I am officially done with my first week at Camp Woodward. Overall I am having a good time thus far, but I am finding myself surprisingly indifferent to the experience overall. There are definitely things I love about being here. I love hanging out with kids, I love being surrounded by mountains, I love skating and snowboarding a lot, I love skating with other girls, and I love meeting pros and people who can help me to further advance my career, but there are also some things that I find really frustrating. From the moment I arrived at camp, I have felt under instructed, and therefore, underprepared. I keep messing up stupid things that wouldn’t have happened had I been told to do them in the first place. I am also frustrated in that I don’t feel like I am given enough time with my campers to really make an adequate difference in their lives. I don’t really see my campers during the day as everyone just kind-of does their own thing and I am busy working the skate parks. I miss the intensive Springhill atmosphere that forces us to dig deep into the hearts of our campers. I also miss working in an environment that cares just as much about the mental health of its staff as in does its campers. At Springhill I was always being asked how I was doing and feeling, here, I am not asked those questions which I really need to help my process just what I am feeling. Finally, I am frustrated by my fellow staff members at this camp who feel the need to go out and party every chance they get instead of being focused here on building real relationships with the people that surround them. I do not believe that you can be a role model to kids during the day and go out and get drunk every night. That just doesn’t make sense. I believe in leading by example. We are here. Let’s be here.
I am not trying to say I am not having a good time; I really am having a great time. I am just being stretched, which is good. I mean, come on, I sat on top of a mega ramp today with 7 other people and watched Andy Mac kill it. How many people have experienced that? I just am trying to be the best counselor and role model I can possibly be and it is tricky in this environment, but I will figure it out. The kids are still just kids. My campers this past week ranged in age from 11-19. They were skaters, photographers, videographers, and, let’s be real, boy hunters. Above all, however, they were high school (and a few middle school) aged girls. They all had stories, broken hearts, insecurities and struggles. Kids are the same wherever you go really. I hope that, in the limited time I was with them, I was a positive role model. I hope that I said something that made an impact in their lives. They were great girls. Another struggle I am having is working in a secular camp environment. There were so many times last week when I just wanted to scream YOU NEED JESUS, but I couldn’t. I just need to try to let god’s love overflow so much that they can see it in me and want it.
Overall, I think it was a great week. I think I am enjoying the new challenges and the new environment, and I am sure I will adjust fully soon. This next week I am not counseling, which is a big bummer for me, but I am sure I will be fine. I will be living with my fellow staff members in the lofts and trying to avoid parties and dumb trouble at all costs. I hope to still connect with the female action sports cabin and still work as a role model, even from afar. It will be an interesting week for sure, but I will have a lot more time to skate, which is something I have been struggling with this last week.
This is a great experience and I can’t see where it takes me.
Bragging points of the week: Literally getting run into by Jimmy The Great, getting asked if I was English by Jamie Bestwick, watching Andy Mac pick his nose, Chilling with Chas Ortiz, Snowboarding and hanging out with Elijah Teeter, talking with super nice guy Karl Watson. Can’t wait to see where next week takes me.
No Pictures next week. Didn’t even pull out the camera. Hopefully have some next week!
