Page 25: Eagles Fly! Goodbye!

In the end I decided not to blog about after-camp travels. I've bored my facebook news feed, family and friends with the stories about that "that one time we got 6 of us in a 4 man taxi at 3am" and there's selfie photos in 6 different US states, but I won't subject you to that. This blog was about summer and camp, right?

But I wanted to announce...
This summer I completed 10 things off my bucket list (!)
Which is ridiculously exciting, because some of these dreams I first wrote down in that notebook when I was thirteen!

$ Go to an american summer camp

$ Go to Walmart

$ Go couchsurfing (we used air'b'n'b, same idea!)

$ Visit an American college



Ta-da!

$ Go paintballing

$ Go up a skyscraper (empire state!)

$ Watch an American baseball game

 

$ Sleep in a hammock

$ Go white water rafting

$ Find and eat something grape flavoured

$ Spend the evening in candlelight and then blow out all the candles at bedtime


And, man, travel stories! The time my suitcase was declared obese by the check-in guy and I had to get the weight down. So after taking out the conditioner and jeans and seeing the weight not move I took out my journal and the numbers flew off.

Check In Bloke: That's some journal there, 8 pounds?

Me (embarrassed and defensive): I just have a lot of memories...

The Nerd Herd have actually just had a post camp reunion this week, Sean and I visited Ryan, Dominique and Ryan in Edinburgh! Here's us having milk'n'cookies at 9.15.



Camp friends, stay friends :)

This is the last ever 'I Like To Be In America' post. Thanks to anyone reading this, I'm happy you decided to follow my journey and I hope that if any young people stumble upon it they'll consider working at a camp. It's work, hard work and don't let anyone tell you different, but that doesn't mean I didn't have one of the best summers I've ever had (and I got paid for it!).

Bye!

 

Page 24: The Last "Letter From America"

Writing in the staff lounge, straight back from the Dining Hall where, after eating we got up on the benches and danced to Living On A Prayer. If you've ever danced on a bench with four nine year olds flanked either side of you, you'll know it is a tricky thing to accomplish. As well as shouting lyrics and dancing manically you also have to keep your banace and try not to hit them, challenging, as they are exactly at prime arm-hit-height. I think one of my favourite memories of camp happened ten minutes ago. 

You know how awkward the dance sections are in music? When the singer stops and leaves you hanging post-verse, trying to think of a really cool dance move to last the next 12+ counts until they come in with the chorus again, saving you from something you hope never goes on facebook? Right. It's crucifying. 

So. When we were coming up to the reallllllly long guitar solo I turned to Sophia and Sophia and shouted "Air guitars! Now!" and instead of leaving me hanging there like some over-excited institutionalised student, we all picked up our air guitars and jumped up and down on the wooden bench :)

Camp Echo Alma Mater

Can it be that summers ending?

Where did time go? Where was I?

We've been together, only a short while,

Oh how I wish the time had not flown by

Meeting new friends, sharing secrets

Under trees that touch the sky

Growing to be part of one family

Oh how I wish the time had not flown by

Children's laughter, sounds of summer

Looking back on treasured days

Memories will linger, echo bonds forever

Oh, how I wish the time had not flown by

Blue and White we stand tonight

Fighting tears of sad goodbyes

Though far apart, we'll be close in our hearts

Oh how I wish the time had not flown by

About a fortnight ago, walking back to camp from Outback I noticed a branch of red in the otherwise entirely green forest. That's how autumn starts. Summer's ending. 

Which means goodbye camp, hello (again) University. It feels weird that by the time I leave, I would have spent over 10 weeks and a whole season on this continent. I genuinely don't want to eat another Oreo for a long LONG time.

But first, before we head back to our homes in different countries and lives without sunshine everyday and children everywhere; ROADTRIP USA!

Because we didn't work nine weeks fo' nothing.

With "my peoples" one lunchtime a few weeks back :)

All the tents have been packed up, fires put out, trapeze taken down, animals sent back to a farm. Now all that's left is for the kids to leave back on the buses they arrived in, then us.

Everyone's heading to different places: Disneyland, West Coast, Bahamas Cruise, Canada are just some of the plans I've seen being made in the staff room. The usual suspects (Louise, Ryan, Sean, Russel and I) have planned some 'Eastcoasting'. I won't tell you where we're going because I want to surprise my family with postcards along the way, but let me tell you, it's pretty awesome and we're heading out of New York!

