30 kids & 5 counsellors in 5 days!

Sorry I haven't had a chance to write in a while it has been a very long week and a half! 

So Il start from where I left off! This week we had a new set of kids and a new programme called Beach Watch. This means that they do the regular things at camp but have extra time at the waterfront doing boating and swimming (more sunbathing time for me) and have a trip to the beach! We also split them up into groups of 3 so it made it a bit easier for them to get to their activities. 

On the first night of new campers, the counsellors all get a midnight treat at each cabin and this week it was 3 tubs of Ben and jerrys and a weird cake that looks like hamburgers and a pile of crap. Think it's suppose to be chips? Was tasty tho! haha. Think theyre trying to make everyone obese.

We also camped out in tents at the beginning of the week but we heard thunder at about 5am so had to frantically get all the kids up and call the camp directors to pick us up as it was pouring with rain and a storm was on it's way...not fun! 

The next day there was an 'all camp' which is when all the different groups in camp can join together and do a joint activity. This week it was Harry Potter themed so there was face painting and wand making and for dinner the dining hall was set out like Hogwarts, no floating candles though. I had my 6 hour break this day and me and some other girls went to the mall where I got a few pressies!

The next day was spent at the beach with our 30 kids and another group who had about 14 kids. This was a special day as we got to take a yellow school bus!!

The kids didn't understand why I was taking pictures and getting excited so they asked me what colour the english school buses were. I tried to explain to them about coaches, trains and general public transport but they just looked at me funny. I was also asked this week if I sneezed and laughed in a British accent. I said yes.

The next day we had a visitor from a country music singer who was pretty much a Taylor swift wannabe. She was actually quite good and kept the kids entertained for an hour or so which always helps. A Harry potter band also came this day and sung about Death Eaters, the Weasleys and Voldermort, they were very strange and over dramatic. Reminded me of a folk band you'd see at strawberry fair in Cambridge.

On Thursday I went tubing with 7 of my girls and Treble drove us, she's the waterfront director who is very sweet! Tubing is basically floating down a river in a rubber ring btw. This was nice and peaceful until your bum gets scraped against slimey rocks underneath and wedges you onto the bigger ones meaning you have to wiggle about every now and then. Was still fun though and meant we got out of camp for a bit!

On Friday the kids left one by one and we were told what unit we would be living in for the next two weeks and what programmes we would be doing. I put on my preference sheet that I would like the younger kids aged 5 and up as I hadn't had that age yet. Water rings were put in the lake and all the counsellors names were tied to them including what programme they would be doing. It was a boiling hot day too reaching 36 degrees so lots of counsellors went in and got the rings. I was told I'd be living in Whispering Winds for the next two weeks which is where I stayed the first week. (Just to remind you all cabins have different names that are located in different areas of the camp!) I was told that I'd be living with Leanne and Tash too and that the first week we'd have 5 girls in our group (makes a difference from 30!) aged 10 and their programme is called 'Team Spirit'. We get told what each programme need to do and what they should achieve by the end of the week so this week they will be doing lots of team building activities and will go to a high ropes course woo! I've been quite lucky with each group so far as I've always got to go on trips and don't have to pay! The week after will be two 4 day units for girls aged 5+! they'll either be really cute or will be up all night crying hmm.

So once everyone moved their luggage to the new cabins it was time for Break Weekendd!! Me and 8 other girls travelled to Canada and stayed there for a night and a day to see Niagra Falls. It took around 9 hours to get there and we travelled through the state of New York to get there (not the city bit) we were then questioned and treated like criminals when we got to the Canadian border as they asked us what we wanted to do there and when our flights home were, we felt really loved!... After a long night we were told our hotel room had been cancelled as we were so late but managed to find a nice place that gave free breakfast and wifi for $27 each for 2 big rooms with double beds. We were all very happy and amazed we actually made it!...so decided to jump on the beds like children haha.

The next day we changed up our money to Canadian dollars and walked down to the main strip.

It reminded me a bit of a seaside resort as it was very touristy with loads of restaurants and arcades, there was also a big Hersheys store, a Ripleys Believe It Or Not and loads of other things to see! Oh and Niagra Falls of course! We got on a huge boat around the waterfalls and got absolutely soaked as they took us closer. The boat ride was only $16 too. It was so amazing to see though and would recommend it to anyone!! There's also an American side to it that you can get a boat ride around but the Canadian side had more going on!

