Over half way thru camp...
4:59 PM
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22-Jul-2008
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But not America!
So the weekend was parents weekend... i.e. weekend off! I went to NY on Saturday morning, things happened to stress me out as I arrived and had to book into a hotel I wasnt planning on staying at and left me poorer than I wanted to be!! Anyways, in the evening I went to see Rent and it was amazing (memo to self: must facebook my mate and brag about it!) I left the hotel first thing Sunday morning with a very red, very sore, very painful right eye and got a train back to camp and then the kids came back. So all in all, although it was a weekend off, I didn't do much apart from walk, get sore feet and a sore eye!! Rest was kept for my day off yesterday although my plan not to spend money fell through and I went to a strange diner in a ghost town then to a cinema in the same town which seemed to have the population of America trying to get in there!! It was random...
So its a Tuesday which means Im the runner today. We have new schedules/rotas/timetables etc as we're just over half way through now. Less than three weeks left - and for my homesick kid I even worked out how many hours he had left though that has escaped me now. Need to start thinking about the end of camp talent show.............
30 postings and counting....
4:11 PM
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16-Jul-2008
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So yeah.... unfortunately I'm not best pleased :( Basically my co-counselor with the junior boys is swapping with another counselor. I can see where both are coming from as the one coming to join me is finding being with the older kids difficult and the one I'm currently with wants to help more with the older kids, but at the same time it means I lose a really good team mate/colleague and have to rebuild the team of 2. It'll be difficult next week, especially as my day off will be his first day with my boys, but I guess I'll have to deal with it and accept it and use it as a challenge. Already I have some reward things (too much super nanny!) starting next week as some of the boys are developing little habits which we could do without. I'll have to use next week as a refresh for the last three weeks of camp.Its strange to think that in exactly a month I go to LA and then a month tomorrow I start my trek. After a tough few days its helping me get through the days and I know it'll all get better here at camp. If I wasn't having tough times then I'd be doing something wrong!!! They also make the good times so much better. Anyways, I've had enough of the negative stuff.... CA - please change my pic!! hehehe The day after one of those days....
2:13 PM
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16-Jul-2008
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Feel bad for having a negative blogging session yesterday!! Anyways, it all got better and I had lots of sleep and I feel all refreshed now. Still can't wait for the weekend though.... hehehehehe. My boys are at the lake this afternoon without me so I'll be helping with the middler boys this afternoon and then after dinner have a chance to chill out for an hour before they come back. I really do enjoy camp by the way, but the time off is fantastic!! lol.
Can I have my pic changed on the front page please Camp America?!?!?!?!?!!! I've uploaded some photos from camp on here.... feel free to use them!!
One of those days....
4:51 PM
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15-Jul-2008
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My days off are Mondays which is good cos it gives me time to get over the weekend trips, only problem is is that I don't rest on Mondays but go do something big which means long weekends of business which means that on Tuesdays I'm so tired!! Luckily on Tuesdays I'm the runner so not going to activities in the morning, but instead i sit in the faculty office and that can get boring. Anyways its just turning into one of those days that things happen that I dont want to and it gets to me. Im quite good at putting an act on for the kids so they don't realise but I'm just so tired today!!!
Its parents weekend this weekend which means a weekend off, so going to NY for the weekend. Seeing the show RENT on Saturday night which is great as it closes while Im traveling and really wanna see it. Deffinatly using Monday next week as a rest day cos I really do need it....
Being English on July 4th!
11:47 AM
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9-Jul-2008
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Friday was July 4th - Independence Day. Camp was as normal, the kids had tutoring and activities and we did all the usual stuff. There wasn't even any tacky decorations up which I was hoping for!! In the evening we went on the friday evening trip (again as normal) but to see some fireworks at a show-ground an hour or so away. The fireworks were sadly a bit disappointing and somethings had happened to not help lift the mood (kids playing up, that kinda thing) however thanks to one camper in particular my mood lifted and he made me buy this big flashing mug full of slushy and enjoy the night.
