Intercamp 2019. The Netherlands. Meadow near the castle in De Steeg. Five thousand scout heads on a cluster of thirteen countries around the world. Of this, one thousand international volunteers (in which twenty-five volunteers from the Czech Republic). And the motto "Be part of a nature".
The four most intense scout days of the year. From Thursday to Monday, June 6 - 10, 2019, I went to the scout event Intercamp 2019, which took place near De Steeg in the eastern Netherlands. Five thousand Scouts (four thousand scouts aged 11 to 16 and one thousand volunteers serving the Team 18+) from thirteen countries - Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, United the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, Switzerland, and Croats and Colombia as guests. There was a busy schedule waiting for them from Friday evening to Monday morning. And that it happened in one weekend more than a month you can verify yourself in the following lines.
As a member of the International Service Team (IST), I arrived on Thursday evening. We had an excellent warm dinner, a welcome and an informal dating evening. On Friday, we were divided into international teams for the tasks we had to do during the Intercamp. Some of us oversaw the campsite program, others out of camp, some were taking care of our safety, others were concerned about our health. There were more roles, and we each had our task in the ant. So, it was nice to watch so many different people get together and begin to form groups working this and that all over the Intercamp. Which, incidentally, took place near the private mansion of Middachten. I was on the campsite team, so I helped build three live table football pitches in the morning. And in the afternoon, I was helping to prepare programs that were supposed to take place after the participants arrived. I also have a few moments to walk around the town and meet some other super ISTs from all over Europe. But it was already busy with children and the fun started. And right after dinner, spontaneous activities and games took place on the main square, the so-called reptiles.
But on Saturday only the right hum started. The opening ceremony was held in the morning, even during a mild rain. And then the participants split in half. One went to the program outside the camp and the other remained in place. Scouts outside the camp were divided into smaller international groups and gradually went on a trip that was in four directions and participants could perform various tasks along the way. The Scouts in the campground had a set of sixteen tasks, and as a bead they could see the Beetles Hotel. So it went practically all day except for lunch breaks. In the afternoon, the first of a series of scouts DJ Rene took place. It was a drone to be at a party of this size.
On Sunday, the programs the participants had just turned. Those who were in the camp the previous day went out, and those who were outside stayed. Part of the program in the camp was a show of predators, which was very successful. But besides her, I didn't have much of it in the morning because I attended the Intercamp Comitee Meeting as a guest. That is, the meeting of the highest of the highest who decide on the Intercamp. And it was a roar. Although I was then called off halfway through the meeting because of some urgent solution for buses, but it was a great honor and an opportunity to attend the Intercamp management meeting. But in the afternoon, I was back at my campsite program again, pulling the participants' minds about ecology and recycling. Then in the afternoon I helped clean up all the posts and we should take a short walk along the canal to the other side of the camp to relax a little from the ever-present crowds. But I hurried back because the Street Food Festival was held from six o'clock (we could translate it as a street food festival), where each section prepared something for their country to taste something from their country. So, the participants could taste Polish pirogi, Czech goulash or potato pancakes, Dutch potatoes with onions and apples or for example American burgers. And in the evening, when we were all crammed, there was a campfire (distributed on a concrete foundation by burning wooden pallets) and another concert by DJ Rene.
But on Monday, many troops were leaving early in the morning. And for those who stayed, there was a closing ceremony with a live band and a ceremonial handover of the Intercamp's scepter for the year 2020 to the UK. But then we also cleaned up our own tent, packed up and set out for a thirteen-hour journey back home.
I haven't had such a well-organized event like Intercamp for so long. Both from the perspective of a member of the IST and from the perspective of the deputy chief of the Czech contingent. The information flowed smoothly, everything was ready, people were prepared for crisis situations, the programs were fun and meaningful, everything was in harmony and tuned to the smallest detail. I really enjoyed it and I am going to join this Intercamp family for a while, because it was good for me.
"IC Intercamp, Intercamp is OK.”
