End of My Summer Adventures

Well the summer is now over, after spending the 4th September at the museum of New York and then having a picnic at Central Park I got the supershuttle and boarded my plane back to Heathrow. Not really much to say about the journey home! The films weren't very good but the food was good and I made friends with the airhostesses so hung out for a chat at the back for a bit. Most of the plane were Camp America participants. Got through Heathrow okay, the IRIS thing is brilliant and saved me so much time waiting in line (basically you go up and look at a computer screen and they open the doors and let you out! You need to register first though!). Was collected at the airport and then drove home to see everyone and have a disasterous time uploading photos.

So yeah my summer is over and I had a fantastic time, although it has been a bit of a disappointment with my photos, but it could have been worse so I should be grateful for that!

I'll see everyone soon!

Our Cabaña over :(

Well we went to las Mañanitas which was very nice and very posh so was a great evening! I had this veggie Mexican Platter thing - was really good. I can´t explain the experience very well so you´ll have to see the photos!

Then we went to Taxco and spent the whole of the morning and part of the afternoon looking at Silver in jewellery shops. That afternoon I spent catching up with half completed crafts, my log book page and scorpian challenge.

Then yesterday I got very messy painting walls at the community centre for VAMOS, the group we had worked with earlier in the week. I think I possibly came back messiest because I had the silly idea of sitting on an already painted ledge to paint higher up!

Yesterday afternoon was spent packing and doing all sorts of little bits and bobs. Then it was the fiesta where we had a piñata, live music and a slideshow of lots of pictures they had taken during the session. It was tears all round as everyone had had such a good time!

This morning we got up and left Our Cabaña to go to the airport or Mexico city and I was sad to say bye to the staff (who have been absolutely fantastic!!!) and some of the international groups. This afternoon I got to hang around with the Yorkshire group who have been so nice to me all session and spend the day around the main square on Mexico City and look in the Cathedral. Then they had to go and catch their flight so there was yet another tearful goodbye and I was left at Ticalli feeling very alone as the only person there. But then Emma (one of the Cabaña staff) turned up so we went for dinner and watched a DVD before I came on here to battle with my camera and she went to bed.

So yeah it´s a day of Mexico city sightseeing tomorrow, then to NY on Sunday, not long left now until I go home - 4 full days, which is so strange - I have a room to myself tonight which is strange as I´ve shared for the last 12 weeks with 9 other people for the majority of the time. Anyway I think that´s about it so I better go to bed!

x

Elaine - I look forward to Brownie planning together then when I get back - have got loads of ideas. See you on the 10th definitely, wouldn´t miss it for the world!

Ganet - Still miss you! You had better come and see me in Aber whilst it is still sunny! I haven´t forgotton your Fritos.

Heather - I traded the goat for a piglet.

Meg - I ate your Reese´s peices! (Did I tell you that already?) Don`t worry I`ll get some more.

Emma - Hope you´re okay as you haven´t replied - hugs!!!

Rebecca - I want to come and bounce in York. I miss you! x

Ste - Will reply to e-mail mañana but most things are on here anyway...

Cat - I will help for fresher´s fayre if not too tied up by SSAGO and Headway

Anyone I missed I love you lots like Jelly Tots xxx

Mexico so far!

Has been very busy!

On the first full day we did a variety of getting to know the Cabana activities and crafts and prepared for our community project doing activities about the rights of the child with local children from the organisation VAMOS.

We carried out these projects on Saturday morning and it was such a  worthwhile and brilliant morning. All the projects complimented each other beautifully and the kids had a really good time. I did beaded bracelets for the right to be me where they selected 5 beads dependant on the answers to the questions I set and so they weren't choosing by colour but the reason behind it.

This was then followed by lunch with them and just playing games which was fab. That evening we had a campfire where I led the songs 'you'll never get to heaven' and did the skit 'Candy Shop' which everyone loved!

On Sunday we went to the Cathedral and craft markets at Tepoztlan, which was very interesting and we also went to an Ice Cream place with 100+ flavours, in the afternoon we went to the local pyramids, prepared for the service project for the Dia del Abuelo (OAP day) and had a Salsa lesson!!!

TBC...

Last Blog before MEXICO!!!

Hey well I'm being collected at 2am tomorrow for my flight to Mexico, so far everything looks on schedule and to plan, the hurricane looks set to avoid us and die out so fingers crossed. But nervous but once I get to Ticalli, the guide hostel I'm being collected from I'm sure it'll be okay, just a bit worried about getting there but have done as much as I can so it should be okay.

Today I had a spa day, went for a massage at the Hyatt hotel and then stayed and enjoyed the pool and steam room etc, other than that I just chilled out and watched a load of TV.

