The End

The final week of camp has passed us by, and counselors from Walden are now gracing cities all over with their presence. The final week is the craziest of camp, so I will start from the beginning.

Sunday is the Bunk 12-Counselor Tennis Competition. Each Bunk 12 camper is paired with a counselor. They then dress up compete against others. Being the horrendous tennis player that I am, my partner and I got eliminated first round, in fact we failed to score even one point. But, hey we got to dress up like fools.

Monday is the Denmark Fair Horse Show (even though Denmark Fair is tomorrow). All day the riders participate in an intra-camp riding competition. Suffice to say that the counselor class is always VERY entertaining.

Tuesday - Denmark Fair happens this night. Planned entirely by the 'Planning and Entertainment' girls in Bunk 12. The event has a theme (this year it was Seven Wonders of the World, but there has also been Olympics, Cartoon Mania etc). It is a night of fair type activities, jumping castles, cotton candy, and other sideshow games. Unfortunately the weather proved a little bit unreliable this year so we had to hold it inside rather than on the Landsports field, but the night is always a lot of fun. It ends with the Cake Walk, where all the girls walk in circles around the prizes that are being raffled off, the whole time singing camp songs, if they actually sung them all it could go for hours, but it usually only lasts around half an hour. The raffled prizes include a jar of pickles, and a cake decorated to the theme of Denmark Fair.

Wednesday is Final Landsports. As a counselor we take very little part in Teamsports, merely supervising. This event is also completely planned by the Bunk 12 girls, this time the Team Captains. The most important part of Walden Teamsports is the non-competitive nature of them. Most camps have a huge colour war stretching over a week or so. Walden's teamsports run every weekend; Saturday morning is landsports, and Sunday afternoon is Watersports. The two teams are Tan and Brown, and to keep the non-competitive nature there are no uniforms, and the games are never mentioned outside of the day. Final lansdsports is similar except on a bigger scale. The girls march up (in the form of eithe a T for Tan, or a B from Brown), and sing songs (obviously), before they play their games. Again the weather effected this afternoon, and so we all played dodgeball by age group instead of regular activities.

Thursday is when the week hits its high point, its also when everyone starts realising how soon it is until camp ends, so its a difficult day. The pivotal moment of today is Lobster Lunch! Being in Maine you can't expect us not to eat Lobster, so we have an entire day devoted to it. The camp is divided on what they are eating; Lobster, Burger or Veggie Burger, and it can get messy (and also smelly). That afternoon is Final Watersports too, which is very similar to Landsports except, you guessed it, on the water. It consists of diving competitions, swimming races, and then random beach activities like sand castle competitions. Thursday night is Final Campfire, which is again a very emotional experience for all involved, particularly the eldest girls. Campfire songs are sung, and each Bunk 12 camper reads a speech out; these generally consist of thankyous and shout outs to friends, and a lot of tears.

Friday is a crazy day; known as 'luggage day', it is actually the day of reveal, rehearsal and performance of Counselor Show. This is a huge part of the summer for all the girls, and most particularly the eldest. The reveal took place just after breakfast this year, as Lost and Found was read out. The show can only be mentioned and admitted to once the reveal has taken place, which is always the discoverey of the letters CS somewhere as proof. Then the counselors head up for a full day of rehearsals; singing, dancing, painting, sets, craziness. At lunch the writers of the show are revealed, they are always the first counselors to walk into the dining room, so naturally there are a lot of fake outs and distractions before the writers eventually head inside. This lunch is also the craziest of the year. The campers have to sit in silence as the counselors get to behave like campers. It is so much fun, and you always end it with very limited voice. That night Counselor Show happens, it is shrouded in so much secrecy, and excitement, but is probably the highlight of camp for most people. There are songs, dancing, and really bad acting.

Saturday is Splash Night, where the yearbook of the summer is distributed. In Walden tradition you're not allowed to read it until the ride home, but everyone writes in each others Splash; thankyous, memories etc. It causes a very traumatic journey back home for the campers as they read heartfelt messages from friends.

