Moving to Hong Kong: Scouts, Library cards, and other stuff...

This was a big week for the Glenn scouts. They were all invested into their respective groups and became full members of the Silver Jubilee District 29th scout troop. Lizzy is a Grasshopper, while Sam and Paul are scouts. Not Boy Scouts...just scouts. Each group is coed.

Lizzys group reminds me of Tiger Cubs in USA cub scouts. They have lots of fun and learn through playing games. So far they have covered map and compass skills, learned about airplanes and learned cooperation and sharing with large group games, scavenger hunts and a paper airplane assembly and launch. She likes scouts a lot.

Lizzy beginning invested into scouts

Paul and Sam are in the older scout group for 11-16 yr olds. All their meetings are outside in a nice playground area of one of the local schools. The activities are similar to BSA (Boy Scouts of America), the promise and law are similar. It was founded based on Lord Baden Powells British boys scouts, so much is very British. The troop comes in full dress uniform to every meeting. They learn to stand at ease and at alert (attention) and they are very rigid about procedures during the meetings. The scout master leads the meetings (different that Boy Scouts lead the meetings in the USA) and older Boy Scouts called patrol leaders help. There are four patrols in the troop, each is a group of 5-7 scouts led by an older Boy Scout. The boys like the troop very much. Paul likes the strictness of the meetings. Sam likes the uniform and the military way.

Paul being invested into scouts

Sam being invested into scouts

All three of our Hong Kong Scouts

All three want to continue participating in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America. So we have signed each one of them up as lone scouts, even John. Steve and I are also signed up as leaders. This way each of them can continue progressing in their respective programs and earn merit badges and patches along with their groups from home. Sam especially was saddened at the thought of "falling behind" his friends. This reassures him he can and will keep progressing. It also helps that Paul is willing to teach Sam rank advancements. They worked on lashing yesterday together for a long time. John will join the Order of the Arrow group here in Hong Kong. Not sure yet how active it is or where the group meets, but he will begin as soon as his registration for the lodge goes through.

We've really missed our library visits, so I made it a priority to learn about the library system of Hong Kong. Started the process by visiting the Hong Kong Central Library.

It is a beautiful building near where the boys are taking a music class, so that helped to spur me on! We arrived and talked to the registration folks and like everything here...there are lots of forms to fill out and many items of personal ID are required. So we got the forms and left. Today, Lizzy, Sam, Paul, and I set out on a quest to find the nearest branch in the nearby town of Tung Chung.