Happy (belated) 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July everybody! Well its now the 6th, but the 4th was just so amazing. The whole camp was woken up by marching bands coming through the bunks at 6.30am. My girls were onto it and tied the doors shut the night before so that we weren't disturbed, but it was impossible not to wake up. I had to go and feed the horses in the morning but while I was gone, all hell broke loose. One of my girls was taken and thrown in the lake. Along with many British counsellors and people from all over the world, even America. At breakfast the mood was electric with chants of U.S.A. U.S.A filling the dining hall. This mood continued throughout the day to after dinner when in rest hour the camp gathered on the courts for an international performance. Us Kiwis got up and sang a Maori song and the boys did the Haka. We all then moved to the Pavillion for evening activity which involved a medley of National Anthems and a lot of patriotic American songs, and then when it got dark we had one of the best fireworks displays I have ever seen. It went on for about 15 minutes and every firework was more spectacular than the last. It was truly an amazing day.

The off duty counsellors continued to celebrate into the wee hours of the morning, and then we had a day off the next day. Most of the camp went on a trip to Philadelphia, but I chose to go with some friends who had cars to a great spot on the Delaware river called Skinners Falls. Its not so much falls as rapids which you can go down on tubes hired from a place by the river. We spent all day lazing in the sun and cruising down the river then went to the local bar/restaurant in Calicoon for dinner. It was another amazing day.

Back at camp the girls filled me in on the happenings of the day. It was great to have the feeling that they missed my company during the day and I loved hearing all the stories they had to tell. They really are a fantastic group of girls. Unfortunately we had one leave this morning. One of my girls who has been homesick since day one had her parents come and pick her up this morning. It was such a shame as she was just starting to get into things and I was beginning to see a side of her personality I hadn't seen before. She was a really great girl and we'll all miss her heaps. Lets hope it’s the last time we have to go through that. We're over a week into session two and time is flying by. I never seem to have a spare minute to myself and there is never any time that you are completely alone. Being surrounded by people 24-7 is so tiring but so much fun and I'm still loving every minute of it.  

Rain Rain, Go Away...But Camp Is Fun Anyway!

Its been raining for three days straight now. Thunder and lightening, muggy temperatures and persistent rain. It puts a bit of a damper on things at camp. Just a few days ago I was at the waterfront climbing up the iceberg, and now I'm sitting in my bunk, soaking wet, after getting caught in the rain out on a trail. I could literally wring water out of my t-shirt, but as horrible as the weather was, it was still great fun. The kids loved the adventure of surviving the weather and riding through spooky forests full of misty rain. The trails we have here are fabulous. I ride them nearly every day but there is always something new to see. A deer, a chipmunk, a woodpecker or a frog. We are yet to come across any snakes but apparently they're there too!

I'm having heaps of fun still. I cannot believe how fast time is going. First session is over, and I have a whole new bunk of kids. It was really sad to see the first lot go, we had become such a close little family. All of the girls were fantastic and I miss them all so much. The new girls are also great though. We now have a full bunk of girls. Going from 7 to 13 girls was a bit of a shock and there are a lot more dynamics to such a big group of girls. I'm getting to know them still but already I love them. They are full of energy and life. Although there is one in particular who is  really homesick, all the others are trying their hardest, as am I and the other counsellors, to ensure that she has the best time at camp she possibly can.  I even have a girl from Russia in my bunk this session, so we're all learning a little bit of Russian and her English is getting better by the day.

4th of July is coming up soon. I'm looking forward to watching all the Brits get thrown in the lake!

It's True What They Say!

The kids have been here for over a week and its been one of the best weeks ever. The girls in my bunk are absolutely fantastic. They are outgoing, fun, full of energy (except for in the mornings!) and absolutely loveable. Its hard to believe that we are already half way through first session and the kids will be off home in no time.

The horses are fantastic - on the most part they are so wonderfully suited to their jobs. They look after the kids so well and are a pleasure to work with. All the other staff at horseback are also a pleasure to work with. We have a range of classes, beginner to advanced, and have to teach both English and Western style classes, which has been a challenge considering my limited experience in Western riding. There are miles of trails here which are great to have the chance to get away from camp and clear your head for a while. We have seen lots of deer and even a little fawn on the side of the trail. I just wish I had my camera on me at the time!

The camp is great fun. If I'm not showering, running or catching up on sleep during my period off I can go try whatever tickles my fancy at the time. The weather is starting to heat up, after a lot of rain, so the waterfront is tempting most days. All of the staff are great fun and I've made some great friends already. We had a day off two days ago, and there was a group trip to Ithaca. I chose to not go and a group of us got a van and drove into Hancock, the nearest town for the best brunch in a cute little diner. Then onto the nearest shopping centre (over an hours drive away) for some retail therapy. Man, I love shopping in this place. Then back to Hancock for dinner.

I'm having a ball. Slowly getting a tan and feeling right at home. I can already see why people say that summer camp will be the best summer of your life. Until next time…!

Home Away From Home

Nearly a week on and it feels like home already!  This place is absolutely incredible. The people, the activities, everything.  When I arrived it was a bit of a shock. Coming into a cabin where theres been nobody living for 8 months is, lets say, not the prettiest of sights! However, my co-counsellors and I got stuck in on cleaning and the place is now really feeling like home. The people here are absolutely amazing...I have never met such an awesome bunch of people!  Everybody you meet is so friendly, so enthusiastic and genuinely unique. At a performing arts camp you meet people from all walks of life. In my cabin there is me (the horseback girl), Jess (the costume designer) and Samantha (the tennis coach). I have met people from circus, waterfront, high ropes, trains and rocketry, theatre, dance, everything. And all of them are incredible. Almost everybody here is in the exact same boat, coming from a foreign country, whether it be Wales, Canada, Australia or anywhere else (even NZ!) knowing nobody and looking to have the time of their lives. This means friends are very easily made...which is always nice!

After only six days, I feel like I've been here forever. French Woods truly has become my home and I love it here. The horses have arrived and we've been for a ride. The children just arrived and are starting orientation. The bunk is beautifully decorated and looks like a home. I am prepared to take on the next 12 weeks, learn a lot about myself and others and have a lot of fun along the way!

Until next time, happy camping!