Camp Values

The best thing about weekends at camp is Sunday Camp Values. It may sound very 'hippie-dippie' to people who haven't experienced it, but it's basically a time where we can all chill out and reflect (and after a week of running around daft, it's exactly what you need). We have a little spot on camp called Sherwood Forrest where we all meet and sit for an hour or two while people have the opportunity to sing songs (usually accompanied by the ukelele or guitar) or read poems - very campeqsque.

My last Camp Values Journal Entry of 2017.
My 2016 Cabin wrote a poem for me and Jas & it was the best
feeling in the world. (me and hayley had spent 3 days apart)

A lot of the poems read are the same each week, but none of us mind, because we love the buzz of inspiration we feel each and every time we hear them. Poems have such a stigma of being boring, but the ones we read are entirely the opposite. They are empowering, inspirational and promote self worth. Its amazing hearing someone put your feelings into words in a way you couldn't before.

I think this aspect of setting aside time to reflect and be grateful for those around you, and the life you were given, is really important. It can promote a great deal of self love and happiness if given the time.

My favourite poem thats often read is called The Dash. From the first moment I heard it, it struck a chord, and ever since I've been unable to get it out of my head (I literally typed this straight from memory). I hope it impacts you in every way it impacted me the first time I heard it.

The Dash

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend,

He referred to the dates on the toombstone from beginning to end;

He noted that first came the date of birth, and spoke the following date with tears, 

But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years. 

For that dash represents all the time that they spent alive on earth,

and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth. 

For it matters not, how much we own; the cars, the house, the cash,

What matters is how we live, and love, and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard, 

are there things you'd like to change? 

for you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged. 

If we could just slow down enough to consider what is true and real,

and always try to understand the way other people feel

and be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more, 

and love the people in our lives like we've never loved before. 

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile;

remembering that this special dash might only last a while.

So when your eulogy is being read with your life actions to rehash -

Would you be proud of the things they say of how you spent your dash?

Reasons Everyone Needs a Friend Who's Worked at Summer Camp

No this isn't a plea for more friends, and yes... it is totally biased. However, whilst my friends from home often roll their eyes; sarcastically exclaiming "omg did you go to camp???" (If I had £1 for every time I'd heard that) whenever I mention my summer past-times, I often wonder if they realise the benefits that my experiences could bring to their lives. So, I decided to compile a list of reasons why you should be glad for 'the friend who works at summer camp'. 

1. Firstly, picture this - 

It's 2043: the year of the apocalypse - civilisation as we know it has ended and you're living rough. You can only choose one friend to help you survive.. who do you call?

a) The Fiat 500 Princess
b) The 'Responsible One'
c) The One Who Doesn't Shut up About Camp
d) The Foodie

DING DING DING we have a winner! You know you want us on your side - believe me, we'd do pretty well surviving in the wild - BUILDING FIRES IS OUR FORTE. (plus, we make the best smore's).

2. We make really great birthday posts - no, making Pic-stitch collages and writing cute messages isn't in our job description - but we all do a damn good job of it. 

3. Feeling a little low? We are trained and experienced in dealing with upset, homesick kids - we know how to cheer people up and take their mind off things. We live for random acts of kindness and love making others feel good about themselves. 

4. An unexpected storm hits and your plans for the weekend are ruined... FEAR NOT. 
Making last minute rainy day plans is a cute hobby of ours - we probably all have a journal page full of crafty ideas incase an afternoon on the ballfield is rained out... and if we can organise activities to keep nearly 200 kids occupied during a thunder storm - we can definitely come up with some pretty fun new plans to save your Saturday. 

5. We always have a lot of energy - we spend the whole summer looking after and entertaining kids whilst running on very little sleep. Our daily routines consist of dancing, singing, racing around like MAD, and answering a million questions from 7am to 10pm - we never switch off. So if you need a boost of enthusiasm - you know who to call.

6. For real though, some of our best friends live half way across the world from us. If we can make those friendships last, and keep in contact with them across many different time zones, u know we loyal as heck. 

YUP thats my best friend who lives
in Boston but we still talk every day

7. You're in the last round of an intense trivia quiz... it ends in a tie break, the quiz master says "finish these lyrics" 

'I got tired of waiting,
Wondering if you were ever coming around,
My faith in you was fading
__________________'

oh, we gotchu.


