Back from Camp - Notes to Self

I got back on Saturday. I hereby enclose some Lessons Learned, in case I think about doing this again.

• Driving north 3.5 hours with two passengers in the car doesn't mean it'll take you that fast to drive back south. Check traffic congestion in Philadelphia before launching on a 5.5 hour drive back. Alone.

• You know you catch colds easily. You were very well prepared with Coldeeze and Vitamin C, but what were you thinking when you neglected to pack the Tylenol Cold to treat the symptoms of a cold?!

• When the Recommended Packing List suggested warm blankets and sweatshirts, don't ignore it, even if the temperatures have been in the 100's the week prior to camp!

• 15 year old girls do not sleep. Deal with it. Don't bother trying to figure out what they talk about all night long. You were 15 years old once, your mother didn't understand it either.

• Adults act like adults, kids act like kids. If you prefer kids, stick to them the entire time and don't bother messing with the adults and their cliques.

• That was a brilliant idea to bring to camp all the most colourful cool pants in your closet. Bring more next time. Kids love it. Gets their attention rather quick.

• 19 year olds are not mature enough to be counselors in a bunk filled with 15 year olds. Question authority next time.

• Don't listen to picky people who claim camp food is awful. Find out if camp's chef does home deliveries.

• After five exhausting days at camp, do not attempt to make your own breakfast. You look rather silly preparing the Pita bread for spreading chocolate over it, only to find out after you've stuck the knife in chocolate that you're holding the wrong end of it. You should be thankful it was a plastic knife and not a steak knife, or you wouldn't be typing this now.

• These may have been 160 very sick kids, but that doesn't make you any healthier. Standing for nine hours while running an activity is not for someone sick. Get a chair. Sit on it. Kids can still hear you.

• When they tell you the camp is in the hills of Pennsylvania, they really mean mountains in Israeli terms. Practicing by walking up and down a hill 15 minutes every morning for two weeks is a noble idea, but not sufficient. Next year start weight lifting and serious strength exercises two months prior to camp. Run a marathon the week prior.

• Shoes bought at a boating store that are meant for water activities are not shower shoes. They do not dry within 24 hours. In fact, they do not dry in 48 hours either. Use sandals instead. Or don't shower.

• When packing your clothes for camp, make sure you pack clothes that can be easily figured out without getting a brain hemorrhage early morning. May want to double-check that bra you took to camp. Something was seriously wrong in its design. Look for instructions. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you feel stumped.

• Kids are cute, but you can't take them all with you home. You don't have 160 bedrooms.
  

Summer Camp is approaching

We're back to the story of my unemployment - Day 2.

As you all may recall, I signed up to go to camp. Tuesday evening was the party for the local counselors who'll be heading to the same camp. The party was in D.C. held at someone's private home. Of the counselors that were invited I only knew the directors of the local chapters. Everyone else seemed to have met one another at previous camps.

Within the first five minutes at this party it turned out that the owner of the house is an instructor at the same University I graduated from, and from the same Department! We knew the same teachers.

Within the next five minutes I found that one of the counselors is a student at another University and is a student of someone I worked with who's a very good friend of mine.

So here were two completely unrelated coincidences, that were not connected in any way to the camp I'm going to. Sure, the term "small world" comes to mind, but this is just too incredible that in the several millions of people living in the area of DC/Maryland/Northern Virginia - that I'd meet two people in one party who'd be so close to my own history. It's not like there's only one University in this area. It's not like there's only one university teacher in the metropolitan area. And it's not like there's only one place you can study this major.

Overall I was a bit overwhelmed at the party because everyone were talking about all these American games they plan for the camp, and I'm not too well versed in American games. When I asked the guys to explain to me what Capture the Flag is, the guy answered me "it's like a game of Tag," to which I responded, "You must think I know what Tag is!?!" I had to launch into an explanation that as an Israeli I can teach them How to Capture a Terrorist, but don't know the rules to How to Capture the Flag. From the laughs I got, I think I'll be providing many more laughs at camp just from sheer ignorance of American camp culture.

I'm terrified about all these games they plan and songs, and numerous other things I'm not familiar with. In self defense, I called my nephews back in Israel and requested them to teach me songs in Hebrew from camp, and Israeli games. I plan on turning the tables and teaching THEM some Israeli games. I now have 58 pages of printed material with games from the Israeli scouts.

Oh and the Hebrew song I plan to teach the kids at camp: La'Dod Moshe Hayta Chava. You're all familiar with this song, but you just don't realise it. Hint: the next line goes: E I E I O.