Unofficial first day of Summer Camp, Seattle, Washington: Tuesday 13/06/06
This morning I packed and had a last breakfast and soaked up the atmosphere of san Francisco for the last time. I sat outside and read the American paper, the “San Francisco Chronicle.” Did a sketch of the Golden Gate Bridge – the actual view from the Hostel.
Then began a long trip to the airport. I walked to several bus stops, eventually finding the one that would at least point me in the right direction.
I got on an empty bus, but it quickly filled, to the point where I couldn’t see out any window but the one directly behind me. I was less than two metres from the bus driver, but couldn’t see him at all. He just kept on stopping and letting on more people, and I thought “just don’t panic” (you must remember I did have a backpack and a roller bag – 30kg of awkward luggage, to contend with.) It got even worse through Chinatown, and for a moment I wouldn’t have been surprised if I had magically been transported to Beijing.
Eventually I got off and found a BART station (subway – don’t ask). After having more problems with the ticket machine (very complicated), I caught a train to what said the Inernational Airport, but it terminated so I had to get off and catch another train, during the transit meeting a group of advertisers from Alberquerquee. (however you spell it.)
Eventually I got there and got contradicting instructions on how to get a boarding pass (ended up doing it self-serve). Their security measures were higher- taking off shoes, x-rayed, scanned, wanded etc… But not as bad as I thought.
Thought I was all good, and then they called me over the loudspeaker to go and collect ANOTHER ticket. But I got there in the end.
I was sad to leave san Francisco. It’s a place I would actually consider going again – to work maybe. Some areas are a bit dicey, but some have so much character.
But that’s only the beginning of a very long trip. I have already learnt so much and grown so much more confident (go me: walking, catching a MUNI, two BARTs and an aeroplane – who said I couldn’t use public transport when I have to – eliza ws right!!)
The flight to Seattle was only two hours, but I sat next to an old lady in love with geography and language, and a man who looked like a terrorist – but turned out being alright.
My first impression of Seattle: GREEN PINE TREES!!! They are everywhere – its so different from the drought stricken Australia. I was met by the Manager of Camp River Ranch: Jessie, camp name “firefly.” She was a little hostile at first, but these days I press conversation out of people like getting blood out of stone.
The drive to Carnation, a small town with 5 shops and 2 restaurants (no doubt a mcdonalds tucked in somewhere) was stunning. There are bears, racoons, squirrels, yaks, the whole shebang. And near the camp there is a shallow river that trickles over the large pebbles, like in the movies.
The camp grounds are FANTASTIC. Picture the Amazon, minus the orang-utans: the canopy is filled with trees covered in moss, a gravel road, barns, strawberry patches, scarecrows, WAGONS which the girls sleep in, etc… I will take lots of pictures tomorrow on our Orientation Treasure Hunt.
I am the youngest here at the moment, but only half the staff have arrived yet. The first people I met were the international ones that arrived today: a girl (camp names are all I know “tack” from Thailand, “tewa” from korea, and “pachu” from Colombia (she speaks german, Spanish ☺, French and English.) I was immediately inducted as their interpreter (I’m ok with accents, and the only one with English as my native language.) We sat around playing “jenga” – the multiculturalness of it!!!
Then we meet up with some of the older staff who have been here a few days: some from America (I find them annoying), England (who have cool accents and welcoming personalities), and New Zealand. There are a lot of weird camp names, my favourite being “mad hatter”, this English girl called Alice, who is kind of shy but cute. We went for a quick walk (they are so unfit) around the camp – there is a lake, fireplaces, old barns, a horse stable, kayaking, and it’s the stuff my dreams are made of – its so my scene!!
We met more staff (oh no!!) and played “apples to apples” - an American word association game – lots of American slang I don’t understand.
Tonight I am sleeping in a luxurious barn (ie, hot showers, full walls and electricity,) but the rest of it I think may be a little more ‘adventurous.’ But (apart from the lack of WiFi), its cool -good ol’ uke of Edinburgh!!
I am missing people a bit now. Because now I know I will be in the same place for nearly three months – and I don’t have constant travel to distract me.
There are lots of mozzies here – but lots of English – whose blood they love, so having an English girl around is just as good as any mozzie zapper.
For now, over and out.
Mii xx
First day of summer camp training: Wednesday 14th June 2006:
Woke up quite late and got driven down to the Sundance Area for burnt choc chip and banana pancakes. They weren’t a very nice welcome to the day. We bummed around a bit and I had a chance to use the internet. Got an email from elle which made a huge lump in my throat – they are back home doing normal things and I feel so out of that world. Elle went out to her first club the other night, for example, and I just felt like I should have been there to share that with her – not that I even like pubs, but on principle, you know?