Not sure how much internet access I'll have in Mexico - possibly none so I'll post again in New York. I'll be home 2 weeks today guys!!!

xxx

Monuments & Ice Cream - Whoot!

Well today I went and saw almost all the monuments which was cool - I went up the Washington Monument as planned and it coincided nicely with the opportunity to have a guided walking tour down which was more interesting than being at the top! There were plaques on the inside and all sorts!

Then I went to a restaurant in the Scupture garden and had posh pizza (pesto and 3 cheese) and was bugged by a waiter who offered to refill my drink just as I sat down, then told me what to do when the buzzer I had been given went off and asked me how my pizza was as soon as I took the first bite! He then leant against a table and started talking to me, so I did everything I could to look busy and he finally asked whether he was being too in my face and I said YES! He was so irritating! Pizza was good though!

I then went to the National Art Gallery, then the Natural History Museum and then started walking home, desperate to find a Maggie Moos Ice Cream Place - YUM! In my quest I found the bookstore I had been looking for, the Indian restaurant, the cinema, 5 starbucks on ONE block and the Old Post Office within which I detoured to go up the tower (cool) and then I gave up, then suddenly spotted it across the street! Then they didn't have the right flavours (boo) so I had to settle for strawberries and cheesecake Ice Cream, which was actually pretty nice (and huuuge).

So yeah had a good day again - Off to the Spy and the Space and Air Museums tomorrow - whoot!

x

HIDC - Camp Greentop but nicer!

Well I finished Camp today - with mixed emotions - wasn't sure whether to be excited or cry! The last few days have been a bit ergh just because everyone was done at the end of session 5 so couldn't be bothered, especially after two 12 day sessions. Also we all knew it had been added on at the last minute so yeah! Our cabin was pretty easy in the day but the twins wouldn't sleep at night so that made it very tiring. Also Gabby left last night (sob), Aaron had his night off and didn't get back till 6am from dropping Elizabeth at the airport so I didn't feel like disturbing him until his night off was officially over at 8am and then Anjulie threw up a couple of times leaving just me to get ready and pack 5 campers, including showering one and spending 10 minutes in the bathroom with another as part of his bathroom schedule all before 8am when the bags had to be out for collection. I started early though (got up at 6:10, started getting campers ready at 6:40) and just about managed it in time!

So with all the campers gone and the site cleared up we had our banquet provided by outside caterers, which was okay but left us all feeling stuffed, then we had our slideshow and core value award winners and then said goodbye and left. (Our staff gift was a pint glass - how impractical for travelling afterward - so I left mine with Anjulie!) Anjulie and I chugged through slow traffic and she kindly left me at a Metro station - thank goodness I'd been to DC on a break as the metro is pretty simple - once you've used it a couple of times! It was nice to feel slightly less like a sore thumb with my backpacks as I worked my way through the station as fast as the other commuters.

Arrived at the hostel which is pretty nice - has everything you need - good kitchen facilities with people cooking REAL food, TV, internet, decent bathrooms where you can have naked showers rather than having to share like at camp(!) and pretty good rooms - mine is for 10 people but is divided up with walls so it has 1 bunkbead per division, so slightly more private. Hopefully it'll be okay noise wise - esp as I've got used to noise and can block it out provided I'm not on duty! Went to find a shop so I could get a lock for the locker so I now know where I can get food 24/7. I got one of those twirly locks which I can now suddenly open after 10 weeks of struggling at camp - somehow reading the instructions makes it easier than being told 30 million times by the americans and then giving up and squeezing my arm into the cupboard at camp to get a new roll of toilet roll!

Tomorrow I'm off to see the pandas at the zoo, go to the Eastern Market and the Capitol Building and Thomas Jefferson building and then the Holocaust museum, then Sunday is my landmark day and Monday my museum day then Tuesday and Wednesday my chill out days although not sure what I am doing then, apart from going to the Vegetarian Indian Restaurant around the corner! MMMMM Perfect location food wise - my two favourite food types in one place!

Anyway better go as this is costing me 10 cents a minutes and I've brought 100 minutes and already used 25 of them!

Ganet - I love you lots hope cleaning your house goes okay and yes I will phone you the second I get back on the 4th - however it's not likely to be the second cos my phone won't charge! Mmm fritos - but they are very salty!

Meg - I have Reeses Pieces!

Heather - Are you the only one at home or is Lizz and Dad? (Please pass on note below)

Dad - Thinking of changing some of my money INTO travellers cheques for security - what do you reckon? Got paid $600 more than I was expecting - so actually made a profit!

Kat/Lizz - Whoever isn't having lucky charms - one of the twins broke into your present so I'll have to buy a new one but it is very yummy :)

Love to allllllllllllll!

xxx

Nearly at the end of session 5!

