Camp America '18: Camp Life!

Wednesday, 5 September 2018

travel

Camp America '18: Camp Life!

'Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot'.

'Okay guys... Need help. Writing my next blogpost and want all your best moments from Camp. Funny, special - you name it. Go!' - My iMessage shoots halfway across the world to my American sistas.

Seconds pass before hundreds of messages come pinging through on my phone.

'Bounce bounce bounce.'

'When our kid woke everyone up sneezing and farting simultaneously.'

'Our rap battle at Color War.'

Having just finished typing up a thirty-five minute transcription at work experience (more to come about this soon!), my facial muscles were reminded that smiling felt good.

It's real, the Camp blues are hitting me harder than my first alcoholic drink back in England did.

Knowing where to even start with all these snippets is a mission in itself. As I've been recounting various stories to my family and friends, a bewildered expression has spread across their faces. 'What's Pinnacle?', 'Why is Color War such a big deal?', or worse still from my brother: 'Holly, no-one wants to hear your 10,000 tales about your "best summer ever" with all your "new best friends!!"' So, for those unlike my brother and who actually want to hear me rattle on about Camp, read on for (what I hope) is a rundown of some of my most memorable moments.

Camp Life:
Every day, the campers were able to select activities lead by specialists. These ranged from kayaking to high ropes to yoga to ancient arts - the list was endless (lucky kids!). Although the counselors didn't lead these, we had to attend for safety reasons. Feeling a little plump from the carbs on carbs on carbs, I volunteered to go to mountain bikes - which my co-workers seemed a little too grateful for.
Ten minutes into biking and I had the overwhelming sensation that it wasn't just my bike that would be rolling rapidly downhill - my optimism would be plummeting with it. Did I fall off? Yes. Did I throw a tantrum? Yes. Did I make the whole experience even more humiliating by wearing a soaking bikini that turned my top see-through? Absolutely.

Next week I opted for the 'nature' option, thinking it would be a welcomed break for my knackered legs... Which it was, until a wild snake dropped down from the ceiling and the cute rabbit I was holding decided to take a nibble on my boob.

Aside from these dramas, my co-counselor and I had 16 campers to look after in our cabin (the biggest cabin on camp!). But through our everyday struggles a new-found strength emerged in us - the ability to find laughter and joy in the most simple, pure moments. Through this she quickly became my rock and, more importantly, my best friend.

(Our kids stole a giant inflatable unicorn and put it in our cabin one day...)

Of course, we dealt with shit every single day (literally - my camper told me she had an itchy, crusty ass). Yes, I may have nearly been suffocated beneath another of my camper's sleeping bags as she somehow rolled on top of my head during our campout. I may even have had my naked body completely exposed to 16 sets of amused eyes as they ripped the shower curtain open on me. But these were the moments that made us smile.

You can't help but question whether you've made a lasting impact on these kids by the end of the summer.
One day I lost it with my kids when I discovered them writing in my travel journal... Only to realise they were writing 'plane letters' for me. As I stumbled across them a month later on my travels home, my question had been very much answered...

(I'm not crying, you are)

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