Hey everyone,
Camp has just ended and I am now relaxing at a friends beach house in Boston. The last couple of days have been incredible. I cannot begin to express how incredible the friendships I have made this summer are and how excited I am about the experiences I have had.
Over the past few days I have worked hard with my campers to ensure their summer ends on a high note and to prepare the banquet. The set up in the dining hall was massive and the final product looked incredible. We built a whole new stage, made a castle, decorated every table and hung huge posters around the dining hall. The whole camp was very impressed. My friend and I emceed and we posed as tourists travelling through Disneyworld – we got some laughs...phew!
It is very weird when everything at camp becomes the ‘last time’. Over the 9 weeks at camp it is hard to envision the end, to remember a time where you had privacy and quiet. All of a sudden as things begin to end the chaos of camp seems more like a necessary part of life. The thought of waking up in the morning and not being surrounded by people, not being greeted at the flag pole by some of your best friends, not being able to bounce from table to table at a meal speaking to everyone... its hard.
Over the past few days I did as much as I could at camp. We always filled our ski boats and taught as many people to ski as we could, I took my campers out at night on secret missions, I participated as much as I could and it was amazing. I am very satisfied with this summer.
Saying goodbye to the campers that I had lived with for 3 summers now was agony. This morning all the counsellors lined up outside the dining hall and the campers walked out through the line of counsellors to the buses. There were many tears, a lot of laughing and a lot of excitement for next year.
Today was very special and I am so exhausted – but no time to rest – I am off to Fenway Park to watch the Red Sox vs the Angels – GO SOX!!!!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Beginning of the end
Hey Everyone,
It is the final few days of camp now. I am astonished at how fast the summer has gone – particularly the last month. Every day has been EPIC and filled with incredible fun. Color war ended and I am so proud of my campers. The events throughout the color war were very competitive but the sportsmanship and maturity my campers demonstrated was incredible. The following day the campers were rewarded with a trip day to a theme park (i also benefitted from this reward). We went to a nearby park with roller coasters, lots of car rides, a log ride etc. It was a great day.
On Friday night we celebrated the final Shabbat and this marked the beginning of the end of camp. We had our final night service and also our final song session in the dining hall. I sang my lungs out with my campers.
That night was also the final night off at camp. I enjoyed hanging out with my friends and all we could talk about was camp. So much had been happening and it was all we wanted to speak about.
Saturday night was marked by our final campfire and this is when it started to hit for me that the summer was drawing to an end and I would soon be sitting in class back home.
There are 4 days left at camp and I am going to make the most of every moment. My campers as the eldest in camp are running the final banquet which is themed as Disneyworld and they have chosen me to be one of the emcees for the event – I cant wait to see how this turns out.
I will let you know!
It is the final few days of camp now. I am astonished at how fast the summer has gone – particularly the last month. Every day has been EPIC and filled with incredible fun. Color war ended and I am so proud of my campers. The events throughout the color war were very competitive but the sportsmanship and maturity my campers demonstrated was incredible. The following day the campers were rewarded with a trip day to a theme park (i also benefitted from this reward). We went to a nearby park with roller coasters, lots of car rides, a log ride etc. It was a great day.
On Friday night we celebrated the final Shabbat and this marked the beginning of the end of camp. We had our final night service and also our final song session in the dining hall. I sang my lungs out with my campers.
That night was also the final night off at camp. I enjoyed hanging out with my friends and all we could talk about was camp. So much had been happening and it was all we wanted to speak about.
Saturday night was marked by our final campfire and this is when it started to hit for me that the summer was drawing to an end and I would soon be sitting in class back home.
There are 4 days left at camp and I am going to make the most of every moment. My campers as the eldest in camp are running the final banquet which is themed as Disneyworld and they have chosen me to be one of the emcees for the event – I cant wait to see how this turns out.
I will let you know!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Trip Time and Cula WaH
Hey everyone,
Second session has been intense and incredible, something huge has happened everyday and there is relentless fun at camp!
Last week I left camp to go on a 3 day trip with my campers up into northern Maine. We camped out next to the beach and then throughout the trip went sea kayaking, whale watching, checked out and awesome view of the Atlantic Ocean from a National Park and went to a lumberjack show. We were very fortunate with great weather and were able to have a fantastic trip. My campers are the eldest age group at camp and it was very fun being able to hang out with them outside of camp and explore some of the most beautiful parts of the USA with them.
Since returning to camp activities have been in full swing and due to the awesome weather we have had all summer the waterfront has been packed! It has been a lot of fun taking out all the kids on the boats and watching them get up on skis or wakeboard for their first times. I have to say the kids this year are pretty talented!
Yesterday was our alumni day where former campers and counselors come and visit. It was great seeing the old faces and having a good laugh. That night we celebrated the camps 10th birthday with a delicious themed dinner followed by a sundae bar, slideshows, videos and finally an brilliant fireworks display. It had been an epic day already but then immediately after the show, colour war broke and there was a frenzy of excitement at camp.