It got a bit better morality wise throughout the day as we met more people. There is a girl who was actually born in Yeovil, Somerset, where mum is born, called Alice, with the camp name “mad hatter.” I love her accent and I can talk to her pretty easily. Its hard with the girls who don’t speak much English, but they need the practice. They are pretty brave to travel halfway around the world without speaking the language fluently.
We had pizza for lunch in this BEAUTIFUL dining room house thing which looks over lake langlois. I will never stop marvelling at how beautiful the grounds are here. Right now, for example, I am sitting in my sleeping bag wearing a beanie ( in summer – to keep the mozzies from buzzing around my ears), and my very patriotic Australia jumper, on the steps of our open ended wagons (literally wooden wagons like off movies, with iron wheels and white domed tent rooves. I am staring out at very tall pine trees and all I can hear are frogs and people talking in all different accents from all over the world. It’s a strange experience – one that will take some getting used to I think.
We got organised and set off on a scavenger hunt after some orientation games, like plotting out our homelands on a huge people scale map on the grass. There are Czechs, hawaiins, Russians, English (lots of them), americans (lots of course), NZers, another aussie from orange with a very thick accent, etc…
The scavenger hunt took us all around camp – I will be getting quite lost. All of the camp places have no full walls nor electricity. Its pretty down to earth, which would be ok if I didn’t have to keep in contact with all of you.
We ended up in the dining room again, and played more games. One was where we had to get in a big circle (they love circles) and took it in turns to say our camp names, and then the rest of us would have to spell out our names with our bums.
Then we made masks and sang more songs and I felt like I was either in a psychiatric ward, or training to be on Play School.
We went down to the lake amphitetheatre steps to take down the flag, and, you guessed it, sing more songs. There is a ritual for everything. They sang us a lullaby before we went to bed, we say “thanks” before meals (to not discriminate), and there are all these weird chants we will have to learn. I find most of it quite funny and odd, and a lot of the international staff also looked quite confused or bemused.
After dinner (fajitas) – they laugh at how we say that word, we had a campfire, more bloody singing, and headed for our wagons to sleep. And that is where I am right now, and that is where I leave you.
Have a good nights sleep, and for once I actually hope that I can say that I hope the bed bugs don’t bite.
Mii xx (camp name – Joey)
Third day of training: Thursday 15thJune 2006:
Today I really didn’t want to get out of my cosy sleeping bag. I actually got a pretty good nights sleep with no bugs biting me, yet.
Pancakes (they have peanut butter on theirs) and frosties (for them, everything has to have sugar,) for breakfast.
Then played some more team work and ‘get to know each other’ games. Some of them were pretty creative, but some make me feel like I should be in pre-school. Especially the singing. I can’t believe how many rituals there are here – if some of the supervisors have an announcement to make, everybody just BURSTS into song for like five minutes. Even when you’re dismissed, there is a song. We were given a song book that we are told to believe it’s our bible. I will bring it home to share.
We all went for a walk down to the Strawberry patches to pick the berries – which took over an hour to walk there and back, and only ten minutes to pick them. There is snow on the mountains in the backdrop, and it was such a surreal moment. I keep thinking how different my life at the moment is, compared to everyone back home, who are either working, at uni, vacuuming the house etc…
We sung more songs and played more games in the meadow, and then after the flag taking-downing (how technical) we had dinner (meatloaf). We had song corner, played more games and did some more arts and crafts (making superhero capes to symbolise our powers we will aquire at camp.
Then we sat in Song Corner (I can’t quite work out whether this is a mental institition, play school, or a girl scouts camp). And we watched a silent film about girl scout history, which was made in 1918. It was hilarious: very American – the whole “my what a kitchen… I will help you, sargent, to bathe the baby.” Again I kept thinking how different life is now.
We also learnt about girl scout cookies, comprising of 70% of funding for the organization.
I am talking to everyone – which is the aim of all the ‘inclusive’ activities. In the last half hour, I have had conversations with girls from Thailand, Korea, England, Iceland and America, of course.
I am missing everyone. I know I am very lucky to be here – not many other people will ever actually get in my situation. Sometimes I just crave a bit of normality though. (and a little less singing!!)