8. We're weird. We want people to feel comfortable around us and are used to making absolute fools of ourselves for the benefit of a few laughs from 8 year olds. I've been covered head to toe with googley eyes, dressed as the bread roll from a meatball sub and I wear crocs on a daily basis. Nothing you do can surprise us and we can't judge you, because truth is, we've definitely done worse. 

9. You'll never struggle to find a baby sitter. We literally love kids. 

10. We're really good at looking at the bigger picture - nothing like a lil star gazing to put everything into perspective. Hit us up if you ever need a deep chat. 

So there you have it, next time you take your camp-obsessed friend for granted - just remember all the ways they might save your life xo

Go Unicorns

A lot of you probably won't understand the title of this post, so let me explain.
In the USA, whether its Go Terps (Maryland), Go Orange (Cuse) or GO HILLERS (Hopkinton); Americans love supporting the town they're from, or school they attend. Feeling left out; it seemed only appropriate for us Scottish internationals to start showing some support for our home country, and as a result of our unique national animal, it became habit to scream 'GO UNICORNS' every time anyone even hinted something Scottish. Therefore this post is about what it's like to be a Scottish girl living at an American Summer Camp.

1. Lingo


Kids think Scottish accents are the funniest thing they've ever heard. They will never tire of asking you to say 'aluminium', 'girls' or 'water bottle' and will laugh their heads off for days trying to impersonate you.

They also don't understand half the words we say. Forget asking them to wear a jumper; or telling them to put on trainers and grab their torch. Sweatshirt, sneakers and flashlight will soon become part of your every day vocabulary. Oh, and if you want to save yourself from HOURS of ridiculing and frustration, don't even bother asking them to put something in the bin - unless you want a response along the lines of "Ben, who's ben?"... YOU MEAN TRASH CAN.

By the end of summer, this American lingo seems natural, you'll have slowed your speech waaaaay down (apparently Glaswegians speak 3000mph) and you'll have picked up a general camp accent consisting of a medley of Scottish, American, Australian and Irish articulations.

But if you thought the kids winding you up about your Scottish accent was bad, JUST WAIT till you get home and your friends hear you pronouncing your T's and talking about popsicles. 

This was a SMALL nachos :))

2. Food

Food in America is a completely foreign concept. 
- The portion sizes are bigger than that needed to feed a Scottish family of 4,
- EVERYTHING is sweet, even the butter,
- The chocolate and candy options are surprisingly awful,
- You don't know real craving until Irn Bru and Cadburry's are no longer an option,
-  you'll long for a real cup of tea and your mum's home cooked meals. 


Don't get me wrong, its not all awful - Wholefoods guac will save your life; Chipotle is a place of dreams; and don't even get me started on Panera Mac and Cheese. However, the differences make you appreciate Scottish cuisine (no, @Americans I don't mean Haggis) that little bit more when you get home. 


3. "Is there wifi in Scotland"

Yes, some kids genuinely think Scotland is a 3rd world country. But, they're so gullible; you can turn this into a really funny game; "whats wifi?" "No, I've never heard of Justin Bieber" "I live in a castle and ride my dragon to school every morning"- you get the gist. 

4. "Do you know my 3rd cousin from Cork?" 

I'm not sure exactly what happens in American Geography lessons, but for some reason the majority of people you meet seem to think that everyone in the WHOLE OF THE UK knows one another. One mention of Scotland and you'll have people telling you "My great Grandmother is 1/16th Irish" (Yes someone did actually tell me this); as if it has any relation to what you just said. They also have no understanding of Great Britain, and think it is literally made up of just London. If you mention anything about being British, make sure you've set aside some time to answer at least 200 questions .

There are many other cultural differences between the Bonny Banks and the Land of the Free, such as the difference in distance perception, tipping and taxing, Greek life, and the importance of sports, however for me, these 4 are most relevant from my time at camp and I hope they're relatable for those who share similar experiences. 

I also just wanted to say a huge thank you for all the responses I received on my last post and my blog in general. I am honestly blown away by all the heart felt messages and comments, and I'm so glad people are enjoying it :) 

Impact

I don't think a single person who has been to camp, can say that they left as the same person they were when they first arrived. 2016 pre-camp Christy is nothing like the person I am today; and I think that's because, as a result of Burgess and Hayward, I actually know who I am. 