 ...Time to get "turned up"...


*This is gonna be my last post at Camp, I'll probably post about roadtrippin' when I get back home :)

Page 23: Echo Olympics "Break Out"

"Echo Olympics 2014 Morocco/Iceland"
Photo from Camp facebook page

A banner flown by a helicopter over camp announced the start of the Olympics. Casual.

How most camps announce Olympic "Break Out"

How Camp Echo announces Olympic "Break Out"

I didn't mind if I was on white or blue team. I just wanted to sing songs and paint my face. Sadly, this was not meant to be. I'm a judge instead, which means I am again obligated to wear yellow (this summer in my head shall henceforth be known as "The year I kept getting asked to wear yellow even though I am blonde and it was genuinely part of my job").

My suitability for judging a sporting event was questioned by everyone (including myself). I'm a judge because I live in a staff cabin and it's easier for admin purposes rather than any kind of sporting feat. But that didn't stop me from informing enquirers it was due to my "fine athletic abilities" (anyone who has ever seen me attempt to play a sport will recognize the hilarity int his statement.

My athletic ability, perfectly demonstrated by this dog

After accidentally referring to the Basketball courts as 'pitches' and exclaiming that John Wall was a musician the athletic staff assigned me to encouraging campers to cheer rather than keeping score...

"I ain't no musician!"

Page 22: Oh Hi, NY

If you want to know what a city is like, look at the road signs. NYC's signs are bright red and bright yellow, demanding attenton and they shout "No standing anytime" "Amazing things are happening here" "No stopping" and "Drive thru".

Arriving in Times Square is a dizzying feeling

Despite this, we found the city to be strangely quiet and very clean.

Welcome to the city where the street signs are as bright as the moon...

Arriving at around 10pm we headed for Starbucks. Now, I don't actually go to Starbucks (tax avoidance!) Team Costa, all the way. But, being a team player I went with the group and got the obligatory mis-spelt drink "Giorgia"...

The Nerd Herd/ Culture Vultures

We went up the Empire State Building at midnight. What the films never show you is that you have to walk up a load of stairs. Like, a load. If my legs don't look like Cara Delevigne's before I leave, I want a refund.

But once you get up there, woah. Looking across the skyline everything around and under you glitters. I felt very much like a fairy on top of a Christmas tree. It's not a bad feeling at all. This view, along with all of the 1920's art deco on the way up reminded me of this quote from the Great Gatsby-

"The city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise all of the mystery and beauty in the world"

Louise's Photo :)

We headed to the subway and waited for the B-Train. And waited. And then- a train! Oh, it's the D-train. Never mind. TRAIN! Oh, a D-Train again...Wait, was that-yes it was! A traaain! D-Train? Where are all the B-Trains? This happened for an hour (2am-3am). I couldn't help but think of Waiting For Godot, we sat and waited for an hour for a train that never came...

So we hailed a yellow cab.
Around six cabs into this cruel game of 'it's 3am and we're 100 blocks away from our hostel' we realised six-man taxis don't exist in NYC. Uh-Oh.


*Realising there was no way home*

Dominique: Seriously, what do we do now?
Me: Well, our first move is to act like polite and confused British tourists and use that to get us uptown and our last resort is probably pimping Ryan out
Ryan: Hey!

We did fortunatley find a way to the hostel, which may or may not have involved illegal means ;)

The ferry trip to Stanton Island was FREE
Louise's Photo (what a babe :)

The next day: Central Park, Wall Street, Stanton Island Ferry, 9/11 Memorial, Times Square

Central Park walk.
Get used to these faces, we're travelling together after :)

Page 21: I Made My Own Breakfast For The First Time In Seven Weeks

In Walmart I came across Raspberry Pop-Tarts. "Raspberry?" you say "but Pop-Tarts are either Chocolate or Strawberry and hella overpriced!". Not in the USA. Here they come in two shelves of flavours and are actually kinda cheap.

But there is no toaster I have access to in Camp.

Like any lack of toaster is going to get in the way of me and a Raspberry Pop-Tart!

