Found Out!

ALL OF THE STAFF AT CAMP HAVE FOUND OUT THAT I AM ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE WEBSITE. MATT ANNOUNCED IT TODAY AFTER LUNCH THAT A FAMOUS PERSON WAS HERE PRESENT, LOL! I HADN'T TOLD EVERYONE SO I THINK IT'S REALLY FUNNY THAT PEOPLE HAVE JUST STUMBLED UPON IT AND GOT A SURPRISE SEEING ME THERE ON THE FRONT PAGE!

SO NOW I HAVE TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE STAFF AT CAMP WASHINGTON (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) YAY! I WILL TRY AND MENTION EVERYONE IF I CAN.

SO THIS WEEK I HAVE ONLY BEEN IN ARTS AND CRAFTS ONCE A DAY, YAY! MY OTHER ACTIVITIES ARE OUTDOOR COOKING WITH KRISTEN (SHE CAN BUILD FIRES ) AND MICAI, FLAG FOOTBALL WITH DAVE (LEGEND - "HEY GUYS, LET'S JUST HAVE NO ORT!") AND BIFF-O-BALL WITH BRIANA. FLAG FOOTBALL IS VERY CONFUSING BUT WE HAVE FUN WITH IT ANYWAY. I ALSO MADE UP SOME KIND OF RUGBY/FOOTBALL GAME FOR A PROGRAM ON MONDAY NIGHT AND THE KIDS LOVED IT, LOL, SO WE PLAYED THAT TOO. BIFF-O-BALL IS COOL, IT'S BASICALLY JUST BASEBALL BUT THE KIDS GET TO DECORATE THEIR BATS WITH DUCT TAPE.

I CAN REVEAL THAT THE TOP SECRET PROGRAM LAST WEDNESDAY WAS 'COLLEGE DAY'! THE CAMP WAS SPLIT INTO 3 COLLEGES: MICHIGAN STATE (GREEN), KANSAS (BLUE) AND TEXAS (ORANGE) UNIVERSITIES AND THEY ALL COMPETED IN CHALLENGES LIKE TUG-O-WAR, RELAY RACES, BUCKET BRIGADE, ICE MELT, ARCHERY AND KNOCKOUT. THEY ALSO HAD TO COME UP WITH CHEERS, FLAGS AND DECORATE THE WHOLE CAMP THE NIGHT BEFORE. THE PLACE LOOKED AWESOME. AFTER A TOUGH DAY OF COMPETITION MICHIGAN STATE WON IT (YES CHERYL AND REECE - THEY DID IT FOR THE UK ), ALTHOUGH THERE WAS ONLY 1,500 POINTS SEPARATING THE 3. MY FAVE PART WAS WHEN THEY ALL CAME DOWN FOR THE PEP RALLY ON THE MORNING CHANTING THEIR SONGS ETC. KANSAS (HEY ALISON AND CONNOR) CAME DOWN WITH BILLY THEIR MASCOT ON TOP OF THE CAR! IT WAS AWESOME. THE TEXAS MASCOT (HEY IAN AND KRISTEN) WAS BESSIE THE COW. WELL DONE AGAIN CHIRS FOR ALL THE ORGANISATION FOR IT! I WAS THE OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER AND ALSO A JUDGE ALONGSIDE ANDREW, PAT, DIANE, MATT AND CHRIS.  

I HAVE SORTED MY AFTER CAMP TRAVEL NOW WHICH WILL BE A TREK ON 19TH SEPT DEPARTING NEW YORK AND FINISHING IN MIAMI AND DISNEYWORLD IS INCLUDED - SOOO EXCITED! AFTER CAMP I HAVE 4 WEEKS TO FILL VIA STAYING WITH SOME OF MY LOVELY FRIENDS FROM CAMP  AND POSSIBLY DOING SOME COUCH SURFING (I HAVE CHECKED IT OUT AND IT'S LEGIT DON'T WORRY). SO I WILL BE BACK HOME THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER. IT IS GOING TO BE SO WEIRD FINISHING CAMP AND GOING BACK INTO THE REAL WORLD. WE HONESTLY DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT IS GOING ON OUT THERE. IT FEELS LIKE IT SHOULD STILL BE JULY WHEN WE LEAVE, NOT NEARLY SEPTEMBER! THEN SOON IT WILL BE CHRISTMAS, ARGH!  