Over and Out,
Joey xx
Friday 16th June 2006:
Today was very very tiring. In fact, despite the kids not even being here yet, everyone just crashes as soon as we get into our wagons. Today we did some boring stuff like leadership, occupational health and safety and wages etc… Then we did a swim check in Lake Langlois. Although it is summer, it has been quite cold and rainy, so I expected the water to be freezing, but it was ok. A few people screamed when they jumped in, but aside from that, it was more… refreshing. I made friends with an American girl called Izzy, who is quite similar to me, and another American girl called Clover, who is very similar: likes hiking and art. There actually aren’t any people that I would absolutely refuse to talk to, but I can see that groups of friends are starting to form.
We also did a practice fire drill, and I got to use the radio receiver and report, saying “this is joey, all staff in the Pebbles units are accounted for.” I wish I said “over and out”, which I will do some point.
After a very very very strange dinner: four cheese lasagne (they love cheese over here – and it’s a very artificial colour of orange), and some fun trying to make the paper plates levitate by getting a group of people to blow it from all directions (sort of succeeded) ,we had a “Camp Jam” – a bunch of ‘teambuilding’ activities. Some were pretty lame, especially the ‘warming up’ “jam” dance, where they literally shouted “lets celebrate.” And we had to keep doing re-evalutations yadda yadda, the americans talk a lot of try-to-be-deep-n-meaningful bullshit. It finished way too late - so our day was from flag at 8am to jam finishing at 10pm, walking back in the dark. We got our T-shirts though for staff, which are ok. It reminds us that we actually will be working here – and not just on a summer camp to have fun. Its weird that we are actually gonna be paid to kayak, climb, and make silly masks to develop kids skills.
A very tired joey… thankful to return to her ‘sleeping bag pouch.’
Saturday 17th June 2006:
I am very sick of having cold showers. This mornings’ breakfast was a little bit odd: biscuits (our scones) and gravy, sausages and powdered eggs. Today was open house, so all the concerned parents could come and fire us with thousands of ridiculous questions, like, “what if the kids eat dirt,” or “my child doesn’t like wearing the colour red on Thursdays.” Maybe not. I was sent into day camp, and after giving a few tours, answering questions on the seattle climate ,despite me only being in the country for just over a week. I rescued a kid from a potentially nasty goat head-butting incident, and did some face painting for the rest of the day. When we had cleaned up, and done a few more workshops, the evening was free to ourselves.
I scrounged a lift into Redmond, which is like our Penrith, just half an hour to get there in a very squishy car on the wrong side of the road -did you know that talking on ‘cell’ phones while driving isn’t illegal in America? It should be. Every time a car goes by I feel like its gonna hit me. Its not a very pleasant experience. We got a group together and had Mexican for dinner (so I ordered fish and chips, becaue for once in my life I actually had a cravingfor REAl fish), and then did some shopping in target, and I needed another shirt (because the washing machines won’t be fixed til next week) so bought a “vote for pedro” shirt – I know a lot fo you back home will be jealous. It was only $8!!!
We had a funny experience where Clover jumped in a racing car themed shopping trolley and Juicy raced her through the car park, lost control, and it tipped on its side, releasing its live human contents. A crazy American lady told us where to put it back.
Managed to have a sort-of warm shower tonight, which was bliss.
Joey xox
Sunday 18th June 2006:
Tonight and for the rest of the week we are staying in different lodges. I am in Cascades – which is literally a roof and a floor, but no walls. I don’t know how it will be with mozzies though. At least I had a relatively hot shower. I am in a ‘cabin’ with kitty from Czechoslovakia, star from the Netherlands, and me. Its crazy how multicultural it is.
Today we did a whole lot of leadership activities – like “get across the piranha infested waters using only three turtles.” Lots of crazy things. It meant that we formed a pretty good close group though. I’m getting closer to star and fox and mad hatter, which is cool.
We also did a workshop on conflict resolution and paperwork stuff.
My kapers (chores) group had to do ‘songs’ (singing in song acorner after every meal). After dinner a girl called Potato and Xi did the Bear Song, and Potato painted a bear on her stomach and would lift up her shirt whenever she said the “polar BEAR.” The whole group just cracked up.
Pretty tired, but doing well. Also having some funny conversations about English vs American languages.
Love, Joey xx
Monday 19th June to Thursday 22nd June 2006:
All the days have sort of run together. I have climbed rock-climbing walls and learnt how to belay, learnt how to cook outdoors with heaps of different cooking stoves, learnt “knife safety” and “axe safety.” We also had a whole day of water craft safety (where we become certified.) We had to kayak and do kayaking rescues (emptying kayaks by hauling it ontop of your kayak whilst in the water and emptying it, then climbing back in still in the water.) We learnt how to row, how to spin around in circles and climb back in in the water. The hardest one was canoesing, because they have these really sharp aluminium canoes which bruise you (everyone was covered so it almost looks like we have been abused.) We accidentally tipped out and I got a massive bruise all over my leg. Then we had to empty the canoes – over – canoes.
