Providing the uniquely cultural American summer camp experience …since 1969

one, two, one, two, three...=)

First steps...

Posted on March 31, 2010 | Posted in ECM | 0 comments | Link

to full recovery =) After 3 awfully long and boring months I'm finally back on my feet =) The doctor cleared me on Monday and wrote out my letter saying I'll be fit for summer =) At the moment I'm similar to a penguin when I walk but I'm getting better. I got a Wii Fit for Christmas and proceeded to break my leg before even seeing if it worked! Now I can walk etc it's being abused to the max. I have to get back to the weight I was before camp last year, seeing as my post-camp weight would be impossible to reach in just 2 months without stopping eating and running constantly! I can't believe how much weight I put on just sitting around it's terrible, but an excuse to buy clothes that I'll fit in by the time we get to summer =P I also got to drive my little car on Tuesday as it's been feeling really unloved seeing as my parents drive their own cars =/ It was so weird to be able to drive again and suddenly have this new freedom =) So tomorrow when my parents are at work I might go for a drive around the village to make sure I actually can drive properly in slightly busier places =) Will have to resist ending up on the M25/M1/M4 on my way to visit people! It's soooooooooooooooooooooooooo tempting! However I don't have a suitcase to take with me so could be a bit of an issue!

Why don't I have a suitcase? Because I got bored this evening(boredom is a major part of my life =P) and decided to sort out all my clothes for camp. This resulted in my suitcase being packed with everything I won't be wearing between now and then...and this is actually an awful lot of clothes! So with less than 70 days to go, I am already 90% packed. I need to buy one more pair of shorts, about 3 more tops for weekdays and swimwear. I have NEVER been this organised and if you saw the size of my suitcase you'd die with shock. I'm gonna be gone 92 days and I have the smallest suitcase in the world and then the size smaller than that will be my hand luggage I think...so impressed with myself. I'm usually the person who takes the biggest suitcase, 2 bags of hand luggage(which smoosh into one bag for security!) and enough clothes for 3 years, but not this time =)

Also 69 days til I fly out! I'm really really really excited. Not only will I have two of my friends on the flight with me who are also returning, it turns out it's a CA flight and several new people from different camps will be on it! Somehow this makes it even more majorly exciting than if it were just the 3 of us going! Not sure why because we're gonna be totally hyper and making far too much noise on the flight =)

Once I get to NJ, I'll be off to stay with the boyfriend for a few days before we work the last camp respite of the season. I actually have no idea what to expect but seeing as I would be there for the dates, I figured I'd see if I could work it. So there'll be 3 internationals working the respite on top of the usual American staff. It'll be lots and lots of fun...the only description I've managed to get of the respite so far is "it's like camp but far more relaxed"...so not useful but we'll have to wait and see what happens =)

So I have waffled on long enough tonight I think. Sometime in the next few days I shall post the three million camp songs stuck in my head at the moment because they are truly driving me crazy and anything can trigger them! Not enjoyable when I'm so desperate for it to be summer! =P

Night guys xx

Organisation

Posted on March 26, 2010 | Posted in ECM | 0 comments | Link

So I fail MAJORLY at keeping this updated and stuff! I have lots of time at the moment so maybe I might update more frequently again.

I know it's only March but in my intense boredom I've started writing lists for EVERYTHING!

The lists I've got so far:

-I wish I'd been told to take that to camp

-Don't even think about forgetting

-Clothes

-Clothes to buy

-Toiletries etc

-Stuff I can buy out there

and of course -IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

I'm sure there will be more, but they're the ones I've already got saved somewhere unknown(typical me!) on my laptop =)

I've started to buy stuff for summer now. I say "I" but really I mean "I've picked, mum's paid" =P Fun times =) I think I have plenty of clothes to be going on with at the weekends now but I probably should buy some stuff to wear during the week...this means tshirts, shorts and swimwear =) Shouldn't take too long to buy all those things though, I've got some shorts and tshirts from last year but unless I lose a ridiculously high amount of weight (isn't easy when I still can't walk =/) I'm not gonna fit in them, therefore have to buy more stuff =)

