It’s been ages since I thought about what it takes to earn a badge for my Brownie sash, but recently one of my Year 9 students asked me if I would be interested in helping her earn one for hers. The criteria for earning the “Kiwi Culture” badge include inviting a recent immigrant to New Zealand to find out the differences between New Zealand and their homeland. Although I haven’t immigrated, I guess my 5 months in the country was enough to qualify.
As I was preparing for my presentation to the Sumner Girl Guide group, I was thinking about some of the lessons I learned during my time as a Brownie. Leave things in a better state than you found them; care for the environment; and do one good deed each day. These are all simple lessons, with far-reaching implications. Are we all doing at least one good deed each day?
So we played a round of “Duck-Duck-Moose” and got so caught up in slideshow photos and questions that we didn’t have enough time to sing “Land of the Silver Birch.” We made some pancakes covered in maple syrup, and concluded the evening with some specially imported Canadian Girl Guide cookies (which, for the record, are different than their New Zealand tea-biscuit counterpart).
The girls were keen to ask questions about the photos in my slideshow and I gave them a handout with Canadian facts (including the lyrics to our two national anthems: “O Canada!” and “The Hockey Song” – supported by the theme to “Hockey Night in Canada”. All that was missing was a coffee and donut from Tim Horton’s.
A great opportunity to boast about my country and encourage the girls to consider the magnificent size of our world.
Thanks for reading.
L.
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