As of this morning, I know this place is definitely worth reviewing seen as today's Metro had a…read morewhole article (one of the wee ones) about the ever rising numbers of Scouts in Scotland. Apparently, over the past five years Scout numbers have been growing. So much so that has been a record number of sign-up's with more than 1,740 new members since January 2009. This is especially so in Scotland were recruits were up 7.8% compared to an average of 5.4% in the whole of the UK. Mainly of these new recruits have also been in the 'hard to recruit' teenage members. Consequently, the older members of the Scouts now is up to 5, 285. This is almost 27% higher than in 2001. This is expected to increase as there are also 2, 200 more youngsters currently on waiting lists in Scotland due to a lack of adult leaders. Meanwhile, total numbers in Scotland stand at 38, 525 with the UL total at more than 499, 000. Now, as for this particular Scouts branch, I've heard many good things both from current members (through parent's friend's kids) and previous members in the form of older male friends with positive past memories. All reports have raved about the amazing and extremely knowledgeable leaders; well organised and engaging activities and the spacious, clean facilities in which all of this took place.

I never quite made it to the Scouts in my younger days. I managed Beavers and Cubs, but then I…read moreclocked how strange it all was before hitting Scout age. I have good memories of the Cubs though, mainly because all our leaders were gentle middle-aged women and so the institutionalised abuse favoured by their male counterparts was somewhat lower down the list of priorities. I was lucky though as I've got pals who went to different scout groups who still think rounders is a game that must be played only in your underpants. According to the Metro, it seems that The Scouts are trying to clean up their act a bit however, by taking troubled teens off the street and to a (very secluded) campsite where they can catch fish, tie knots and be leered at whilst standing naked in a freezing cold shower. Good to see a return to form for one of the 20th century's most enduring institutions.

As a German student I find myself spending a lot of time here and if you are interested in Germany…read morethen this is a great resource to find out more information. The Goethe-Institute is a non-profit worldwide organisation which aims to educate on all aspects of German language and culture, there are 149 Goethe-Institutes in 91 different countries. Anyone interested in German, whether you are a beginner or advanced learner, this is the place for you. You can access a wide range of German literature from children's stories by Erich Kästner to more advanced texts. There are also different language courses available with recognised certificates. They often link up with the GFT to show German films old and new. Last year to commemorate 20 years after the fall of the Berlin wall films were shown at the CCA and a special day was held at the Goethe-Institute showing news reels from 1989. This is the only Goethe-Institute in Scotland and it's a fantastic resource if you're interested in learning German. Einfach toll!

I like sausages, have no sense of humour, and harbour an uncontrollable desire for world…read moredomination, so unsurprisingly I absolutely love the Germans, and thus love the Goethe Institute almost by default. If you don't know your Bockwurst from your Snitchengruben then this is a great place to start as they do language courses from beginner to expert level. There's also plenty information available for those that want to visit the Reich themselves, which I would encourage anyone to do if they get the chance. Berlin is without doubt the most laid-back capital city in the developed world, and during my frequent visits there I grew to think of the city of Dresden as a sort of second home. The Neutstadt area in particular, had a bohemian vibrancy that shows up the West End of Glasgow for what it actually is. If you're a football fan, you'll love the country even more, as in my opinion it's the only place in Europe where the sport still exists in any recognisable form. An excellent resource for those interested in our Teutonic friends, and one I'd highly recommend.