To Return, or To Not Return

It's almost 1am and I've ducked out of the Willy Wonka dress rehearsal to make another posting on here. I'm utterly exhausted as is ALL of the camp. Eleven weeks, ELEVEN WEEKS we've been here working our butts off and I can not wait for a day off on Sunday! I'm heading to Ithaca, a college town about 2 hours from here, full of thrift stores, book stores, and clothing stores... it's a great place to wander. And there's waterfalls! Not to mention restaurants as well. Ohhh... I can't wait...

After camp plans are slowly taking shape. Actually, that's a lie. There's a chance I'm working a few extra days after the kids leave, packing up and tidying up and all. Nothing definite yet, I've done post camp for the past two years and it makes a nice transition back to the real world. That's only 8 days away now. How far we've come hey... I've got some friends here. I've not only closer to existing ones, but closer with the new folks, and people from previous years who I just didn't get a chance to know earlier. It's unbelievable. My address book reads a little like a world directory, and it's somewhat cruel we're only all together at French Woods. It's a microcosm. A day is like a week, a week here is like a month and a month is a year... you add up a few summers with people and you've got a bond stronger than anything back home. And that's just the counselors. The kids worship you. And if you love what you're teaching, then damn, that's a recipe for returning.

Come September, maybe October, you leave camp and fall into the biggest pile of misery you could ever imagine when your best friends no longer live a minute's walk away. Around November, invites to return come out and plant a little seed, a little nudge in your mind that lingers as all the December holiday cards roll in. January, February, the job fairs fire up. Emails, text messages and phone calls fly. Who's going back to camp? April is the deadline for visas, and camp starts in June. This counselor business is a sneaky cycle!

The above photo is of my two dearest friends and I eating Chinese food in a high school parking lot in a nearby town. Such things become a luxury at camp. Sleep is another. Goodnight folks! And I'll break a leg tomorrow night, okay?! ;-)

20 Days 'til Reality!

Seriously. That's all. Twenty days stands between myself and the real world and I'm still not sure how I feel about that. There was another changeover day, which saw 500 kids leave and another 400 or so arrive. All but ONE camper returned from my cabin last year, so there was loads of shrieks and hugs when we reunited. No doubt these eight and nine year olds will now come back year after year... my co-counselors and I must have done something right ;-)

People are beginning to make solid plans for after camp and that's a bit exciting. New York City of course, Boston, D.C. and a fair few heading to Florida. Not to mention a load of Trek America tours across to LA, and those going beyond too. Always a good handful of folks heading off to the Carribean, Canada and the UK too. Camp allows you to network like you wouldn't believe - with campers and counselors. I've always stayed with a few kids after camp and it's FABULOUS to be spoilt rotten in a real house, and gain an aspect to the country and culture you'd totally miss out on if you were a tourist. I've said some prayers while dining with a Jewish family, been taken to incredible art stores that wouldn't make the guide books and most of all, chill out AFTER camp with some really cool kids. Americans are some of the most hospitable people in the world... make the most of it!

What's coming up to look forward to? The staff show, of course! And at French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts, the show is like nothing else. This year, it's going to be Charlie and the Chocolate Factory... can you IMAGINE the reaction 50 or so counselors dressed like oompa-loompas is going to generate?! Auditions were held after the weekly staff meeting and I'm quite proud to have been cast as Mrs Gloop, the mother of Augustus. It's going to be a riot, and have no fear, there will be photos on here quicker than you can say you have a golden ticket. First rehearsal is tomorrow (after dinner, after evening activity and after the kids are in bed... 11pm start at least! eek!) and we perform for one night only on 18 August. Should be exciting.

The staff show is the same night as Banquet, another fourth session extravaganza the kids love. No real way to explain it, other than everyone gets REALLY dressed up for an evening and has appetizers before dinner. The kids ask each other to be their dates, and classes are squished up so everyone can get ready for an hour beforehand. It's a really cool night for socialising, and more photos are taken at Banquet than any other event on campus. I can't wait to wear something without paint on it! And seeing everyone else in an equally good looking state ;-)

Good lord, there's also an event called Sing coming up. I like to call it Hell on Earth. Sing is a HUGE, camp-wide competition that sees girls versus boys for 24 non-stop hours. There are generals and captains selected to represent each side, and it's a REALLY big deal. The entire camp participates in a number of competitions, such as producing a shirt, skit, song, dance, and SO much more. I call it Hell On Earth because the lead up to Sing sees tap dancing on tables at breakfast, renditions of Spice Girls at lunch or Harry Potter battles at dinner, in an effort to stir the competition. It's really impressive at what these kids achieve in such a short time period though, and they're incredibly talented. Incredibly.