Last full day of session 5 today - so pleased - our pretty good cabin got pretty nightmarish with one camper keep attacking us and no amount of rewards or taking stuff away has changed his behaviour!

Our 1-1 camper has improved a lot and is now pretty good, but one of the others is so rude - can't wait to get rid of them now!

Camp life is pretty much the same as usual except we take it in turns to take care of the 1-1. Am going camping over the 1&1/2 day break which should be good - just at the camp ground at the bottom of the mountain, not far but more accesible to the local area! Also we get a free night as the guy who owns it said we could.

Finish camp in total a week tomorrow. Our cabin for next session doesn't look too bad but then it is only 6 days anyway so doesn't really matter. Am looking forward to going to DC and have some stuff planned but a bit worried as I think I am going to find it weird being by myself when I've spent 10 weeks around other people 24/7.

Anyway lots of love to all. Looking forward to seeing everyone again when I am back in September.

Jennifer xxx

PS If you are going to send any letters it may not be wise to post them after Saturday as it won't make it here. You could send them to Our Cabana where I will be from the 23rd -31st, just look up ourcabana.org or something and you should find the address on a guide site.

DC and Adult Camp 1

So as I have been told by several people I haven't updated this for a while, which is because I've been crazily busy!

So session 2 finished and we sent the nightmares, and the really cute ones home. Justin, one of our nightmares cried because he didn't want to leave - amazing considering the chaos he made!

After we had finished we left for DC for our break - there were about 43 of us in 3 vans and we stayed at a holiday inn near Georgetown one of the areas of DC. The first evening we went out for ice cream and a swim in the hotel pool and generally enjoyed the luxury of a real bed and a private bathroom! The second day we split into groups and headed for the mall, where all the action was. We saw the July 4th parade and took part in all the celebrations. I also got a HUGE free starbucks smoothie as on my night off we went to starbucks and my drink was all of about a minute late because they'd forgotton about it and so they gave me a voucher for pretty much no reason! In the evening we watched the fireworks over DC, which were good but not as impressive as I had expected them to be. The next day we went shopping at Pentagon City and drove back to Camp.

The third session started bright and early on the 6th July with the arrival of our adult campers. I was supposed to be just a floating counselor who would get a cabin assigned to me each day, but then we found that Chris who works with the Work Experience Assistants, had broken his foot trying to scare someone, so Phill, head of Day Camp who helps with the WEAs in the evening had to take over and so I was put in as head of Day Camp, which was quite cool but not as impressive as it sounds when you realise we only had 3 campers in Day Camp this session!

Anyway so I spent the first day checking people in at the Health Centre as the Day Campers arrive on the first full day, and coming up with ideas for day camp, as we had 23 slots to full due to the fact day camp was being run differently whilst in an adult session.

My 3 day campers arrived on day 2 and we did a variety of activities and went off site to the park for a while. The group were boys, aged 7, 8 and 9 and were generally fairly good, although when they wanted to be could be complete terrors. Other activities we did this week were more exciting as we joined up with league pioneers who camp down the road for some of them, this meant we went canoeing, did archery, went to the zoo, and went riding twice. We also did tonnes of independant activities, including firebuilding and tentbuilding, which made me miss summer camping!!!

Anyway it was alot of work organising it all, but I enjoyed doing it and it certainly made me feel more positive about day camp than my experiences in session 1. I also had to do the session summaries for the campers which is basically a 2 page thing about what we have done and the camper's achievements, so I had 3 of them to do, but I got them all in early and checked and so my friend Melissa who works in the office was pleased as it was less hassle for her! (I helped her on the last night of the session sort and file session summaries for the campers leaving packs, it is a right nuisance when someone is late handing them in!!!)

Also this week I got to go on one of the trips that was run as part of adult camp (we don't have trips during youth camp, but do for adults, all sorts from pizza hut to the racetrack to the bar, to fishing to tubing and so thats cool - I REALLY REALLY want to go white water rafting next session!) anyway yeah I went to the OTT bar, which was nice and a lot less work than I expected it to be! I'm hoping to go on as many trips as possible this session - I would really love to see a baseball game and go rafting! There is a lot of loading up as we have about half our campers in wheelchairs in adult session so you have to strap them all down in the van, but once you are there it is brill.

Anyway I can't really think of much to say as this week flew by! Next session won't go so fast as it is a 12 day session - arghh!!! It is adults again and so at least we have the trips, after that is another kids one for 12 days and then a 6 day kids one which will go so fast!

So yeah I'm having a good time, the weather is nice - although sometimes very hot and humid - it reached 110F the other day - not sure how hot that is in C?

I think I'm up to date with posting letters to everyone, so if anyone sends me anything else I promise I'll reply! Rebecca - your letter should finally be in the post the day after tomorrow, as the office is closed at the moment.

