Camp Runels Summer 2018

Welcome to Camp Runels 2018! 

Just off the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border lies Little Island Pond. Through the trees and the forrest, nestles GSEM Camp Runels. A place I would be calling home for the next two months of my life in the United States.

After an exceptionally long day of travelling - including a flight from Glasgow and a change over at New York - I finally reach Boston Logan airport and begin the drive to camp. It's still weird to me to recall how excited and completely not at all nervous. I had just travelled across the Atlantic Ocean myself to meet (essentially) complete strangers and work at a summer camp? It sounds crazy but I deep down knew it was going to be the best experience of my life - which made me even more excited.

Little Island Pond

Pre-Camp is a week that to be honest I am finding quite difficult to describe. As counsellors, we do lot's of different trainings, ice breakers and certifications. To be honest though, it felt like I was a camper that week. I was in a new country, at a new camp, with people I had never met before. I was just finding my feet with everything - talking to new people and making first impressions. Not once did I regret my decision to come to camp that week - it is the week I thought I would struggle with but the truth is everyone is in the same boat. This entire week of pre-camp is all about prepping camp and prepping yourself. I learned how to be an effective counsellor - and how to deal with all different types of situations. I received a first-aid certification, I crossed the entire high ropes course, I did my swim test and I made my first ever cookout food over the fire! It really is just a week of a true camp counsellor training - you receive so much information that you cannot wait for the first group of kids to arrive to it clicks. So we reach the Friday of pre-camp. This weather has been sickly sweaty and we are all in a desperate need to cool off. And hey our prayers have been answered! Sprinkles the unicorn to the rescue! This us what I would call our mini-graduation. We slipped through a slip and slide and I was greeted by Elfie, my mentor and best homeland friend ever - who welcomed me into the staff team. It was a momentous occasion, and the summer was only just beginning. 

 Camp Runels Staff 2018



Nessie the counsellor!

Session 1 - Mermaid Magic (Daisies Day Camp)

Session 2 - Fireflies (Daisies Day Camp)

Session 3 - Zoo-topia (Brownies Day Camp)

Session 4 - Doodlebugs (Brownies Resident Camp)

Session 5 - Runels Royal Retreat (Brownies Resident Camp)

Session 6 - Jr/Daisy/Br Samplers (JR/Daisy/Br Resident Camp)

Session 7 - Sea Stars (Juniors Resident Camp)

Overall, Camp was the most unreal experience I think i'll ever have in this lifetime. You almost cant quite describe it and can't quite relate to it unless you've been through the same experiences. Other people won't understand what it's like to wash your hair under a spicket tap with your best friend because you don't have time to shower before the block of boating and archer you're running in 20 minutes. You learn to appreciate the moments you have and the people you have them with. It's just an experience like no other.

 

New Castle, New Hampshire

Camp America - Visa Process

A visit to the American embassy for a visa is naturally quite a stressful event - but as long as you are confident and prepped, you'll have nothing to worry about. Acquiring a visa for Camp America involves a trip to the US Embassy in London, England! Irish applicants can travel to the US Embassy in Belfast but as I am from Scotland it meant I was off back down to London again!

To schedule an appointment for a J-1 Visitors visa (which is the visa for all Camp America applicants receive), you have to follow the step by step guide provided to book your appointment at the embassy. These appointments will be from about 1pm to 3pm time slots - every applicant will select a half an hour time slot.

This is the prime time to select a time which will allow you enough travel time to get to the embassy. Using the London Underground, you can travel from Victoria station to Vauxhall station which is around a 10 minute journey. From there, it is roughly a 10/15 minute walk to the embassy. Make sure you have your google maps out - and you'll probably see hundreds of other applicants on their way too! Consider your trip to the embassy like going through airport security. At the door on the south side of the building, my documents were scanned and stamped to ensure I was here for the correct appointment. Then you will be let into the security building, where your bags will be scanned and you will also walk through a metal detector - like the ones they have in airports! 

Note: If you are traveling to the embassy with a parent or a friend who is NOT attending an appointment, they will need to wait outside the security building. (Special shoutout to my mum who waited all that time for me!)