NEXT WEEK IS THEATRE WEEK AND I WILL BE WORKING ON COSTUMES. THE WEEK WILL END WITH THE PRODUCTION OF 'GODSPELL' ON SATURDAY AND THEN CAMP WILL BE FINISHED AND WE LEAVE THE FOLLOWING DAY!  SCARY THOUGHT. I AM SURE I WILL CRY!

TOMORROW I AM SNAP, CRACKLE AND POP FOR 'BREAKFAST: THE PROGRAM', LOL.

GOTTA GO, BRIANA WANTS THE COMPUTER!

XX

How time flies...

...WHEN YOU'RE HAVING FUN! I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 6 WEEKS ALREADY AND THAT THERE IS ONLY 3 WEEKS OF CAMP LEFT! WHERE DID THAT TIME GO?! IT'S GOING TO BE SCARY GOING BACK INTO THE REAL WORLD. I AM NOW TRYING TO SORT OUT MY AFTER CAMP TRAVEL. LOOKS LIKE I WILL BE DOING A TREK WITH A FEW WEEKS TO SPARE AFTER CAMP. HOPEFULLY I'LL HAVE SOME KIND OF PLAN BY THE END OF THE WEEK!

MY BIRTHDAY AT CAMP WAS AWESOME, I GOT LOTS OF HUGS, GOT SANG TO, GOT STUFF IN THE MAIL FROM HOME, HAD A LITTLE CAKE AND GOT A BANNER MADE FOR ME  AS IF I'M NOW 25!! IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE I'VE HIT SOME LANDMARK TYPE OF BIRTHDAY. 25 IS A QUARTER OF A CENTURY! OMG!

MIDDLE CAMP IS NOW IN IT'S 2ND WEEK WHICH IS KIDS AGED FROM 12-15 YEARS OLD. WE HAVE HAD ANOTHER STAYOVER WEEKEND WHICH WASN'T AS MAD AS THE LAST ONE. I FOUND LAST WEEK REALLY HARD WORK. I THINK IT WAS BECUASE IT WAS THE HALFWAY POINT AND NONE OF US REALLY GET A CHANCE TO RECHARGE OUR BATTERIES BEFORE THE NEXT LOT OF CAMPERS ARRIVE. I WAS SOOO TIRED! HOWEVER A HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK WAS GOING TO MOUNT TOM, ABOUT AN HOUR'S HIKE AWAY. THE HIKE WASN'T BAD AT ALL (AND I'M NOT ONE FOR HIKING) THE HEAT JUST MADE IT A LITTLE TIRESOME. WHEN WE GOT THERE THERE WAS A BEACH AND WE CHILLED OUT THERE AND ATE OUR PACKED LUNCHES. I THEN WENT UP A LITTLE FURTHER TO GO UP THE TOWER WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE AND WE GOT TO SEE SOME AMAZING VIEWS OF CONNECTICUT. MAINLY JUST LOTS AND LOTS OF GREENERY, BUT IT WAS REALLY PRETTY. MY LEGS ARE STILL ACHING A BIT FROM ALL THAT WALKING AND THAT WAS 2 DAYS AGO!!

THIS WEEK I AM GETTING TO SAMPLE NON ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITIES, YAY (I AM GETTING A BIT STIR CRAZY IN THERE I MUST ADMIT!). I AM DOING MUSICAL MADNESS AND WE ARE LEARNING THE SONG 'FOR GOOD' WHICH IS FROM THE MUSICAL WICKED. WE WILL BE PERFORMING IT AT THE TALENT SHOW ON THURSDAY AND HOPE TO MAKE EVERYONE CRY AS ALL THE MIDDLE CAMPERS GO HOME THE FOLLOWING DAY!

RIGHT NOW EVERYONE IS GETTING GEARED UP FOR A BIG EVENT THAT IS HAPPENING ALL DAY ON WEDNESDAY. IT'S SO TOP SECRET THAT I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT IT IS BUT IT DOES INVOLVE THE WHOLE CAMP COMPETING IN VARIOUS EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY (AND NIGHT). IT'S GOING TO BE SUCH GOOD FUN BUT ALSO EXTREMELY TIRING, LIKE WE HAVE BEEN TOLD WE PROBABLY WON'T BE GOING TO BED UNTIL 2AM AS WE NEED TO SET A LOT OF STUFF UP THE NIGHT BEFORE! GOOD JOB I SLEPT IN TIL 12PM ON MY DAY OFF ON SUNDAY  

ALSO, GO ME FOR BEING ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE CAMP AMERICA WEBSITE. I FEEL SO HONOURED! EVERYBODY CHECK ME OUT  

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW. PEACE OUT!

