What is summer? What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about this beautiful season? Sunshine, sea, sand, flowers all around? Maybe a trip that is for sure going to happen soon? The season of fresh fruits, the season of freedom. Well, it’s a bit different for most teachers I know.
Summer is the season of summer camps!
Ah, the beauty of time spent in a summer camp! The time of connectedness, understanding, sleepless nights, long discussions, preparations, hectic day of activities, songs, crafts. The time when sometimes you let yourself being silly, the time you allow yourself to play and have fun. The time when you survive on coffee and dedication. It’s a certain flow you get into; it’s a wonderful, magical flow.
And I consider myself lucky. Lucky to have a summer camp even. Only this year it’s a bit different. Just a tad. More paperwork, more anxiety, masks, questions whether it’s important to address the situation or not. More uncertainty. But then…
I was lucky with my team. Uncertainty is nothing when you have people you can rely on. Anxiety fades away when you are surrounded by your small and faithful support system. I had a huge support group this summer camp. And the teamwork was amazing, and the things we’ve done, and the talks we’ve had, and the memories we share now. It’s quite precious!
And we were lucky with our group of kids. Even if we had to spend two hours in the bus or go from one location to another in a very old van, and hope for the best. Even if sometimes it was not what we have anticipated. Even if sometimes the plan apparently was just a paper with some useless words written on it. Even with all these “if”s, the time we spent with kids, the connections we have made, the progress we could see…was absolutely worth it.
Summer camp is a place where you have to give all 100% of yourself. And weeks of summer camp go by so quickly that when you look back at it in the end, you wonder where did the time go. But even if they go by quickly, it feels like a lifetime.
A small life which you’ve lived through during one month of one summer.
It’s tremendously difficult to sum up and reflect on the whole month of life. I am missing quite a lot, how can I possibly fit everything into one post. I’ve had a cozy, homey, most amazing weekend, and a short vacation in between the camps. I’ve had some ups, and downs.
C’est la vie ~
Adventures of a random volunteer 