Finland Jamboree Part 2- Kajo

Continued from Finland Jamboree - Lapland.

Our overnight train from Rovamiemi arrived in Hämeenlinna at 7am with us all refreshed, showered (well, the adults were showered) and rested, ready for the next part of our adventure. We grabbed a bite to eat at the train station and hung out until the bus arrived to shuttle us to the Jamboree. It was less than an hour to the Jamboree site on our bus shared with Scouts from Israel and the UK. The bus dropped us along the main central street of the Jamboree where we were greeted by a welcoming committee that helped us unload, get organized and then led us to our campsite in the Loiste subcamp.

The Jamboree (the 8th national Jamboree for Finnish Guides and Scouts) was named Kajo, which is a Finnish word meaning the gleaming light that you see in the horizon at dusk and dawn. Participants were divided into six sub-camps each with their own name and colour. We were camping in the yellow subcamp Loiste -meaning "shine". We had been twinned with a number of Finnish groups from the coastal area of Finland near the city of Turku so we found our way to our campsite and began setting up our camp. Many Finnish Scouts camp in large canvas bell tents so it was interesting to learn how they set them up and organized theirs camps. Our friends from 1st Greely Scouts were also camping with us and they arrived shortly after us from their travels to Paris and Switzerland.

After dinner on our first day in camp, we put on our Scout uniforms and joined our Finnish hosts for the parade to the opening ceremony. Each camp unit formed up in lines of three, with flags and banners at the front, and walked to the opening ceremony. With over 13,000 people attending, it took some time, but it was well organized with each subcamp following a different route to their assigned area. As our subcamp was the furthest from the main stage, we had a long walk but there was still lots of room when we arrived. The main stage was located in a large natural bowl shaped amphitheater and each subcamp was assigned a section making an impressive sight when each subcamp in turned cheered and waved their subcamp neckers. The ceremony itself was a little hard to follow as most was in Finnish and the English subtitles too small to read, but it was certainly impressive to see such a large group gathered in one place beneath the beautiful pine trees.

Life in camp was organized around the four (yes four!) daily meals and the activity periods. All food was catered, so we didn't have to do any cooking! Each subcamp had it's own kitchen and at our group's assigned time we would walk to the kitchen, wash our hands at the first station, be served the meal from one of a dozen lines manned by volunteers from each camp group and find a place to sit, either under enormous tarps or in the open. After eating, everyone washed their own dishes at a wonderfully designed 4-section washing trough. Some of the food was heated in enormous wood-fired cauldrons - some were a military design dating from the 1920s!

Each day the subcamp was assigned to a program valley with a different theme: Life, Action, Battle (based on TV reality shows), Peace, Future and Eureka. In each morning and afternoon program session, Scouts and Venturers could choose which activities they wanted to do in the program valley. With up to 40 different stations available in each valley, there was always something fun to choose from.

Free time was spent exploring the other subcamps, enjoying one of the many cafes, ice cream or coffee bars, trading badges at the Canada tent, listening to one of the live music acts, checking out the activities in the kiosks in the main central square and street or taking part in one of the many evening events like the International Culture Bash, disco and rave parties. Or just relaxing at camp, hanging out with friends, taking a sauna or (for the adults) sneaking away to the Scouter-only café and relaxation areas.

Tuesday was visitor day in camp, when Finnish parents and relatives could visit their Scouts and Guides at the camp. For us it was a free day to do whatever we wanted. The highlight was a mini-sticks hockey game between the Canadian Contingent and the Finnish International Service Team. A "rink" was constructed in the main square and a large crowd gathered for three periods of intense hockey action. One of our own Scouts, Adrian, represented Canada in the game. Cheered on by enthusiastic Finnish and Canadian supporters, Canada eked out a close 6-5 victory in a back and forth nail-biter of a game.

Wednesday evening was the camp's midway ceremony. The evening began with an interactive game played on a cellphone app. Each small group of Scouts and adults followed directions to do challenges and join into ever larger groups, until eventually everyone from the subcamp had joined together. Each subcamp then made it's way to a designated area around the bay of a lake. In front of each subcamp was a floating raft with a character from the opening ceremony. The characters continued the story that had begun at the opening ceremony, culminating in all characters congregating on a central raft. While much of the story was difficult to follow in Finnish, the twinkling lights from all around the bay was certainly impressive.

As is common at many jamborees, each campsite was decorated with a gate to serve as an entrance point and welcome visitors to the campsite. Some gates were extremely elaborate, with multiple levels, tents and of course flags and banners of the group. Most of the campsites at Kajo were located in mature pine forests, which provided a unique environment for such a large camp. They also allowed some interesting hammock set-ups - limited by the organizers to three levels!

The last few days of the camp were spent at the final activity valleys, making new friends, enjoying ice cream, trying to make those last few trades for are badges or neckers and enjoying everything that the camp had to offer.

Friday evening saw the culmination of the camp at the closing ceremony. Subcamps assembled one last time at the main stage where we were treated to a traditional dance by Ukrainian Guides and taught a cheer by Israeli Scouts before the presentation of the final chapter of the Kajo story. Later that evening our friends from Greely left camp for their trip home while we prepared for our departure the next day.

Saturday morning saw us packing up wet tents due to an early morning shower, saying goodbye to our Finnish hosts and making our way back to the main gate to catch our bus to Helsinki and the final part of our adventure.

Read Part 3 - Helsinki.