There can be a lot of waiting with Camp America....you may get placed in January, you may get placed in July, like I did!

I had my interview in November and was waiting until July 2nd to be placed! I ended up on Ready Steady Go...which is where you are kinda on a waiting list to be placed when camps need more staff and have a few days to get ready and fly! I got a call on Wednesday July 2nd and flew on Saturday July 5th. Arriving at camp late was scary as the kids arrived the same time I did, and the staff had been there for two weeks already. But it ended up still being the greatest summer ever and I came home September 21st after doing Southern Sun with Trek America.

A few tips....
1. When you budget, save that amount then try and double it! I ran out of money twice on my trek and mum had to bail me out!! Save save save save! Budget twice as much as you think you need and don't go mad spending money while at camp because you don't need to!

2. Throw yourself into the experience because you are going to get homesick. I didn't think I would but I did and some days you hate it and just wanna come home.

3. Don't buy new clothes to take to camp unless they're stupidly cheap....I took mostly crappy old clothes and could throw them away when I did a stupid amount of shopping haha...BUT do take few nice outfits for time off and travelling etc!

4. A hat/headscarves are a must for when you havent got chance to shower for a few days and your hair ends up looking like you poured oil over it haha!

When I think of more i'll post more tips!

thank you !!!

I so agree about saving
Also a tip for showers dont take scented shower gels shampoos the mossies like it and will bite you in the shower and as soon as you get out until you are covered up.
Also hoodies are a good idea for when it gets cold or a downpour takes place (although ideally you will have a rain jacket which i constantly forgot to buy)
Wellies are also good 2 years in a row i forgot these it gets muddy if you dont want to wreck trainers take them.
Take things like clothes and shows that you dont mind throwing in the trash at the end of the summer your not going to want them.!

do you reccomend shorts over long pants ???..... is it really hit over there??? and do you get sunburnt really quick??

i cant say i saw shorts over long pants when i was there... but im really fair and burnt a bit but if u jus keep re-applying you'll be fine-but yeah if u need to use cream use it! hurts lyk anything if you dont lol!!

I think depends on where you're going and where you come from. Being from the UK our summer's only ever get warm, I lived in my shorts for most of summer, cause I wasn't used to the heat/being outdoors all the time. Shorts are better in the rain too because skin dries faster than material...you may get muddy though

If I got back, I think I'll try and take my wellies as it got a bit icky, and I got jealous of womble's wellies. Failing that, learn to do 'the Twilight'...I did this funny dance/run thing when we had to go through mud, to avoid getting all gross, so some of the kids gave it a name, and kinda made fun of me for doing it, lol (I admit I would have looked silly). Yes, it was very wet that session.

Don't forget a raincoat!

hahah man i havent worn gumboots (wellies to you) in years, both mymum and my brother and my grnadma own a pair each but i hate them ... hahaha ...

Hah 'gumboots' I love it!! Theyre quite fashionable over here especially fomusic festivals!! What do the Americans call wellies?

:s i have no idea! haha

i think they call them gum boots and rain boots if I remember correctly.

hahha i just cant bring my self to imagine gumboots being fashionable .... ick hahaha

haha on the whole waht to take issue.....seriously hardly take anything.....the shops r so cheap oer there...i got so much stuff from old navy, rue 21, century 21, random cheap sportshops etc!!!!

hehe, kool ,,,,,, so nervous about placement!!!!

In terms of saving, how much money do you realistically need?I've been saving up £100 a month from my wages into an ISA ready to pay for the CA fees etc, so would have about £1000 by time camp comes around. I do have savings though, don't know whether I'll need to dip into it. don't want my parents to have to bail me out.

Also, is just taking cards and a bit of cash the best idea? Or travellers cheques?

Travellers cheques are the best option. Tbh you dont need much money at camp. It also depends on how they pay you if its weekly you def wont need too much money just have enought for travelling and hostels etc.
about £1000 will be plenty i went over with £400-500 and came back with about a £1000 still so you shld be fine!! [/code]