europe (GSE) separate boys and girls from the national level to the troop level. Thats why our movement name is Guides (Girls) et Scouts (Boys) dEurope. - Les Scouts Unitaires de France (SUF) are also separate, but only at the local level. This point doesnt really matter because pedagogy takes place in the troops. For the two last, girls and boys under 12 are separated, but pedagogy is the same. Personally, I recon that pedagogy have to be separated, almost for teenagers. At this age, girls and boys grow up quite differently. Else, girls have same possibility as boys. They can join all this movements from 8 years old, choosing (the parents) if she wants a mixed or a not mixed one... In the GSE, girl field is maybe less developped than boy field. For example, raider patch (I think it is similar to the eagles) is not possible for girls. But girl scouting is younger and it will progress. But what about BSA religion (confession)? It is strange for me. If I understood, into a same association there are different religious groups (like the catholic dioceses) which can organize their own activities? Is there methodists troops, baptists troops, catholics troops, etc...?

I didn't know about homosexuals. In France, each scouting movement has his principles. But I think it is not possible to have such a rule in France. The sexual orientations don't take part of identity... It is something studied case by case. It is stupid to say that homosexuals are not moral! You can be very religious (catho or protestant) and very moral, being homosexual. Probably, some scouting movement (Scouts de France) wouldn't take care at all, and mine would only see, AS for an heterosexual, if this person is apt to be a chief. But it is the same thing as if he is a drunker, and only for responsability posts.

Thank you Adrian for your Latin Lesson (more than 5 cents). I learnt something interesting. In France, even on our patches, it is written "Semper Parati". I like that SemperParatus use Latin nickname. It is a great language! Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!

As you say, there is no monopoly on Scouting, not at all... On the contrary! Funny! I just noticed something : Catholic movement are as diversified as the religion is unified, and in USA it is exactly the opposite. But I feel it is not division, it is diversity. Even I am Scout dEurope, I am glad to know that youth can choose. Someone wouldnt be very well in my movement. What is not normal is when a movement is more attacked because of its specificities which are not the society ones, but its another topic... In order to answer : 1) Yes. Youth are in team into which they have the same age. 2) Absolutely. 3) Of course, non-sectarian as the 2 others. There exists sectarian ones, but there are very local and little. The WOSM recognize 1 and only 1 scouting association per country. This one is Fdration du Scoutisme Franais, and in this federation there are several movements, those that you listed. Among those movements recognized by WOSM, only Les Scouts de France is really a big one. In term of number, the second one is Les Guides et Scouts dEurope and the third Les Scouts Unitaires de France. This two last also belong to a second association (Confrence franaise du scoutisme) fairly created for being more recognized at the national level. At the international level, it is not possible because WOSM doesnt accept a 2nd movement. In this association there are : les claireurs Neutres de France, la Fdration des claireuses et claireurs (not the same as in the 1st association). It is not very simple, is it? We are in a same association because we share a same pedagogic mathod and common values. The first one receive State help, not the 2nd one. But both of them are recognized as scouting association. However, the other associations are not recognized at all. We cant belong to the 1st association because this one doesnt allow 2 association with same religion! WOSM chose Les Scouts de France because for a long time there were only them. Now there is no reason for them to change. Maybe they will, if Les Scouts de France continue to reform too much...

Dear friends, dear scout brothers, I am a french scout from Angers (France Western). What about scouting in France... I have seen it could interest someone. So, I will try to speak about it. My english being poor, I won't writte very long text. I will answer to your questions if you have questions. However, I will give you a first idea about french scouting. From the Baden Powell principles, the Father Sevin created catholic scouting in France in the end of 20's : "The Scouts of France". In the 60's, this scout movement wanted to change a few thing in its pedagogy, and almost the patrol system. The patrol system suppose to put in the same patrol (the same team) some boys from different ages (12 to 17). From that moment, french scouting divided in several parts. Today, there are a lot of scout movements in France, but three of them are really important : - "Scouts of France" : the most numerous. It is, of course, the oldest one, but there are less centered around religious aspect of pedagogy. - "Unitarian Scouts of France" : Comes from the Scouts of France, but they wanted to keep the unit method, that is to say the patrol system. There are more traditional than the Scouts of France. - "Scouts of Europe" : Movement created at the european level, but started from France. It looks like "Unitary Scouts of France", but more numerous and more nationaly united. They're also nearest from traditional scouting. I belong to the Scouts of Europe. This year, I was chief in the "scout field" (12 - 17 years old), and before chief of the "road field" (17 and +). I am waiting for your questions. In a brotherly fashion, Hugolin

Hi Texas, Hi USA, Merci Adrien pour cette phrase d'accueil en Franais. Thank you Ardian for this reception sentence in french. I like very much word plays, but my english level is too limited for understanding them. However, I will remember them and use them again. It is funny... Please continue to use it. I have the feeling that your friend group is not a yankee one. Maybe I am wrong... I like Southern US spirit. It looks like scout spirit, no? You're completely right about respect, Trevorum. I am also Scout. 4th article of the scout law (in France) says : "Scout is the friend of everybody and the brother of all other scout." I think it is relevant:). As I said to SemperParatus, I think that we say : "Semper Parati". Maybe there the european latin and the american one. Like some words which are different between GB and US english . I am ok for spining off a new thread. Good idea. Again, thanks for your welcome.

Dear friends, Thank you very much for such a reception. I am glad to meet you. First, what means "Semper Paratus". We say : "Semper Parati". No? Then, I didn't undersand the word game with "Sor bonnes" (I know La Sorbonne, but what means your sentence?). Sorry, but because of the .... (I don't know the expression - hour which change through Atlantic), I leave when everybody is coming. It's a pity... I live in Angers (France Western), and I study in Paris. I like Texas. It's a great state! I seen a cup "don't mess with Texas". I have a friend from Houston (studiing in Austin). Very nice to meet you. Maybe see you tomorow. Brotherly, Hugs