Colour war will reign for the next 3 days of camp and the competition is set to be intense. My campers are once again leading their teams and I cannot wait to once again watch them step up and become the leaders of the camp.
I will be sure to let you know how it goes.
Second session has been intense and incredible, something huge has happened everyday and there is relentless fun at camp!
Last week I left camp to go on a 3 day trip with my campers up into northern Maine. We camped out next to the beach and then throughout the trip went sea kayaking, whale watching, checked out and awesome view of the Atlantic Ocean from a National Park and went to a lumberjack show. We were very fortunate with great weather and were able to have a fantastic trip. My campers are the eldest age group at camp and it was very fun being able to hang out with them outside of camp and explore some of the most beautiful parts of the USA with them.
Since returning to camp activities have been in full swing and due to the awesome weather we have had all summer the waterfront has been packed! It has been a lot of fun taking out all the kids on the boats and watching them get up on skis or wakeboard for their first times. I have to say the kids this year are pretty talented!
Yesterday was our alumni day where former campers and counselors come and visit. It was great seeing the old faces and having a good laugh. That night we celebrated the camps 10th birthday with a delicious themed dinner followed by a sundae bar, slideshows, videos and finally an brilliant fireworks display. It had been an epic day already but then immediately after the show, colour war broke and there was a frenzy of excitement at camp.
Colour war will reign for the next 3 days of camp and the competition is set to be intense. My campers are once again leading their teams and I cannot wait to once again watch them step up and become the leaders of the camp.
I will be sure to let you know how it goes.
Changeover Time!!!
Hey everyone,
The changeover from first to second session has now happened. It was very difficult saying goodbye to my campers who were leaving.
The last day of first session is visiting day which is nothing short of an extravaganza! The food is magnificent (more brownies and cookies than you have ever seen in your life!!!), the camp is full of families participating in the many camp activities and the best part of the day is meeting the campers parents. It is always great speaking with the parents and who have heard a lot about you through the campers letters home.
The following day is the official changeover day at camp. Some counselors move bunks, some campers move bunks (that are staying full season) and the camp is reset to welcome the new group of campers.
During the day while we wait for the second sessioners to arrive campers are able to try and beat old camp records. The campers can choose pretty much any record they could imagine to either set or break ----- they definitely have some creative ideas (one camper wore 93 items of clothing!).
From this point on camp is going to fly by!!!!
The changeover from first to second session has now happened. It was very difficult saying goodbye to my campers who were leaving.
The last day of first session is visiting day which is nothing short of an extravaganza! The food is magnificent (more brownies and cookies than you have ever seen in your life!!!), the camp is full of families participating in the many camp activities and the best part of the day is meeting the campers parents. It is always great speaking with the parents and who have heard a lot about you through the campers letters home.
The following day is the official changeover day at camp. Some counselors move bunks, some campers move bunks (that are staying full season) and the camp is reset to welcome the new group of campers.
During the day while we wait for the second sessioners to arrive campers are able to try and beat old camp records. The campers can choose pretty much any record they could imagine to either set or break ----- they definitely have some creative ideas (one camper wore 93 items of clothing!).
From this point on camp is going to fly by!!!!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Trip days and Colour WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Everyone,
Time at camp is starting to fly by and all of a sudden there is only a week and a half left of the first session.
The last week has been amazing, my bunk has come together and found its stride as the leaders of camp and I am having a great time running my activity and hanging out with the campers.
Last Tuesday was trip day, my age group went into Portland, a cool little city in the south of Maine. I went with the campers to eat sushi, Ice cream, buy candy and check out the old port area of the town. After roaming the city for a few hours we went to a minor league baseball game. This was my third time going to the baseball and I always enjoy it! There is so much going on around the field while the game is going on for instance there are competitions between innings, there is music being played and of course there are Mexican waves!
The weather at camp has been BOILING HOT over the past week as the heat wave continued in North America. This was fantastic for my activity as the kids all wanted to go out waterskiing (a very fun way to get wet and enjoy the cool breeze that comes across the lake). In the last 2 weeks have taught many campers to ski and I am really enjoying watching their skills rapidly progress. Many campers who could not ski before this summer are now getting up consistently and crossing the wakes. It is very rewarding work!
On Saturday I had a day off from camp, as much as I love being at camp, it is always good to get out for a little bit and have a rest. I spent my day at an outlet town buying brand names at dirt cheap prices. I then went to my friends lake house near camp for the afternoon. It was a welcomed break and I returned to camp fresh and ready for another week.