After my first week at camp, it was hard to believe I had ever lived anywhere else. It's easy to get caught up in the 'camp bubble' - you become so close with people in such a short period of time - it sounds cheesy, but it really feels like you've known them forever. Staff training was easily one of the best weeks of my life and it taught me more about myself than I'd ever thought possible.

During this week, each year, our Executive Director Bruce does a highly anticipated philosophy talk. He talks to us about our impact and inspires us to make a difference, to make the most out of life and to 'follow our bliss'. I really wish his talks could be televised for everyone to see, because I honestly believe that if everyone shared a little piece of Bruce's outlook, we'd live in a much kinder world. By the end of the talk everyone is crying and hugging, and you can literally feel the love in the room. 

... and to me, that's what camp is: love. Pure, unapologetic, unconditional love - for each other, for our jobs, for the moments we share and for ourselves.  

Imagine living in an environment...

- where you're surrounded by positive, creative, energetic, genuine people 24/7,
- where everyone builds each other up, and motivates one another,  
- where people actually want to get to know you,
- where everyone has your best interest,
- where people selflessly go out of their way to make your day a little brighter,
- where everyone shares a 'live life to the fullest' ideal;
- a place full of those people who describe every activity as an 'adventure'.
- a place that encourages you to embrace your weirdness and individuality,
- a place where you can literally look your worst but still feel entirely beautiful, loved and accepted,
- where you are built up for who you are on the inside,
- where CROCS, STAR GAZING AND COUNTRY MUSIC ARE NOT ONLY ACCEPTED BUT ENCOURAGED

..and tell me you're not going to grow into a better, more wholesome, person. 




And no, I'm not saying camp people are perfect, or that we're always happy, but its the intention and fact that we make a conscious decision to try and be the best versions of ourselves, that makes me proud. 

 Because of camp, and my BH family, I am now unapologetically myself. I am positive and extremely self aware; I know my strengths; I try, each and every day, to be kinder and more thoughtful; I believe in myself and in achieving my dreams; I'm confident enough to say I have dreams; I work to better myself and to do what makes me happy; I am confident, motivated, empowered and.. well, currently frustrated... because I know that no matter what I write in this blog, it will never be enough to fully capture the impact camp has had on me. It will never express how alive it makes me feel; how much it inspires me every day or how full my heart feels when it's time to say good bye each year. 


I know many people will read this blog post and think 'that's embarrassing' and that's fine. 2016 me would have probably thought the same, but that's the difference. I am comfortable enough in myself to express my feelings without caring what other people think. 

'Those that matter don't mind, and those that mind don't matter' so be yourself, do what makes you happy and follow your bliss. 

Life Before Yurts and Tie-dye Shirts

I can't quite pinpoint the exact moment I knew camp was something I wanted to do, I feel like it's something I've always been waiting to be old enough for. I remember seeing older friends returning home from their summers in the States; my Facebook timeline teeming with posts and photos of their adventures, like something straight out of a movie. Eighteen in Scotland is an exciting age for a lot of reasons, but for me it meant finally being able to apply for camp.

Camp Counselor certainly didn't have the same job description as any job I'd had in the past. However, I feel like those of us who thrive at camp share similar characteristics. A love for kids is a given, but the ability to be loud and silly without fear of embarrassment is something I've never lacked. After doing some research and attending an information session, I felt confident that I was a good candidate.

The application process initially seemed long, and while at university it was easy to brush aside for more urgent matters (Shimmy). However, once you get past the basic questions about yourself, write a paragraph promoting your abilities and film a short video (cringey but recommended) all that's left is the interview, which really is like going for coffee with a friend. My interviewer told me about 'recruitment fairs' hosted by CA; where camps come to Scotland to hire people, and suggested that it was the easiest way to get placed. 

By the time the fair came it was January, aka exam time, and as a highly qualified procrastinator, this gave me an excuse to spend my 'study time' researching the summer camps going to the fair. Out of the 200 camps attending, 1 immediately stood out. I spent the next week stalking their social media; dreaming about working there. When the day finally arrived, I ran to the line for Camp Burgess and Hayward and I've never looked back.

Me after being placed at my dream camp

If you want to apply, feel free to check out my Application Tips Video, where I explain the whole process.