I found a baking tray and placed it over the embers of last night's campfire this morning. Breakfast! Outback Style :)

Page 20: Day Off, Off To Jersey Shore

Back home if I was to say 'Luke Bryan' 'Keith Urban' and 'Jake Owen' people would assume I was talking about my mates. Here everyone knows exactly who they are. They are on the radio and in speakers at diners. In the USA country is a genre, not a joke.

We're playing 93.7 on the radio, the country station (a change from our usual dedication to 104.7, or 'the tunes channel' as Louise says).
While I've been here the road trip journeys have been just as good as our destination. Probably because I road trip on 'The Banter Bus' or 'Papa Pickles Road Train' (in joke, soz). Generally it's Sean, Ryan, Russel, Dominique, Louise and I and we spend hours getting lost on the interstate trying to get somewhere cool on our day off.

Ryan today is our radio DJ and he knows to turn up 'Best Day Of My Life' (American Authors), it's a camp anthem and it sums up the feeling of all of us on the road, at least in my mind anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y66j_BUCBMY

Yesterday was decidedly a beach day...at JERSEY SHORE!

I made a friendship bracelet :)

The waves at this beach, oh the waves. See, in the photo they look calm. Oh, the camera lies! It was a monster water tropical washing machine!

Dominique's photo :)

Man they were high.
And strong.
And bold.

Now, I'm not a bikini person. In fact, I haven't worn a bikini on a beach in years. I'd rather wear a dress and just get wet, or if it's a you-have-to-be-in-swimwear event (I generally avoid those events quite masterfully) I wear a one piece.
Not yesterday.
Yesterday I was Sara Bareilles Brave.
And stupid.

Let me tell you I am not a stupid girl. I double knotted my bikini before hitting the beach. That didn't stop the waves, oh no. They contorted that damn tie-dyed fabric into various states of half nakedness. And, just as soon as your sort yourself out another monster-of-a-wave comes along, hits you, drags you, twists you and drifts you five metres in three seconds to the shore. You quickly breathe, stand up and find yourself half naked.    Uh Oh. The same thing happened to Louise too!
You have to laugh, it was hilarious and body-boarding is a great way to spend a day but seriously, Neptune's a bitch!

With Ryan and Dominique :P

Thought of the day

Friendship is when everyone turns up their purses/wallets for quarters and dimes, puts it in a cup and- there's no way of telling who has put how much in but somehow it always gets you through all of the tolls across the state border and back. And if you come up short one day, next road trip you rain silver at the shotgun passenger. No worries.

Page 19: Working With Children Be Like

1) When kids get out their "flashlights" and search their tents with military precision for bugs then scream and run to me when they find one. You went looking for bugs? You found one? And now you act surprised?

2) In the dining hall line where the children, slowly pile their plate with food. One fry at a time...

3) The counselor reaction when we found out the eighth graders had sneaked into the staff tent and taken all of the Coke (they drink Cola, a cheaper soda. We stock up on good stuff and hide it)

4) When I spent my morning off at the mud obstacle course with fifth grade boys because it looked like fun and then after we jumped in the lake they ran off to their next session and I collected up all of their wellies "rain boots" and took them across camp back to the obstacle course because they forgot -_-

5) When sassy girls ask me how many s'mores I've had then tell me how many calories are in each

6) Trying to serve sixth graders at a BBQ
    (The concept of queuing has yet to move across the pond)

Page 18: College Week (Color War)

I sighed. Yellow team?

Which is ridiculous because I love all the members of yellow team, but...I'm a blonde! Yellow washes me out! Does no one think about these things when picking team members? Seriously!

Channeling the yellow spirit

College week is basically a color war, the entire camp is split into four and compete over 4 days in a series of athletic and creative pursuits. This years teams were-

Blue: Michigan Wolverines

Red: Arkansas Razorbacks

Yellow: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Green: Oregon Ducks

I was in 'Georgia Tech'. Let me just say, having everyone chant your name is a bizarre experience. It can be flattering, confusing and terrifying (imagine having your own personal musical lynch mob...). It also means that a couple of times I have ignored people trying to get my attention because I assumed they were chanting the team name. Oops. Sorry!

"Sexy selfie?" said Maddie.
One of the greatest photos ever taken. Can't stop laughing!

 I stayed up until 1am organizing a skit while the team decorated our headquarters-

Our skit came 1st the next day. Around 40 campers and 15 staff were in it. Crazy to write and organize but it felt so good to do something artsy at camp, I spend so much time being outdoorsy!