Anyway better go! Lots of love,

PS - Hope everyone got what they wanted in their exams - I was really happy with mine and apparently I've one some sort of award which hopefully means money! (According to Cat anyway :P)

PPS - Off to Hershey Park tomorrow - YAY!!! (It's a theme park)

C1 Continued!

Hey hey hey!

Life in C1 is going well - 4 days down 2 to go! We have a nightmare camper who uses everywhere as a toilet and we are constantly cleaning up after him but the others are okay. We are getting lots of exercise as 3 of the 6 are runners and so we are constantly having to take off after them. Mainly they are severely autistic.

The session is going a lot better than last session to the extent where I may say I am actually enjoying it! It's hard work of course but nice.

I am having problems charging my phone so even if I do ever get signal I won't have my phone on, however one of my friends left and so she left the phone she brought which is American so once I get the charger then I will send the number out.

Anyway I'm over my time and being hypocritical so I'll post soon :)

What I've been up to!

So I've finished my first session of camp and it's been great, although I have hated it at times. The kids have been great and some of the kids have been amazing, especially one called Joy who was a  complete angel and you can't wipe the smile off her face! I was very sad to see her go and she wasn't even in my cabin! At day camp we had 7 kids, 3 girls and 4 boys, mostly they had autism in varying degrees, but one of the boys had Cerebral Palsy. They all needed varying degrees of support, right down to changing and feeding them. I loved the kids although one of them got sent home with a fever one day and it was obvious she was still ill the next 2 days as she was ever so whiny but we couldn't do much about it.

The guys I worked with were nice enough but because I volunteered to do stuff at the beginning I ended up being dumped with a lot of the group leader's work, which became a problem. Because of this I asked for the leadership team to switch me to a cabin for the next session as I think it needs someone new to go in, in my place, in order for the guys to take their roles seriously, don't get me wrong they are nice guys and we get on and they are hard working when they want to be, but I ended up doing a lot of work through a combination of factors and that wasn't right and not what I'm being paid for. I certainly didn't hate day camp but I am rather relieved to be swapped out of it! Next session I am in cabin C1 with boys aged between 10 and 13. I am looking forward to it, but slightly aprehensive because I haven't worked with boys much before. I am prepared for the hard work and chaos that being in a cabin brings though, as this session I helped with the cabin B2 which were young girls and it was hard work, but great fun and very rewarding. Being in a cabin this session means that I probably will be for the rest of the summer, which means sessions 3 & 4 I will be helping with adults as the sessions run as 1&6-youths, 2&5-youths and adults, 3& 4-adults, which I am less excited about, but then the way the session is run is far more relaxed which means the flip side is that it should be more fun in that respect, our role is rather different too. Also it means I will eligible to go on trips too, which are ran in adult sessions - there is a white water rafting one, so fingers crossed on going on that one session!

Ummm so other things about camp - I have been helping with evening programme, which has been fun, I organised a wacky race evening. We had a powercut for about 18 hours, fortunately overnight, but meant we couldn't shower for 2 days, as the first day it was cold as no power was heating it and then the second day it was requested that we didn't shower to help with them restoring power to the rest of the mountain, as we had it up and running as a priority, due to the nature of the people we serve. We alse have had several medical emergencies with ambulances, one of which was one of my good friends here who had an allergic reaction and for a while it was uncertain whether she would be able to stay, but she can so that is great and hopefully they will work out what caused it tomorrow!

Yesterday morning the campers went home so I have stayed at camp to relax, although I am planning to go to DC for my next break over the 4th July! I didn't see much point in spending money to go and sleep elsewhere when I could do that here! Yesterday we went to Tacobell for lunch, then shopping for food at Walmart, played volleyball and watched a film in the evening, today we went to Gettysberg for Ice Cream and shopping and then to Pizza Hut on the way home. I brought 2 tops ($15 for the pair), fudge and a surprise for either Kat or Lizz, dependent on who wanted Lucky Charms bringing back (as the other person will get the surprise)? The first person who e-mails me will get first dibs! Heather - you didn't want lucky charms did you? I think it was those two? Anyway have had a great day - enjoying my time off and looking forward to going to bed and reading once I have finished my letters.

The first week has been great - I've had times when I thought I wouldn't manage the first week - but now I know that I've done one session and only have 5 to go I feel much more confident - at the time it felt like it was going so slowly, but then looking back it has gone so fast!

Anyway I love everyone lots and lots and look forward to seeing you all soon. I am flying back on the 4th September, as my flight is now confirmed, so hope to see people asap after that!

xxxxxx

PS - 8th-11th February 2008 - Penparcau Pack Holiday in Birmingham!!! Booked and transport costs at least partially covered!

Janet - what crisps did you want again? Could you e-mail me the name?
Meg - have got your Reeses pieces - hope they don't melt!