So being English on July 4th is an interesting experience. At breakfast one kid jokingly told me to get out for being English and I had a kid in arts and crafts who made an 'anti-English' poking stick!! At the fireworks, apparently, there were loads of rednecks and so a couple of the boys kept shouting BRITISH at me!
Over the weekend we had a couple of trips - one to a theme park, another to a water park. Both were good days out. I was dreading having to look after the kids but us counselors all worked well together and so had a relatively pain free couple of trips. Monday was my second day off. My first I went to NY, this time I had planned to stay on camp to tidy my room, get my journal up to date and to write some letters.... but ended up going shopping and buying a Nintendo DS with the other 2 counselors with days off!!!
Today I've ordered my camp hoody!!! Good times. Just come back from Archery which was fun and my tan is developing.... all the important things.
And please.... send me CADBURYS and PG Tips!!! (and I'm glad Im not the only phantom clothes thingy-ma-chigy sufferer out there!)
Woah!! Number 26....
2:14 PM
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1-Jul-2008
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I had my first day off yesterday (the kids only came on Friday!!) and spent the day in New York. I bought a ticket to see Rent in my weekend off in a few weeks first and then spent time doing things with the other 2 counselors I went with. Was a really good day - so tiring tho. I also got to play on the big piano in that toy shop that Tom Hanks got to play on in the film 'Big'!!! I'll upload some pics on here when I have a chance (tho could do that today as kinda having another kinda day off cos I'm the runner for the nurse!)
Also - I have a whistle hanging round my neck - makes me feel very important and I'm suffering from a serious illness called 'Phantom Sunglasses' where you can feel them on your head all the time even if they're not there!!! Anyone know the cure??
Anyways I had better go take another sick child to the nurse who's been waiting the last half hour while I type.... (joke!! tho I'm coming off to let our poorly counselor come on!)
Kids are here!
2:09 PM
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28-Jun-2008
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So the kids have arrived!! Finally. lol
I have the juniors - a great little group of boys who are really good and calm etc. Very glad right now that I didnt get the middlers as there is such a huge jump in size and behavior. So yesterday was long and tiring and the kids were excited and were getting to know each other. Im sure they enjoyed it more than us!! Right now the kids are in testing ready for their tutoring and then Im taking them to the pond, then hiking and then to the ice cream place!! I wanna skip straight to the ice cream tho.
Ooooo a bit of an edit....
11:07 PM
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25-Jun-2008
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Sooooo Im not with the middlers after all.... but with the juniors!! VERY happy :D
Almost time for the kids...
9:30 AM
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25-Jun-2008
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For the last week and a half I have been at camp. As I've said before the camp is a bit like a summer school so most the camp prep has been for the tutors so far. So us counselors have been completing the American Red Cross lifesaving course. It kicked off with a thirty length swim that was so exhausting and then moved onto first aid (getting our own resussitation masks!), rescuing people out of the pool and learning how to use spinal boards safely. Its all really useful stuff but I hope that these skills just become usesless skilss as I hope I don't have to use them.As well as all that I've also been trying my best to drive a yellow school bus without taking it off the road (so far so good, tho been close to some mailboxes...) and the big cars the camp have (the suburbans). Still trying to get the counselors to sing 'Hail to the Bus Driver' to me when I drive it.... We went to the mall the other night and spent lots of time in Old Navy (aka American Primark/Peacocks but with more variety!) and went to see 'Get Smart' at the cinema. Really good film - but not as good as 'Camp Rock' which myself and two other fully grown males sat down and watched the other night. Its in the same vein as High School Musical - but better! Also been to the lake. Its HUGE. Its not at our camp, and not even in the same state as our camp but just across the border in CT. Its the lake where Kate Winslet has a little house and she hangs out there with Cameron Diaz and another actress over the summer - maybe I'll see