Then we had a few workshops on working with kids with disabilities, anxiety, dealing with child abuse and isolation etc…
Last night we had a campout, taking tents etc… We only had to walk about twenty metres off camp, so it wasn’t a real camping experience. But we made vegetarian lasagne in a dutch oven, made orange cakes and got sick on eating all the cake batter. We played Apples to Apples and listened to bobcats and woodpeckers. I managed to make disgusting bacon that tasted like charcoal. Woohoo go me.
This morning I actually got to ride a horse!! I rode Blueboy, who is very hungry all the time and insists on going zig-zag. We were taught how to go, stop, steer and spin around in circles. So within an hour I was going around the ring and feeling quite confident. It was pretty awesome. Then we went to the waterfront and I did a swim test, and then sunbaked with fox. Then we went to the climbing wall and acted like monkeys on the wall – I went almost all the way up and then my arms got tired.
I helped belay citrus, who went up in under a minute, and only that slow because I was catching up with the belay of slack rope!! After dinner (and a demonstration on how to eat stinging nettles), we had Camp Fire. M and Bugspray were to co-ordinators of it and did a lot of funny skits in between the songs. I did an Australian song with Milo: “give me a home among the gum trees,” and used the easel board as an instrument in “tie me kangaroo down sport.’ I felt like such a ditz because no-one was really singing and milo just kept looking at me as if she was saying “what have you got me into?” Plus it didn’t compare to the other acts, like Phi playing the bagpipes (and waking up the neighbours on the other side of the lake.) We went from loud to quiet songs, and as the fire dimmed we sang “lullaby” etc… which was sorta sad becaue I got a slight wave of (well not really homesickness,) but just a sick feeling in my stomach when I thought of how cool it would be for everyone to be here too. Its an unbelievable situation, and I was saying to Fox today that at the moment (while the kids aren’t here) a holiday in paradise – sunbaking by the lake and being paid for it!!
There are a few ‘cliques’ beginning to form, like we are all starting to hang around the same people . There is one weird girl who I sort of feel sorry for because she is pretty isolated and weird – like at dinner one night she randomly said ‘I eat the heads of my barbie dolls, and then put them in the freezer.”
I hang around with the English girls, a few American girls, one from Canada and one from the Netherlands mainly.
I’m getting used to sleeping in a place with no walls – although I found a spider in my jumper.
They all love peanut butter here. And lots of it. Their butter is white, they eat gravy for breakfast etc….
My arms, abs, thighs etc…. are killing me from walking up thousands of hills (we have the highest point in all of seattle.) and from hauling myself up out of canoes, and sleeping on hard mattresses.
I can’t wait until the kids get here and we can finally get our appropriate two hour breaks. I also managed to do some washing, which should do me for the next three weeks if I wear my undies inside out (the most valuable travel trick I have learnt, thanks to Michaela.)
I miss you all, and want text messages, mail and emails god damn-it!!!!
Love, Joey xxx
Friday 23rd? (losing track of dates now!! – away from civilisation too much). June 06
Last day of pre-camp today – and the only day that didn’t make me tired!! We moved our stuff to our new lodging places where we will be for the first session (one week) with the kids, starting this Sunday.I am doing Core Camp, which is slightly different from all the other programs at the camp, because the entire troop, including an adult leader, comes in, and we are basically just the tour guides. We still get to do the activities, like horses, paddling, swimming, art and stuff. I am in Alder Valley – still no electricity – but slightly bigger cabins and a nice open space where we can lie on the grass and read etc… I am staying with Juicy (English), secret (American), Tonks (my age and American and a lot of fun), dandylyon (American and slightly annoying.)
But tonight we have off until Sunday morning!! (so we are moving stuff up to Troop House 5), just for tonight and the next – whee there is a very slow internet connection and a line for it of about an hour, and electricity, and relatively hot and clean showers. Its nice – you have to indulge yourself with lights and electricity every so often!!!
