On the next day upon my arrival to camp, during my favorite breakfast (cereals, porridge with granola, fresh strawberries and blueberries, coffee, donuts) I was approached by equestrian coordinator – Katie. She told me we were going to the barn in 20 min. My contract started! I got to know the horses, learn barn rules and ride Etta!
Staff training began, counsellor were “kids” and coordinators were “counsellors”. It was time to live the experience the kids would expect this summer! We got to do many activities that camp offers to the kids: zip-line, candle-making, leather crafts, hiking, archery, swimming , rock climbing, camp fires… These were 2 weeks of flashbacks on my beautiful memories of me being a camper. We also watched videos and attended lectures on camp rules, safety, lifeguarding and other crucial topics.
First challenge – switch from being a “camper” to being a counsellor, take the responsibilities and welcome the kids to “our” space. But we were very excited and ready for kids to arrive! To be honest, first 3 days of the first session were chaotic. Counsellors were trying to understand how do the schedules work, who is responsible for what, while kids were making 1000 questions most of the times we were not able to answer. It was hard to set cabin rules, gain kids’ trust while not being very confident ourselves. The first 2 nights after kids were asleep, counsellors were meeting for an “ember” and discussing how to be more organized during the day. Days started running smoothly and we started having more confidence and be more fun!
It was unforgettable experience celebrating 4th of July, running on the field from kids chasing us to cover us with shaving cream, trying the giant swing and screaming a lot making kids laugh, participating in Olympic Games and winning with the kids, watching them become true friends and a great team, teaching horse riding and watching kids overcome their fears and progress a lot! Every session was finishing with a lovely note from every camper and their parents’ kind comments.
The days-off were great: American weekend fair with fireworks, amusement park, staying overnight at my American friend’s house, riding horses, going to the beach, going shopping!
After camp travelling with new friends was unbelievable! My journey was: Colebrook-Boston-Miami South Beach-Orlando Universal Studios-New York
Being a Summer Camp Counsellor was a challenging, fun and rewarding journey of travelling, making life-long friendships, learning, sharing knowledge, having fun, trying new things, becoming professional problem-solving, watching kids and yourself grow!