In order to get all this stuff I need to stop buying books! Amazon has become my habit at the moment and is stealing money from me thaty I don't have...stupid addiction! I tried to justify this spending to myself last week though, I bought myself a book on American Sign Language and one on British Sign Language too, so I'm going to start teaching myself. ASL is useful for camp, even if I just manage to learn the alphabet and nothing else and BSL will be useful for uni as I'll be doing a Learning Disabilities Nursing course and you never know when you might come across someone who can only communicate through sign language =) I know I'm gonna get proper confused but oh well, that'll be part of the fun! And it'll keep me busy so I don't sit and watch utter rubbish all day every day on tv. Coach Trip and Come Dine With Me are my current tv loves, anyone else equally addicted? Of course I don't have much time to watch them with all the time I spend out shopping!

Anyway organisation...yeah I can write lists but can I prioritise and have good time management skills? Of course I don't! Am gonna have to work on that in time for summer!

74 days til I'm on that plane...EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP =)

much love peoples xx

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep

Posted on February 15, 2010 | Posted in ECM | 1 comments | Link

I can now be properly excited for summer =) I went to the hospital this morning, was told I can start to walk again and that I'll be fit by June to work =) YAY! This means I can now truly get in to camp excitement mode =) I'm so happy =) I sat up stressing over it all last night but it's ok now =) I do however still need to get this in writing for CA or they won't let me go...sending mom up to the GP sometime this week =) Oooh and my insurance got all sorted out too, I'm just waiting for CA to approve my policy, although I can't see them refusing it...it covers every possible thing that could ever happen and then some =P Dad was being a bit careful when he bought it =/

Walking is such a strange feeling though and my ankle kills this evening...but nevermind...it will all be worth it =) It'll be April before I'll be able to walk properly again but having a target to aim for makes it all the more worthwhile and makes me more determined =) I'm not letting a broken leg ruin my summer =)

And I'm planning to sit and start drafting packing lists this week so I can make sure I have enough stuff for the summer then work out what I should take it all in...suitcase or backpack? Anyone have an opinion on this? I wanna travel after so I have to be careful with weight limits and transporting it and stuff, but also have to bear in mind I don't know if I can take the extra weight? =) Help people please!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep...summer cannot get here quick enough now =)

so many things!

Posted on January 25, 2010 | Posted in ECM | 0 comments | Link

I cannot believe it's been 26 days since I broke my leg...that's almost a whole month ago! Which means in 3-4 weeks I should be able to at least limp around again and put some weight on my rubbish leg. Time has flown by so quickly! I've been home from NYC for about 2 weeks and it feels like I only flew home 2 days ago. I have no pain whatsoever in my leg and the only bad thing is literally that I can't use the leg. The bruises and swelling have pretty much gone too =) I just need to get my sleeping pattern back again! =/ Not sleeping til 4am and waking up at 7:45am is not my idea of fun =( I went to see my grandparents yesterday which was awesome because it's the first time I've been outside since I got home...so nice but so frustrating. Since I passed my driving test and got my own car I hate being driven around but oh well, I'll get used to it!

Lots of new people are appearing out of the woodwork for camp now. It's really cool because so far they seem suitably crazy =) Hopefully we won't scare them off too much =)