XXX

TIME OFF.....AT LAST!

YAY, I HAVE 24 HOURS OFF!! THAT MAY NOT SOUND LIKE A LONG ENOUGH TIME TO YOU ALL AND I WILL TELL YOU ALL THAT IT ISN'T LONG ENOUGH, BUT BELIEVE ME I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR IT AFTER THE LAST 7 DAYS OF CAMP! IT'S NON-STOP, I AM ON THE GO FROM ABOUT 7.15AM TO ABOUT 10.30PM AND MOSTLY ONLY SIT DOWN FOR MEALS. IT'S LIKE NOTHING I'VE EXPERIENCED BEFORE. BUT AS MUCH AS IT IS HARD WORK AND TIRING THERE ARE ALSO HUGE HIGHS AND SO MUCH FUN INVOLVED. I COULDN'T THINK OF ANYWHERE ELSE THAT I'D RATHER BE SPENDING MY SUMMER 

IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE UPDATED THIS. IN THAT TIME WE HAVE 3 DIFFERENT SETS OF KIDS. 1ST WAS KIDS CHOICE, THEN THERE WAS CHILDREN'S CAMP 1 WHERE I OFFERED 8 DIFFERENT ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITIES AND KIDS SIGNED UP FOR WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO WHEN THEY ARRIVED HERE (OTHER ACTIVITY AREAS ALSO DID THE SAME AND KIDS CHOOSE WHAT THEY LIKE BEST). CC1 FINISHED ON FRIDAY AND SOME KIDS WENT HOME. THE KIDS THAT STAYED WERE ON A STAYOVER WEEKEND (CRAZINESS AND SHORT STAFFED-NESS ENSUED) AND THE KIDS THAT HAVE ARRIVED TODAY PLUS THE KIDS THAT STAYED OVER ARE NOW HERE FOR CHILDREN'S CAMP 2. PHEW! NO WONDER I'M EXHAUSTED!

SO THE TYPE OF THINGS I'VE BEEN DOING ARE: STREET ART, PAPER CRAFT, DECOUPAGE, TIE DYE T-SHIRTS, PAPIER MACHE, WOOD CRAFT, CLAY, PAINTING AND DRAWING, FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS AND PHOTOGRAPHY. PHOTOGRAPHY IS REALLY COOL AND WE HAVE DONE SOME PHOTOGRAMS WHERE YOU PLACE DIFFERENT SHAPED OBJECTS ONTO PHOTO PAPER AND EXPOSE THEM. IT'S SOOO COOL WHEN THE PAPER IS PUT INTO THE CHEMICALS AND THE IMAGE APPEARS BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES!  

I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANISING A SPOOKY COUNSELLOR HUNT FOR SATURDAY NIGHT. I MADE THE THEME HALLOWEEN JUST BECAUSE I LOVE IT! I HAD 7 COUNSELLORS HIDING IN VARIOUS PLACES AROUND CAMP AND 6 GROUPS OF KIDS HAD TO ROAM ABOUT AND FIND THEM ALL. ONCE THEY FOUND ONE THEY WERE SET A MINI CHALLENGE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE A SIGNATURE. WHEN ALL WERE FOUND THE GAME WAS COMPLETE! I WAS REALLY PLEASED THAT IT ALL TURNED OUT WELL AS THAT WAS THE FIRST EVENING PROGRAM I HAVE HAD TO ORGANISE. THERE IS SO MUCH BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF THAT GOES ON TO CREATE THESE AMAZING PRGRAMS FOR THE KIDS. THEY DON'T EVEN REALISE!!

HAVE ALSO HAD MANY OTHER GREAT PROGRAMS SOME INVOLVING DRESSING UP (MY FAVE PAST TIME). THEY WERE SO GOOD I'M AFARID IT WOULD TAKE ME TOO LONG TO WRITE IT ALL DOWN, SORRY! TIME IS PRECIOUS AT CAMP!

