Kristina - Humans of Camp America

By Camp America on 07/09/2016

I decided to do Camp America as I have wanted to do it since I was 18 but I just never got round to doing it and then life just gets in the way...

I had come to a point in my life where I just needed to get away from my surroundings, I had major itchy feet for travelling and just learning a new way of life. At first I had planned to just go travelling on my own but luckily enough as I was thinking this and planning it I got an email from Camp America and I'm so thankful that I did! I applied straight away. My reason for applying was because I knew it would change my life for the better. It was going to give me experiences that I would never get back home in Scotland. Part of my reason of not applying was the fear I would get homesick and not be able to complete the summer! When I left my mum and best friend at the airport the thoughts 'I can't do this' ran through my head and I almost believed them, but thankfully travelling with a group of girls that were going to my camp too helped me get through it and I never once felt homesick again after that point, I'm now camp sick! So for anyone out there that wants to do it and they have the same fear, ignore it! You will be absolutely fine as camp becomes your home away from home! On my last day of camp my best friend text me a screen shot of a tweet I sent FIVE years ago, saying 'I definitely want to do Camp America in the near future!' Here I am just finished my first summer at Camp Wood Haven, in Pennsylvania and I absolutely LOVED it! I want to encourage everyone to try and experience this, it is like no other!

My favourite memory from camp this summer was actually from a child feed back sheet after spending her week with me as her counsellor! I had been on about everyone having their own voice and ideas a lot that week as the group was quite big with a mixture of characters and I just wanted the best for all the girls, make sure they all had fun! I hadn't realised how much they actually listened until I was reading back one of their camper questionnaire sheets and one response to a particular question I will forever be proud of was the camper saying 'camp taught me that I had my own voice and that I am able to use it when I need too and it also needs to be heard like everyone else!' Even as little as this it really showed me how much of an impact we can have the campers life! The fact that she will go on to school or wherever and know that she has her own voice will forever be priceless and my favourite thing to think back on! 

Gilmore (Kristina) - Camp Wood Haven (2016)