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Lonely Planet: USA
gapyearbooks - £11.05
USA ADVENTURE TOUR
After camp finishes, why not join this six-week tour of the USA?
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I WORKED IN AMERICA
"I immediately felt welcomed and accepted at camp: everyone's in the same boat"
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Post camp interview with Yolande Squire Name: Yolande SquireAge: 20 Occupation: Former horse riding camp counselor Hi Yolande - welcome home from camp! How would you sum up your camp experience in five words? Exciting, rewarding, memorable, tiring and fun!  Was camp life as you expected it to be prior to leaving? What was the biggest surprise?To be honest I don’t really think I was sure what to expect of camp life before I left apart from kids, horses and fun... so I suppose in that sense, yes it's exactly as I expected it! However, it was more of a culture shock than I was expecting, I remember being surprised at the amount of American patriotism - like the daily raising and lowering of the flag, but it was really interesting to be a part of it for a while. What was the best thing about camp? The people definitely. I made so many great friends. And the worst? I never did quite get used to those early mornings! I like my sleep too much. So what were your top three highlights at camp? There are too many! The teaching would definitely be up there it was so much fun and really fantastic to watch the kids progress as the weeks go on. You feel so proud of them! Also having two months dedicated to riding was amazing and such a nice break from the university style of work. Also our weekly days off were very memorable, it's amazing how much you can fit into 24 hours - the Big Apple, Philadelphia, the beaches... it's not something many people can say!  Is it like all those US camp films you see? If not, what’s the biggest difference?Lake Greeley itself reminded me a lot of a film set... a beautiful lake and wooden cabins but the cheesiness of camp life in the films is quite over the top. You do get a fair share of teenage angst, character building activities and hand claps but there’s also so much more to it, it's difficult to explain unless you’ve been there and done it. You can't help but get caught up in the bubble it's not often you get the chance - and are actively encouraged - to behave like a big kid! Wasn’t it a little claustrophobic having to live and work with the kids day in day out - did you get much time to yourself? I didn’t really feel like work because the kids are fantastic and you’re having as much fun as they are! I suppose there are times when it can feel a little intense but as you’re working with other counselors most of the time, so adult conversation isn’t unheard of. I didn’t get a lot of time to myself whilst I was on camp but you can always find some if you need it which. What were the other counselors like - were there many other Brit gappers or it is quite multi-national? Everyone is so lovely and because you’re working in such a close environment you make good friends pretty quickly which is really nice. Each camp varies but at Greeley the majority of staff were American however there were a fair few from across the globe such as Oz, New Zealand, South Africa and of course England which has been nice for post camp get togethers. You worked as a horse riding counsellor - how was that? I loved it, riding has always been a big hobby of mine so having a summer dedicated to it was fantastic especially as I haven’t been able to do much recently with uni. It was hard work though, probably one of the toughest on camp as we had to take care of the horses on top of the teaching and everything else. For this reason, it is also probably one of the most rewarding jobs, you really do see the results of your efforts.  If you were to do it again, what position would you go for? What job sucks most at camp in your opinion?If I were to do it again I would probably go for a more varied position, I loved working up at the stables but it would be really fun to try my hand at some of the other activities alongside it. I don’t know if I could say a certain job sucks as it completely depends on your interests and personality. For me, I don’t think I would have got as much out of working in the kitchen as you don’t get to interact with the camp activities quite so much. What qualities does a good camp counsellor need? A good sense of humour, patience and friendly! What advice would you have for someone thinking of becoming a camp counsellor in the future? Go for it! You’ll have a fantastic summer and get the chance to do things that you never thought you would and it’s such a fantastic personal experience, not many people can say that they have experience teaching in a completely different environment with a completely different group of people and as an added bonus get paid for it... not bad for a summers work!  What five top tips would you have for someone heading out to camp next year?1. Don’t hold back; get involved with as much as you can and don’t be afraid to look silly! 2. Don’t book your flight home too soon; it's such a great opportunity to see a bit more of the country. You can often change your flight dates for free so leave it until the last minute as there's so much to see and do and the American staff make great hosts! 3. Don’t just stick with the Brits, there’s plenty of time to see them when your back home and it’s such a great opportunity to make friends from all around the globe - which then gives you more excuses to go globe trotting! 4. Don’t think that working on camp is just going to be a long holiday. It's unlike any other job as you’re being paid to have fun, but you are still being employed to work all the same! 5. American culture can be surprisingly different to English at times and you will see andhear things which don’t strike you as normal. Don’t get to caught up in comparing, just enjoy it for what it is after all where’s the fun in a home from home? Would you do it again? I had a fantastic experience this summer and I feel like it was a great personal achievement, so if I had this opportunity all over again I definitely wouldn’t change a thing! However I am also very content if it does turn out to be a once in a lifetime experience, its certainly one I won’t forget in a hurry!  Click here >> to read and comment on Yolande's summer camp diary in full Click here >> for summer camp postcards from Yolande Click here >> for more on becoming a horse riding counselor Click here >> for all jobs on summer camps with CCUSA Click here >> for frequently asked questions about CCUSA |
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