Me when Yellow won the skit comp.

Page 17: All Children, Except One, Grow Up

6PM: Dinner Time
*Mindy edges her script across the table to me "Help me run lines?" so between tactical mouthfuls of mash potato I'm John, Michael, Tootles, Nibs and the parents.
One of my kids is playing Wendy in the camp's version of Peter Pan and for the first time I understand why my sister used to be nervous about seeing me in shows (What if she forgets a line onstage? It's in 2 hours! I can't whisper it back to her then...)

8PM: Staging Time

8:05PM
The tannoy invites freshman to begin seating in the hall. I'm sitting in the cabin 150 metres away. Damn. WHERE ARE MY PINK SHOES! DAMN! NO! I DON'T CARE ABOUT DOING THE LACES UP TWO OF MY KIDS ARE IN A SHOW TONIGHT AND I'M LATE! I'M LATE! OH GOD. I'M A TERRIBLE COUNSELOR! AWW! DAMN! RUN!

Peter Pan is one of my all time favourite stories. I've read the book and original play, done creative writing for an AS around it and seen the show (RSC'13). That's just in the last year.
I was that kid who left the window open thinking Peter Pan might come in (he didn't. Insects did). And jumped off furniture hoping to fly (you can guess how that one ended).

It's a story that grows up with you.

C S Lewis:“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”

It was also a pretty topical story for who and where I am right now (Wendy is a young English girl, preparing for adulthood who, wanting adventure leaves her home to escape responsibilities and the idea of a conventional job and domestic life. She flies to a new land where she becomes a mother figure to a bunch of spirited children and grows up).
You don't need an education in literature to see the allegory I'm making here.

The show goes well and ends perfectly with kids standing in a far from straight line bowing mexican-wave style (getting kids to bow together is harder than trying to baptize a cat).

9:45 An Hour Past The Kid's Bedtime
I carry *Livvy across the bridge. She's that tired. It's my night off but the only time I have to do the bedtime routine with my cabin (usually at this time I'm hosting camp outs).
"Girls, find your pajamas!"
"Girls, you need to brush your teeth!"
Somewhere between nine and nineteen I must have grown up because now instead of leaving the window open, I'm the one closing it and wishing the children goodnight.

Page 16: "Job Perks"

It's an 18 hour day for 8 weeks with 5 days off. But I'm sure it's actually the best job for me, right now, anywhere in the world.

I'm reminded of this on a regular basis. For example, I'm writing this after being in the Outback, building a metre high fire to burn rubbish on and having a cheeky s'more. Does rubbish disposal and office snacks get any better? (No.)
I'm lucky to be here, and it's the people that make it so great!

Our night off plans were modest- go to the mall and watch a movie. But the minivans were all booked out when we turned up. Damn. Which meant we were spending our night off in camp. Damn.
Then, we actually thought about the sitch- being 'stuck' at a summer camp with your friends and a free night really isn't a bad thing...

Especially not when one of your friends is a qualified lifeguard who offers to take the group water boarding on the empty lake :)

Thanks RyRy!

Or when you get permission from your supervisor to take your friends on a camp out ("Go for it. The Outback is your crib Georgia").

So I made a glow stick trail through the forest and lit all the tekes (forest lanterns) bfore going back for the group and walking them across in the darkness.

S'mores. Hammocks. Starry sky. No curfew and NOT A CHILD IN SIGHT.

Perfection.

Left to Right: Ryan, Sean, Me, Louise, Dominique (Momma D)

These are the hilarious and sensitive people I've had the luck to find in NY who also happen to be supremely gorgeous, intelligent, creative and athletic individuals <3

I'm so LUCKED OUT!

Page 15: "E-C-H-O Echo! Echo! Let's Go!"

The other day Louise said that at outsider at flag would think camp was one massive cult. It's true. The chants, call-and-response and general insider-ness of it all. Tonight, Louise was onto something.
Face paint again. I'm telling you, I've had a makeupless face for a month here. Mascara sticks are now foreign to me, but war stripes are becoming a regular.

Tonight it's for 'Owner's Cup', the annual basketball match against a nearby camp.