I had such a good day today though!!! We all went bowling – I came second and got a strike!!! We got there in Frodo’s car, who isn’t a very good driver, but It reminded me of a road trip off American movies, because we were all listening to American oldie music, and bobbing our heads as fences and barns and tall grass and snowy mountains zoomed by (or we did more like it!!). For dinner, we all met up and got a lift into the nearest town, carnation, which is fairly small, but has a beautiful Mexican restaurant – I had a gigantic nachos. We walked back through a beautiful park with tall pine trees in the distance, the snowy mountains in the background, barns, green grassy fields and brown low fences, people playing football and riding around on bikes and camping. Went past Blanche street, took a picture just for blanche (mwa).
It was the coolest group of us – I keep laughing at the situation im in, and It feels so surreal – we are walking along on the other side of the road, a party of a dorky Australian Joey (me), an arty and bubbly America (clover), an equally as bubbly and smiling, wide-eyed Slovenian (healthy), an Irish girl (smilers), a very English girl from Coventry (fox), a Czech girl (kitty) and an adorable curly haired girl from the Netherlands (star.) Its such a strange situation to be in – I can hardlybelievve it still, and I keep reevaluation it and trying to take it all in and appreciate itwhuiel it lasts. I know im pretty damn lucky – once you see the photos you will realise the surroundings I am in- absolutely unbelievable.
On our walk back we took a detour through a park and went across a shaky suspension bridge. It goes over a shallow pebble bottomed river, the Tolt, which is just like out of the movies – fly fishing and bears (well, hopefully not!!, but there have been a few bear scares.) We walked back singing camp songs and picking flowers and wild grasses for our ‘tillies’ (secret santas.)
I’m going into seattle tomorrow, which should be awesome, but I am glad we had tonight to relax out of the hustle and bustle of the big smoke of seattle, and the enclosed feeling of camp (not that I don’t love it, but sometimes living out in the open is a bit of a drag – and you just crave the comforts of home.)
Love Joey xx
Saturday 24th? I think, June 2006:
Today a group of 19 international students went into Seattle. We didn’t leave until mid morning so our time there was limited (a lot of travel involved from carnation to seattle – a car and three buses to be precise.) The view from the bus was pretty amazing – we crossed a really long bridge which actually floats on the water, and over the water and past the white yachts, Mt Rainer stands out covered in a brilliant white – it looks so out of place, like something from Sweden or something. At one point you could see Seattle skyline and Mr Rainer behind it. (Took lots of photos – you know me!!)
We split up into smaller groups of course – and travelled around with six for a while, until the two Korean girls (who can hardly speak a word of English), decided they wanted to do some shopping and bravely split up with us – I was scared for them because I realised how awful it would be to get lost in a foreign speaking city. But they managed alright.
We went to Pike Place Market – the atmosphere there being absolutely fantastic – I didn’t see it but apparently they throw fish at you. There was a lot of market places and fresh seafood and vegie produce. On the other side of the road is the First ever starbucks – which was absolutely packed – a queue heading out the door. We continued along and eventually found the city center – a theme park, tourist based place that is home to the Space needle. We ate lunch (I had a BLT and nearly died choking on the bacon) on the soft green grass under the space needle. We didn’t go up the needle because it was quite expensive and its not the tallest building in seattle by far. There were a lot of theme park rides and live bands. I loved the Black American band of guys doing a simple harmony, but clapping and creatively using all the sounds the body can make, to compliment their music.
We were supposed to meet up with the Korean girls but they didn’t turn up. We waited for an hour, and star got really impatiend and said ‘I don’t want to wait, why do we have to wait?” It was a side to her that I haven’t really seen yet.
We caught the bus over to the shopping central but there wasn’t a lot there. I bought some phone credit finally but discovered it costs $1.50 per minute for me to make or even receive phone calls, and 30 cents to send or receive texts, to Australia. So I might have to get a phone card still.
We were there for six hours but didn’t get a lot of sightseeing in, because it was mainly waiting around for the rest of the group, arranging meeting places and working out how to get places. No-one could really agree – and I almost think it would have been better to go alone. But there wasn’t really a huge lot to see – Seattle just reminds me of the city a lot, like oxford street, newtown, that kind of area. It was a completely different atmosphere to San Francisco.
I got in a weird mood on the way back, possibly just feeling tired, but also a bit of wanting my own space. Its hard because we have adopted a family from all over the world of 90 people and it has been such an exhausting time, because you are constantly around people, dealing with different languages and accents, customs, personalities. There isn’t really anywhere to retreat to.
The girls come tomorrow – which will be the proper start of it all. We’ll see what happens – theres been a lot of training, but in terms of the whole running rules of it, I don’t really know all the details, so it will be quite difficult for the first couple of sessions.
Love, Joey xx
