5/30 - I think I was prepared for this

What I did:

I woke up in time for breakfast today and did not fall back asleep when I got back. Then I got ready and decided to take a pretty long trip today. I grabbed a sandwich and headed off for the train station to try that out. It was a lot easier to figure out than I thought it would be and before I knew it I was off.

I traveled to Chingford station where I got off and walked about a mile and a half to Gilwell Park (I felt that I had to go being a boy scout and all – it is a very important scout camp and leader training center).

I got there and just walked into the camp. Apparently there is the scout activity center with campgrounds and all that and there is also a conference center. The two parts of the camp are very different and obviously budgeted differently, with the conference center being very nice and a place to have wedding receptions (which I think is what was going on today). People were walking around in suits and the buildings are all very nice. I walked around for a little while in the camp then walked in the conference center reception to see where I needed to go. The lady there told me to walk around the street to the camp headquarters which was tucked back away. This part of the camp was more “campish” (trans. Not as nice?). I told some people I was there and wanted to look around, and they opened up the museum and gave me some maps. I walked into the museum, which was really more of a collection of things it seems they had collected from other people around Europe and elsewhere. More of a collection than a museum (as if a museum is not a collection, um...it at least did not present any informatin about the camp or its history...but I suppose a museum doesn't necessarily have to do that either...oh well). And it was really small. So I then went and walked around the camp, they had several things like a cast of Baden Powell’s (the founder of Boy Scouts, for those who don’t know) footprint, a bust of Powell, his carriage. So I just walked around and tried my best to avoid the other scouts that were there camping. It was really kind of amazing how easily I just walked in.

Overall, it seemed like any normal, small camp. It had several sites and some ropes stuff, climbing tower, pool. It was really small though. I didn’t really know what to expect, but it did not take me as long to look through it as I thought it might. So, after I had seen enough I started my walk back.

I almost got back and I noticed that there was a small carnival. There was a bunch of moveable rides. I did not have any desire to go to it, but I did see a nice big field behind it with some people sitting out. So I went and rested there for a little while and read some. It was really nice, and would have been perfect for a kite (and there were some people out there flying some small remote control planes). After I stayed there a while I walked back to the train station and went back to central London. I decided to just go straight back to my hotel, and on the way there were some really funny guys on the tube. One guy accidently gave another guy some wrong advice and didn’t realize it until we had just left the stop and everyone gave him a hard time (you definitely had to be there). I realized it was one of the first times I had really laughed since I got here, which was very refreshing.

Then I came back to plan my day tomorrow (I am finally going to meet with someone and check out a service, which I am extraordinarily excited about) and I wound up watching some rugby and the finals of Britain’s Got Talent.

Also, I have been hearing the chirping of a certain type of bird all over the place – in the park and especially around the street right by my hotel. I know it is the same type of bird because it chirps a song that is the same tune as some commercial’s jingle. I can’t remember what commercial though – I just get that tune stuck in my head over and over again!

What I learned:

Community is really important because it makes you laugh which is in itself very important.

There are really not that many people who are so tied to their phones as in America, especially SMU. I really don’t see that many people here on cell phones (although I am sure I don’t have a very good sample).

Scouting is pretty similar everywhere.

There is a difference between bodily rest (i.e. vegging out in front of the tv for hours, which does provide some instant satisfaction to tired bodies) and soul rest (i.e. really connecting with God in, say, a beautiful sunny field). I think the first is much easier to do, and often becomes a default, especially when tired, but that the later is much more powerful and meaningful and truly restful.

As much as I like my Chacos, walking in shoes is much easier and comfortable for long distances.

Jacket potatoes are delicious, and really big.

America definitely has a leg up on the dance crew acts in comparison to Britain. But, Diversity was still entertaining.

Apparently, cows are more dangerous than I thought!