We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe and made our way back to the van. We passed a piercing place on the walk back and me, Emma and Adelaide got new piercings! I got a piercing on the top part of my ear, it's got a hoop in it atm (don't worry mum you will like it! :D) I was pretty scared though as I dont like needles in general but thought it'd be cool to get it done in Canada. It did hurt but wasn't unbearable :)

We made our way back to camp Saturday eve and arrived around 2am the next day. Sunday the kids arrived and we have had them for 2 days and they are little angels. There's only 5 of them which is also amazing! Have already done quite a lot with them this week but will write a separate blog at the end of the week explaining all!

Missing lots of my friends and family this week!! Only 3 and a half more weeks till I'm home :)

Love to you all!

Leanne, Sophie, Anna, Ellis, Adelaide, Emma and Me

Super Counselor :)

Hello all! This week i spent most of the time with 4 other counsellors and 22 young  excitable girls. We had a few problem children but they were alright once controlled! I have a load more bites as our cabin is surrounded by trees. Most of them are on my ankles which is horrible as I wear trainers most of the day and they rub like mad. I also have a few in my scalp which is rank!  Here are a few pics of what the unit looks like...  

  The cabin I stay in for 2 weeks with 4 other counselors

The campers cabins!

 A fire pit!

My messy bed...

Alex eating before bed...tut

The girls signed up for'Top Chefs' as their week programme so we made solar s'mores with them one day which I didn,t have a clue what they were either but it turns out they're chocolate and marshmellows in a cracker then wrapped in tin foil and left out in the sun to heat. They were nice and i think the squirell that ran off with a few enjoyed them too! We also made dessert ravioli which was pizza dough stuffed with more chocolate, marshmellows and fruit.

We have to camp out once a week with each group that comes so all of the girls have to put up and take down their tents which is a pain because we end up taking down most of them for the ones that can't do it. We just have a sleeping bag to sleep with too. No airbeds! haha :( I didn't sleep too bad though as I imagined I was sleeping on my living room floor as it was so flat!

There was also an hour slot this week called yoyos which means 'your own your own' so all counsellors can sign up to teach something that any child can go to. I decided to teach nail art! That went really well and the girls were fascinated by the 'barry m' shatter nail varnish that cracks as it dries. So most of them used that!

Our girls also cooked and prepared there own lunch which meant I had to make the fire!! ooh! I got the girls to go and find different types of wood so that I could keep it going. I have to admit that I did use a match BUT I still was able to keep it going!! And cooked mince over it! Yay me! After that I had a 6 hour break which I spent with Anna and Ellis at the public beach sunbathing and then had a shower which was amazing until I had to re-coat with bug spray!

At the end of the week we always have a closing campfire and throughout the week the girls can vote who they want to be 'Super Counsellor' and I was voted one this week along with 3 others! Woo go me!! I got the notes that the girls wrote about me and my favourite was...'She is so so nice. She always has a big smile on her face. She is pretty and I would really really like her to get this award. Me and a bunch of my friends would really like her to get it! When I go home I'm going to be sad' Haha aww!

Looking disgusting but I don't care! I was happy!

Next week will be with the same counselors and cabin but we will have 29 girls to keep alive this time!

I have also booked a 6 day trip to New York for after camp with about 7 other girls who are flying back to UK and also a trip to Niagra falls for the end of next week which will take about 8 hours to get to but will be a fun road trip!

Not sure when I'l next be able to update will prob be in another week which by then will be Matts birthday so I want to say Happy Birthdayy!!

Lots of love everyone! XxX

Week one...done!

Here's everything I did in my first week at Camp Chenoa!

Monday 4th July

Woke up early and took the girls to the parade in new Boston which was really nice to see. We then went to a small fair. We went back to camp and joined the rest of the campers with 4th July fun and a massive waterfight. Kellyanne decided to throw a bucket of water of me! Staff were making popcorn and corndogs for everyone so I had a bite of a corndog but didn't really like it! Took the girls swimming for a bit and then we went to dinner and then to a big campfire they did at camp where they handed our sparklers for everyone.

 

Tuesday 5th July

Today we went to a theme park called six flags it was AMAZING!! It was soo hot I had to walk under the fountain to cool off. We had pizza for lunch it was also huge! We stayed there till about 9pm and drove back it took 2 and a half hours. I was soo tired on the way back it was horrible trying to stay awake but I had to as kellyannes driving scares me haha.

Wednesday 6th July

Today we went to zip wiring about 2 hours away. It was soo much fun but it started raining and thundering on the last bit so we ran back to the trucks and went to get some ice cream instead haha.

Thursday 7th July

Today was a full day of camp! We woke up had breakfast then did boating, tyedying, archery, games, rock wall which I got half way up! We also went star gazing and ate marshmellows.

