Week 6

Week six dawned on the 19th of July, with a normal flag raising, breakfast and cabin clean up. The cabin has been consistently very tidy, and I think by the impeccable folding skills of the nine year olds, I have managed to pass on some of my cleanliness/neuroticism onto the campers. But if we are the cleanest cabin for the week the campers and counsellors get special milkshakes from town (not that I can drink them, but I want the campers to do well).

My schedule for the fourth week of campers was:

1. Lake Guard - The lake is gorgeous first thing in the morning, especially if no speedboats have sliced through the perfect mirror. Every morning this week I was made to appreciate what an incredible place I had been given the opportunity to come to!

2. Photos - Again, at check out day last week, a lot of parents complimented my photos, which is nice to hear. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to use my own SLR a lot during photo periods, because the memory cards have proved incompatible with camp computers, but never fear, I still have plenty for facebook when I return in Spetember.

3. Tiger songs - Lovely, as always. Even though the little ones are hard work, it's very relaxing to sit there with them and sing, even if chaos is going on around my little area of calm. The eye in the middle of a tiger storm. After it was finished I went down to the waterfront and helped out wherever I was needed.

4. Photos

5. Digital Photos - The camp cameras are holding up, just, and the digital photo lessons this week have been good.

6. Waterfront freeswim - Genuinely the most chilled out hour of my life. Nothing like having the option to kayak, sail, canoe, dive, slide, swim or guard at the lake for an hour. It was a lovely period, and I learnt to sail properly this week, which can now be scored off my list! Also got to talk to my friend from Edinburgh who works at the camp across the lake, which was lovely.

On Monday, we had an group come to do improvisational comedy with the campers, who were good and certainly entertaining! This week was also CAMP SPIRIT WEEK, which I adored. Monday was Crazy Hair Day, and I put my (now very long) hair into little bunches all over my head, which looked good at the start of the day, perhaps waning a little after several dunks in the lake!

On Tuesday, we donned our towel capes and face paint for super hero day. The photographs are epic, and I am sure I will manage to get a select few online before I come back! Great day, with loads of people taking part, and it perked everyone up a bit!

On Wednesday night, myself and the girl "counsellor of the week" from last week went into town to spend our prize, a voucher for the local diner. Onion rings, fries, soda and chicken sandwich later, I definitely felt rewarded for all my hard work. We also went for ice cream and a wander around town. Great Barrington is lovely, a proper old railroad town. I would like to live there some day, but for now I am happy coming back for my summers!

On Thursday night we had a very VERY long campfire, probably because I sang in about five different songs. But it was enjoyable, despite the craning of the eyes and biting of the mosquitos.

Rain came to camp on Friday, which was a bummer, and through some train of events which I am still not sure of, I ended up singing with the pioneers (five and six years old) for almost an hour and a half. I definitely needed some rest after that one! In the evening we all had a big dance in the rec centre, followed by ice cream and bed!

Saturday was a huge day on camp. Normally, campers stay for either the first four weeks, or the last three, not both. So all of the resident campers had to go home, meaning I had four to pack up to leave. The ones who stay over the weekend into week five of campers spend the night with their parents, so they also leave. And the international campers are taken on a trip. So after a hectic couple of hours, during which not only did I lose four campers, I also lost some of my favourite campers from other cabins, there were no children on camp. It was very eerie. We were off duty after lunch, so what do I do to get a break from camp? I accepted an invite to go to the country house of my one seven week camper. The house was incredible, on a hilltop with views into Vermont, and no other residence in sight. I had a good shower, drank coke and chilled out with the amazing family, before coming back into camp to get ready for a night out! We went for another Chinese meal with almost everyone who was off duty that night, and then out to the local bowling alley to have a great evening in town.

On Sunday a group of me and my friends went into town for some bagels, and WiFi at a local cafe, before picking up some necessary supplies in the pharmacy. American pharmacies are pretty much like Edinburgh Tescos, with food, drink, clothes, stationary, as well as the health and beauty stuff. Awesome! After coming back on duty after lunch, I welcomed four new campers into my cabin, and the one old one, taking the total number of boys up to five, with me and my co-counsellor. The seven of us are set to have a pretty sweet week next week, stay tuned to see how it goes!

I am loving being out here, please know that I miss you all. There is no cell service in camp, one dial up computer for over sixty staff, and only two times every week we can go into town for internet. So it's not like I don't want to contact you all individually, I just physically can't. But I love you!

Andrew

Camp Half Moon
PO Box 188
Great Barrington
MA 01230
USA