MIC - Day 7 - Saturday

I'm actually writing this today, four days afterwards, so hope I can remember the details the way I want to!

Saturday morning started out with breakfast, of course.  After breakfast, we headed up to Geo HQ to work on sorting out our geo equipment and pack it up.  Rangers were there taking down one of our canopies already as it was needed for the international day.  Since there was room in their truck, they brought down my geo stuff to my cabin, which was nice as it would have taken more than a couple of trips carrying it by hand.  Michael opted to keep his stuff in our secure area until Sunday as he was responsible for the GPS receivers. 

Headed back to my cabin and squared away my geo stuff, then rested for a while until the international festival started at 11.  Decided to take Geo, my scouting bear, with me to the festival.  This was a great idea as he served as an ice-breaker to people I'd not yet met.  I had many people pose with Geo, and several groups gave him his own trinkets so he truly looks international now as well.  The Canadians (who had met Geo back in April at staff weekend) had even brought a Canadian flag sweater just for him. 

Each booth had information about their country (or area in the U.S. - Louisiana, Wisconsin, and California all had booths) and food samples as well.  There wasn't a planned lunch as it was assumed correctly that all would get their fill of such items as cheese from the Isle of Man, New Orleans Beignets, Korean shaved ice, crepes from Austria, a liver and rice dish from Egypt, and other fun tasty treats.  There were also performances, much a repeat of earlier in the week but still fun.  It was open to the public as well as to the camp. 

Geo and I toured the booths a couple of times, then went back to the cabin for a while.  Took a shower about 3 pm and then went back to the festival in uniform this time.  At 4 pm it was time for the closing flag ceremony.  All of the contingents lowered their flags at the same time, there were presentations to the camp chief from the various international contingents, and we were dismissed to a last campwide supper of chicken and all the trimmings.

At 7pm there was a Catholic mass, concelebrated by a priest from the Gaylord Diocese and a priest from Tanzania.  My friend Tom was in charge of coordinating it, so I went to the mass in support of him.  It was held on the waterfront with the attendees sitting on the hill adjacent.  It was a nice mass, though I left when communion was served.  Headed down to the firebowl where the non-denominational service was to be held.  I ended up having a small speaking role at the end of the service, after the peace candles had been lit by all the representatives from the contingents. 

Watermelon had been served just prior to the service, and Scott the chaplain remarked that it was the first time he'd conducted a service where the attendees were eating watermelon in church! 

Immediately after the service, our closing campfire started with a multimedia presentation of the week, put together by the media staff.  Nicely done.  Then the Golden Arrows were presented to each international contingent, and a closing ceremony followed.  We weren't done until almost 11 pm, so it was midnight before any of us got to sleep.

Tomorrow morning we pack up and MIC is done for another four years.  Will I come back?  I'd like to.  Time will tell if it will work out.  Four years is a long time away.