Once through security, you can finally enter the building. The appointment as a whole was filled the queues. At the entrance of the building, you queue to have your documents checked and you will be given a number - this is your number they will call out for you to have your passport and visa approved! Then, you will proceed up an elevator into a very large waiting room (similar to an airport lounge) and you must sit on the RIGHT side of the room. Once your number is called out on the huge screens, proceed to a desk which corresponds to your number. 

This part was really friendly - and a happy English man greeted me and got me all excited about going to the US. He scanned my passport and confirmed my documents were all present. He also got me super hyped about going to camp! Once that stage was over, I had to proceed to the LEFT side of the room. Again, to wait for my number to be called again and repeat the same process of proceeding to a desk which corresponds to my number.

This part... was a little less friendly. This desk was a bit more like American customs, as it was just questions. Some of the questions were; 'What am I doing at Camp?' 'What do I plan on doing when I return home?' 'Have I ever committed a crime.' All the routine stuff.

They should then tell you there and then that your visa is approved, and your passport will be returned to you with your granted visa within 3-5 days. If there are any issues with your visa being granted, you will be told then and there.

Overall, the appointments were full of waiting. I think I was in the embassy for at least an hour and a half, and maybe 30 minutes of that total time were actually at appointments. Although, it was really fun to speak to other people there with me and see what their camp experience was going to be like! You should try speaking to people in the line with you, then find them once you've been through your appointments! After all, you're all in this together!

My main top tip would be to make sure you have all your documents! There would be nothing worse than forgetting something important!

This includes:

• Your passport
• Your DS-2019 form (which is sent to you by Camp America)
• Your SEVIS 1-901 Payment Confirmation (follow the guide on how to complete and print)
• Your letter of recommendation from CA (on their website)
• Proof of a returning job or university place
• Proof of your appointment at the embassy.
• A VISA Photograph (can be taken in a photo book similar to passport

At the embassy, they didn't even double check that I had all of these documents - but it's better to be safe than sorry!

My mum and I outside the American Embassy!

Spring Mixtape

All of Them Dreams - Tom Rosenthal

StraitJacket - Raleigh Ritchie

Drive - Oh Wonder

Time - Mimi

The Way It Seems - Nat & Alex Wolff

Tokyo Narita - Freestyle - Halsey & Lido

Mountain At My Gates - Foals

6/10 - dodie

Weight of Living PT.1 - Bastille

White Eyes - The Wombats

Long Way Down - Tom Odell

Give It All - Foals

Put It On A T-Shirt - The Vaccines

Red Mini - The Native

Get Away - George Ezra

Chanel - Frank Ocean

Passionfruit - Drake

Let Me In - Grouplove

All I Want - Kodaline

Call Out My Name - The Weeknd

Madiba Riddim - Drake

Camp America - IYLA Recruitment Fair

As part of the IYLA programme, participants receive an exclusive invitation to the IYLA Recruitment Fair in London. After reading the list of camps that were going to be at the IYLA fair - I completely jumped at the opportunity!

Although I am not from London, and I had to have a little getaway to go to the fair, I will say overall I never thought twice about it. I knew the camps at the IYLA fair were for me and I would enjoy the overall experience and be super happy with my camp choices. Win win!

My Experience

I arrived at the QU2 centre where the recruitment fair at around 8:30 in the morning. I booked a hotel in the Westminster area so I could quickly walk to the centre instead of taking the tube - I would highly recommend this if possible as it took a lot of stress of me on the day. At 8:30 there was already a queue of people outside the building to get the hype going!

Prior to the fair, I had listed my top 5 or so camps that I loved. I met people on the day who didn't really have any restrictions and so were visiting the different camps to find what was right for them. Of course - there is no right or wrong way to do recruitment fairs! I would recommend taking a note of the camps you are interested in as it gave me a little more structure during the day.

In the queue, participants were handed out a very handy booklet full of the different camp names, what kind of activities they specialise in and finally a map of the centre and where each camp is situated! Having my eye on the main prize of my ideal camp, I noted where my ideal camps were and decided on a route to go. Again this is something I would highly recommend knowing which camps suit you and where they are in the fair.

