Camp is now over and there were emotional goodbyes everywhere. On Saturday morning, plenty of the staff were in tears. Strong bonds and friendships have been formed in the two months we have all spent together and it can be quite brutal for some to have these ties severed so abruptly. For me, it was much more difficult to say goodbye to my campers; young adults who look up to me more than I could have imagined. It felt like leaving 20 younger siblings, all desperate for me to stay.
The last fortnight of camp has been just as exciting and probably busier than previous weeks. We had a two day trip to 'Club Getaway', described to me as a camp for camps, with delicious food, a game show, a dance party and other activities, bigger and better than the ones we have at Hillcroft. Nonetheless, I wasn't sorry to be back at good old camp once the trip was over. And just last Wednesday, the Hillcroft Friendship Games took place. The older campers were split into four teams; we made t-shirts, assigned team names and the whole day was full of fun, sporting activities. I was even lucky enough to be on the winning team.
Outside of camp, I have enjoyed several fun evenings with other staff members, as we gradually said our farewells and I even managed to see a Broadway show on a trip to the city last weekend. The show was called 'Memphis' and has immediately jumped up to number two on my Musical Chart, only second to 'Wicked'. And after a few relaxing days after camp, I headed up to Philadelphia today for my flight and witnessed the square I was sitting in get flocked by people as the buildings were evacuated due to the earthquake all the way down in Virginia.
And so, I am saying goodbye to New York and the States and greeting my much beloved England again. Over the last couple of days, I have had plenty of time to reminisce about my time in the Americas. I began in the Dominican Republic. At first, it was hard. Due to the language barrier and the colour of my skin, I was an obvious outsider, but I battled with it and grew to form some great friendships, such that I found it very hard to leave.
Next, I moved onto South America. I had been travelling before and had really enjoyed it, but nothing could have prepared me for the magical atmosphere that engulfs Latin America. Even now, some of the people I met and the places I saw still seem a little unbelievable. I can't recommend South America enough; whether it is natural beauty or crazy experiences you seek, this continent has it all.
And last but not least, Camp Hillcroft. Here, relationships have blossomed and it has certainly been the most rewarding part of my travels. The two months have absolutely flown by and I genuinely can't believe it is the end of August already.
However, I do feel that the time is right for me to be heading home and starting my next set of adventures at university. One thing I have been saying to people all year, particularly at camp is that the most important thing is to have fun. People ask me if I miss home and I tell them that I don't have time to miss home. I'll think about home when I get there. I prefer to think in the here and now, staying active and busy.
I would like to finish my blog on a quote from my French friend, Xavier. This is something he said to me a lot while we were travelling and I believe that it may go some way in helping you understand how fantastic this year has been so far.
"I woke up this morning and wanted to hug my life."
Thank you all for reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment