Absolute pandemonium! Kids EVERYWHERE, hugs, smiles and laughter filling up the camp...the sun's out and it's an amazing first day! Saw my first giant snapping turtle in the lake, played with the boats and managed to get a waterski and wakeboard session in before the kids arrived!
For the guys that know what I'm like on waterski's the speed limit's only 36mph on he lake, so pretty slow, and on the wake board, circled the lake, so next job is to start carving and hopefully get some air :)
The camp is split up in to campuses and then in to tribes, mine is the second eldest tribe...Algonquin and our campus is Upper Senior.
My house is undoubtedly the hardest work on camp. They're all go go go! Trying to hide contraband and all sorts of stuff they're not allowed on camp, doing everything they're not allowed and swearing every 2 seconds. But they're entertaining to say the least!
We've already put in an action plan for my first night in after a tip off that they have planned to distract me and raid one of the other houses with water balloons, etc. Can't wait to see their faces!
The house I'm in is so well placed, we're raised up on top of a hill; well it's more of a mound, but we're next door to the shower house and all the other amenities are real close. Their's a nice little porch in the shade we can hang out on, and it's rare you'll see the kids in there, they're all ADHD, running around camp and beating each other up...momentary peace!
Have a few plans in the pipeline for the next few days. Social with the Danbee girls, my campus is going to New York tomorrow to do laser tag and I have a day off Thursday so I'm heading to Boston Wednesday night!
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Sunday, 26 June 2011
The Mah-Kee-Nac Way - Orientation
This past week has been non-stop pedal to the metal! I completed and passed both the lifeguard and small crafts instructor courses, it almost feels that I'm collecting these qualifications as a hobby.
I'm now in Camp Mah-Kee-Nac, my home for the next 2 months and I'm absolutely stoked!
Camp orientation has been a total blurrrrr! It's been long, it's been thorough and tough, but most of all it's been so much fun! It started off with games, continued with games and eventually today, on the last day of orientation...we finished with a game. I can't begin to explain, most of the game concepts make me go cross-eyed, but I assure you there are photos and videos and I'll be bringing these games home! My fave so far...GaGa Ball...trust me, don't try to read in to it.
My haven and workplace, the lake named Stockbridge Bowl, is the most stunning stretch of tideless water I've ever seen! Two pontoons stretch out from the beach, one leading to the camp's new water toys; a giant inflatable slide and a floating trampoline. The other pontoon makes my fingers and toes tingle when I see the 3 Malibu wakeboard boats hanging off of it loosely with a vast expanse of mirror-like water and big green hill-mountains supplying the backdrop...a stunning starburst sunset every single night.
We've had our fair share of rain, I heard it's been quite wet back home, but the sun comes out every day and warms up the lake.
We've been prepping the camp ready for the kids to come, a huge team effort made it a great success and all the counsellors are anxiously waiting for the camp to fill.
I've had to move around a couple times, but am now in the house I'll spend the rest of summer in with 2 other counsellors and 8 kids. I've been informed that I'll have 9th graders (14yo) and that I've been strategically placed, with good faith, in the cheekiest and most scheming group of kids. I'm stoked to meet them.
Been out of camp a couple times, had an absolute steal getting 5 Volcom longsleeves to keep me warm for $18 from PacSun. Happy days! Saw the Danbee girls and managed to get an icy cold beer in me...followed by an emphatic, ahhhhhh :)
I'm now in Camp Mah-Kee-Nac, my home for the next 2 months and I'm absolutely stoked!
Camp orientation has been a total blurrrrr! It's been long, it's been thorough and tough, but most of all it's been so much fun! It started off with games, continued with games and eventually today, on the last day of orientation...we finished with a game. I can't begin to explain, most of the game concepts make me go cross-eyed, but I assure you there are photos and videos and I'll be bringing these games home! My fave so far...GaGa Ball...trust me, don't try to read in to it.
My haven and workplace, the lake named Stockbridge Bowl, is the most stunning stretch of tideless water I've ever seen! Two pontoons stretch out from the beach, one leading to the camp's new water toys; a giant inflatable slide and a floating trampoline. The other pontoon makes my fingers and toes tingle when I see the 3 Malibu wakeboard boats hanging off of it loosely with a vast expanse of mirror-like water and big green hill-mountains supplying the backdrop...a stunning starburst sunset every single night.
We've had our fair share of rain, I heard it's been quite wet back home, but the sun comes out every day and warms up the lake.
We've been prepping the camp ready for the kids to come, a huge team effort made it a great success and all the counsellors are anxiously waiting for the camp to fill.
I've had to move around a couple times, but am now in the house I'll spend the rest of summer in with 2 other counsellors and 8 kids. I've been informed that I'll have 9th graders (14yo) and that I've been strategically placed, with good faith, in the cheekiest and most scheming group of kids. I'm stoked to meet them.
Been out of camp a couple times, had an absolute steal getting 5 Volcom longsleeves to keep me warm for $18 from PacSun. Happy days! Saw the Danbee girls and managed to get an icy cold beer in me...followed by an emphatic, ahhhhhh :)
Monday, 13 June 2011
Lifeguard Training
Camp Danbee.
Day two and three of lifeguard training at Camp Danbee can justifiably be referred to as an absolute personal achievement and success.
Starting to feel the responsibility creep up as the closer I get to completing the course the closer I get to being legally responsible for other people's lives; it's quite daunting yet exciting at the same time!
Wednesday night revealed the most mind blowing electrical storm I've ever seen! The sky was alive; streaks of lightning tearing through the clouds and ripping out into the clear air above our heads! I've taken a wander down to the Danbee waterfront of Lake Ashmere to the get the best view! Arms outstretched to the sides, back arched and yelling at the top of my lungs, epic moment I'll never forget!
The next night the sky was dancing with fire flies, made me think of Ron Pope's song off his 'Daylight' album 'Fireflies'. In a way it smoothed the edge off of a hard day's work in the pool and class room.
It's dusk at the end of a weary weekend; it's Sunday, a day of (rest) waking up late for breakfast, dragging my feet across the dew dampened grass and slipping in to the pool to complete my lifeguard qualification and later move on to stage two of the American Red Cross Canoe Instructors and Kayak Instructors courses. My instructor is an older chap that goes by the name 'Crackers' and he's everything it says on the tin. Picture your stereotypical Vietnam veteran with all the whistles, bells and every story to go with it...'back in nam'.
Just a couple more days now until I'm a qualified canoe and kayak instructor. However it also means we'll all be leaving Camp Danbee and heading our separate ways! Some awesome friends have been made here, in such a short time too...such is life; people come and people go. Hopefully, with every finger and toe crossed and double folded, paths will cross again. I heard rumours of socials, so it seems likely.
Keep smiling =)
Day two and three of lifeguard training at Camp Danbee can justifiably be referred to as an absolute personal achievement and success.
Starting to feel the responsibility creep up as the closer I get to completing the course the closer I get to being legally responsible for other people's lives; it's quite daunting yet exciting at the same time!
Wednesday night revealed the most mind blowing electrical storm I've ever seen! The sky was alive; streaks of lightning tearing through the clouds and ripping out into the clear air above our heads! I've taken a wander down to the Danbee waterfront of Lake Ashmere to the get the best view! Arms outstretched to the sides, back arched and yelling at the top of my lungs, epic moment I'll never forget!
The next night the sky was dancing with fire flies, made me think of Ron Pope's song off his 'Daylight' album 'Fireflies'. In a way it smoothed the edge off of a hard day's work in the pool and class room.
It's dusk at the end of a weary weekend; it's Sunday, a day of (rest) waking up late for breakfast, dragging my feet across the dew dampened grass and slipping in to the pool to complete my lifeguard qualification and later move on to stage two of the American Red Cross Canoe Instructors and Kayak Instructors courses. My instructor is an older chap that goes by the name 'Crackers' and he's everything it says on the tin. Picture your stereotypical Vietnam veteran with all the whistles, bells and every story to go with it...'back in nam'.
Just a couple more days now until I'm a qualified canoe and kayak instructor. However it also means we'll all be leaving Camp Danbee and heading our separate ways! Some awesome friends have been made here, in such a short time too...such is life; people come and people go. Hopefully, with every finger and toe crossed and double folded, paths will cross again. I heard rumours of socials, so it seems likely.
Keep smiling =)
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
The Road to Mah-Kee-Nac
D-day...chaos! Even before the first step of the journey! Skipping town for a while must have been so much easier in the dark ages of technology; no phone contracts, insurance commitments and other scamming bills to contemplate as it's quietly nibbling away at the little money a student can tuck away.
Still that was just the beginning of the start of the day!
I'm currently writing this on my iPod touch's note pad as I glide past a breath-taking view of New York and the Brooklyn Bridge at Sunset, on the train to my next crisis...sit tight and you'll read about it in a minute.
Back to the start of my day...
In classic 'Sebastian' fashion I arrive at Heathrow and check in with 5 minutes to go until boarding commences, so there I am, full scrambling quarterback mode engaged making a B-line for boarding gate 18...but I have to say JFK was where the "fun" really started! Border control had a field day! Now I know the comedians out there have jokes flying around there head already, but I was bricking it, just sitting around expecting at any moment to hear the snap of a latex glove on the wrist of a debauch looking customs officer. However it was only because I forgot a form that had nothing to do with them anyway!
I get off the Long Island Rail Road at Penn Station not knowing exactly where in the big apple I am, but I know I'm in Manhattan! Climbing a narrow set of stairs I start to get flash backs, vague memories of "I've been here before". I've only gone and emerged in to the sunlight from the underbelly of New York, New York through the gates of Madison Square Garden. Don't know about you but I think that's a pretty cool entrance to the land of the "free"!
So this next dilemma I'm cruising towards...I don't have a pick-up from my end station to the camp yet. I'm waiting on a call! It's already dark and I'm pretty sure the TV shows say there's bears in them woods! Ah well I'll just have to get my Rambo on!
Without intention I've already bumped into some of the country's most famous landmarks; the Empire State Building, The Guggenheim Museum, Grand Central Train Station, Madison Square Garden, Brooklyn Bridge, etc
It's a good start! Today's been little short of a roller coaster and I sense, knowing me, this is just the first of many...but who doesn't like a thrilling ride once in a blue moon...
Still that was just the beginning of the start of the day!
I'm currently writing this on my iPod touch's note pad as I glide past a breath-taking view of New York and the Brooklyn Bridge at Sunset, on the train to my next crisis...sit tight and you'll read about it in a minute.
Back to the start of my day...
In classic 'Sebastian' fashion I arrive at Heathrow and check in with 5 minutes to go until boarding commences, so there I am, full scrambling quarterback mode engaged making a B-line for boarding gate 18...but I have to say JFK was where the "fun" really started! Border control had a field day! Now I know the comedians out there have jokes flying around there head already, but I was bricking it, just sitting around expecting at any moment to hear the snap of a latex glove on the wrist of a debauch looking customs officer. However it was only because I forgot a form that had nothing to do with them anyway!
I get off the Long Island Rail Road at Penn Station not knowing exactly where in the big apple I am, but I know I'm in Manhattan! Climbing a narrow set of stairs I start to get flash backs, vague memories of "I've been here before". I've only gone and emerged in to the sunlight from the underbelly of New York, New York through the gates of Madison Square Garden. Don't know about you but I think that's a pretty cool entrance to the land of the "free"!
So this next dilemma I'm cruising towards...I don't have a pick-up from my end station to the camp yet. I'm waiting on a call! It's already dark and I'm pretty sure the TV shows say there's bears in them woods! Ah well I'll just have to get my Rambo on!
Without intention I've already bumped into some of the country's most famous landmarks; the Empire State Building, The Guggenheim Museum, Grand Central Train Station, Madison Square Garden, Brooklyn Bridge, etc
It's a good start! Today's been little short of a roller coaster and I sense, knowing me, this is just the first of many...but who doesn't like a thrilling ride once in a blue moon...
Saturday, 4 June 2011
Leaving.....again
It seems that throughout my life I've spent so little time in my home town of Southampton. I'm not portraying myself to be some jungle adventurer, though my haircuts through time may say otherwise, but I've done a fair share of travelling. It's the prospect of discovering the innumerable things the world has to offer that instills the primal urge to explore it and knowing that I'll never even scratch the surface of the planet's true expanse; I stand undeterred and remain contented with a poised, yet eager, readiness to explore when nature reveals an opportunity.
So I'm picking myself up and leaving this town, heading back to the 'New World' as the men, women and children of Christopher Columbus' days would have called it. America, USA, Los Estados Unidos...
