Camp
Well for those of you who do not know, I am back from California. Actually I've been back for little over three weeks. To be honest, I seriously am bummed about being back in Indiana. Cali was so nice to me, and all I want is just to go back.
My goal for the summer was to go out there and work a job that would give me experience and possibly connections to job opportunities later on in my life. I accomplished those goals, in fact I accomplished them times ten. I did a lot of things this past summer that has certainly changed my outlook on life. I also met a lot of people who will forever impact who I am. That was one of the few things that I didn't expect; to gain strong friendships. I knew that I'd become friends with people but I never thought about how close I would grow to all of them, many of them from different countries and from different parts of America. Hopefully I'll be able to save enough money because I'd like to go and visit a lot of the people I met this summer who live in the U.K. It was just amazing to see how the different cultures could combine into one and make an environment that was truly surreal. Leaving that environment, the environment that I was surround by for two and half months was one of the hardest things that I've done in a long time.
I could go on and on about each person who has affected me and help me grow but then I would be sitting here for hours and I don't have that kind of time, considering I have a lab at 7:30am. You would think that it was only other counselors who I connected with but that would be a lie. Many occasions the campers that I worked with or talked to were the ones who truly showed me how much of my life I was missing out on. I couldn't begin to imagine what these campers go through on a daily basis, but every time I saw them smile they had something that they could be proud about and something that made them happy and want to go on. I saw campers give out more love and affection to their counselors than what sometimes I see friends and family do for each other. That was shocking to me because these campers were only with their counselor for a matter of days before leaving to go home, and yet they were still as loving to them as if they had been together for years. To be on the receiving end of that is just an experience that I can't describe.
I can't wait for next summer. I know where I'll be and that is back at Camp Costanoan as fast as I can get there, hopefully coming straight from the U.K. This is something that I want to do for the rest of my life. To me, it is a fact. I've been confused for the past few years as to what I wanted to do with my life and finally I have an answer. It is such a good feeling to have a direction and a goal. It's exciting but at the same time very scary. As for now it’s just about taking small steps and eventually I'll make it there, hopefully not to far down the road.
One memory that I’ll share before I wrap this up is about my camper Adam Snyder. Adam was 22 with moderate autism and non-verbal. He could nod yes and shake his head no but that was pretty much the extent of his communication. Gin another counselor one day asked Adam if he loved me. He did the biggest nod that I had ever seen him give all week long. Of course it was followed by his sound of joy, which was him going Dee da Dee da Dee da Deeeeee. To me my whole summer was wrapped up in that brief moment. It made everything worth it. That is why I want to go back!
My goal for the summer was to go out there and work a job that would give me experience and possibly connections to job opportunities later on in my life. I accomplished those goals, in fact I accomplished them times ten. I did a lot of things this past summer that has certainly changed my outlook on life. I also met a lot of people who will forever impact who I am. That was one of the few things that I didn't expect; to gain strong friendships. I knew that I'd become friends with people but I never thought about how close I would grow to all of them, many of them from different countries and from different parts of America. Hopefully I'll be able to save enough money because I'd like to go and visit a lot of the people I met this summer who live in the U.K. It was just amazing to see how the different cultures could combine into one and make an environment that was truly surreal. Leaving that environment, the environment that I was surround by for two and half months was one of the hardest things that I've done in a long time.
I could go on and on about each person who has affected me and help me grow but then I would be sitting here for hours and I don't have that kind of time, considering I have a lab at 7:30am. You would think that it was only other counselors who I connected with but that would be a lie. Many occasions the campers that I worked with or talked to were the ones who truly showed me how much of my life I was missing out on. I couldn't begin to imagine what these campers go through on a daily basis, but every time I saw them smile they had something that they could be proud about and something that made them happy and want to go on. I saw campers give out more love and affection to their counselors than what sometimes I see friends and family do for each other. That was shocking to me because these campers were only with their counselor for a matter of days before leaving to go home, and yet they were still as loving to them as if they had been together for years. To be on the receiving end of that is just an experience that I can't describe.
I can't wait for next summer. I know where I'll be and that is back at Camp Costanoan as fast as I can get there, hopefully coming straight from the U.K. This is something that I want to do for the rest of my life. To me, it is a fact. I've been confused for the past few years as to what I wanted to do with my life and finally I have an answer. It is such a good feeling to have a direction and a goal. It's exciting but at the same time very scary. As for now it’s just about taking small steps and eventually I'll make it there, hopefully not to far down the road.
One memory that I’ll share before I wrap this up is about my camper Adam Snyder. Adam was 22 with moderate autism and non-verbal. He could nod yes and shake his head no but that was pretty much the extent of his communication. Gin another counselor one day asked Adam if he loved me. He did the biggest nod that I had ever seen him give all week long. Of course it was followed by his sound of joy, which was him going Dee da Dee da Dee da Deeeeee. To me my whole summer was wrapped up in that brief moment. It made everything worth it. That is why I want to go back!