Friday 8th July

Today we got the girls up later and made sure they were packed and took them to brunch where most got picked up. Was nice seeing other girls' parents. Took the girls to the closing ceremony and then helped clean dif areas of camp. We were then told what our next unit would be by handing out kitchen utensils that matched with other counsellors. This week I am staying in sky dwellers and my program is top chef. So I'm guessing we'll be cooking lots with the kids aswel as doing other regular activities at camp. Afterwards we were free for the weekend yay! Well until the new kids come on Sunday.

Afterwards most people went to the mall and we had dinner there too. We also went to walmart and I got some camp essentials like a backpack a watch and some sweets :) I forgot bug spray though!! Got excited in Walmart because it's hugee and everythings so cheap!

Moved all my stuff to my new cabin which isnt too bad!

Me and Kellyanne

Saturday 9th July

Today most of the international staff went to the beach in Massachusetts whcih was 2 hours away. Everything is so far apart! It was really lovely and hot but the sea was freezing!! Counted my mosquito bites today and I have 23!! We spent most of the day there and then had more ice cream on the way home and i bought some insect repellent at last. Most of the girls are now in the staff house relaxing and watching DVDs. New kids come tomorrow and my group will be aged 9-11ish, theres 22 of them though!!

So I'm up to date now! Will be back when I have a spare moment!

Love to you all! XXXXX

Camp life!

Ok! So on Saturday we moved our luggage to our new cabins.

I was told Id be staying at the whispering winds cabin (each cabin has it's own name I'll be in this one for a week then swapping to a different next week!) and my unit was day trippers. So basically we get to choose wherever we want to go out of camp. Woo! Not everyone gets to do this.
This week we've decided that we'll go zip wiring, to six flags a huge theme park yay! We'll go to the beach, have a day at camp doing anything they want to experience. We'll also experience 4th July!

So all the new campers came yesterday and we have 12-14yr olds. I am working this week with 3 other girls, Kate kellyanne and tex. We will share the responsibilities of the 13 girls and make sure they are having a good time all the time! Later on some other counsellors came in our cabin to hand out midnight treats. They seriously think of everything here! I could easily get used to it. Everyone is really lovely here though and happy to answer any questions as I have a lot!

Today we took the girls to the beach and it poured most of the time so we got picked up and went for lunch. The dining hall here is huge. It was our groups turn to lay down cutlery etc for the breakfast this morning. Aftewards we had an hour or so of time to chill and do whatever. We then took the girls to the cinema and I watched monte Carlo with kellyanne and 10 other girls... It was crap. As it was kellyannes 21st birthday today she was able to drive the huge truck. Little bit scary as she'd never driven one before but it was fine until later on...Afterwards we went to a burrito place and I had a Thai one with steak it was amazing!! We headed back to camp which was a 30min drive. As we got closer to camp we saw lots of fireworks going off and also a police car secretly following us. We pulled over and he walked over and asked if we'd been drinking and where we were going. We acted innocently and he let us off. Apparently another driver reported us as kellyanne was swerving a bit. Tbh I think he was just bored! He let us off and I'm sitting in the staff house it's 10.45pm. Tomorrow is the 4th July and we will be going to a carnival and then back to camp for the fireworks. They spent $10.000 on fireworks so they should be good! 

XxxxxX

Goodbye London Hello Boston!

After saying goodbye to the parents I was on my way to heathrow with all my luggage on the train. Not fun as they were very heavy! After going through security I met Tash who was going to the same camp as me. We chatted about what to expect and how we were both excited but nervous.

On the plane I relaxed and watch Gnomeo and Juliet and the new Justin Bieber film (suprisingly good!). Got excited when the food came round and free wine. Only to drop it down my leg 2 seconds later haha. Free brownies and choc ices were also handed out :)

After arriving in Boston around 5.15pm US time me and Tash decided to slap on a bit more make-up and saw a girl holding up a 'Chenoa" sign, which is the name of the Camp we are staying at. She took us to the camp truck which was a HUGE 12 seater!

I shotgunned the front seat and we were on our way through Boston to New Hampshire. We chatted about what to expect and the general in's and out's of it all. Star got a bit lost but we were soon on the right highway lol motorway! We stopped at a mcds and I ordered a quarter pounder with cheese meal (matts favourite) I can safely say that it was the best mcds I'd ever had haha. We saw a dunkin donuts, macys, and lots of other american things that were exciting! We also went to a drive through cash machine or ATM that looked like a petrol station but instead of pumps there were lots of cashpoints, madness!

 When we got in to New Hampshire all the houses were huge and white and so beautiful! We drove into the town of Antrim and I could see a hugee lake and loads or trees.

We checked in and stayed in Tent City for the nightl. We will be told where we're actually sleeping tonight and what group we will be with!

Right now I am sitting in the staff house and just had a bit of lemon cake...im gonna get fat!

Will try to update soon!! XXXXXX