Summer Camp I ~ The Blonde B

2011

On the 3rd June 2013 I was heading back to New York to spend another summer at camp. I was last here in 2011 and was apprehensive, to say the least about going back. I knew this time would be different. I couldn't go back expecting the same people, the same memories and the same fun. This year was about making new memories.

I think it's practically impossible to describe your experience of working at a summer camp to someone who has never been before. It is the most tiring, overwhelming, emotional, fun, crazy, challenging, exciting, frustrating, co-operative, creative, innovative environment I have ever been in.

Camp is like a little village where your camp directors are the King and Queen of the empire and you are their loyal subjects.

You are all encircled in this enormous camp bubble. The outside world is unimportant. News travels like wildfire, which means gossip does too!

You learn to become best friends with the people you work with.

You become a parent, friend, role model and older sister to the kids you live with.

You learn to shower in under 5 minutes, not wear make-up and have 'camp hair'.

Singing in public is acceptable as is dancing, fancy dress and shouting EAGLES FLY daily.

You are never alone, even when you shower, use the loo or sleep.

Meal times are never quiet. EVER.

Dancing on chairs for dessert is a must and when it's your birthday you get to pie someone in the face.

Summer camp in the USA is an amazing experience but with a lot of highs also comes a lot of lows. Good thing I made such good friends to pick me up when I was down.

My beautiful co-counsellors. Yes, our cabin was called Turkey Vulture.

And this was on a clean day.

2011

I re-trained as a lifeguard and was chosen lead of the lake, which was a pretty big deal considering I had an Aquapark, beach, boating, jet skis and Echo Creek (and a flock of ducks!) to organize, manage and co-ordinate. Luckily I had the best team of lifeguards helping me out:

The lifeguards really loved to sing. Singing was our background music. In between periods we would bring out some golden oldies like the Spice Girls or Backstreet boys to sing-along to. We particularly like singing when we were doing our favourite task at the lake, which was weeding the seaweed.

The Sound of Music was a recurring favourite.

2011

Oh did I forget to mention we had a Pirate Ship?

Yup. A real live working Pirate Ship that sailed the Echo waters commanded by Capn' Chrissie.

The Pirate Ship was totally equipped with music system and blasted out the Pirates of the Caribbean theme tune during its tour of the lake. One day, the Ship got attacked by all the lifeguards and we blasted out some tunes, sang along at the top of our voices and had the best boat party ever.

Don't worry, the kids were fine!

We sometimes would have 'bury the lifeguard' competitions, if the campers didn't want to go in the lake but I think us lifeguard enjoyed it a little too much...

Being part of the Aquatics team is fun. During the day you lifeguard. By night you are back with your bunk. You also put on a rendition of the Baywatch theme tune during a staff talent show and you dress up as a zombie lifeguard during Halloween. Yes, we did have Halloween in the Summer and it was awesome! The special events team put on a scary walk through a nature trail and it was terrifying! I was in it and was petrified!