Whether you pride yourself in winning science fairs, writing
competitions or sporting events, you belong at camp. Whether you specialize in
identifying birds or designer handbags, you belong at camp. Whether you’re an
extrovert, an introvert or somewhere in between, you belong at camp.
Camp is a magical place where everyone belongs. It’s known
as a place where one’s true self comes to life, the good, the bad, the ugly
(makeup is minimal), and the BEST.
When I signed up to be an Activity Leader in 2012 I had no
idea what I was getting into. I truly didn’t. I mean one can only get so much
information over a skype interview. My interview took place while I was on the
clock working at a bridal boutique. Doesn’t sound too “campy” does it?
Everyone has their reasons for applying for summer camp
positions. The majority I’ve seen have to do with schooling requirements, but then
there are those like me who just need a break from their own life and feel like
focusing on someone else’s. Focusing on others and having fun while doing it is
fairly easy to do if you choose a camp for kids and young adults with chronic
illnesses and disabilities like the camp where I was, Camp Aranzazu. But even
if you don’t choose a camp with a powerful mission like Aranzazu, it still has
the power to change you, transform you, to make you grow in crazy, cool ways.
Now before you go applying because I made it sound so
awesome, you should know some requirements for the majority of camp positions. If
you’re considering applying, check yourself. Are you…
Reliable?
People rely on you every day to be in the position you’re
assigned. If you don’t show up and take on the responsibility that’s been
handed to you, others suffer. Whether your responsibilities include cooking,
cleaning, planning or playing, they all require you to PERFORM.
Adaptable??
You have to be willing and ready to adapt to situations on
the fly. Sometimes plans have to change, and you have to be flexible enough to
keep on keepin’ on.
Selfless???
There comes a point where the fun slows down and work starts
to feel more like work. This is a common trend with all non-profit work. You
have to be able to dig deep and believe in the mission enough to where you’re able
to keep going, because you’re not doing it for your own personal gain, but for
someone else’s.
A little silly????
You have to be AT LEAST a little silly to work at camp, and
what I mean by silly is that you have to be able to laugh at yourself. You don’t
have to be the finniest guy/gal in the room, but you do have to play along and
let yourself have FUN!
If you are selected to work at a camp, you have so much to
look forward to and even more to gain from the experience liiiiiike….
Friends!
Some of my favorite humans on the planet I met through camp.
Whether you spend one week together, a whole summer, or a whole year, the
relationships you build there have the power to last a lifetime.
Perspective!!
This one is huge… After working with kids with chronic
illnesses and disabilities, I realized the hard times I came to camp to escape
from really didn’t compare to what others face.
Hard Skills!!!
It’s the little things that matter, like how to build a
campfire, properly fold a water hose, or tie a figure 8 follow through knot
that have come in handy way more often than I ever would have guessed.
Soft Skills!!!!
There are times when you dig deep for patience,
understanding and confidence. You also become more comfortable leading groups
of people and speaking in front of crowds. There’s no mystery to why companies
love hiring previous CAMP PEOPLE!
Connections!!!!!
You’ll meet so many people during your time at camp, but the
connections don’t stop there. I was in a food truck line yesterday and met the
nicest man. Can you guess what connected us?? CAMP! He was a camp person himself
in a completely different state many moons ago.
I told him about my goals here in New Braunfels and he introduced me to
3 different people THAT NIGHT to help me reach those goals.
Humility!!!!!!
Because everyone belongs at camp, and not everyone is exceptional
at everything, you gain this golden opportunity to witness others excel at
things you wish you could do, and if you’re determined enough, you could end up
doing those things yourself. Some of mine included making it to the top of our
tower/zip, leading a campfire story/song, baiting the fishing lines (worms
freaked me out) and facilitating groups in low ropes/team building activities.
My first summer all of these activities were terrifying, but when I came back
to work full time with camp I was determined to master all of the above. Now I can tackle heights like a boss, my niece
gets a new campfire story every few months, I’m not QUITE as scared of slimy
creatures, and I feel confident I can make a team out of strangers if you give
me one afternoon! Though I feel
confident and proud of what I accomplished at camp, I was very humbled and
still am today by the people who are naturals. One of my best friends who still
works at Aranzazu is a nature loving, rock climbing, story-telling guru. Being
in her presence every day as a co-worker and friend pushed me to new heights,
(literally). Sometimes you just have to take a step back, learn from an expert,
and embrace your (many) mistakes as taking one step closer to becoming a
master.
As I’m writing this and reflecting on my time as both an
activity leader and program manager at Camp Aranzazu, I’m overwhelmed with
gratitude for the chain of events that brought me to camp. The growth I
witnessed in myself and our staff is beyond measure, and it’s helped to prepare
all of us for our current and future adventures.
If I’m ever driving you around to view houses, no need to
worry about awkward silence. I’ll just whip out my backwards version of Cinderella.
Thank you, Camp.
