GIRL, BOY SCOUTS CONVERGE ON COMMUNITY

Sara Davie and her friends from Girl Scout Troop 286 in Gordonville were intrigued by the variety of languages people throughout the world speak.

The girls were among about 400 Girl Scouts who gathered Saturday at Southeast Missouri State University for an international festival. International students at the university spoke with the girls, answered questions and taught a little about their homelands.

"It is really interesting," Davie said. "I've never heard a lot of different languages like that."

In the Netherlands, the girls learned, Dutch Girl Scouts learn hiking songs in English. The French learn to speak English in elementary school.

"There are a lot of languages they are learning in school," said Megan Wibbenmeyer. "We only have one."

Laura Eftink said she was happy just to listen to the different accents.

Girl Scouts came from 11 counties in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois in the Otahki Council.

"We want to develop their cultural awareness and expand their horizons," said Mary Jane Fieser, who coordinated the event. "We've done this for several years and we have the same high turnout every year."

University students from Japan, Netherlands, East Africa, France and England participated.

Girls learned an African dance, a British rhyme and a Dutch Girl Scouting song, sung in English. They also learned about holidays unique to other countries including Boxing Day in England and Bastille Day in France.

The international students also told the girls about things they found unusual upon arriving in the United States.

Sandra Renvoize from France explained that the notion of personal space is unheard of in France. "They tried to explain it to us before we left, but I just couldn't imagine," she said.

Indeed when she arrived in the United States, her American friends kept their distance. "Where I come from the custom is to kiss the cheek four times to say hello," she told the girls. "When you come to school and see a group of 10 friends, well there you go, 10 minutes of kissing."

Minke Hensen said the weather in Missouri is quite different from the cool climate in the Netherlands. "I stepped of the plane in St. Louis in August. Well, it would never be that hot in the Netherlands," she said. But Hensen said she prefers Southeast Missouri's climate, with all its changes, to her own.

Gemma McManus said her family in Manchester, England, will celebrate the 12 days of Christmas. But Christmas decorations must be put away before Epiphany, Jan. 6, or bad luck is in store for the family. If a family forgets to remove holiday decorations before Jan. 6, they must stay up until Easter to ward off the bad luck.

While in the United States, McManus will stock up on Levi's jeans. A pair in England costs around $80.

The Gordonville Girl Scouts found the stories interesting and were brave enough to try some wontons even after they learned the wontons were stuffed with crabmeat.

The girls agreed that the program was worth spending a Saturday on. "I've got nothing better to do," said Megan Wibbenmeyer.