Sunday is Banquet Night. All week emotions have run high, and continued to get higher, and this is the final night of camp. Everyone has a big meal together (served by the male counselors, which is entertaining), then Banquet Night awards are given out from each department. Then the kids settle down to stay up all night; writing in Splash's, hanging out, and waiting for the imminent arival of the first bus home. It is a very emotional evening, only fuelled by the fact that everyone is exhausted.

So, despite the emotions this summer has been AMAZING! Friends for life have been made, mountains climbed, rivers paddled, shows performed. Now, we can all start the countdown till next summer...

Seashore... Its the Trip we all Adore.

As camp draws to an end, all the big events of the summer start happening. The second last week is Pleasure Trip Week. The elder bunks all take a trip, from one night to four, to places like theme parks, tourist towns or Canada. I got to go on Seashore, which is the Bunk 11 trip (so the second eldest girls). This involved three nights, one in Booth Bay, and two in Bar Harbor, both tourist hotspots in Maine. The greatest thing about Pleasure Trips is that above Bunk 10 they stay in motels, with lights, indoor showers and no bugs, (oh how the small things bring such joy by the end of summer). We spent our days on Seashore, shopping, bike riding, eating, whale watching, and more shopping, (when you're with 20 fourteen year olds, there isn't much to do that doesn't involve shopping). The kids were amazing, and so was the food, but its always great to get back to camp. Here, when you're gone for even a day, it feels like a lifetime, so it was amazing getting 'home' and seeing the kids in my bunk, and the counselors from other trips.

The most important part of Trip Week is when Bunk 12 leaves for Canada. The drive is about six hours, and the girls leave around 7 in the morning, so of course they wake up the whole camp, screaming. Then there is the obligatory singing, crying, hugging, hand holding etc. If you witnessed it you would think that they were leaving forever rather than just 5 days. When they get back on Friday night, it all happens again - singing, screaming, crying, hugging. The end of the Canada trip is a tough time for Bunk 12, they finally start to realise that the end is coming. At this point there is only a week till they leave, and they are starting to feel that. No surprises when they burst into tears at meals, during an activity or at campfire. To these teenagers, everything they do from now on is a last.

The week to come is one of the busiest, most fun, most sad weeks of camp. We have Lobster Lunch, Denmark Fair, the Horse Show, Final Watersports, Final Landsports, Marathon, Final Campfire, Splash Night, and then the big one Counselor Show. To mention the word Counselor Show aloud results in campers screaming, and counselors possibly being thrown in the lake. It is the biggest night of camp, and the kids look forward to it all summer. There is an incredible amount of secrecy, from writers, to parts, and always a big prank persuading the campers that it isnt on. This huge week culminates in Banquet Night, where awards are given out and the campers stay up all night, until the final bus leaves at 6am. Probably the most exhausting week, but absolutely the best. I'll keep you filled in.

Post Parents Weekend

Home Sweet Home

The summer is winding down now, and that feeling is in the air. As it comes to a close, campers (particularly the eldest) may be caught crying, and to bring up the day of departure is met with cries of anger and shouts of “Heck no, we wont go”. The beginning of the end begins with Bunk 12 bunkshow, and now that Parents Weekend has also passed us, the mere two and a half weeks left are going to fly by, and everyone knows it.
In other good news, Parents Weekend was an absolute success. The parents came, ate, did activities and generally had a great time. They left their little ones with an abnormal amount of food, and some with tears, but the general consensus was one of pride. The Bunk 12 parents sing their song, as their own farewell to the camp, and slowly the Explorers of 09 realise that it is time to start their goodbyes, to a place they have called home for seven years. As you can image, emotions run exceptionally high for the next two weeks.
This time of year also brings Pleasure Trips. As each bunk leaves camp, some for a day, and some for a week, to watch a movie, maybe go shopping, or maybe even head to Canada. The Pleasure Trips are a nice break for counselors as well as campers, as generally half the kids are out of camp or you’re out on a trip with them.
This week of activities has been probably the best so far, the weather has been perfect. Windy enough for us down at sailing, but not too rough for the canoers or water-skiers. The girls are honing their skills, and all are intent on passing up their skill levels in the hopes of receiving a coveted Banquet Night award on the final evening. As always though, the great weather is matched by worse weather, and last night we had a huge thunderstorm, we lost power for most of today. The great thing about camp is that only a few things rely on power, we were all able to teach activities this morning, and we had a late breakfast and a Sleep-Late because of it, so it has actually been a pretty relaxed day.
At the end of the week I was on a Beach Trip, where naturally it rained all day. Backup plan – movies, finished up with the traditional Gazebo ice cream. After a long week, its finally the weekend, and the time till Banquet Night and Luggage Day draws ever closer.

