Texas 2005

Scouting Ireland and Circle Ten Council BSA.
Texas Exchange - 7th -22nd June 2005

Dallas, Texas saw the arrival of a contingent of twelve Irish scout and three Scout leaders on the 7th of June 2005. This was because the first, and hopefully annual Chief Scout's exchange to Texas took place from the 7th to the 21st of June 2005. The exchange consisted of 12 nights camping on Boy Scouts of America (BSA) campsites, three nights in a four star hotel and 2 nights home hospitality.

On our arrival in Fort Worth, Dallas we were whisked off to the embassy suites hotel to freshen up, sleep off the jet lag and sort out our gear for the tough two weeks to come. we arrived on the first camp site on the morning of the 8th of June. Camp Constantine is a water based site. all the activities take place on possum kingdom lake, they included canoeing, blobbing (basically a big bouncy cushion in the centre of the lake that propels you about 20 feet in the air), sailing and driving speed boats. Other activities were basket making, environmental science, leather craft, shooting and archery. The American scouts do the majority of their badge work on summer camp so they have classes every day for eight hours. we didn't really spend a lot of time on these bases as our age group, Venturers, staffed the sites. so mostly we were on staff on the sites.

We soon learned that the Americans do things a lot different to how we do things in Ireland! They sleep in tents the same as Icelandics just about half the size and on beds on top off pallets to keep them away from the big nasty bugs e.g. scorpions, Black widow spiders, Rattle snakes and fire ants to name but a few. The Boy Scouts of America don't cook on camp like us, they have all their food catered for, and none of it seems to be very healthy, No mince stew for them!!

We spent a second night in our very nice hotel, no one was complaining as it was a key opportunity to have a proper shower and sleep in probably the most comfortable bed in America. We also got the opportunity to go shopping in the Galleria Mall, one word girls WOW best shopping experience of my life!! The following morning we went to mass, and then on to our next site, Cherokee. At that site mozzy nets are an absolute necessity, with a  whole host of crickets, mosquitoes and things in the trees that we didn't like to think about. This site was a land activities site that consisted of rock climbing, archery, shooting and horse riding. I did all of these activities but enjoyed horse riding the most. A little bit scary for the first couple of times but once you get pass the fear of the horse throwing you off and you breaking your neck its a piece of cake and you start to relax.

This is also the site where we met the scorpions, they are not the nicest of bug as they will leave you with a very nasty sting,  They also shared our shower and toilet facilities and they were the only part of the trip I didn't enjoy. This site was a lot hotter weather wise and we found it a little bit tougher, we found ourselves drinking a lot more water and using a lot more sun protection. Its was here that heat exhaustion started to kick in and led to one of the lads being brought to hospital. This site was also the place where I sprained my ankle after a truly spectacular fall, looking back I would have laughed if it hadn't hurt so much. After six days on the site we said an emotional goodbye to a lot of new friends.

We returned to Dallas itself and were then brought to our home hospitality homes for a much needed shower without scorpions and black widow spiders, but best of all there was air conditioning, I cant even describe how amazing the air conditioning was. We stayed with the Jeters, myself and Jennifer O'Regan from the 34th Limerick Pallaskenry. We had a ball. the first night we were brought for dinner in a Mexican restaurant and my plate was holding by Irish standards three weeks worth of food!! We went to see a real rodeo with real cowboys, with the chaps and spurs and wrangler jeans!! We watched bull riding which is one of the most dangerous sports in the world, with the rider having to stay on a wild bull for 7 seconds, sounds easy but it isn't really. On Monday which was fathers day we went to see a baseball game with the Texas Rangers who lost to Washington. It was good to be back with the lads again but on the whole its not a very exciting game. We went to Sunday school too it was emmm.....interesting. Monday saw us leave our families and head to six flags over Texas a huge theme park, a great day was had by all especially Team Extreme!!

Monday night we had a goodbye BBQ with all the leaders we had met and all the families who looked after us, we did some very questionable Irish dancing, which for me consisted of being doubled over laughing at my lack of any kind of rhythm. Another night spent in the hotel and then to the airport!  After losing and finding a passport and Collie Kavanagh nearly killing us all we got onto the flight to Newark the first leg of a long journey we were all beginning to realise that it was all nearly over. What we had waited for months for was over, and the deflation began. We slept most of the way home and arrived into Dublin airport at 8:15am and didn't get out of the airport for another hour. then it was back to larch hill for a very emotional good bye.

There are so many people that need to be thanked for giving me this opportunity, but most importantly Colm Kavanagh, Stephen "Scarey" Carey, Catherine Browne, Circle Ten Council Dallas, Hudson Crocket, Carter Hallmark and Family, the Jeter Family, and the other 11, ye were fantastic and I'd do it again in a heart beat. Oh and of course my own group " De La Salle" for all the support in the fund raising efforts.

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Written by Kate Hayes.
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