Imagine I'm now back at camp. It's the final day of staff training, with the kids due to arrive tomorrow. It's a brilliant evening - hot, dry and still. We are all sat in the new gym for the first time, and we have just received our bottle green camp polo shirts. Thoughts turn to what is in store for tomorrow - and quite frankly, I'm shitting it!
All this has come flooding back now. That evening, we all wrote letters to ourselves, with mine arriving at my door earlier last week. Reading through that (and indeed my blog and photos) made me realise just how much I miss camp now. Even though I'm now essentially paid to spread camp love (working for Camp Leaders is great!) it isn't quite the same as camp itself. After calling it home for 3 months nearly, I'm actually getting rather homesick...
The biggest thing I miss about camp is the people. Camp is really international, meaning I now have good friends all over America, Australasia and Europe. Perhaps none more so than the lifeguards, who I spend a great deal of time with. I miss the evening banter we had on the hill when the kids were asleep; the days off in the shopping centre, abusising Barnes and Noble's free wifi; and simply being around so many like minded people.
Weather is the other big thing. Let's face it, there is nothing appealing about the current weather. It's cold, it's wet and I can barely afford the heating. Contrast this to the 30oC that was usually normal on camp, where the lake was the best place to be. Whilst training with Brunel University Swimming is great, I'd swap it for the lake anyday.
Part of me actually quite misses the kids. Yes, really. Despite some being real horrors, most were pure Angels, and some really stood out. For some reason, I miss mostly some of the cute/dumb comments they say. As much as I love being told kids are enjoying things, quotes such as "I won't be happy until I see a white guy getting beaten up by a black guy" are probably the most memorable.
Something I actually really miss is the staff tent. Yes, it is hardly the height of luxury, but neither is my student house - the tent is also warmer, a better bed and doesn't cost £415.50 a month. It is genuine as I do really miss the tent. The view when I woke up every morning of the woodland/lake alone was just incredible - people pay millions for views like that sometimes.
But, the main thing that is staying with me now is the ability to stay positive. Camp was a big challenge, and I bossed it. Economics degree, easy! Teaching a few dozen kids to swim was far harder.
Plus, with returners fees from just £229 with Camp Leaders... I guess things don't seem to bad anymoreLabels: #Camp, #CampLeaders, #Letter, #Memories, #PostCamp, #Throwback