Yesterday was a MASSIVE day here at camp – FIRST SESSION COLOUR WAR!!! The camp was taken by surprise as the war broke at the end of a special night event; a hypnotist show. From the moment colour war begins the campers take control of the camp and regulate themselves – this is very serious business. As a staff member during colour war I facilitated and judged various events throughout the day. The vibe in camp is incredible during colour war; the intensity of competition is balanced with sportsmanship and an incredible amount of spirit. The first session colour war lasts one day and is an opportunity for the teams to earn points towards the second 3 day colour war. I cannot wait for second session colour war to begin!
There is now only a week and a half remaining in first session....I am amazed at how fast the time has passed. Back at home, my uni classes will begin on Monday and I am very thankful to be here on the other side of the world having the time of my life rather than sitting in a lecture!!!!
Time at camp is starting to fly by and all of a sudden there is only a week and a half left of the first session.
The last week has been amazing, my bunk has come together and found its stride as the leaders of camp and I am having a great time running my activity and hanging out with the campers.
Last Tuesday was trip day, my age group went into Portland, a cool little city in the south of Maine. I went with the campers to eat sushi, Ice cream, buy candy and check out the old port area of the town. After roaming the city for a few hours we went to a minor league baseball game. This was my third time going to the baseball and I always enjoy it! There is so much going on around the field while the game is going on for instance there are competitions between innings, there is music being played and of course there are Mexican waves!
The weather at camp has been BOILING HOT over the past week as the heat wave continued in North America. This was fantastic for my activity as the kids all wanted to go out waterskiing (a very fun way to get wet and enjoy the cool breeze that comes across the lake). In the last 2 weeks have taught many campers to ski and I am really enjoying watching their skills rapidly progress. Many campers who could not ski before this summer are now getting up consistently and crossing the wakes. It is very rewarding work!
On Saturday I had a day off from camp, as much as I love being at camp, it is always good to get out for a little bit and have a rest. I spent my day at an outlet town buying brand names at dirt cheap prices. I then went to my friends lake house near camp for the afternoon. It was a welcomed break and I returned to camp fresh and ready for another week.
Yesterday was a MASSIVE day here at camp – FIRST SESSION COLOUR WAR!!! The camp was taken by surprise as the war broke at the end of a special night event; a hypnotist show. From the moment colour war begins the campers take control of the camp and regulate themselves – this is very serious business. As a staff member during colour war I facilitated and judged various events throughout the day. The vibe in camp is incredible during colour war; the intensity of competition is balanced with sportsmanship and an incredible amount of spirit. The first session colour war lasts one day and is an opportunity for the teams to earn points towards the second 3 day colour war. I cannot wait for second session colour war to begin!
There is now only a week and a half remaining in first session....I am amazed at how fast the time has passed. Back at home, my uni classes will begin on Monday and I am very thankful to be here on the other side of the world having the time of my life rather than sitting in a lecture!!!!
CAMPERS ARRIVED!!!
Hey Everyone,
A lot has happened at camp since last I wrote; staff week concluded, the campers arrived and camp itself is now in full swing.
The end of staff week was intense and hectic as we prepared ourselves for the arrival of the campers. Every moment of the day was filled with educational programs teaching us how to work with campers of various ages and needs. Throughout staff week we had meetings, participated in skits, had an amazing talent show and attended seminars with various speakers. During staff week we also had a couple of nights off and a day off. Most of the staff went to the beach which was awesome as we were able to bond outside of camp and get to know each other even better. Although staff week can often be daunting, overwhelming and intense, it is an invaluable opportunity to get to know fellow staff, the philosophy of the camp and what to expect throughout the summer.
The day the campers arrived was amazing, it is hard to describe the feeling amongst the staff waiting at camp and the campers waiting at the pickup point. At camp there is a nervous anticipation mixed with readiness to meet the campers. After a week of staff training everyone was eager for the kids to arrive to get to work. The campers at the pickup point we so excited that camp had finally arrived. They would run up to each other to greet old friend and leap with excitement when they saw returning counsellors. It is an incredible day!
Once the campers arrived we found the rhythm of camp quite quickly. In the last few days activities have begun and I am out driving the ski boat all day every day. I am mainly teaching on the skiing boat and we are having tremendous success teaching the campers how to ski. Meal times are a blast at camp with plenty of cheering and camp spirit. We have also had a couple of theme meals where we have had to dress up for the meal. One dinner involved dressing up as our favourite teenage TV character and the other was the 4th of July dinner (4th of July was celebrated at camp with a carnival).
Anyway, I have to run.... the weather is boiling hot here at the moment which is fantastic ... I hear they are having a very cold winter at home!
A lot has happened at camp since last I wrote; staff week concluded, the campers arrived and camp itself is now in full swing.
