Camp Day '09

Our daughter, Action Girl (age 8.5) is off to camp this afternoon. She's going to a church-run camp (not our church). She couldn't get more excited if you paid her. Her camp is until next Friday and promises to be fun-filled and busy. Her best friend (who is also not affiliated with the church that runs the camp) is going to be one of her cabin mates.

I have checked in with her a few times and she doesn't seem to be the least bit nervous and I know that she'll be fine (better than that, actually). Its a nice time to think about my own camp experiences and this may explain why I'm a little more anxious than she.

CUB CAMP (or maybe it was Beavers): Age 6 or 7 or 8- One or maybe two nights. Fun but very homesick.

SCOUT CAMP: Winter and summer. Very fun. One summer was a whole computer and sports camp week (very leading edge for 1984). Sports were fun- an unusual thing in my life.

FIRST YEAR CADET CAMP: (Age 13) Two weeks and fun. Not a lot of friends- I was pretty shy and awkward. First full slow dance with a girl!!

CADET BAND CAMP: (Age 14) Again very shy and not a lot of friends, but a great six weeks spent learning and playing music. Highlights: Big guy from Whitney Pier steps on my trumpet and our course prom.

CADET SENIOR LEADERS COURSE: (Age 15) Not a walk in the park. More friends, though. Tough national boot camp-ish leadership course. Very homesick for six weeks. Win course award for most improved cadet (tied to rocky start).

CADET GLIDER PILOT TRAINING: (Age 16) The big one. The best seven weeks of my life up until that point. Good friends, cute girls (not mutually exclusive). I am an awful pilot, but take on some leadership within my flight (group of cadets) and win a course award.

INTERNATIONAL CADET EXCHANGE: (Age 17) I get a chance to go to England and Scotland for two weeks. I had a wonderful time. The group was a little clique-y but I have a number of good friends.

STAFF CADET, CADET CAMP: (Age 18) I didn't actually go to this one but was accepted for a summer of employment with the regional cadet camp (where I went to the two-week and band camps). This was a very interesting crossroads in my life. If I had gone to this 8-9 weeks of well-paid employment I wouldn't have got the job I actually had that summer at the student union. That job leads to a six year period of my life engrossed in the student movement that shapes my career choices and opens doors I have since entered.

Memories,

B.