I'm also super super super excited for Friday. My best friend from Wales is headed over here because we have our camp reunion on Saturday in London. I haven't seen her since I moved back home before New Year and this is far too long ago =( I miss her stupid amounts =( So yeah she's arriving on Friday, which means she's gotta help me get to London on Saturday hahahahaha should be ok if my dad is home from work in time to drive us, but if not well then it'll be an interesting train journey =P My other best friend will be there for the reunion and is coming back to stay that night too. It's so exciting! We don't often get time to see each other all in one place =) And seeing everyone from camp will be totally awesome. I miss them and they've all been lovely to me while I've been stuck in bed and everything and i know they can't come visit really so if we're all together it'll be amazing =) And I finally get to meet the camp directors...I'm totally looking forward to that although talking to the American staff who know them apparently I shouldn't be so excited...but oh well =P

oh and one last thing...MY FLIGHTS ARE BOOKED!!!!! ok this happened like a week ago but that's not the point...I'm super excited now because it means whatever happens I shall be on my way out to NJ for 3 whole months. 8th June until 7th September =) Camp starts on like the 21st June so I'll get 2 weeks with Josh first which will hopefully involve working the last respite of the season up at camp (must email and double check about this!) and then going camping for a few days with the returning staff who'll already be in the area, so basically most of the American staff, and a few of the crazy people who are going out weeks early to see people =) Then we'll move in to camp on like 16th/17th, pick one of my best friends up on 17th from the airport and then an amazing summer will follow =) After camp finishes on 21st August, I'll probably travel a little bit then go and stay with Josh again for 5 days before flying home. I'm so excited! Bring on summer =) It's gonna be absolutely fantastic =D

And then things got a bit complicated...

Posted on January 16, 2010 | Posted in ECM | 1 comments | Link

Because I decided to snap my leg in half on NYE, Camp America insurance doesn't cover me. The helpful lady person who emailed back also told me I need a letter from my doctor saying I'll be fit to work this summer and they want details of everything...what I did, what surgery I've had and whether participation in Camp America is still suitable =/ eurgh...now I actually have to have a doctor in England who is aware of all this...which I don't have right now...things are far too complicated for my liking =( However I emailed Todd (the camp director) and he said I had a job no matter what and they'd sort something out for me to do if I wasn't 100% =) YAY!

I'll write more exciting blogs again when I'm less drugged up =) xx

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

Posted on December 16, 2009 | Posted in ECM | 4 comments | Link

I was gonna blog about going home earlier but never got round to it...that's the task before I go to work later...so instead...=)

There's another new person...ok this is gonna get old by the time all the new staff have appeared but it's proper funny...totally coincidental that we were talking about ECM and then she says she got a place there =) EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE I've had chocolate and tea and jelly sweets and a bit more chocolate and lots more tea and oh dear I'm hyper...really must cut down on all these bad things and lose weight before camp so that when I get to camp and lose even more weight I'll be super happy =) I like camp, means I'm actually doing something and so no matter how much rubbish I eat outside of work hours it doesn't matter because you have to hike up the big hill and that works off all the calories you ate at the bottom...perfectly logical...but does mean you have to eat at the bottom of the hill or there's no motivation to get to the top =P

and and and it's only 2 weeks until I get to see Josh...=D =D =D When I was at the airport, I wasn't sad, I didn't cry and I hoenstly didn't think I'd miss him and that it would just fizzle out because of the distance. That totally sounds harsh but it wasn't meant to come across like that. I miss him so much, it's crazy and although I won't get to spend lots of time with him when I'm in NYC I know the time we will have will be awesome and then I can look forward to spending another summer with him =) I might end up going out there again in March (will have to see how the money works out and whether I have a job or anything by then...)

but then I'll actually properly get to spend time with him =) I'll waffle more about Josh as I get more excited to see him...I miss him =( I think I said this but nevermind, I'll say it again =)

ooooooh and I watched Glee this evening...the pilot episode...my friend's fiance talks a lot about Glee and we just had to watch it obviously as I live with my friend and all! It's really good actually and I can't wait for it to be fully aired in the New Year...although I am tempted to watch it online before then just because I'm suitably impatient =)

I have work this evening at 7pm and should really be asleep now and not resisting the urge to jump around the room like a complete idiot.

Ah well...I'll shut up the ramblings for now...well after you have another grace...

Johnny Appleseed (verse 1...because I've forgotten verse 2 like everyone else does =P)

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh the Lord is good to me

And so I thank the Lord

For giving me

The things I need

The sun, the rain, and the appleseed,

The Lord is good to me

Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen

(verse 2 will follow when I track down someone who knows it...anyone?!)