I'm off to a shin-dig of sorts this evening, so I'm outta here. Fingers crossed there's no Sing style bright costumes and boom boxes first thing in the morning then, right? ;-) Adios!

Harry Potter and Head Lice

Given this camp has a total population of 1000 or so, it's amazing how smoothly things run. No major accidents, mass infectious diseases, riots or anything of the sort. Every day, a 1000 people eat three meals a day, plus canteen in the evening. I stopped to think about how MUCH food that is and I felt really sorry for the poor soul who has to cut all that brocoli. Slice all those tomatoes. Wait for all that pasta to boil or flip all those burgers. I really take my hat off to Carrie for making the lentil soup though. That's REALLY good stuff. The food in general is pretty good - an all you can eat buffet with salad bar. And a burger and hot dog line. I'm a lactose intolerant vegetarian and happily have a full belly after every meal. So thankyou, kitchen staff!

As I was saying, things run pretty well most of the time. However, some events you just can't prepare for. The release of the final Harry Potter book saw hysteria take over this place like you wouldn't believe. The first arrival of books at precisely 11am saw a riot outside the mailroom like never before! I was teaching at the time, and suddenly head counselors' radios were blasting panic cries, kids were dropping everything and running. The UPS truck had a stampede running after it! Let's not even discuss what happened to the mailman, I hear he's now in a stable condition. The frenzy to have the Harry Potter book soon turned in to a race to finish it. Classes were abandoned. Canteen was silent. Anybody who was anybody was reading that book! By dinner time, the spoilers were starting to creep out. Those threatening to tell were outcast immediately. More books arrived, more people finished it, and a week on things are getting back to normal.

Everything remained as normal as could be until head lice struck. It hit a girls cabin, seeing everything they owned go through a hot dryer and their hair doused with chemicals. The same happened in a guys cabin, and as all their possessions were hauled into plastic bags for treatment they proceeded to build a volcano out of them and jump around. Even in the face of darkness, French Woods kids still make the best of it. My cabin too, caught head lice. Yeah, it was only two people out of the fourteen who live there, but still was a pain in the ass. After sending all our clothes and towels off for treatement, we scored breakfast in bed to help compensate for it. Breakfast in bed also comes with a slight sleep in, so there were smiles all round. Even if we were still scratching our heads a little ;-)

There's only 28 days until reality and I've got mixed feelings about it. I love art, I love most of the kids and absolutely adore my friends (new and old). I also spent a half hour reading Africa on a Shoestring and CAN NOT wait to go on a spice tour in Zanzibar, camp along Lake Malawi and ride a camel or two in Namibia. All after a week in New York, probably go visit folks around Boston too. I'm not fussed at all at seeing my own family, cuz truly, they're not going anywhere.

I'll keep you posted on new and exciting events, hell, maybe it'll even be taco day! Mmm... guacamole...

Halfway Point!

Twelve weeks can be a phenomenally LONG time. Our camp began on June 2nd, we finish August 26th, and in between that is nearly three months full of campers, counselors and countryside. ANYONE who signs up to abandon their friends, family and home is automatically pretty cool in my books for wanting adventure.

And what an adventure it's been so far. For me, I'm teaching 9am-6pm and still sleeping in a bunk with kids at night. My co-counselors also teach, but get an hour off during the day and spend evening activity with the kids. Tonight, evening activity was going to see the new Harry Potter movie! There's also been activities like a Cinderella Night, where all the younger campers' shoes were tied together, thrown from a vehicle across a field and the kids had to race to find theirs. When that'd happened, candy was thrown from the vehicle all over the field and each piece was worth different points. Campers raced to collect it, got to keep it AND add up the points for their bunks. They then used the points to auction for 'prizes', such as breakfast in bed, a trip to an ice cream parlour, being driven to classes for a whole day, or getting on the loudspeaker to do wake up. Crazy stuff!