The Halfway Point...

Week Four has officially started, and the summer is literally flying by. Parents Weekend is this weekend! The busiest weekend of the year, imagine 150 kids, plus they each bring two parents and at least one sibling, plus occasional grandparents or even great grandparents. Working waterfont is crazy, with every single boat on the water, and every lifeguard on duty. The saddest part about Parents Weekend is that it is officially the beginning of the end.
We celebrated Fourth of July two weeks ago, in a very Walden way. The morning begins with campers hiding underneath tables at breakfast as the Explorers/Bunk 12’s attack the counselors with waterguns, literally drenching them. Then there are rounds of singing; the Bunk 12 fight song, the counselor fight song, and the Bunk 12 fight song again. Then comes flag raising and the Bunk 9 skit. Bunk 9 is my girls this year, so it was adorable watching them perform a skit about July 4th and the Explorers. Following inspection all the campers change into red, white and blue, and make their way to the softball field where they await the coming of the enemy – aka the counselors. Dressed up in any costume you can think of (Explorer related or not), we make our way up to landsports. Past costumes have consisted of a human zip line, a giant two person moose or a lobster. Following the arrival of the counselors, a long and extremely unfair game of softball is played until the Bunk 12’s are legitimately winning. The Walden way makes it very difficult to describe events like this to outsiders. The reasons behind it are unknown, but the appreciation is huge, and the girls (and counselors) love every wacky thing about this place.

The last few weeks have been crazy, and this one will be even bigger. In the last five days I have been on a canoeing trip, done my first aid certification and am going on another canoeing trip this afternoon! But its all good fun. Trips are a huge part of Walden, we camp out, hike, canoe, or go to the beach. The older kids trips are usually a few days, and they climb Katahdin (which is the highest mountain in Maine) in the oldest age group. Its great to hang out with kids from another bunk in a different situation, and usually the best moments of camps are on trips.

The girls in my bunk are great this year, despite the odd bout of lice, and flu. They are so energetic and it is tiring just being around them, but the thought of having to leave them in three weeks is crazy! Two weeks ago they had their bunk show, which could be my favourite part of camp. Each week a bunk does a show, anything from a Broadway Revue to Legally Blonde the musical, and it is possibly the most adorable thing to see. Children singing and dancing and having an amazing time! The best part is the reaction and support from the other campers. They make signs, scream and cheer. And all of it is a sort of lead up to the biggest show of all... Counselor Show! When rehearsals start for CS and the final week gets underway there will be no time for sleeping, but it will culminate in the highlight of the summer for both campers and counselors. Not much can be said, without spoiling it, so we'll just have to wait.

Until next time...

Pre-camp and Week 1.

Camp has officially begun, and so far it is proving to be wet, muddy, and oh so messy. Just as last summer, the Maine weather has provided us with way too many wet weather days, and at camp you learn to loathe them! In the two weeks I have been here we have had one sunny day, but never fear, we have still hiked, sailed, canoed, swam, and sung.

