Just before Christmas in 1994 I saw a tiny notice in the Norwegian Scout magazine:

 

“International Creative Workshop in Germany this Easter? Contact the national office for more information”.

 

Needless to say, that’s what I did, and some months later, my brother and I walked up the steep hill to Rieneck for the first time. You have to understand that Norway is not a civilized country with a long and glorious history. We simply don’t have any castles, and Rieneck was as exotic as anything I’d ever visited before. 

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We might not have read the information too carefully in advance and showed up without costumes. Luckily the theme was ancient Greece, and the Rieneck blankets made perfect togas (only itching a little). 

IMWe was, and still is, everything good that is scouting, but also so much more. 20 years later, I can’t possibly imagine how my life would have been without it. Lifelong friendships, hilarious storylines and bigger-than-life musical experiences.