Any which way I say it, it seeps excitement into my veins.
I'm not one for making plans, but there does appear to be a formulation of some sorts regarding the on-goings of 2011's Season of Summer...
A great friend of mine hooked me up with a job working in Lenox, at
Camp Mah-Kee-Nac, in the so called Pride of America...Massachusetts. Two months I'll spend here as a Waterfront Counsellor on Stockbridge Bowl (the name of the lake). Simply put, I'm driving a wake board boat around a lake for 6 hours a day and soaking up the rays... "sounds terrible".
Less simply put I'm specialising in towing wake boarders, water skiers and knee boarders around, driving one of the camp's 5 Malibu Wake Board boats and I'll be doing the slow motion Baywatch run as I lifeguard around the lake and pool areas. After that I'm not 100% sure of my duties, I'll find out and update you during orientation, but I do know there's actually a lot of hard work involved and I'll have a little troop of kids to take under my wing and turn in to fine young gentlemen.
"The term 'hard work' can be defined by the degree of discontent in what you're doing...if you're enjoying what you're doing, are you not just having fun" (Sanders-Rivas, S. 2011) - Write that down...
However, putting the specialities aside, I'm adamant on entering camp with 0 expectations and rely on my adaptability, happy-go-lucky nature and a big dash of my newly coined 'knowledgeable wing-it' to make it an awesome experience for all involved.
Post-camp is when the journey takes off. I have my eyes clamped on California to begin with and end up in New York for the ASP World Surf Tour Championships and my Birthday. What happens in between instigates thoughts of Vegas, Texas, the old stomping grounds of Chicago and Crystal Lake, Illinois - where once upon a time I lived for a while - and anywhere else the wind decides to take me.
Internal flights around the states cost tuppence, so it doesn't take a astrophysicist to figure out what I've got on my mind...actually it probably does. The only way you'll know is to keep coming back, stay in the loop and follow me as I embark on this voyage. But I can promise it'll be mind blowing. Don't come back if you're susceptible to going green with envy...
Every journey begins with a single step...
So I'm picking myself up and leaving this town, heading back to the 'New World' as the men, women and children of Christopher Columbus' days would have called it. America, USA, Los Estados Unidos...
Any which way I say it, it seeps excitement into my veins.
I'm not one for making plans, but there does appear to be a formulation of some sorts regarding the on-goings of 2011's Season of Summer...
A great friend of mine hooked me up with a job working in Lenox, at
Camp Mah-Kee-Nac, in the so called Pride of America...Massachusetts. Two months I'll spend here as a Waterfront Counsellor on Stockbridge Bowl (the name of the lake). Simply put, I'm driving a wake board boat around a lake for 6 hours a day and soaking up the rays... "sounds terrible".
Less simply put I'm specialising in towing wake boarders, water skiers and knee boarders around, driving one of the camp's 5 Malibu Wake Board boats and I'll be doing the slow motion Baywatch run as I lifeguard around the lake and pool areas. After that I'm not 100% sure of my duties, I'll find out and update you during orientation, but I do know there's actually a lot of hard work involved and I'll have a little troop of kids to take under my wing and turn in to fine young gentlemen.
"The term 'hard work' can be defined by the degree of discontent in what you're doing...if you're enjoying what you're doing, are you not just having fun" (Sanders-Rivas, S. 2011) - Write that down...
However, putting the specialities aside, I'm adamant on entering camp with 0 expectations and rely on my adaptability, happy-go-lucky nature and a big dash of my newly coined 'knowledgeable wing-it' to make it an awesome experience for all involved.
Post-camp is when the journey takes off. I have my eyes clamped on California to begin with and end up in New York for the ASP World Surf Tour Championships and my Birthday. What happens in between instigates thoughts of Vegas, Texas, the old stomping grounds of Chicago and Crystal Lake, Illinois - where once upon a time I lived for a while - and anywhere else the wind decides to take me.
Internal flights around the states cost tuppence, so it doesn't take a astrophysicist to figure out what I've got on my mind...actually it probably does. The only way you'll know is to keep coming back, stay in the loop and follow me as I embark on this voyage. But I can promise it'll be mind blowing. Don't come back if you're susceptible to going green with envy...
Every journey begins with a single step...
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)