her!! At the lake I tried to waterski. The big emphasis on the 'tried'. I almost stood up, managed to push myself into position but then couldnt carry on standing!! That was on Saturday and today is Tuesday and I am still aching from it!! Yesterday was probably the first full day we've had that was about camp. The morning was about rules and the schedules then after lunch we met a camper who will be here over the summer who has sevre diabetes and has to use a pump to ensure he has insulin etc. It was really interesting meeting one of the campers and finding out some stuff about them. His mum (or should I say mom) also came and hammered in to us how important this camp is for the kids and how it can change their lives which when you hear from the director doesn't mean much but when you hear from a parent it really makes you appriciate it more. I also found out what age group I'll be responsable for. I'll be with the middlers along with two of the counselors. Although I really wanted the juniors, I'm just glad I wasn't but with the seniors! We have our own rooms in the dorms and the room I'm currently in will be a senior's room so I'm moving up stairs to be on my middler's dorm. Think I'm moving later today. Tonight we've got a whole staff party (counselors, tutors and the whole shabang) hosted by Diana King - the founder of the camp. She founded the camp 54(?) years ago and helped to develop the techniques the camp (and the school where the camp is based) as well as practitioners around the world, use to help dyslexic children learn. It will be one of the few times I get to meet her as she is on a sabbatical this summer giving conferences and talks to help others help dyslexic children. Tomorrow we have to do the final set ups for camp and at some point complete our lifesaving course with the exam.... and then on Friday the campers arrive. Its kinda bittersweet about the campers coming. This last week and a half have been really nice and relaxed, getting to know the other counselors and finding out about the place etc, when the kids come it will be competely different. Just as good, if not better I guess, but very very different. So until next time... First full day...
2:55 PM
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17-Jun-2008
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And Im sat in the computer lab avoiding jobs.... I think the massive steep hill is putting me off volunteering!! The camp only has international counsellors so we're all here and getting to know each other. There's some American staff but they're tutors as this camp is a cross between a summer school and a camp. Its good tho and so far enjoying myself tho being put off by the showers as they're right next to a very exposed window.... Anyways I'd better go do some jobs before I get a reputation lol
I've made it!
11:24 PM
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16-Jun-2008
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Im at camp now!! Only one hour's sleep in almost 48 isnt so good tho thanks to not being able to sleep on planes/buses/trains and having a room mate at the Ramada who snored his way thru the night... oh well.
Had an inside BBQ tonight cos of stormage arriving but hopefully weather will improve soon!!
No idea what the plan is coming up so yeah.... till next time!
It has arrived...
9:18 PM
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14-Jun-2008
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My departure is imminent...
I've seen how often Aled posts new blogs.... gonna have to try and keep it all up to date!!
So yeah, farewell, so long and I shall post again once I am in America!!
2 Weeks to go... and TSHIRT DAY!!
3:10 PM
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1-Jun-2008
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Sat here in my Camp America T Shirt celebrating the fact that today is Camp America International T Shirt Day 2008!
Thats me by the way in my tshirt!
But also, this time in two weeks time I'll be probably on my way to the airport or getting annoyed at my Dad for making me late or something like that. Then there'll be the emotional bits like saying by to my parents and stuff... Oh and I'll probably packing upto the last minute! lol.
But in the next 14 days I have an absolute shed loads of things to do... assignments, day at the pub, meetings, going to uni and coming back home, saying bye to mates.... arghhhhhhhhhh! lol And I'm getting the hair chopped tomorrow....
I better get going.... I'll try blog before I leave! 20 days to go....
6:16 PM
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26-May-2008
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Again, no state and probably no fact.... maybe it wasnt such a good idea to think that was a good idea?!!