I headed straight to the table of my ideal camp - and very luckily - was hired! First pick! It was a great experience, not anything like a stressful interview. The thing that I think people need to know is that camps aren't here to grill you with questions - they just want to hear what you can offer!

Finally, my recruitment fair tips!

1. Write down a list of camps that suit you, have a small game-plan to know what camps suit you!

2. Have a backup plan - if this camp doesn't suit you - which camp are you gonna try next. It's all about keeping yourself going.

3. Have some questions! I also find it shows you have been listening and you are interested to find out more about a specific camp.

4. Get lots of photos! Making memories to show others!

#iamCA #IYLA

Camp America - Applications Tips

Over the past year, I have been thinking about applying to work in a summer camp in America of the summer of 2018. In my mind it would be a new and amazing experience for me to try and adventure. I decided to keep this diary of dates to follow on with my journey of applying and going to Camp America (fingers crossed it happens).I decided to keep an online diary on my blog to remember the process and give advice to any future international applicants!

Application

Looking back I am definitely surprised how much time I spent on my Camp America application. The goal of wanting to be a stand out applicant pushed me to focus on every little detail and ensure it was perfect! I started my CA application on the 24th of September 2017 and finally submitted the application on the 20th of November 2017. This is almost two months I spent perfecting it. Something that was highlighted to me was to include photographs which would show your skills and what you could do as a counsellor! Obviously this may be time to show off your special skills like diving or football or sword throwing - but I thought it was time to show my creativeness and so I looked at Arts and Crafts as well as Baking - after all they're looking for individuality.

My application tips:

1. Focus on your skills and qualities! Emphasise what you can do and what you've improved on over the years - as well as how you've done this and if you've done any teaching on it!

2. Include photographs or a video of yourself! This really shows you're a human with talent - get someone to take a picture of you doing some kind of hobby like sports, arts and crafts or cooking.

3. Constantly update your application - make it the best it can be!

Interview
I received my invite to an interview on 20th of November 2017. Now if you've looked back, this just so happens to be the same day I submitted my application. In fact it was only a full hour after I submitted it I received an e-mail for an interview! Quick right? What I didn't realise at the time that it is an ongoing application and so people can see your progress and what you put on your application right from the get go! This means that they can easily spot out good candidates and you can add more and more to your application at any time to make you look like a stand out candidate.
27th of November 2017 was the day of my interview. It was to take place in a local coffee shop. I wrote this extract on the morning of; "There is only a small part of me that is nervous and the majority is really excited. I never know if I should be worried that I don't feel so nervous but maybe just growing up I am not as worried about so many things anymore. Hopefully this interview is more like a general coffee chat and it goes well." And I was absolutely right - there was no reason at all to be nervous! The interview was very chilled out and relaxed. The woman didn't grill me with intense questions, she simply wanted to get to know me and what I do. Having such a non-stressful interview made me feel more confident in myself and I knew I could do this! I received news I had passed my interview there and then - and the interview overall only lasted about 45 minutes.

The International Youth Leadership Award
IYLA was something that was introduced to me after my interview had been completed. The International Youth and Leadership Award Programme or IYLA for short! It is a programme designed to enhance your leadership and confidence skills - and overall prepare you for life on camp! Specifically, this programme is designed for Girl Scout camp applicants. At the time I was offered an IYLA space - I wasn't sure what kind of camp I wanted to attend. After reading more into depth about the Girl Scout camps I realised they were perfect for me and so I decided to go ahead with the programme.
The programme itself involves 5 different online learning modules and one training day. The online modules are all about reflection and yourself and what makes you a great leader. There are exercises and games to play to learn more about how to enhance your skills and qualities to be the best this summer! At the end of the modules, you receive a certificate and it's a great thing to put on job applications or CV's as well! It also shows camps your dedication and commitment to become the best possible camp counsellor you could be! The IYLA programme also hosts an exclusive 'Girl Scout Recruitment Fair' in London - which I attended and i'll talk about my experience soon!

(hopefully me soon!)

#iamCA #IYLA