A Letter To Home 9/18/2018

Here is my first letter to friends and family at home that shares the first leg of my journey since I left May 25th 2018.

Hey Family and friends,

I apologize for not being in touch. When you are at camp, it is hard to not focus only on camp. It takes up all of your time. So much so, it feels like years go by in those 7 ½ weeks. I decided to write a letter about what is going on, so I can update everyone on my travels, plans, and give a little insight of my perspectives on things. For camp this year, my shift was 7am to 4p with Koa, the little 3 year old boy I watch, then I go straight into being a counselor for activities with the 14 year olds till 9pm. From then, it is either: have a social life, or work on other camp things. I try to be involved in all of the camp activities I can since I am not a true counselor 24/7. Last year I definitely put a lot of effort into my social life, meeting new people, and going out all the time, along with some camp activities. This year, I was set into a position of being fully involved with camp activities. The friends I first made were heavily involved with College League. This is a big competition that lasts for 5 ½ of the 7 ½ weeks of camp. It is the thing that all the kids come for. The camp is split up into 4 teams, all represented by a college. The kids compete in sports, a musical play, and a presentation of 3 songs and a skit (preznight). This year I was a part of Florida Golf Coast University (FGCU.)

My bestie at camp was the Dean of FGCU so, I was a part of decorating, team mom, play set up, learning the most important song for preznight, and painting the plaque that represents the team. (This plaque goes up in the camp dining hall for everyone to see along with every plaque of previous college league teams forever. I will add some pictures below.) I ended up going to bed at 2 am most nights. I usually give 100% for everything I do, but this summer, I gave more of myself than I ever had in anything and it still didn’t seem like everything. I came in thinking I wasn’t going to be a part of this competition at all, but I am glad I was wrong. Going through those countless days of giving more and more energy while not recharging because of more lack of sleep, either made me stronger or delirious. In the end, my team won, I heard kids tell me the plaque I made was their most favorite in the dining hall, and I still got to make some absolutely wonderful friends. I bawled my eyes out at the end of presentation night, which is the last day of college league. Most people do anyway, but for me it was a relief that it was all over and pride for my kids giving their heart and souls out there with me. It was tough because when we were totaling up the points, it did not look good for us. On everything accept 2 of our songs we got 4th place. We only needed the Alma to win (which was the song that I played, and the one where the team presents the plaque) and we did it. When a team wins, the whole team runs from the basketball court down the hill and into the lake. It was an amazing feeling, so fun. Especially when you get to do it with all of your best friends! I am super happy to have gotten to get to know these kids more.

After College League we have color war, another 2 way competition where the teams are represented as Maroon and Grey. This is an intense competition, where EVERYTHING you do is judged and you either gain or lose points for your team. It is said that the two colors are defined by certain characteristics. The Maroon spirit “Rally” is someone who wears their heart on their sleeve with pride where as Grey spirit “Zumba” is quiet and humble. I was on Grey as always. We did lose, but I got to be involved with a special task of renewing the Grey Fortress (kind of like the HQ.) I painted an elephant who represents Bob Bulloch, one of the previous Grey Chiefs who had recently passed away. He had rode in to camp on an elephant and now he is forever represented in the Grey Fortress.

Overall, my favorite part of camp is always my work with Koa. I feel like working with him fills my heart more than it does him. Though I try to teach him all I can, I learn so much from him. The learning process of children over a long period of time, the unconditional love they have, the innocence, the pure joy, the confusion with new things. It is all a journey and something I feel like I could have never learned without him. I feel so incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to work with him and his parents Pete and Crystal. To have landed in such a position under them in camp, and to have them allow me to also be a part of activities and experiencing camp. They have shared with me the stories of how camp used to be and all its’ secrets, theorizing how things might change in the future. It is hard to think of camp without them. There aren’t even words I can express to let them know how much all of it means to me. I am eternally greatluck for all you guys have done for me, thank you.

Finding camp has been such a big part of my life that I wish I could share it with everyone. It has helped me to meet lifelong friends from all around the world and let me live such a fulfilled life. There is so much magic in this place, I wish words could do it justice.

After camp we have Manitou Experience (Manex) which is a nonprofit camp for kids who have lost a parent or a sibling, and Summer Dreams which is inner-city Boston Kids (kids of low-income households.) Even though I do not get to be as much a part of these camps, I still try as much as I can. At this time I was a boat driver for watersports, a lifeguard, and maintenance staff which included dressing up in costumes and serving food at meals. It was always a good time.

During my days off, I got to go on a lot of hikes, I went to a Boston Redsox game, and I got to stay at an amazing mansion in Rhode Island for a week. This week trip was absolutely insane. I never thought I would have gone to Rhode Island, but I am glad I did. Ill try to post more pictures of this week as well.

Now we are in “Post Camp” A time where we rent out the property to weddings and other outside event groups. We also use this time to do maintenance tasks like fixing up things around camp. This year we had an EDM music festival group called Camp Cicada. It was to celebrate the selling of a company and the opening of a new nightclub called “Cicada.” This was an intense weekend of basically partying with everyone and making sure people don’t kill themselves. They did live action role playing, medieval knight/spartan battles, all night raves and videogame competitions. Secretly my nerd haven. I absolutely loved it! I only get to stay for one of the weddings and I am typically with Koa through this time as well.

Now I am on to the last few days at camp. I only just started packing today and I am feeling everything from excitement, nerves, fear, anxiety, and sheer happiness. After saying good bye to all my friends, I am one of the last to leave. I am ready to go because I know all my friends are out on the next part of their journey. From here, I go to Washington D.C. for 2 ½ weeks to visit my camp besties. Then I am off to Buenos Aries till the beginning of November. From there I go to Breckenridge Mountain in Colorado to be a teacher at the childcare center in the resort village. I will be experiencing the first real winter I can remember. I am super excited and really want to learn to snowboard. Some friends have told me that wakeboarding skills can easily transfer to snowboarding, so I hope that learning curve won’t be too hard. Overall, I will continue writing in my journal, sending as many postcards as I can and writing another letter like this in a few months. Possibly at the end of my trip to Buenos Aries.

I hope all of you are in a great point in your life, and I know I think about you guys all the time. I miss home lots and feel sad that I am missing a lot of birthdays, baby showers and such, but know I am sending positive vibes all the time and hope you guys are safe always.

I love you!

Till next time,

Sophie