Pre Match: The National Anthem
Photo: From Echo's Facebook

One thing that's surprised me about America is how unsurprising this experience has felt. Probably because the food and language is in my home supermarket and TV. Owner's Cup was no different. Quintessentially American. For example, each player was introduced to the crowd via. microphone-

"Number fourteen for Echo Eagles, it's Jackson from Upper East Side! Let's give a cheer!"

And then the player (camper) would run through a balloon archway and white smoke to the court.

It bothered me that people didn't cheer on the opposing team. Even the counselors. I don't care if the kid is from another camp, these kids are fourteen. They play basketball all day. How amazing would it feel to be that kid and run on to a crowd of cheering people? That would make training worthwhile, it would be something they would remember and tell their kids someday, I'm sure. I know running to a silent but full crowd would feel horrible and awkward, at least to me, but then I never played sports competitively, maybe if I was sporty or male I'd understand it... These kids are playing an away game in front of a couple of hundred pairs of eyes they don't know. That's courage. And therefore, to me, is clapworthy.

Team spirit? You can be pro your team without being anti the other team...


Conversation with Campers-

*Lucy: Georgia! You can't cheer for them!
*Jessica: You're supposed to Lucy, it's good sportsmanship!
*Lucy: Huh?
Me: It means you support the other team but you can still cheer for your team louder :)

*Names changed, duh

Page 14: That Is All

The veggie burgers at dinner tonight were made of REAL FAKE MEAT. Not vegetables. Soya stuff. For the first time in a month. So happy.

Page 13: Five Recent Happy Things

*Names of campers have been changed

#1
Yesterday at dinner, rice'n'ribs, Alice kept making Mindy self conscious about the rib sauce she was getting all over her face. It was funny in a cute kid kind of way but you could see she is sensitive and was conscious of people looking at her and teasing.
Being the appointed role model and responsible adult I took the ketchup bottle, squirted it on my hands and smeared it on my cheeks (war stripes!).
"Now we've both got sauce on our face"

#2
Doing the "flashlights out now girls" round on the 6th grade camp girls out. I popped my head into a teepee and said "Okay, time to stop finding out who loves who and go to sleep now" as a throwaway comment.
They all froze.
"How did you know?"
I joined them in the circle and suddenly every camper had a dilemma and wanted my advice.
"What do I do if my best friend and I like the same guy?"
"How can I tell if he likes me?"
"He likes me but I don't like him"
So I listened and gave advice. One of them then said "Oh my gawd, you're like...the boy expert!"

My reaction to "You're the boy expert"

#3
The day it rained and I'd promised the 6th grade boys that morning that we would make s'mores at the camp out.
Can't make fire with wet wood!
Can't let the kids down!
Damn.
Once it had stopped raining (but the forest was soaked) I ran to Outback and spent an hour slowly burning a bale of hay so the fire pit ground was dry and Alex later made a fire.
The 6th grade boys got s'mores. Relief.

S'more': Roasted marshmallow, two gram crackers and some Hersheys

#4

Counselor: We're going to milk the cow tomorrow and get the milk!

Camper: Milk doesn't come from cows. Milk comes from supermarkets. Duh!

#5

My afternoon walk to work. Yes.

Page 12: A Standard Day At Camp

*Not that any day at Camp could ever be considered standard...


 AFTER A CAMP OUT        
                  
7AM:       Wake Up and then wake campers up!  
      
7.30AM: Walk campers from Outback back to
                base camp; just over half a mile through
                the woods, past the stables and over the
                baseball field

7.50AM: Cheeky shower then run to flag              
               (hair dripping) for announcements  
             
8.15AM: Breakfast: Pancakes? Hash Browns? Tater Tots? French Toast? Cinnamon Porridge?
               Eat with staff :)

-Adventure meeting- Apply bugspray- Go to Wifi room-

9.30-12  SLEEP                   
                                             
12.20 Lunch: Sit with my Cabin. Dance on the chairs to 'The Wiggle Song'

1.30     Head to Outback for prep; collect
            firewood, arrange archery boards,
            practice archery ect...