Some of the best activities are the ones campers are directly involved in, such as shows. City of Angels, The Tempest and All My Sons all opened tonight and campers were a part of all aspects - acting, assistant directing, costuming, stagecraft, lighting, even silkscreening posters to promote the event! It's so cool to know the kids in your bunk are controlling the soundboard, or running around backstage with set pieces. Although this is a performing arts camp, there's so many other classes offerred. Visual arts, sports, horseback, magic, circus, dance, waterfront, the list is endless! I kidd you not, I saw Harry Potter Discussion Group listed as a minor class! I believe there's a Pink Floyd Philosophy class too... this camp is truly one of a kind.

As far as my summer goes, yeah, I'm working my ass off. It's two days into the next three week session and a few homesick kids are about the place. I invested in some Miracle Bubbles from Dollar Tree, and my god, pineapple scent rocks! The few kids who are looking a bit teary eyed, I get them to run about the art department and blow some bubbles. Simple, yet surprisingly effective for all ages. Take note potential counselors! Works on staff too ;-) My speciality area is also getting hectic as we start producing staff shirts for every department. That's at least 300 shirts to be printed, let alone the designing, shirt ordering and logistics that needs to be done! It makes a nice souveneir for everyone to take home though, and they can be worn again next year for returnee staff...

On a personal level, this camp becomes more like home everyday. I haven't called my folks since leaving in May, and pretty sure I spend more time on this blog than I do keeping in touch with them (which isn't that much). I'm really excited about blowing my entire paycheck on an African safari in September, but camp is so "bubble like", it'll probably feel like an extension of that. Incredibly surreal, that's for sure. In the past four years, I've spent a total of twelve full months at this place and you really leave with a brand new set of friends and family. You're a mum and a dad to your campers, you'll find a big brother or sister to cry on, and be surrounded by new friends who like yourself, are going through a summer that'll change your life.

In the whole wide world, everyone has a story to tell and it's up to you whether you hear it or not. And summer camp is a bloody good place start!

Bob Dylan pics

I found the button! Here's a photo of the venue, it's oh so pretty... just imagine Mr Tambourine man =)

BOB DYLAN - how could I forget?!

A camp generally has their staff's best interests at heart. This is qualified by my camp's decision to help as many counselors as possible attend last week's Bob Dylan concert at Bethal Woods. The French Woods Social Committee (namely, a guy called Larry) arranged discounted tickets, transport to and from the venue, and worked the night time "on duty" schedule so Supers (senior campers) were covering bunks. Unfortunately I was Head O.D., meaning I had to stay at camp and patrol a particular area for mischeivous and hormone-charged campers. A good 100 or so counselors headed to the gig and from all reports, old Bobby played an awful show. HOWEVER, everyone had managed to leave camp around 7pm, have a memorable 40 minute bus ride and spend an evening in the real world. Counselors were grinning ear to ear as they got back around midnight, and still showed up for breakfast. It's nice to know camps care. Truly =)

Here's a pic of the venue I took last year when we scored a similar deal for a Goo Goo Dolls and Counting Crows gig... it's so pretty! Okay, I just looked at all the buttons I have and can't find anything to post a photo... it's gonna happen tho! Til then...

Storms of the Century...

The absence of blogs by myself over the past few days highlights how difficult it can be to communicate with the outside world. Whilst our camp is lucky enough to have wireless internet access, my understanding is that it's from some sort of satellite. All fair and good, until we have crazy storms, heavy rains and even minor flooding blocking the signal. Let's not even get into how many kids are petrified of storms. Or how messy bunks get with 12 sets of wet clothing times however many days the storms last... eek!

However the sun is out at the moment and I'm squeezing in 10 minutes before classes start. Someone pointed out that in a week, we're halfway through the summer and that blew my mind! The sun's out today and everyone's getting brown and feeling good! We have another day off coming up, the last day off saw a trip to New York City and it sounded fabulous. Having already been a few times, I opted to shop at a nearby mall but other staff enjoyed horserides through Central Park, gawking at Times Square and Starbucks, Starbucks Starbucks! I can see kids arriving so I best open up the Silkscreening world... so much to tell! Hang in there!