A COMMUNITY THAT CARES
My Journey: from Scouting to the world By Esmée Jamira de Meijer | www.carajas.org | contato@carajas.org
I
never imagined that a movement could change a person’s life. But thanks to Carajás I managed to become a better person and every day I look for my best version. It may sound cliché, but embark on this journey with me. . . It all started 7 years ago, when a friend of my mother invited me to participate in a Scoutas meeting. At the time I was spoilt and liked my comforts, I didn’t believe that Scouting would add so much to my life. However, arriving at the meeting I was soon welcomed, loved and for the first time in my life, straight away I felt like I belonged there. For the few hours I was there, I already felt that it was an environment where I would face many learnings (in fact I wasn’t wrong) and gradually it became my family and a huge part of my routine. I consider these last years in the Scoutas the most intense of my entire life, as I was able to learn a lot, pass on everything I know, in addition to sharing important moments with my loved ones. I also look at my journey in a cyclical way, where I could appreciate, discover and live different situations. The life of a Girl Scout is full of stages and challenges that teach you, and prepare you, for your personal development. Along my journey I also got to know people better, creating bonds of friendship and discovering myself as well. I recognised that making friends was one of the most important things for me, and that in the Scoutas is made easier by being surroun-
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ded by people with similar beliefs. And as a result of this characteristic of mine, I won the “Most Popular” award for four consecutive years and received other awards as well. However, one thing I am very proud of was having managed to reach the highest level of development, the Eagle Scout (Escoteiro da Pátria) badge. It’s hard to explain to an outsider that in Scouting there’s no age or maturity to make friends. You end up creating a special bond both with the youngest girl who is 11 years old and with a leader who is 40 years old. When we all have the same purpose and are connected by the idea of creating a better world, little things like age become meaningless. During those years there were many activities, camps and remarkable trips. Each one with a different purpose, but I cannot fail to mention the World Jamboree, the best event a young person can participate in, which happens every four years and each time in a different country, bringing together scouts from all over the world.
perienced. I had the pleasure of following the growth and development of unique girls who became very special to me. I can’t put into words how much they helped me become the person I am today, and how much they prepared me for this new phase of my life. All the years I spent at Carajás contributed to building the person I am today and, looking back, I am proud of how far I have come (and this is only the beginning), and that it wouldn’t be possible without the Scoutas. I just have to thank all the people who were part of my journey and especially the Carajás. Thanks! ◼
Early years in Scoutas.| Primeiros anos nos escoteiros
Besides getting to know cultures and people from different places, I built great relationships with people in my group. It was at that moment that I acknowledged that Scouting was much stronger and more important to me than I ever imagined. We can say that after the Jamboree I began a new and very important phase of my cycle. Being a patrol leader was, without a doubt, the best time in Scoutas I ever ex-
With the patrol at the World Jamboree.| Com a patrulha do Jamboree Mundial
British Society São Paulo | Fundação Britanica de Beneficência | Spotlight N° 131