Anyways today its bank holiday Monday and I had a bit of a day trip to Cadbury World!! Was so much fun and had some free chocolate along the way so not complaining. Got there though and we were told to park in the coach stop as the car park was so full, and then the que was going round the building. It was raining and very windy so didnt fancy having to wait in the que but thanks to studentbeans (love it) managed to get buy one get one free for tickets and had prebooked so only had to stand in a line for half an hour inside instead of the long one outside!! Its really cool there and Im glad I finally got round to going after living in Birmingham for 3 years lol! Bought myself a Chocolatiere (an electric choclate founde/chocolate making kit) as well as a cadbury's cap for America! hehehe. So yeah thats what I did today! SO I finished my teaching practice last week. Passed it quite well so that was good and I hope to go back to that school to do supply work after Christmas... well, depends what my next placement's like. Its now my reading week and I have a few assignments to get done before I leave so spending tomorrow in the library at uni, then off home on Tuesday to get ready for America and force myself to do some work. Gonna have to come back to uni to hand in work and do some stuff for the society I've just become president for and then back home to leave to go to America.... Don't know how Im going to fit it into 20 days, but I guess it'll happen... I had better go and start sorting some stuff out! GRRR this naming thing is too hard!
8:22 PM
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17-May-2008
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Just looked at the time... its almost half 8.
29 days time, I will be sat in my Virgin Atlantic seat, browsing the in flight entertainment or listening to the what to do in an emergency demonstration or trying to nab some chewing gum or a sweet to suck - the kind of pre flight rituals... its making me so nervous thinking about it! I went shopping today (instead of work of course!) and bought a bag for my hand luggage (not that I really needed one...) and a travel journal from Paperchase (wish they had a bonus scheme thing so I could get something back for all the money I spend there) and I sent my application off for my International Driving Permit. Not got any work done tho which I had planned to do... Ooops!!
So I have four teaching days left of this practice, and got some work I gotta do during that for my assignments and then gotta head home for a few days then back to brum for assignments, then home again in time to fly away!! 29 days.... they're gonna go so quick cos I got so much to do, but drag cos I want it to come quick! Make MAINE a hot chocolate!
6:25 PM
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28-Apr-2008
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I saw today on the front page of the website that applications have now closed. I remember thinking about doing CA last year and it was all a bit of a dream. Can't remember if I've said on here about when I first heard about CA and stuff.... If I have I wont repeat myself, but if I haven't then I'll tell you some other time.
Anyway, as I said at the start, applications have now closed, and last year around this time I was chatting to a mate about doing something like this but neither of us really thought we'd do anything like this. A couple weeks after that conversation I was bored and it was reaching my summer holidays and decided to investigate and ordered my brochure straight away so as soon as I could get the 2008 one I would. Best decision ever I think, tho would have been better if I had come onto the website a few months earlier and actually did CA last year too!!
So if you've come upon this blog seeing that the applications have closed and that you really wanna do CA, my advice is to make sure you start saving now ready to apply come September.
In other news:
So yeah, that is today's blog, Im off to make a hot chocoalte, and next is my fact about Maine...
Maine has over 2,295 square miles of inland water area and over 2000 coastal islands! (not the most exciting fact, but oh well!) Delaware Shall I Go Today!?
10:25 AM
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24-Apr-2008
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(If you ignore the Dela it sounds like Where shall I go today!)
First blog of my new blog entry naming system... and its kind of relevant. Good times!
Im currently on a five week teaching placement as part of my training to be a teacher. This is the first week and its gone well so far, but today is the National Union of Teachers strike for better pay and as my cl*** teacher belongs to the NUT and she's on strike my cl*** is closed today (not the school tho, just the cl***es with teachers off) so I have the day off.
(I know that there seems to be a lot of swear words above, fear not tho - Im not turning into a potty mouthed blogger, its just that the blog doesn't like the three letters a s and s together, so read those as cla ss or cla sses!!)
