| Perm Scouts in Torbay, Summer
2001 |
|
This summer, 8
scouts (aged 13 to 16 years) and 3 leaders from the Perm region of Russia (and
members of NORS) made a visit to the UK as guests of borough scouts in Torbay.
Over their 14 day visit, they toured London, spent time living with families
of scouts and camped in Torbay visiting local attractions.
They arrived in the UK on a
Transaero (a new Russian airline) on the 3rd August looking tired
after their 24 hour train journey to Moscow and subsequent travel and waiting
around. They and four UK leaders stayed at the 4th Streatham Sea
Scouts Putney Boat House on the Thames (Kindly arranged by June Dale GSL for
exceptional value – many thanks for their warm hospitality). With no more
than a nights sleep over the three days they were there, we trailed them
around London’s biggest attractions including Greenwich park, observatory
and market. The Cutty Sark has an information sheet in Russian. We also went
on to visit the Thames Barrier that day (without the education centre).
The Big Bus Tour (language
bus available with Russian dialogue) allowed a good view of the city centre
and included a river trip from the Tower to Westminster at £14pp. We stopped
of at Trafalgar Square (which was important to them for some reason) and
dashed through the National Gallery in an hour. Other sites they wanted to see
included Big Ben, Westminster Abbey/Saint Paul’s (both £6-7 entry) and
Buckingham Palace (inc. changing of the guard which is on Monday, Wednesday
and Friday at 11am and 4.30pm). Our last stop on our site seeing trip was
London Eye (£7 booked in advance) which offered stunning views. We happened
to share our capsule with Norwiegian Scouts! By asking nicely we also got the
police to let the group have their picture taken infront of the door to 10
Downing Street.
We also made use of the
tube (travel card £2.90 on a family ticket). Given more time we might having
taken in the other museums (as they are free). Be warned against visiting BP
house (next to the Natural History museum) as there is little of interest as
the museum has moved to Victoria where the shop is located.
At Torbay our guests had
the pleasure of home-hospitality which was completely trouble free. We meet
daily to visit various towns and activity centres (including a civic
reception, sailing and canoeing, water and fun parks, the zoo, boat and steam
train trips) plus we had a leaders bbq one evening. Coming from where they do
they greatly enjoyed the seaside and coastal atmosphere of the region (they
compared it to resorts on the Black Sea only colder though most had never
visited such an area). The children were also keen to visit shops and spend
their exchanged dollars.
After 7 days here, we set
up camp at the Watcombe Borough campsite which has a pleasing sea view. Day
trips continued but evening activities on site included Christmas day(!),
Russian evening (games and food), Campfire special (where an old scouter
presented his camp blanket to Luba the leader of the Russian group), kiting,
shooting (no fishing, though they probably would have enjoyed it). We also
went gliding at £13.50 for children.
By the time they left
everyone had a very enjoyable and tiring two weeks in which we had learnt a
lot about each other.
They enjoyed the sample of
Western culture and English landscape. Little problems included the fact that
Russian men tend not to cook, they are not used to gas cooking and cool boxes
and they speak Russian (!) though most of the scouts had a splattering of
English and some where quite good. We benefited from the fact one of the
leaders spoke excellent English (and it wasn’t any of the UK leaders!).
In all there visit cost £5800
of which £1800 paid for four of the Russians (the rest had to pay $600 each
– 9 months of average Russian wages). Grants from Youth Exchange (£3400)
and local charities (£400) plus group fundraising provide the costs which
included:
- Bag packing
- Monthly quizzes
- Overnight bowling
- Balloon race
- Screen washing
- Local Carnival (came 3rd!)
We also benefited from
discounts on many of our activities from writing to people and tried to
involve the press as much as possible. We thanked those that had helped in our
exchange by inviting them to our campfire.
