The Troop 1954
Wednesday Newsletter

Scouting out differences;
Baton Rouge-area Boy Scouts host Swedish counterparts

The Advocate (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
August 13, 2005 Saturday
by CHANTE DIONNE WARREN

Boy Scout Jacob Bennett quickly learned his foreign Scout visitor's distaste for certain American foods after the pair sat down to a plate of bacon and eggs one morning in July.

"Junk food," Alexander Johansson, 16, of Sweden, told Bennett.

"Alexander speaks his mind," Bennett quipped.

While Johansson's choice of breakfast might include something healthier, such as cucumber, tomato, salmon, and cream cheese on wheat bread, his American Scouting comrades were not enthusiastic about his preferences.

"Different," Bennett said. Bennett's family hosted two foreign exchange Scouts from Orebro, Sweden, in July. Eight other Swedish Scouts also stayed with several host Scouts in the Baton Rouge area. They toured the USS Kidd Veterans Memorial and Museum on July 20, visited New York for four days and ended their tour during the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill, Va., July 25 through Aug. 3.

Bennett said the Swedish and American Scouts discussed differences and similarities in dress style, eating habits, lifestyles and Scouting protocol, among other topics.

Among the differences, American Scout Jeremiah Mouton said, are that Swedish Scouts wear casual dark green uniform tops with nonmatching bottoms but "they don't wear a set pair of pants like us and they don't tuck their shirts in."

American Scouts wear dressier uniform tops and matching bottoms. "Here, (United States), they are stricter. Their uniforms are stricter," said Mathias Moller, 17, of Sweden.

Moller said Swedish Scouts also integrate Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. "Many of my Scouting buddies are girls," he said.

The tour helped Moller appreciate the two countries' differences. "Scouting draws people together and you learn about other people's cultures," he said.

Baton Rouge area Scouts attending the Jamboree also discussed the July 25 deaths of four Scout leaders from Alaska killed in an electrical accident while setting up camp at the Jamboree. Three other people were injured.

"I was upset it happened, but we just had to move on. It just makes you more aware of what can happen and to be careful," said John Long, 14, an area Scout.

Bennett agreed.

"It's kind of tough. Even though we didn't know them, they're part of the Scout family. They just came here to have fun and something tragic happened," Bennett said.

President Bush spoke to the Scout delegation July 31 and boosted morale.

"He was talking directly to the Scouts. The speech was real moving and he talked about the deaths and how we need to be strong Americans," said Bennett, an Eagle Scout.

The tragedy will not hamper Bennett's plans to continue camping and Scouting.

"I've been in Scouts for almost 12 years and I love camping, backpacking and kayaking. Accidents happen, but it's a trip (camping) I'm willing to take. Camping requires some risk-taking just like driving a car to work can," he said.