A day off is a good thing cos it means I can go into Birmingham and do some shopping without huge crowds so Im planning a little Primark trip cos I gotta get a tracksuit for teaching PE tomorrow and also to get some camp clothes! Think Im gonna try get some cheap plain t shirts and with some gonna do transfers on so they're special... but I'll see what I can get and afford....
Also wondering whether or not Im gonna need to take my hiking boots as going on the trek after. They might be useful... but they're so bulky and big and stuff.... any ideas?
Anyways, I need to go get ready to go out so I can use the afternoon to do lesson plans!
PS: I need to now tell you a random fact about Delaware:
Delaware has also been called the "Blue Hen State", referring to the official state bird, the Blue Hen Chicken, which was carried with the Delaware Revolutionary War soldiers for cockfighting Adding a bit of interaction to the blogexperience.... and I got uni work to do so its really to postpne work!
11:57 AM
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20-Apr-2008
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So I have a little bit of a cough/sniffle at the moment which is great timing as tomorrow I start my five week teaching placement with my year 3 class. Its all crept up on me and so not prepared as I have been the last three placements!!
Anyways, I looked down at my blog entries and saw the titles - and although they're kinda nice, I think I want some consistancy with them!! I see that Leigh8531 has called his blog Volume 1 and each entry is a chapter - thats kinda cool but I dont wanna copy him. I think I need to change my blog title and call the entries different things...
Now I got an idea, and I need a bit of feedback, or I'll just go for it - but what if I called my blog - Jonny's Adventures In Americaland (bit like Wonderland....) and then I'd name each blog entry after a US state - or incorporate a state in the title eg 'California Dreaming' or... cant think of any so will need ieas!? Though I may leave the states I visit during my Trek incase I can blog on my travels and then I can have a reason to use the state in the title. Edit: To make things easier I will also include major cities!
So go on - give me some feedback about whether this is a good idea and some ideas!! May put this over to the forum too!!!
EDIT: From now on, my blogging entries will have a title containing a state or city found in the US and end with a random interesting fact about the said place.... as long as I remember! Lucky people - 2 in one day!
9:14 PM
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18-Apr-2008
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So earlier today I told you about how I'm all kinda ready for going to America in terms of having to do administration kinda stuff... WELL this blog is pressing the fastforward button looking at after camp!
Today I booked a Trek America trek. About a week after I finish camp, Im gonna travel to LA and spend the following three weeks doing the Southern Sun trek with Trek America. I'll post more about this some other time as Im a bit tired, but it looks imense and I've already found someone going on this trek at the same time - the wonders of the Camp America forum!!
I was very tempted to leave any plans like this till nearer the time, but I decided that if I go without plans I'd be too scared not to make the best of the time after. I've got a week or so before the trek and plan to spend the week after trek in NY so if anyone's still around I can see them and stuff. So yeah!! Sorting all that out now too - its all good! Jonny - now fully Orientated (until touchdown in America!)
1:09 PM
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18-Apr-2008
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So I've applied,been interviewd, paid for everything, been placed, got a visa and tshirt, and now been to an orientation! Unless I'm mistaken thats everything Camp America related I gotta do before June 15th when I check in and fly out... very exciting.
Its all getting nearer and nearer. I'm about to do a five week teaching placement. This has been the big thing kind of 'blocking' me fom getting too excited about Camp so in the next few weeks its gonna it me tat Im off soon!! (8 weeks or so). Been posting on the forum and watching my ticker decrease day by day - realised it said 1month instead of 2 (followed by weeks/days/etc/of course!)
As its all getting nearer I've been getting to know some of my fellow internationals at Camp Dunnabeck. We've got a little group going on facebook (such a great thing to get to know each other with) and I've been looking at the photos of the returner of the camp. I had started to get reservations thinking it was going to be very conservative, but after looking at the photos I've managed to get rid of those preconceptions(?!) which is a great thing - also its easy to get onto a computer and the net by the looks of things so I'll try update lots - especially as I may become blog-ebrty!! lol
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