Postscript: The trip was a
complete success though the Russians probably were not expecting to have a
program with such a high amount of ready-made entertainment and thus not
really getting the true scouting experience in the UK. They also were not
ready for the full range of weather the English summer throws at us coming
from their 30ºC plus summer. Work now starts for our visit to the 2003
Jamboree/regional camp provisionally at St Petersburg
Pictures
of their Visit | Torbay
Links
Mishki
Skit | If You're Happy (both
require Real Player)
Perm
scouts share opinions of their trip to England on the train back home.
Uglitskih Ilia: It
was wicked !!!
Natasha Kylosova: I
liked London (Big Ben, London Eye, the Tower Bridge) and every place we visited.
In Torbay I was impressed by Woodlands, Paignton Zoo, Aqua Park. Were I tried
the "Devil’s Freefall Slide". It was unforgetable.
Vlada Zhlobich: I
liked everything. I’ve never seen such beauty before. All places we went to
were clean and had a lot of signtseeings. I’m happy I’ve been to England.
Andrey Kozlov: It
was great! All activities were well organized. English people in families and at
the campsite were very hospitable. We had a lot of interesting excursions in
London and in Devon. We were suggested to do gliding, shooting, canoeing.
We’ve spent 2 unforgettable weeks in this wonderful country.
Yriy Vatin: England
is a fantastic country with beautiful, cosy houses, even roads with good
lighting, wonderful entertainment’s where we got a supply of cheerful energy.
But the most important is kind and bright faces of English people.
It is a shame to say
but many things were unfamiliar to me. For example I didn’t know how that type
of shower worked or now to stitch on a gaz lamp. It is so because we don’t
have many of these things but i’d like to.
Luba Pakulina: I
think that England is a country of happiness and prosperity. For 2 weeks I
didn’t notice troubled, sad or stupid faces. I didn’t see tears. Our friends
were very friendly and tolerant to us. A big thank to them. After this fantastic
programme in England it wouldn’t be else. I was really moved by Jack
woodford’s action and I appreciate his nobility and shall never forget it. In
England I was interested in problems concerning family children. I saw nice
babies, happy parents. I’m very much obliged to parents and children who
welcomed us in their families and took care of us.
Oleg Savinkov: This
trip was my first and I think my best visit abroad It is so because I saw not
only clean toilets and streets, comfortable houses but also warm relations
between English people.
Sergey Sharov:
London is an impressive old city. The culture is on high level. There is so much
to look at that it seems one life is not enough to see it. On the whole it was
cool and I am happy I’ve been to this wonderful city.
My English
Diary by Vasily Kozhin
On the way to
England.
Andrey and Natasha
were right when they said that the English side would immediately recognize us
in our red T-shirts. More over when we put on this bright uniform with our
scarts in white, blue and red stripe we were in the centre of attention. People
looked at us with interest the lady at the passport control’s smiled and said:
"Good luck".
Heathrow.
A substantial dinner
on the airplane, avery polite hostess and in 3 hours and half a magniti cent
view from the plane’s window. London fell at us with the sea of light, Radio
One and 17 degrees outside the beard.
Was it due to our
uniform or tired but happy faces but we stood only half of the queue and then
were led successfully to the passport control.
Tina/Chris/Steph
Ogi-ogi-ogi! Hi dear
Tina, Chris, Steph! Are you Steph? You can never expect whom you’ll see if you
spoke twice on the phone before. But it is a joyful surprise. This lady has a
cold head and hot heart. Chris is always helpful and trustworthy. Tina is more
energetic than ever. She is like a perpetum mobile. I am jealous.
Driving to a scout
club. Still don’t believe I am in London. Clean streets and tidy lawns. You
are listening to Radio One. Yes, I am in London.
St. Paul’s and
what not?
Good morning. A hot
shower. Wicked! Weeked! Cornflakes. Tea and milk. Hi, Rachel! A beautiful smile.
Let’s go. Big Ben,
Greenwich Meridian Line, the Cutty sark, Foot tunnel, Subway (rather
comfortable), Big Bus, trafalgar Square, National Gallery. Van Gogh. Cezanne. Is
it really Raphael? Mc.Donalds, Mc.Donalds; The Tower, the beafeater welcomes us,
London Eye. Were’s Millennium Dome? Thank you Tina, now I can make it myself.
