group of 12 Bermudian scouts has just returned from an international scout jamboree held in Chile.

The group was one of thousands of troops representing 157 countries which met up at a giant ranch at Picarquin, 60 kilometres south of Chile's capital Santiago, to exchange cultural traditions, hike in the mountains and discuss all things scouting with fellow campers from different backgrounds.

The week-long get together was officially opened at a grand ceremony by Chile's President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle. Scouts were also sent out to 23 neighbouring towns to help with community projects and also learned of the activities of Scouting organisations around the globe. The event, in which some 24,000 youngsters and 6,000 adults took part, was the 19th Scouts World Jamboree, which is held every four years.

Bermuda's representatives had spent the previous 12 months raising cash to pay for the trip before flying out to Chile on Christmas Day.

Christine Frith, one of five adults who accompanied the Bermudian contingent, which included son Graham, said: "Basically the whole idea was for the boys to see and experience different cultures and to meet kids from all over the world, to go out into the community and experience the lifestyle, to see how other people live.

"The boys had to work at a peace badge -- that was the main emphasis of the jamboree. There were a lot of different things they had to do such as learning about different countries and religions and going out into the community -- our kids went out and replaced trees and helped clean up a religious grotto area.

"They were also involved in modules and they had to learn about environmental issues.

"Within our campsite we had an international day where everyone served up their national cuisine -- we served up some fish and peas and rice.'' During International Day scouts exchanged badges and flags and also held a concert in which the Bermudian contingent performed a Gombey dance.

"The kids came back home with more of an appreciation of Bermuda,'' Mrs.

Frith said.

"The people of Chile are a very happy people but they are able to lead very simple lives. It was a real eye-opener. Standards of cleanliness are different to what we're used to. Travelling to the camp you could see a lot of debris on the roads and some houses were just makeshift, made out of scraps of wood.

"It also gave them the chance to pick up on their language skills by trying to communicate with people in Spanish and French. The boys interacted really well and there were no major problems -- they've come back with some really good memories and it's been a great experience for them.'' The Jamboree, as well as offering stimulation for the mind, also threw up some physical challenges. Sleeping under canvas, the scouts had to put up with 90 degree heat in an area that hadn't seen rain in more than a year.

And if day-to-day living conditions weren't enough the young adventurers also took part in a 24 hour hike up into a neighbouring mountain range.

"Physically it was pretty tough -- the mountains are pretty steep and dust kept on getting kicked up,'' 14-year-old Graham Frith, a Saltus Grammar School student said.

"But it was also great fun. I got to meet a lot of different people from different countries. We learned a lot of stuff about how some countries don't have as many good things as we do in Bermuda.'' PROUD AS PUNCH -- Niko Swan, Graham Frith and Jason Bento pose outside the campsite entrance.

BROTHERS IN ARMS -- It might have been Christmas, but campers had to endure 90 degree heat throughout their stay.

CARRYING THE FLAG -- Bermuda's Scout troop prepares to make its entrance at the opening ceremony of the jamboree.