Karen Fowler, above left, gestures while she describes climbing one of the pyramids outside of Mexico City: it was “237 steps, one-way,” she said. She was part of a group of Girl Scouts that included Andrea Alvarez, Jordan Hampton and Rebecca Kaufmann, all seated. The Scouts brought back a few souvenirs from their trip, including wooden toys and a decorated candle, below. World Photo by Lou Sennick

NORTH BEND �” It had been about three months, but when they conjured up memories of their trip to Mexico, members of Girl Scouts of the USA, Troop No. 456, got enthusiastic all over again.

The girls laughed and talked about the trip, but it was obvious it meant more to them and their troop leaders than what was initially evident.

“I was going to quit,” admitted 15-year-old Rebecca Kaufmann, a sophomore at North Bend High School, who has been a Girl Scout since second grade. “But, I just had so much fun. I really wanted to get my Gold Award because it will help me get into college. I’m glad I stayed.

“I think I might be a leader in Girl Scouts.”

Rebecca’s mother, Gayla Oester, a troop leader who helped form the group in 1999, raised her eyebrows and smiled.

“I wish I had a tape recorder,” she said.

Karen Fowler, 16, a junior at North Bend High School, had been with the troop almost as long as Rebecca; since she was in the fourth grade.

“I’ve made so many good friends through this,” Karen said. “I’m not going to lie.”

The girls shared experiences from a nine-day stay they had at Our Cabaña, an international Girl Scout camp located in Cuernavaca, Mexico. This year was the 50th anniversary of the center.

Memorabilia from their trip and a new scrapbook lay on the table next to several albums containing pictures of the girls from the last eight years, in the lunchroom of U.S. Bank in North Bend. The girls meet there once a month now that they’re Senior Girl Scouts. They have to balance time spent taking honors classes and being involved in activities like cheerleading and sports.

With all the negative news about teenagers �” arrests, drug use and pregnancies �” Scouting can only be a positive thing, Oester said.

“As the girls get older, they get interested in other things,” she said. “Things like Girl Scouts are really important in rural areas of Oregon ... to keep our girls healthy, help them see the world.”

Rebecca, Karen and Andrea Alvarez, 16, attended the troop meeting. So did Jordan Hampton, 15, who was involved in the fundraising and planning, but didn’t go on the trip. Other Scouts from their troop went to Mexico including, Kelli Kronsberg, 15; Danielle Murphy, 15; and Miranda Raper, 13. All the girls now attend North Bend High School, except Miranda who, following the trip, moved out of state.

The Scouts and their leaders, including Oester; Andrea’s mother, Laurel Alvarez; and Kelli’s mother, Cindy Kronsberg, joined 90 other Scouts at Our Cabaña, about two hours from Mexico City.

“Girl Scouts and guides from all over the world were there,” Laurel Alvarez said.

The girls paired off at the 5-acre site, sharing their dorms with Scouts from other countries.

“If they had an assignment of preparing a flag ceremony for that day, it would be with their dorm,” Oester said.

Andrea recalled a favorite game they played at night, comparing words and their meanings with their new friends, and they spoke about a fiesta they attended.

“Everyone danced,” Rebecca said. “We learned from a salsa dancer. We made a piñata.”

“We ate local food, like tamales and tostadas,” Andrea said.

Two busloads of community children came to visit them. There were eight or nine stations set up, each one offering activities and representing a different country. Members of Troop No. 456 did face painting and made bookmarks.

On the streets, the girls witnessed cultural distinctions that made them think.

“Seeing people less fortunate makes us realize how much we have,” Rebecca said.

“It makes me wonder about the differences in the governments,” Karen said.

Bartering for items was also new to the girls.

“I got a blanket. It was originally 200 pesos ($20). He kept lowering it to $15,” Andrea said.

“The marketplaces are so colorful,” Rebecca recalled.

The North Bend group stayed an extra three days in a Mexico City youth hostel, traveling to the ancient ruins of Xochicalco and to Taxco, the silver capital of Mexico. They attended the Ballet Folklorico.

A day at the Pir�¡mide del Sol (Pyramid of the Sun), outside Mexico City, was more exciting than they anticipated.

“We climbed a pyramid in the middle of a hurricane,” Karen said, of when Hurricane Dean blew through the region. “It was really funny. On the way up we were avoiding big water puddles, and on the way down we were jumping over rivers.”

Karen recollected a particularly beautiful sight when she got up early on the last morning of their trip.

“There was a huge, cone-shaped volcano,” she said, gesturing with her hands. “The sun was coming up. It was all pink. I thought that was really cool.”

For two years prior to the trip, the girls collected cans for recycling. Their goal was to raise the $1,700 they needed per person. They earned about $2,500 through collecting cans.

“We could probably have filled this room with cans,” Karen said.

They earned more money through the sales of cookies and homemade items, like seats made from buckets that were sold at the Blackberry Arts Festival. Local business owners, service clubs and community members also contributed. In the end, the girls earned all but $600 each of their trip money.

Since their trip, all the girls have decided to try to earn their Gold Awards, comparable to being an Eagle Scout.

They are planning another trip in 2009, this time to North Ireland and London, and are already collecting cans.