The Thames Barrier, Downing st. 10,11,12. Taking pictures. were is Prime
Minister? – Ok, next time. British Museum, National Library, St. Paul’s and
what not?
My rediscovery of
London: from dreams to reality; reality is much better.
The English Riviera.
Can’t mention
everything we’ve done during our stay in Torbay: Paigton Zoo, Woodlands, Water
Park, Gliding (Yes,we did it!), Shooting, Kites, Steam Train, Canoeing …
All this would be
impossible without people who helped us to come, families we stayed in (Hi, Tom
and Maureen), wonderful staff (Caroline, Alan, Paul, Tom, Goth and many others).
Thank you.
Campsite.
The 3rd
day at the campsite. I miss my usual soup for lunch, but it’s OK. I am nuked
in the evening mainly because of the time difference and acclimatization.
But I’m all right
again when Steph comes up and smiles, when Tina asks if I am OK and when Chris
or Clare prepares a cup of tea for me.
T. C. S. crew plus
Pauline and Andy Smith works perfect. We are always on time in a planned place.
Steph’s idea of mixed groups is good. Maybe Russian and English would mix
better if they had a competitive game involving a team work where each member
does his best.
Back Home and
preparing for St. Petersburg, 2003.
We are on the train.
Everyone seems to be happy. It was a wonderful trip and a precious experience.
It is interesting, in England I missed my family but now I miss my English
friends and I’m sure many people I’m with now do.
Tina said:
"True leaders are those who break boundaries wich separate people and make
the world go." I wish scouts participated in this camp both English and
Russian become such leaders.
Perm scouts
recount the experience of their trip to Tothes.
Yriy Vatin: Totnes
is a small enchanting town were I was plunged into the atmosphere of the Middle
Ages. Bright and colourful costumes, smiling people Though we were in Totnes for
the 1-st time we were welcomed as old friends. The town has a nice museum which
shows it’s ancient history. But the most wonderful thing is its mayors –
simple and nice people. It was a great pleasure to talk with them. Thank you
very much for your hospitality. I wish you happiness and health.
Ilia Uglitskih: It
was a pleasant surprise for me that there exists a fair in this town were they
sell goods and collect money to help children from different countries. I liked
the meeting with the Mayoress. It was interesting. We were allowed to have a
look at the symbol of power – a chain with the town’s emblem and even to
hold it. Besides we visited many historical places (Totnes Castle, Totnes
Elizabathan Museum, the Chuch of St. Mary, the Guild hall) and I learned a lot
about the history of England.
Sergey Sharov:
Totnes surprised me by its history and traditions. I liked the meeting with the
mayoress and what we saw in historical bildings. Everything was great!
Totnes by
Oleg Savinkov
I am fond of
atiquity – old castles, buildings, things, wordly wise, which have ancient
history connected with a more global history than history of a separate case.
For example this ancient castle which defended during the great war between
Normans and Saxes. Just its sight strikes me. I imagine the whole scene: crowds
of soldiers besiege the fortress and the defenders throw stones at them …
That’s why Totnes
impressed me greatly. This old town remembers its history. In the municipality
there are notes with the names of mayors from the 14th century. This
town respects its traditions, that’s why citizents trust their government. One
traditions is that the mayoress should wear a hat on official meetings.
By the way about the
Mayoress. When I saw her conduct, the way she spoke I was surprised. Before I
thought that the mayor especially English as one who is in power must be very
proud and look at us, Russians, with haughtiness. But this person is very homely
and cheerful, and she treats us as if we were of the same position. And when she
came to our campsite I was surprised even more. She was dressed as an ordinary
person. She didn’t have guard who wouldnit let come closer than 10 metres. We
were able to come up and talk. She didn’t demand any privileges. Only her
symbol of power showed that she was the maypress. I realized that she was the
person who was really elected by people.
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