So several weeks have passed.
The last few weeks of camp see sawed between super relaxation and stress, as due to trips and colour war, my teaching periods dwindled away to a handful of hours each week.
Meanwhile the kids got more and more cocky, confident and crazy, and the other counsellor in my cabin, Edouard, had to go home to Paris early for university exams.
I didn't feel very emotional on leaving day. Many kids and staff were crying and hugging each other, but i was just tired and done. I made some good friends but the experience overall this year was never going to make the same impression as the first time round
Archery went really well though, the new challenge system i introduced was popular, kids broke the records set last year, and interest was up on the back of movies such as the Hunger Games.
Nature wise, there was an especially massive thunderstorm one night, with a couple of trees felled nervously close to the cabins, and a couple of cabins actually struck by lightning. Very entertaining!
Also a red tailed hawk has settled around camp, sitting in trees and occasionally listlessly flapping its huge powerful wings to move to a different perch or catch a chipmunk.
Next year? i wouldn't rule it out. There are many other things i want to do, but it's an easy option to go back, and i hate the thought of some stranger taking over "my" archery range!!
So camp was over, bag packed, clothes shrunk by the over eager laundry.
Not deja vu, but i am back in the same place doing the same thing as last year.
Only difference is that all the kids have got taller, spottier, and learned new and dreadful things. Or think they have, which can be mildly amusing.
A bit of a shock to the system this, being expected to get up before 8am and work, although i use that word in the loosest possible terms.
I felt a bit stuck in the middle the first week, between the nervous band of rookie new staff and the returning old timers, since almost none of the other new counselors i hung out with last year came back. But everything is in full swing now and there is never a dull moment, with all these excitable kids around there is always something going on.
I'm sick of hearing those conversations about trivial differences between the uk and america, and our versions of the english language. Yes we say "bin", "pavement" and call soccer "football". and vice versa. Just get over it already!
There are a lot more international kids this year, particularly from Spain, who are now walking around with smug grins after the Euros final.
All in all, i doubt there'll be much to update on here for the next 6 weeks, i'll just be chillaxing in the woods shooting archery, and swimming in the lake. and trying to replace drinking with gym time. and trying not to eat a plateful of every food on offer each meal time (which is a lot of food).
ok, where's that entry form for the amsterdam half marathon in october...
http://www.tcsamsterdammarathon.nl/en/registration/
there it is!
ok laters, i have to replace some target faces. the camp has hired some videographers to make a new promo video and everything is being a bit cheesy this week!
Only difference is that all the kids have got taller, spottier, and learned new and dreadful things. Or think they have, which can be mildly amusing.
A bit of a shock to the system this, being expected to get up before 8am and work, although i use that word in the loosest possible terms.
I felt a bit stuck in the middle the first week, between the nervous band of rookie new staff and the returning old timers, since almost none of the other new counselors i hung out with last year came back. But everything is in full swing now and there is never a dull moment, with all these excitable kids around there is always something going on.
I'm sick of hearing those conversations about trivial differences between the uk and america, and our versions of the english language. Yes we say "bin", "pavement" and call soccer "football". and vice versa. Just get over it already!
There are a lot more international kids this year, particularly from Spain, who are now walking around with smug grins after the Euros final.
All in all, i doubt there'll be much to update on here for the next 6 weeks, i'll just be chillaxing in the woods shooting archery, and swimming in the lake. and trying to replace drinking with gym time. and trying not to eat a plateful of every food on offer each meal time (which is a lot of food).
ok, where's that entry form for the amsterdam half marathon in october...
http://www.tcsamsterdammarathon.nl/en/registration/
there it is!
ok laters, i have to replace some target faces. the camp has hired some videographers to make a new promo video and everything is being a bit cheesy this week!
