Mariam first wrote for the Our Chalet blog during the summer. This is her contribution to our blog. Thank you Mariam for sharing it with us!
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When I first traveled internationally with my Ranger patrol in July 2006, out of the 13 girls I was probably the most concerned about wearing a uniform all the time while in Europe. At the age of 16 soon to be 17, caring about your appearance sometimes seems to come first when traveling and even though we were staying in hostels, I had no desire to just “rough-it.”
Our itinerary consisted mainly of London, England and various towns and cities in Ireland. Before the trip I had only briefly been to London with my family so I was definitely not prepared for the crowds, the heat and the chaos that makes up such a large city in the summer.
The first couple days I was extremely hesitant to wear my uniform or to even dress the same as the other girls in my group. To blend in with the culture of the city, I would wear scarves and sweaters to cover up the red poly-blend fabric of the international uniform (which even though it dried quickly, was not at all flattering). A group of 13 girls and five leaders, we attracted attention absolutely everywhere we went with our loud voices, general commotion and matching outfits, the latter of which I refused to partake in. I’d always feel self-conscious, especially at shopping malls and restaurants, where we were clearly out of place. Eventually I began to embrace our daily uniform of red, navy or white shirt with black or navy bottoms while still adding personal touches so that I would still feel like myself and not just one in a group of tourists.
Now, looking back at that experience, and working at Our Chalet where I’m wearing a staff polo shirt with navy pants or shorts four or five days a week with a bright red necker, I appreciate the fact that I am part of something bigger and that I can easily be identified in a crowd or in a foreign place by what I wear. Residents of the town of Adelboden recognize us without any pretense and acknowledge our presence in town as more than just tourists.
Wearing the Guiding uniform abroad reminds you that you are part of something bigger, and when you see another Guide or Scout group you already have something in common without even exchanging words. People always ask where you’re from and are more than willing to share a Guiding story of their own.
I still have mixed feelings about wearing a uniform while travelling, but I have come to realize that I can sacrifice some vanity for something that’s much greater and by wearing the uniform abroad I am also encouraging Guiding worldwide in my own small way.
By guest blogger Mariam Hussain.
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