=) xx

Graces

Posted on December 14, 2009 | Posted in ECM | 2 comments | Link

I have the strangest urge to write out the camp song...in fact that's a lie I actually want to scream it to absolutely no-one...but this will get me some very strange looks so I think I'll resist right now...don't be surprised as I get more excited if I start writing out lots of the songs...I'm missing them...in fact...

have one of the graces for the time being because then maybe it'll stop being stuck in my head...

Superman Grace

Thank you God for giving us food

For our daily bread

That we may be fed

Thank you God for giving us food...

We sing grace before every meal at camp, someone shouts "so-and-so is gonna do grace" then picked on person shouts "everybody stand up for grace...everybody stand up *clap clap* everybody stand up *clap clap*" and then grace is sung...the Superman grace is picked far too much but someone mentioned it in their Facebook status the other day and now it's stuck in my head...I'm not too impressed =/ =P I might start posting graces with songs every so often...there's a few of them =) I'm a little bit hyper again today and my friend is at work so I can't bug her about it =( Camp can't come soon enough =)

oooh a newbie!

Posted on November 22, 2009 | Posted in ECM | 2 comments | Link So in my boredom on the CA forums I stumbled across someone who said they'd got offered a place at ECM...I might have been a bit hyper when they said this. I rambled for a long time, now have said poor person on Facebook and keep telling her to ask lots of questions! It's totally crazy and oh so exciting...a new person! I think I scared her a little bit when I said there's about 20 returners from previous years but there'll be new people too! YAYE! I like having to answer questions and be all excited...oh it's so nice to let someone know about the amazingness of camp =) I love it =) And I'm deffo flying out a week or two early to go see the boyfriend before camp starts...YAYE! Things really are rather exciting even if there's like 6 months and 4 weeks to go before camp starts! Now just to sort out this job...I kinda have one, just need to pick a start date =P EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP XD XD XD

7 months is a very long time...

Posted on November 14, 2009 | Posted in ECM | 1 comments | Link

...but it'll definitely be worth the wait =) As the time is going on the list of ECM returners is growing and it looks like we'll be a fab team, and this is without all the new people I'm sure we'll have as well. I'm very excited, my 2 best friends from this year are going back along with other people I've spoken to more since getting home. In fact I met up with one of them last Monday and it was so nice to chat =) It's actually gonna be awesome =) Have already started discussing post-camp travel plans too...maybe shouldn't be at the top of my list but nevermind =) I can't quite decide whether to go with one friend to Boston then Miami, or maybe Orlando...or go with another friend down the West Coast, and possibly persuade the first friend to come with us there...decisions, decisions! Although I know for a fact we'll end up booking everything once we're at camp anyway so things will change =P Ah well...I'm ill at the moment and my pillow is begging me to lie on it and sleep again!

here we go again...

Posted on November 6, 2009 | Posted in ECM | 0 comments | Link

I woke up when got a text message yesterday morning..."babe, check your ca page asap" so I rolled out of bed, grabbed my laptop and checked my CA page...placed back at ECM...YAYE!!! I'm very very very excited about this =) Get to go back and spend a 2nd totally awesome summer with some of the best friends I've ever met =) It'll be different next summer though because the old director will be back. I'm quite looking forward to meeting him after hearing so many stories =)

I'm a bit nervous about having to negotiate returners wages but I guess it'll all work out and plenty of people have done it before so it can't be that bad. I don't want to ask in my first email to him though because obviously that looks a bit desperate.

I do however need a job in order to pay to get to camp =/ I picked to buy my own flights, which at the time seemed the best option, as I can go earlier and stay with my boyfriend, but on the other hand I now have to work out exactly when the flights will be the cheapest so that I can actually afford to pay for them myself. This is definitely the best incentive for me to get off my backside and find a job =)

Ohmygosh I am just far too excited =)

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep =)