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...
