While many students spend their Summer slaving away at McDonalds, Amy Lancaster-Smith had an unforgettable trip to America working as a camp counsellor. Here she explains what she got up to…
Probably the most well known line from the teen comedy American Pie! Ah yes, summer camp: an American tradition - something we in the UK do not have the opportunity to experience. Not that we are missing out, I mean, how much fun could it possibly be? This was the question I asked myself on the 12th June last year, whilst sitting on an aeroplane bound for New York. Only three months earlier I had thought I would be spending my holidays working at a leisure centre in Crewe, watching the days drag by. Then all of a sudden, it seemed, I was on my way to a camp in Connecticut, hired as a specialty Tennis counsellor with CCUSA. What had I let myself in for? Had I really applied to get a job looking after American children? Insanity, surely …… this summer, however, proved to be the best of my life by far!
I was quite nervous at the thought of having to play teacher and surrogate mother to hundreds of children, especially American ones. My apprehension, however, turned out to be unfounded. Unlike any of the notorious American stereotypes, the children turned out to be as well behaved, inquisitive, and mischievous as all the other children that I have looked after. Camp itself also exceeded all of my expectations. There is no better way to describe camp than by saying that it is just like the movies. I became part of a unique world comprised of cookouts, campfires, and sing alongs. I found myself dressing up in crazy costumes for the sake of square dancing, having the union jack painted on my face when we hosted a huge Basketball tournament, smothering myself in mosquito repellent for weekly campouts in the woods, and jumping around while singing the theme tune to Cow & Chickens pre-bedtime entertainment for the kids! I looked forward to meals of corn dogs and tater tots, PB & J (peanut butter and jelly to those uninitiated in American cuisine) sandwiches, and of course, the ultimate in camp treats ‘smores’. I shared in the children’s triumphs, and disappointments, their laughter, and tears. I became the one who tucked them in at night, helped them get ready in the mornings, and the one they looked up to. I’ve never felt so needed, or wanted, in all of my life.
Camp was followed by a week spent in Chicago, where I visited the sears tower (the tallest building in the world), rode on the elevated subway, as seen on E.R – and even appeared as a member of the Jerry Springer show audience! I then went on a two-week tour of the East Coast; from New York City right down to Miami. I saw the monuments in Washington, went white water rafting in Tennessee, partied in New Orleans, and sipped Pena Coladas on Panama Beach. I left the USA with memories that I will always cherish, and friendships that I never imagined I’d form. I am still in contact with the people I met, and am planning on returning to camp in the summer - how else can you get an experience, where you play sport all day, whilst earning money and getting a great tan – not in England anyway!
For the moment, however, I continue to talk about this one time, at summer camp. The Camp Counselor programme offered by CCUSA was the BEST. I was able to work in the States for the duration of camp (9 weeks) and then spend up to 2 months travelling afterwards. My flights, food & accommodation, travel insurance, visa, and social security were all organised for me, as well as getting paid pretty well too, allowing me to focus my attention on other things, like how on earth was I going to get everything in my backpack!
If you think you would be interested in spending your summer as a camp counsellor in the USA, or taking part in another overseas working holiday programme, call CCUSA on 0207 6370779, or check out the website www.ccusa.com.
April 16th, 2008 at 4:21 am
I am sure being a camp counsellor is more meaningful than working in the fast food places.