LOOKING FORWARD TO MY BIRTHDAY NEXT WEEK. I HAVE RECEIVED ONE CARD ALREADY THROUGH THE POST AND HOPE TO GET SOME MORE SOON. IT'S REALLY EXCITING GOING INTO THE LOG CABIN TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY MAIL IN YOUR BOX  WE ARE ALSO DOING A KIND OF SECRET SANTA THING CALLED IDDY BIDDY BUDDIES WHERE EVERYONE PICKS SOMEONES NAME OUT OF A HAT AND WE ALL HAVE $10 TO SPEND ON THAT PERSON AND DO NICE THINGS FOR WITHOUT THEM KNOWING WHO DID IT. I GOT A CD OFF MY IBB WITH MARY POPPINS, GLEE AND DIRTY DANCING SONGS ON AS WELL AS SOME ENGLISH TYPE OF SONGS LIKE THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AND CANDLE IN THE WIND. IT MADE ME SO HAPPY AND MADE SWEEPING UP ARTS AND CRAFTS A WHOLE LOT MORE PLEASANT!! WE FILLED IN A CHART SO EVERYONE ELSE KNOWS WHAT KIND OF STUFF EACH OTHER LIKES.

OH YEAH, AND WE ARE BACK TO SCORCHING HOT WEATHER AGAIN! I HAVE A BIT OF A RANDOM TAN. MY ARMS ARE THE MOST TANNED!

WELL GOTTA GO AND GET SOME SLEEP NOW ME THINKS. WILL UPDATE AGAIN SOON :)

XXX

4th of July

WELL, STAFF WEEK IS OVER AS OF SATURDAY MORNING AND WE GET THE WEEKEND OFF - WOOO! HAD A LOVELY SLEEP IN THIS MORNING  BACK AT WORK ON MONDAY AT 10AM AND THE FIRST LOT OF CAMPERS WILL ARRIVE MONDAY AT 2PM. THE FIRST WEEK IS KIDS CHOICE (SOME KIDS ARE SPECIALISING IN ARTS AND CRAFTS), MINI CAMP (THE YOUNGER KIDS) AND PEE WEE AND PARENTS (THE KIDS COME WITH ONE PARENT). THERE WILL BE UNDER 50 KIDS THIS FIRST WEEK AS OPPOSED TO THE NORMAL CAPACITY OF 96. SHOULD EASE ME IN GENTLY THEN!!

THINGS WE LEARNT IN STAFF WEEK WERE SAFE CHURCH (CHILD PROTECTION), GAMES, ROLE PLAYS ON BULLYING ETC, CABIN LIFE, CHRISTIAN EDUCATION, ARCHERY (I AM NOW A CERTIFIED ARCHERY INSTRUCTOR! ) AND WE HAD A MOCK DAY WHERE I GOT MY CLASS OF STAFF TO MAKE BANNERS TO DECORATE THE CABINS FOR THE KIDS ARRIVAL. WAS A GREAT WEEK BUT ALSO QUITE TIRING.

HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF CHILLY DAYS EVEN THOUGH THE SUN WAS OUT BUT NOW WE ARE BACK TO IT BEING BOILING AGAIN.

ON OUR CABIN NIGHT ON FRIDAY NIGHT THE GIRLS AND BOYS SEPARATED TO THEIR OWN CAMPFIRES AND BUILT A FIRE. OURS GOT QUITE BIG AND IT WAS SO HOT TO STAND NEXT TO. WE HAD S'MORES AND PLAYED SOME GET TO KNOW YOU GAMES THEN PUT CHARCOAL ON OUR FACES WHEN WE CAMP BACK TO TOP CAMP. PASSED THE BOYS ON THE WAY WHO WERE PLAYING SOME KIND OF 'WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN' GAME - DOING SQUATS WITH HUGE STICKS ON THEIR BACKS, LOL! WHILE WE WERE AT THE CAMPFIRE WE HEARD THEM SHOUTING RANDOM THINGS SO AS A GROUP WE ALL SHOUTED BACK AND WAITED FOR A RESPONSE. IT WAS FUN

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO EXPERIENCING MY VERY FIRST 4TH OF JULY BEING IN AMERICA TODAY!

XX

P.S. I'M ABOUT TO PUT SOME PHOTOS ON - CHECK THEM OUT  

Rain!

I'VE HAD MY FIRST TASTE OF AN AMERICAN THUNDERSTORM. SUDDENLY IT GOES OVERCAST, HEAR ROLLS OF THUNDER, SEE LIGHTNING AND THE HEAVENS OPEN. THEN JUST AS QUICKY AS IT COMES IT'S GONE AGAIN AND THE SUN COMES OUT! I EVEN HEARD A TORNADO WARNING ON THE RADIO TODAY (NOT FOR NEAR WHERE I AM THOUGH THANK GOODNESS) - IT WENT ALL CRACKLY THEN THERE WAS AN ANNOUNCEMENT TELLING PEOPLE TO GET IN THEIR BASEMENTS ETC, WAS QUITE WEIRD!

I PULLED OUT OF THE LIFEGUARDING TRAINING AS WE HAD TO SWIM 24 LENGTHS OF PART OF THE LAKE JUST TO GET ON THE COURSE AND THERE WAS NO WAY I COULD HAVE MANAGED THAT - I'M NOT A VERY STRONG SWIMMER. EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN DOING THE TRAINING TODAY ALL LOOK SHATTERED NOW AND THAT'S NOT EVEN THE END OF IT! INSTEAD I HAVE BEEN REFRESHING THE ARTS AND CRAFTS HUT BY PAINTING A FEW WALLS ETC AND SETTING UP LESSON PLANS FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF CAMP. I'M A BIT APPREHENSIVE AS I DON'T QUITE KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT BUT I'M SURE I'LL LOVE IT ONCE I GET INTO THE SWING OF THINGS  

CPR TRAINING WILL START ON SATURDAY FOR ME AND THE REST OF THE STAFF WILL ARRIVE THEN OR ON SUNDAY - THEN IT'S STAFF TRAINING WEEK.

BEEN ON A TRIP TO WALMART TO GET CAMP SUPPLIES AND THINGS FOR OURSELVES. I GOT A US PHONE AS THERE IS NO SIGNAL AT CAMP ON MY UK ONE. IT WAS A BIT LIKE SUPERMARKET SWEEP AS WE ONLY HAD 45 MINS TO TROLLEY DASH AROUND THE STORE! I GOT MOST OF THE THINGS I WANTED THOUGH.

SAW A SKUNK FOR THE FIRST TIME ON CAMP. IT WAS OUT TOO EARLY THOUGH SO THAT WAS STRANGE. IT LOOKED LIKE A RABBIT FROM THE DISTANCE TODDLING ABOUT ON THE GRASS!

XX

CAMP

WELL, I'VE BEEN AT CAMP FOR A FEW DAYS NOW AND SETTLING IN WELL. THE PEOPLE ARE REALLY FRIENDLY AND FUNNY. WE ARE SLOWLY GETTING CAMP READY FOR WHEN THE KIDS ARRIVE ON 5TH JULY. HAD OUR FIRST MEETING TODAY TO PLAN THE ACTIVITIES, WAS INTERESTING. MY ARTS AND CRAFTS BUILDING IS AWESOME - IT HAS EVERYTHING YOU CAN POSSIBLY THINK OF. TOGETHER WITH MY ORDER AND WHAT WAS ALREADY THERE, WE HAVE ENOUGHT BEADS TO LAST THE NEXT 10 YEARS I THINK!!

THE WEATHER IS GLORIOUS AND CONNECTICUT IS BEAUTIFUL. LOTS OF GREENERY. BEEN SPENDING SOME TIME AT THE WATERFRONT AT CAMP WHICH IS LOVELY AND PEACEFUL AT THE MOMENT. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT WHEN THE KIDS ARRIVE BUT EQUALLY GOOD.

BEEN LEARNING A FEW CAMP SONGS AND GAMES. ONE CALLED SNAPS WHICH IS AN EXCLUSION GAME. I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT WORKS! BIG BOOTY SONG IS ALSO A GOOD ONE. LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING SOME MORE.

ON WAY TO CAMP WE STOPPED OFF IN TIMES SQ (I SAW THE BUBBA GUMP PLACE, NIKI, LOL), WHICH WAS AWESOME AND SINCE BEING HERE HAVE BEEN TO AN ICE CREAM PARLOUR, MOVIE AND SOMEONE'S 21ST BIRTHDAY PARTY IN THEIR BACK GARDEN!

SHOULD BE LEARNING PHOTOGRPAHY AND DARK ROOM SOON AS PART OF ARTS AND CRAFTS WHICH I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO.

ALL IN ALL, I'M HAVING A BALL!

I WILL BLOG AGAIN SOON, SO KEEP CHECKING BACK.

XXX 

Packing!

I can't believe it's only 2 more sleeps til I fly to Americaaaaaa! It was my last day at work yesterday and I didn't cry until like 10 past 5 as I was soo busy handing over! I'm really sorry to leave all the lovely people I work with. I've got so many nice cards and leaving gifts off work and family and friends, I've been really overwhelmed by it all  

Started my packing today and it's going OK even though I'm obsessing whether I'm taking enough clothes and shoes, lol.

I will keep my blog updated throughout my American Adventure so please check back again soon!

I'm EXCITED!!!

xx