2.00-5.00 Outback Sessions: Supervise Go-Karts, teach fire building or archery, fix hammocks

5.00-6.00 Snack'N'Go: Is that the popsicle cart? YESITISOHMYGAWDBETTERRUNNOW.
                Twilight: Supervise free play

5.50  Flag Lowering

6.00  Dinner: Cook for Campout Kids!

7.00> Collect food, s'more kit ect and prep for               
            camp out (make fire/ put glow sticks in
            trees/ load bus/ collect kids and walk them
            to Outback)

* Make s'mores, campfire games, songs and
flashlight tag and then send kids to bed. Hang on
hammocks while flames turn to embers and then
stare at some stars and head to bed.




                              
NO CAMP OUT


7.50AM: Wake Up to Camp Director on the tannoy "Good Morning Camp Echo, Echo, Echo
it's time to get Up Up Up, not Down Down Down! On today's schedule..."

8AM: Flag Raising A crazy man called Dave runs around a flagpole shouting announcements about trips, sports scores and laundry and leads chants. The pledge is said and flag raised.

8.15AM: Breakfast: Pancakes? Hash Browns? Tater Tots? French Toast? Cinnamon Porridge?
                Eat with staff :)

      -Adventure meeting- Apply bugspray- Go to Wifi room-

9.30-12: Hang out with Cabin or help with adventure/archery classes

12.20: Lunch: Sit with my Cabin. Dance on the chairs to 'The Wiggle Song'

2.00-5.00: Outback Sessions: Supervise Go-Karts, teach fire building or archery, fix hammocks

5.00-6.00: Snack'N'Go: Is that the popsicle cart? YESITISOHMYGAWDBETTERRUNNOW.

Twilight: Supervise free play

5.50: Flag Lowering

6.00: Dinner: Sit with Cabin

8.00: Evening Activity!

9.00: Milk'N'Cookies!

9.15: Circle Time with Cabin!

Page 11: Camp Conversations

"What time is flag?"


"Have you had your lice check?"


"Were my kids well behaved for you?"


"Where's my water bottle?"


"What cookies are at Milk'N'Cookies tonight?"


"Clap once if you can hear me. Clap twice if you can hear me"


"Are you going to Walmart?"


"Who's your co-counselors?"


"If you can hear me touch your head. If you can hear me touch your knees"


"This is a repeat after me song"
"This is a repeat after me song"


"Where's my water bottle?"

Page 10: It's A Long Way To Long Island

The last time I woke up at 3.30am was accidental due to my inability to work my own alarm clock and my iPod screamed-

 "CAUS' YOU'RE A GOOD GURRRRRRL!
YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT!"

Through the pillow at me. In my delirious sleep-deprived state I thought somehow Robin Thicke had broken into my bedroom and got into my bed.
It remains one of the most terrifying moments of my life.

I haven't been keen to see 3.30am since.

However, I signed up to take the bus to Long Island and meet the campers and travel with them back to camp.

I arrived at 4.50am at Brandon's office, blanket in hand. 4.50am. If I have to get out of bed before the sun does I'm bringing at least part of the bed with me...

"Bright eyed and Bushy tailed...they said"

I woke up when I felt the car taking turns, we must've left the highway and the road felt different. Toby twitched his head to the right then at me then to the right again, I thought this sudden erratic tick was simply a sign of the madness early mornings inflict on their bearers, but nah. I turned right and there- right there parallel to the water on the bridge connecting to Long Island was New York City.

Nice.

The kids arrived, signed them in, boarded the coach, played top trumps with the boys at the back of the coach, had my hair braided by a 4th grader, confiscated candy (Yep. Took candy from a kid. Camp regulations. Sorry) then re-arrived to the cheering sports field waving glittery welcome banners.

Although I'm now tired as one of the back-of-the-bus kids asked me at Baseball "Hey Georgia! Are you gonna pick us up at Long Island again next year! That was fun!" which is the sweetest thing.


Dunkin' Donuts Conversation


Toby: (seeing the keys on the lanlard): Golf Cart?

Me: I drove it the other day!

Toby: You drove it? Where?

Me: From Camp to Outback and back! And I didn't stall it once!

Toby: It's an automatic golf cart. You can't stall it.

Me: ...

Page 9: "I Can See The Stars, In America"

Listen to this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw8Q91S43y0

Sean says I look like Natalie Portman in Black Swan. I've got black paint arched up to my eyebrows. So's he. So's Ryan. So's Louise. We're lying planking marine-style on the hill in total darkness (here, 10pm). This is flashlight tag. And despite our playful banter at the start point I've sprinted 100 metres, crawled under a building and hid in the woods. This is no game. We are serious!

