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The first Scout Troop in
India, consisting of Indian Boys, was formed by a
Scottish Missionary, in the Central Provinces
(present Madhya Pradesh) in 1908. However, the troop was
disbanded in 1910. The common confirmed date, however,
for the start of Scouting in India is 1909, when three
troops for British boys were started at Bangalore,
Kirkee and Jabalpur.
India at this time
included what we now know as Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Scouting in Pakistan developed after independence. After
Bangladesh became an independent country in 1971, the
erstwhile East Pakistan Boy Scout Association was
reconstituted and the Bangladesh Boy Scout Samity
(Association) was created, obtaining recognition from
the World Organisation of the Scout Movement on June 1,
1974 as the 105th member scout organization.
During December 2007 the Bangladesh Scouts held their
Comdeca, Community Development Camp there were 11
challenges during this camp. For more information visit http://www.comdeca2007.com/Programme.htm
In Pakistan there are two
unusual groups the Pakistan Railway Boy Scouts
Association and the Pakistan International Airlines Boy
Scouts Association. The latter assists people at
airports travelling to Hajj. There is a also a Railway
Service Day run by scouts. Why not visit your local
railway station and help to keep it tidy or offer to
help passengers with their luggage?
Here is an activity from
a Canadian website which I have adapted. For Scouts or
Explorers it can help them appreciate what it is like to
arrive in this country:
Your family has decided
that they can no longer live in Canada. There are no
jobs and the prospect of finding jobs in very slim. Your
family has discussed where to move to and because one of
your neighbours moved to India last year and was able to
find a job the decision has been made to move your
family to India. They have chosen you to go ahead, find
a job and someplace for them to stay and they will
follow you in about 6 months. The day has arrived for
you to leave and you have said your good-byes to your
family and friends and are now seated on the airplane
waiting for take off. The person sitting beside you
says: "Is this your first trip to India? You reply,
"Yes" and the person says " what do you
know about India?"
1. Write three things you say:
You have a very smooth flight to India, when you arrive
at Customs, you hand your passport to the Customers
Officer, he shakes his head, says something you do not
understands, points over to another Officer and you have
to haul all your stuff over there you do not understand
anything they are saying to you.
2. What do you feel?
They finally appear to be satisfied with your passport
and you are allowed out into the people filled airport.
You look all around and cannot see anyone that even
looks vaguely familiar. The family who moved here last
year are suppose to be here to pick you up. You cannot
find them.
3. What do you feel?
You have waited two hours and you no idea what you
should do. You just sit and wait. You look around you at
the people in their strange clothes, with their strange
language that you cannot understand.
4. What do you feel as you look and listen?
People seem to be looking at you strangely and you begin
to worry about what to do if these people do not come
soon. As the people look at you...
5. What do you think they are thinking?
The family you have been waiting for finally arrive,
full of explanations as to why they are late. They take
you to their home, which is only a very small apartment
and tell you that you are welcome to say there for a few
days until you can find a job and a place to live.
6. What do you feel?
7. What do you want them to say?
They tell you that they know of a place that is hiring
and that they will take you there the next day to see if
you can get a job.
8. What kind of job do you expect to get?
The company says yes they will hire you and that you can
start the next day. It is a shoe factory and you will be
cutting out the leather for the tops of the shoes. You
are to stand at a machine which has very sharp blades
and if you do not move the blade very accurately you
ruin the leather and the shoe cannot be made and you
could possibly cut yourself very severely. You are not
sure that you understand exactly what to do as the
person who explained your job did not speak English very
well and was very hard to understand. You worked in an
office back home and have never had to stand all day to
work.
9. Briefly list your impressions of your first day:
The other people in the factory are not very friendly
and because you cannot speak their language you are
finding it difficult to make any friends.
10. List your efforts:
You have been looking for a place to live, because there
is not enough room for you at your friends. You have two
choices. You can move in with a family who are from
Canada or you can move in with an Indian family.
11. Which do you choose and why?
You are taking language classes at night and trying very
hard to learn to speak their language but there are so
many dialects that you find you cannot understand
anything. You try very hard but feel you will never
learn the new language. You get to work one morning and
they tell you that they have made a rule that says you
must speak their language and that you can no longer
speak English at work.
12.a. What is your first thought?
12.b. When would you find yourself breaking the rule?
Christmas is fast approaching, Your family will not be
with you for Christmas but the family you live with is
very friendly and will help you get through Christmas.
13. List two other times when you would feel homesick?
Wishing you all a great
new century.
Felicity Cleaves,
ACC(International)
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