I left Sydney on Friday two weeks ago, and after a very long trip I finally arrived at JFK, where I caught a bus, a subway and a cab to my friends house. After being awake for nearly 30 hours I was absolutely ready for a nap. The next morning we met up with a few counselors and campers from last year who are not returning, and after a whole lot of screaming and hugging (becuase thats what we do at Walden) we ate breakfast. I flew out from JFK that afternoon to Portland Maine, after numerous delays (of course). The absolute best feeling was knowing that I was finally on my way to camp, and that it would be mere hours until I saw some of my best friends again. I finally arrived at camp, and it was so great seeing old friends, meeting new ones, and getting right back into the Walden Spirit.

After a few days of pre-camp we moved into our bunks, dealing with mice, leaks, and duffels of clothes. And finally the children arrived! Again the day was filled with hugs, screaming, and the ultimate in camp experiences - the lice check! Of course, my bunk had been lucky enough to have not one, not two, but three children with lice! But, being the 'super counselors' that we are, we moved through it, after numerous trips to the nurse, the laundry and the lice check man.

After the drama of the first few days, camp has finally gotten into the swing of things, the Bunk 12's have announced their theme, hidden their fight song, and are preparing for the ultimate in 4th of July experiences - the camper/counselor softball game! In short, the eldest bunk (or the Explorers as they will now be known) have hidden a fight song in their bunk for the female counselors to find. This means that at random times throughout the week counselors will run or sneak out of meals and activities to raid the bunk. But, this doesnt happen without a fight - if you raid, you will be watergunned down! The culmination of this week of intense anti-counselor spirit is the softball game, an intense match, completely rigged of course. But, this is Walden, so in the non-competitive spirit that we have, everyone is friends in the end, and there are songs to prove it, naturally.

In other news, trips started this week. I did a Bunk 12 Practice Hike yesterday. The trail up Mount Pleasant, was muddy, and slippery, but of course a whole lot of fun. And what Walden trip is not complete without a trip to the Gazebo, and an icecream.

All in all, despite the awful weather (which as I'm sitting here appears to be getting worse), Walden is Walden and the girls are exactly as they were last year - prepared for everything, and more than happy to face anything from hikes to lice. Fingers crossed for some better weather by next week!

Welcome back Waldenites.

It's that time of year again, all us Aussies are facing another dreary winter, but the lucky few are facing their second summer in a row (actually my third). In two months time, all my fellow uni students will be cold and grumpy from their own winter, and I will step off the plane tanned and full of stories of strange happenings from Walden, where we sail, sing, and trip our way across Maine.

So, this is my second summer at Camp Walden, namesake of the Lohan-esque Parent Trap remake. As the Head of the Sailing department, with four boats (all nicknamed Henny) and two other staff to hang around with, I spend my days teaching girls about jibs, masts, and booms, and sailing on Walden Pond, which is often windless. I also work as a bunk counselor, this summer with Bunk 10. But there is more to Walden than Sailing and Bunk Counselors, other departments include riding, landsports, swimming, canoeing, tennis, arts and crafts, drama, dance, theatre, and water ski. We also have an amazing kitchen crew who work tirelessly feeding 200 people turkey lunches, congo bars and grilled cheese (don't know what congo bars are? ... just wait, all will be revealed). As well as the amazing laundry staff, maintenance crew and The Power Tower, thats pretty much everyone, and its not many, only 70 staff.

Then there are the kids, 150 of the best girls from all over the US and occasionally elsewhere come to Walden for two months of endless singing. They expect to have an amazing time (and always do), as their summer is filled with Bunks Shows, Bunk Feasts, Counselor Rock swims, Ghost Camp (and Annie the resident ghost), Socials, Hiking Trips, Denmark Fair, July 4th Softball, Counselor Raiding, Fight Songs, Canoeing Trips, Beach Trips, Team Sports, Campfire, Parents Weekend, Splash Night and finally Banquet Night.

For us counselors its all this and more; nights and days off where we can explore Maine and surrounds, Counselor Feasts, the illusive Counselor Show (which I may be thrown in the lake for just mentioning) and at the start of this wonderful summer; Pre-Camp. As pre-camp gets underway this week, I will let you know how it goes, as we reunite with old friends, make new ones, hike, camp, sing (0f course), and start the summer of 09!