"We're Not Competitive"

Catching my breath, I look up. New York, woah. You've got me. The sky is COVERED in stars. More than any I've seen anywhere else in the world. The sky is more star than not.

And I'm stomach first in the mud thinking existentially about how moments like this make you remember how small you are in the world, and how much beauty we just don't notice if we're always looking up and never around, down, up or behind and then WHAM Ryan thinks he saw a flashlight nearing, gotta move, guys RUNRUNRUN.

Page 8: Being In 3rd Grade And Being 8 Is Hard, Being In 3rd Grade And Being 19 Is Harder

                                                                                                                                                    22/06/14

Today was mock camp day which meant we got to go to classes that our assigned age groups will do. My timetable looked like; Woodwork, Cheer leading, Pool, Basketball, Lake.
Although I'm staying in a staff cabin this summer, rather than living with the kids as 97% of counselors do (only me, because I have a night-based job, the media team who have an insanely busy job and the baking girls who have night work are in staff cabins) I still got to have a *Freshmen day as that's the age group I'll be spending my free time with.

*Freshmen are the youngest group on camp, 3rd-4th graders (age 8-9)

So I made a simple photo frame with guidance from an Arts Counselor, did my swim test

(not before holding hands with my "Buddy", safely entering the water and later, at the lake, wearing a life jacket...).

Perfectly demonstrated by this gif, when a lifeguard shouts "BUDDY!" you grab your Buddies hand

Going to Uni and teaching in Thailand last year made me very independent. I've had a lot of freedom. To suddenley have to ask permission before going anywhere and following a timetable on a minutely basis did come as a shock.

To be honest, I think it gave me a much needed re-cap in empathy. I know exactly how a 4th grader spends their day. Today wasn't about me or what I like (Basketball is soooooo not me...) it was about TEAM and doing stuff you hate!

We got taught a concept today- 'Roses and Thorns'. Before bedtime in a Freshmen cabin you gather the kids in a circle , go around  and each say something positive and negative about your day. It's used to establish routine, recognize achievements and address concerns.

So I'll end Page 8 that way-

ROSE: When Becky, Louise and Dominique saved some 'Monkey Bread' for me (they teach baking classes and somehow managed to hold back half a tray so our bunk could try it!)

THORN: Freshmen team losing the fire building contest on Echo beach in staff events tonight. Building fires is what I got hired for! We came last!

Page 7: Living The American Dream, Right Here!

There are nine spider bites on my legs. Yeah I counted because THEY ITCH.

Working in the forest has its drawbacks.

But it's also a pretty fun job. (And maybe I'll become Spider-Woman or something?).

Today I put up a load of hammocks and tested them out. Now, to an untained eye it looks like I'm just chillin' in a hammock. But actually I'm testing the tension and swing then re-adjusting accordingly. Ha.

Oh, and we now have an archery range in Outback so I've put some training into that. My miss is more frequent than my hit. I've been hitting things, for sure, but not the target. Aww. Although it makes the th-wack of when I actually hit the target more satisfying I need to be a skilled archer by the time kids arrive so I can instruct!

My current skill level as demonstrated by J-Lau!

I've caught myself a few times worrying "I need to stop thinking up Hunger Games themed Games for the kids and actually do work. Then I remember- I'm a camp counselor, this is my job. Awesome!

Last night was also pretty cool.
There's a couple of cars and over a hundred of us so nights out have proven a logistical challenge. And a long wait :( Picture this- there's six of us in the car park waiting in line for a ride as the American staff shuttle backwards and forth to the bar. We've made an effort. I'm wearing red lipstick. Dominique is in a dress. Becky and Louise have make up that looks awesome.

We're waiting with Sean and Chris then Catrina rocks up in line and invites us fishing.

For real.

So, at 9pm (which is dark-ish here) in our nice clothes we head down to the creek and going fishing before going to the bar. Hands down wierdest pre drinks ever!

No one caught anything (well, Sean caught some lake weed...) BUT Chris caught a firefly. The trees buzzed with them, Fireflies (also known as lightning bugs) are sassy bugs that light up and zoom around. It's like kinetic fairy lights and they have the ability to transform a swampy creek into a disney-esque wonderland.