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Dream comes true for Girl Guide through trip to Switzerland Fort Simpson Girl Guides district commissioner volunteers
at Our Chalet
Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, June 13, 2013
ADELBODEN, SWITZERLAND
A Fort Simpson resident's dream came true in Switzerland this spring.
Heather Jennings-Brown of Fort Simpson recently spent three months in Switzerland volunteering at Our Chalet, one of four world centres run by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. - photo courtesy of Heather Jennings-Brown
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Heather Jennings-Brown has been a member of Girl Guides of Canada since she became a Brownie at age 4. When she was a Guide, at around the age 10, Jennings-Brown found out about Our Chalet, one of four world centres run by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. Jennings-Brown, now 24, has wanted to go to the centre since then.
Her chance came this spring after she applied to be one of the volunteers that help run Our Chalet and its programs. Jennings-Brown was accepted and spent from March 1 to May 31 in Switzerland.
"It was an absolutely amazing time," she said.
The chalet, which is run much like a hotel, is open to the members of any Guides association around the world as well as anyone else who would like to stay there. Jennings-Brown helped look after guests from around the world, including the United States, and United Kingdom, South Africa, Russia and countries in eastern Asia.
Our Chalet is located in the Adelboden valley and surrounded by the Swiss Alps. When Jennings-Brown began the experience in March, there was still lots of snow and the chalet was providing accommodations for skiers from across Europe.
Helped run programs
In addition to working in guest services, Jennings-Brown helped run programs including hikes to Engstligen, the second-largest waterfall in Switzerland, tours of the town of Adelboden, and Swiss culture nights complete with an alphorn player, chocolate fondue and games about important facts and the history of the country.
Jennings-Brown, who had never been to Europe before, said she learned a lot about Swiss culture and traditions and also Swiss time, the practice of being early for everything.
"There's no such thing as fashionably late in Switzerland," she said.
Learned a lot about different cultures
Jennings-Brown, who is also the Girl Guides district commissioner for Fort Simpson, said she also learned a lot about different cultures from around the world and different aspects of Guiding. While surrounded by the Alps, Jennings-Brown learned to snowboard and also tried cross-country skiing for the first time.
"It was fun," she said.
During her three months at Our Chalet, Jennings-Brown worked with six other volunteers from the United Kingdom, the United States, South Korea and Slovenia. She said her favourite part of the whole experience was meeting the people and forming relationships that will last a lifetime. When you live and work with the same group of people for three months, you form close bonds, she said.
Jennings-Brown encourages all members of Girl Guides of Canada to apply to volunteer at one of the world centres after they turn 18 and to continue applying until they get to go.
"It's the sort of experience that if you are in Guiding, it can't be duplicated by doing anything else," she said.
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