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 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.