Constant change

Got up and went to the dining hall to get breakfast. Spoke with a couple of Swedes, interesting to hear their stories from the Jamboree.

Had some trouble finding a working adult male toilet with paper, a continuing issue at this camp.

Before lunch, our Deputy chief got the message that the whole camp is being evacuated on Tuesday. First the participants and then the ISTs. Small chock of course and that’s what everyone was talking about during the afternoon. We still have to deliver our services and sort out the departure procedure so we can leave the site in such a good condition as possible.

Me, Vicky, a couple of Koreans took down the tents left by one of the UK units when they left. Sad to see them not taking responsibility and leaving a clean site. While we were packing up their tents we saw two Norwegian kids cut a piece from a standing tent. Apparently, it was for memorabilia. We gave them a mouthful of how they were destroying equipment that someone can use.

We finished up and continued by taking down the tents that our UK ISTs had used so we were as prepared as possible. At 15 and 16 the Swedish CMT published information stating that everyone is leaving on Tuesday, ISTs helping with departure and then following. Keep a couple of clothes in the top of your bag and know where your passport is.

Food delivery went okay, we managed to solve almost everything. A few goodbyes to the kids and leaders. Some were relieved to get away from the sand and heat. Some were missing the program. Everyone has met a lot of people.

When we just we were finishing up, I guy came by with a Swedish passport, debit card, and driver’s license. I took it and checked with the two troops we have in our Subcamp but the guy wasn’t with them. Contacted the Swedish CMT and informed the leader that I had it.

In the evening I checked the Iceland site if it was clean enough which it was so we thanked each other and said goodbye.

At 20 we had a full staff meeting. The subject on the whiteboard was “Things we do not know”. Basically, there is one plan, that might change drastically after the meeting with all Heads of Contingents. The options seem to be either we leave by subcamp and we continue to serve our units. Or, what we believe the HoC wants, we leave by contingent. If that’s the case, tomorrow will probably be the last time we are gathered. We might also be left until Wednesday morning, in that case, we need to keep our tents up. So, a lot of unknowns and we are waiting for more information to be able to prepare for the next step.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about all of this. On the one hand, I’m looking forward to sleeping somewhere where the temperature doesn’t go above 22 degrees and where there is no sand. I’ve been here nine nights and I wouldn’t mind leaving.

On the other hand, I have sort of gotten used to always being dirty and smelly. Sweating all the time, walking the distances. Meeting people and chatting, helping out each other. I don’t know where we are going or what I will do there. It could of course be “worse” than what we have now.

At 22 we got new information. Everyone is leaving by contingent. The first unit should leave at 7. So everyone needs to get up at 4 to prepare breakfast and inspect the sites. We had to rush out and summon the unit leaders to a meeting at 22:30 to inform them of the new travel arrangements. The last unit I visited got four minutes warning.

I packed most of my stuff to be able to move quickly tomorrow, hoping to suffice with just two bags now that I leave the tent. We’ll see how it goes.

A quick shower and then off to bed. Adding pictures tomorrow.