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Did you know that Girl Scouts surpassed the geographical confines of our council AND even the United States? There are Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 150 countries! All of these girls (and you, too!) are a part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, commonly referred to as WAGGGS.

Eight Girl Scouts from Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GGCNWI) – now called the Global Girl Scouting group – heard about WAGGGS and couldn’t wait to learn more about international Girl Scouting. They started to explore: what are Girl Guides/Scouts like in other countries? What is the day in the life of a girl in another place? What do they eat, how do they dress, and what is their home like?

We talked to five of the Global Girl Scouts about their process, what they’ve learned about the world, and what they love about Girl Scouts. Read on to meet the girls!

Global Adventures from Home

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The girls first chose Iceland as their country of focus and made a list of all the things they wanted to learn about the country: the Girl Guides who live there, the famous food, geography, holidays, their stance on sustainable energy, and more. To prepare, the girls all researched on their own time, finding out interesting facts (Kathryn told us Iceland’s electricity is nearly completely powered by nature) and awesome photos. They compiled it all into a beautiful presentation and showed their work to nearly 100 Girl Scouts at the end of October. Mali tried her hand at fluffy Icelandic air cookies and shared the recipe with attendees (pictured above!).

The girls didn’t stop there! In November, the Global Girls presented their findings about France, and are about to present on Nigeria on Dec. 20! Girl Scouts of all ages are invited, so don’t miss out! The girls have learned so much and are excited to share their knowledge: Maysa will be explaining the history of Nigerian hairstyles and fashion trends along with her other presenters. Sofia was especially impressed by Nigerian cuisine: “I’ve learned how seriously underrated it is.” Speaking of cuisine, check out Sofia’s French yogurt cake tutorial below!

The girls are also working on a program about China in January, AND are hosting programs for World Thinking Day in February, and are presenting at our first ever #GIRLFest on Mar. 13!

“I think my favorite part of doing all of this is that I love traveling, learning about countries, and I love, love, love trying new foods,” Sofia told us, and Maysa likes getting an insight on how other countries work: “There is so much that we can learn from other people. It’s eye-opening and reminds you how big the world is, and how there’s so much creativity, tradition, food, and culture.” Kathryn agreed, saying, “I think it’s really important to learn about other cultures because it brings people together.”

These Girl Scouts are learning skills for life that can learn beyond school. For Peyton, Girl Scouts gives her an opportunity to share knowledge: “What I love about Girl Scouts is that we can do things that really mean a lot to us. Girl Scouts can make teaching and learning exciting and fun in a new way.”

“The best part of Girl Scouts is that every time I earn a badge, I’m a step closer to making the world a better place,” Mali explained, and we certainly agree.

If you are interested in learning more about other places around the world and presenting to other Girl Scouts, check out our World Thinking Day Country Open House on Feb. 21 or email Ashley Christensen to join future cultural awareness girl-led programming.

Register for Upcoming Programs!

All GCNWI programs for January through March are now LIVE!

Get excited and start registering today.

Mark your calendars because registration for Camp and and Outdoor Programs opens on Feb. 1!