The end of staff week was intense and hectic as we prepared ourselves for the arrival of the campers. Every moment of the day was filled with educational programs teaching us how to work with campers of various ages and needs. Throughout staff week we had meetings, participated in skits, had an amazing talent show and attended seminars with various speakers. During staff week we also had a couple of nights off and a day off. Most of the staff went to the beach which was awesome as we were able to bond outside of camp and get to know each other even better. Although staff week can often be daunting, overwhelming and intense, it is an invaluable opportunity to get to know fellow staff, the philosophy of the camp and what to expect throughout the summer.
The day the campers arrived was amazing, it is hard to describe the feeling amongst the staff waiting at camp and the campers waiting at the pickup point. At camp there is a nervous anticipation mixed with readiness to meet the campers. After a week of staff training everyone was eager for the kids to arrive to get to work. The campers at the pickup point we so excited that camp had finally arrived. They would run up to each other to greet old friend and leap with excitement when they saw returning counsellors. It is an incredible day!
Once the campers arrived we found the rhythm of camp quite quickly. In the last few days activities have begun and I am out driving the ski boat all day every day. I am mainly teaching on the skiing boat and we are having tremendous success teaching the campers how to ski. Meal times are a blast at camp with plenty of cheering and camp spirit. We have also had a couple of theme meals where we have had to dress up for the meal. One dinner involved dressing up as our favourite teenage TV character and the other was the 4th of July dinner (4th of July was celebrated at camp with a carnival).
Anyway, I have to run.... the weather is boiling hot here at the moment which is fantastic ... I hear they are having a very cold winter at home!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Arrived at camp!
Hey everyone,
After 4 flights and 36 hours of travelling I finally made it to camp. The trip across was quite easy, my connections were all on time and I had a personal TV in my seat the whole way.
When I arrived at Portland airport I was met by two friends from camp who were sent to pick me up. It was a very warm welcome and the hour drive to camp flew by. Unfortunately, I have been quite jet lagged since arriving at camp which has meant that I am waking up at 6am each day and am desperately tired during the day. It is starting to improve and I am gradually adjusting to camp time.
Currently, I am in the middle of staff week. The first day of staff week was incredible; it is when all the counsellors arrive for the summer. It was an incredibly exciting day! I was reunited with many old friends and met all of the new counsellors. The entire staff was energised as camp had arrived and we could finally start having fun. The rest of the first day was spent playing ice breaker games and getting to know each other.
The rest of staff week has been filled with a mix of seminars, meetings, social events and activity preparation. A lot of time has been spent emphasising the importance of the camp philosophy. This sets the tone for the summer and the way we will all interact with each other as a staff and as a camp. In addition, we have been working hard to learn about the campers. We learn about the issues and developmental stages that various age groups will experience and how to handle those things as counsellors.
Staff week is long and sometime dry but the information is very useful and sets a solid knowledge foundation for a counsellor to build on during the summer. So far as possible, the activity organisers have tried to make the seminars interactive and entertaining, whilst always reminding us of the serious responsibilities we as camp counsellors have to the campers and other people within camp.
Throughout the week, new staff has become more comfortable within camp and it already feels like we have been working as a staff unit for months. We have bonded through going bowling, having song sessions, performing skits and many other camp activities.
There are still 5 days left of staff week and I cannot wait to see what is in store for us next!
After 4 flights and 36 hours of travelling I finally made it to camp. The trip across was quite easy, my connections were all on time and I had a personal TV in my seat the whole way.
When I arrived at Portland airport I was met by two friends from camp who were sent to pick me up. It was a very warm welcome and the hour drive to camp flew by. Unfortunately, I have been quite jet lagged since arriving at camp which has meant that I am waking up at 6am each day and am desperately tired during the day. It is starting to improve and I am gradually adjusting to camp time.
Currently, I am in the middle of staff week. The first day of staff week was incredible; it is when all the counsellors arrive for the summer. It was an incredibly exciting day! I was reunited with many old friends and met all of the new counsellors. The entire staff was energised as camp had arrived and we could finally start having fun. The rest of the first day was spent playing ice breaker games and getting to know each other.
The rest of staff week has been filled with a mix of seminars, meetings, social events and activity preparation. A lot of time has been spent emphasising the importance of the camp philosophy. This sets the tone for the summer and the way we will all interact with each other as a staff and as a camp. In addition, we have been working hard to learn about the campers. We learn about the issues and developmental stages that various age groups will experience and how to handle those things as counsellors.
Staff week is long and sometime dry but the information is very useful and sets a solid knowledge foundation for a counsellor to build on during the summer. So far as possible, the activity organisers have tried to make the seminars interactive and entertaining, whilst always reminding us of the serious responsibilities we as camp counsellors have to the campers and other people within camp.
Throughout the week, new staff has become more comfortable within camp and it already feels like we have been working as a staff unit for months. We have bonded through going bowling, having song sessions, performing skits and many other camp activities.
There are still 5 days left of staff week and I cannot wait to see what is in store for us next!
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