The “Big Cats” Flag from Korea

To commemorated the 25th Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Conference (APRSC) which been held at Gwangju, South Korea, from 3rd to 8th November 2015, I made some memorabilia items. This “Big Cats” flag is one of the memorabilia items I made. The flag depicted with the design of tiger, lion, and puma, which I cut off from the patrol flag and put it together in one flag. There is also words “APRSC 2015” on top and “Korea” on the bottom.

To make it personal, I also put a special limited edition badge on right top of the flag. This flag size is approximately 34 x 48 centimeters. Then, I brought the flag and other memorabilia items to Korea. I arrived in that beautiful country on 31st October 2015, since I must participate in some pre-conference meeting.

While the APRSC participants have an educational tour, I brought the flag inside my backpack. Then the time has come. It was a group photo session with all the participants. I take off the flag from my backpack, and raised it with my hands.

Back home in Jakarta, Indonesia, I have the opportunity to modify the flag. Here is the flag, ready to frame and become a historical APRSC memorabilia from Korea.

(Published also in https://www.scout.org/node/192566)

A Story of My Scout Jacket

                                                             My Personal Scout Jacket

This is a short story of my Scout jacket. It began around July-August 2008 when I bought a chocolate color jacket in one of store in Jakarta. With the jacket in my hand, I went to an embroidery shop and made three badges embroidered on the jacket.

The first badge in the right chest side is the logo of the 22^nd Asia-Pacific Region (APR) Scout Conference which been held at Tokyo, Japan, The second and third badge is the left chest side. Above is a personal “Journalist” badge for the ASEAN Scout Jamboree 2008, and in the bottom is another personal badge “Scout Journalist” to commemorate the 100^th Anniversary of the World Scouting in 2007.

                                                                         Japan-2007

The idea to make a Scout jacket was came when I attended the 22^nd APR Scout Conference in Japan. At that time, I used an off-white Dockers jacket. While in the conference arena, I saw many participants use their own Scout jacket. So, I decided to make my Scout jacket too. But after returned home, I forgot the idea.

It took around one year, when the idea came up again. Before the ASEAN Scout Jamboree which will be held at Cibubur Scout Campsite in the eastern part of Jakarta, Indonesia, from 19 to 26 October 2008, I decided to make a personal “Scout Journalist” badge. I went to the embroidery store which made some of my Scout badges before. On the way to the embroidery store, I went to a store that sell many kinds of jackets. So I bought one, a brown color jacket, and added it with those three badges, two of them I had already made previously. 

                                                                      Nepal-2008

                                                                       Nepal-2008

Now, I have my own Scout jacket. From the first time I used it, the jacket had goes with me to several activities in many countries abroad. After used it in the ASEAN Scout Jamboree 2008, I also used the jacket at the APR Ticket to Life Evaluation and Planning Workshop, Kakani International Training Centre, Nepal, 13-16 November 2008. One month later, I used it when my wife and I have a family vacation in Singapore, 1-5 December 2008. 

                                                                   Singapore-2008

                                                                    Singapore-2008

                                                                         Nepal-2009

                                                                        Nepal-2009

                                                                          Nepal-2009

The jacket still with me in my second time goes to Nepal to attended the 6^th APR Top Leaders’ Summit, Kathmandu, Nepal, 1-4 March 2009. Before went to Nepal, my flight transit for one night in Singapore, so I take the opportunity to take picture with my jacket in Singapore.

                                                                    Singapore-2009

                                                                      Singapore-2009

After that, I am not yet find any photo to proof the using of my jacket abroad, but at least I used it again in 2012. There are three occasion which I used my Scout jacket in 2012, at the World Scout Consulting Skills Workshop, Punta de Fabian, Philippines, 14-17 August 2012, then at the 24^th APR Scout Conference, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 24-29 November 2012, and at the APR Ticket to Life Evaluation and Planning Workshop, Cibubur Scout Complex, Jakarta, Indonesia, 17-20 December 2012.

                                                                   Philippines-2012

                                                                   Philippines-2012

                                                                  Bangladesh-2012

                                                                 Indonesia-2012

                                                                     Indonesia-2012

In 2013, I used the jacket at two event back to back in Penang, Malaysia. First, the APR Management Subcommittee Meeting at Hotel Seri Malaysia Penang, from 2 to 3 April 2013, and secondly at the APR Basic Management Course, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 4-14 April 2013.

                                                                   Malaysia-2013

                                                                Mariner of the Seas-2013

                                                                      Hong Kong-2013

Two months later, with my wife, I used the jacket in a family vacation. This time I went in a cruise ship, “The Mariner of the Seas”,  which sailed Singapore-Malaysia-Singapore, 4-8 June 2013. After that, again I used my jacket at the 1^st World Scout Education Congress in Hong Kong, 22-2 November 2013.

                                                                    Bangladesh-2014

In 2014, I used my jacket in three countries, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Malaysia. I attended as facilitator and resource person in all Scout events in the three countries. The Messengers of Peace Team Bangladesh Gathering, National Scout Training Centre, Mouchak, Bangladesh, 21-25 August 2014, which followed by the APR Consultancy Visit Bangladesh Scout at the National Headquarters, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 27-31 August 2014.

                                                                     Maldives-2014

                                                                   Maldives-2014

Then, again back to back in Maldives. The National Strategic Planning Workshop was held in Male, Maldives, 30 September – 2 October 2014, which followed by the APR Management Subcommittee Meeting, Male, Maldives, 3-4 October 2014.

                                                                   Malaysia-2014

One month later, I and my jacket was in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to become the resource person for the

Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia National Strategic Planning Workshop, which been held 17-21 November 2014.

                                                                     Australia-2015

                                                                      Australia-2015

                                                                     Australia-2015

                                                                     Australia-2015

In the year of 2015, I used the jacket when I attended the APR Management Subcommittee Meeting, Adelaide, Australia, 12-13 June 2015. I even used the jacket when I met the Kangaroos and the Koalas at the Cleland National Wildlife Park, near Adelaide. 

                                                                        Korea-2015

Then, I used it again when I went to South Korea from 31 October 2015 to 10 November 2015. I was there to attend the APR Management Subcommittee Meeting and also the APR Scout Conference, which was held in Gwangju, from 3 to 8 November 2015.

What’s next? Just wait when I have the opportunity to use my brown Scout jacket again in the future.