Family Affair

So, last night I went and stayed at my sister's and we were talking about camp. Suddenly, it hit me--the whole horrendous camp experiences thing runs in the family.
Growing up, I was always the one who didn't mind leaving home. I was all about meeting new people, having new experiences, etc..I just didn't do dirt. Well, let me introduce you to my sister as a child--homebody. Baker never liked leaving home and still doesn't like leaving. However, I guarantee that she knows every single person in a 50-mile radius of where she is at all times.
Well, my sister had worse camp experiences than I had. Not only was she being forced to leave home, she was being forced to run around in the heat. No Bueno.
I think the worst experience for her was when our camp wouldn't let her call home because they knew it made her homesick. Well, being determined, Baker made herself sick so that they would call my parents to come pick her up. Little Baker walked into the bathroom, made herself throw up, and demanded that my parents come to pick her up. Take that, Camp Pee Dee.
Coming in a very close second is Baker's experience at Asbury Hills. This was way further than Camp Pee Dee and Baker was even less thrilled. I'm sure she was plotting in her mind ways to get home quick, but the counselors refused to let her call home. The fake getting sick thing didn't work so poor Baker was forced to stay at camp for the whole week. I still don't think Baker has let them forget it.
So, here's to hoping the trend has reversed itself. Here's to hoping the two Reynolds sisters who hated camp, dirt, sweat, and heat have grown to love it. Well, Here's to hoping I have atleast...otherwise it's gonna be a long summer. :)

The Beginning

I'll never forget the first time I went to camp. Growing up, I was pretty much a diva; this meant anything dealing with dirt, sweating, or running was out of the question. So, of course, Mom and Dad packed me up and sent me to bike camp at Camp Pee Dee. The most vivid memory I have from this week has to do with something that they called "The Pit." This pit was a huge hole dug in the ground, filled with water, and left to bake for a little while in the sun, leaving a nice, steaming, bath of mud...obviously I wasn't amused. I had been riding my bike all week (which, by the way, was a girly Schwin with pedal brakes because I hadn't conquered the handle breaks yet..dont judge me) and had slowly gotten used to sweating, but I was not going to go into that pit. Out of the question. Well, needless to say, I ended up getting thrown into the pit. Pleased? No. Pitch a fit? Yes. I'm sure I was not an ideal camper and I apologize to Erica (my counselor).

The second vivid memory I have of camp was when I accidentally locked myself in the bathroom and a boy counselor had to break in through the little tiny outside window and break down the door. whoops.

So, fast forward 10 years and we have this: A girl (me), who hasn't been to camp since bike week, who has spent her summers babysitting and laying out by the pool, and going to the beach who randomly decided she'd apply to camp. Good idea? I'm starting to think so.

Here we are. I applied to Kanuga which is an Episcopal Camp/Conference center in Hendersonville, NC...five and a half hours from the beach and smack dab in the middle of the mountains. I figure if I'm going to get out of my comfort zone, go big or go home. And, much to my surprise, I got hired! You are looking at the Assistant Director of Children's Programs at Kanuga Conference Center. I will be working with 3-6 year olds and I honestly couldn't be more excited.

Last weekend, I trecked up to Kanuga for the Directors Development meeting which was an opportunity to meet the other directors and my 2 bosses, who pretty much rock. Other than the drive that kept my heart racing (never driven in the mountains before...ptl mom and dad got me hooked up with Triple A just to be safe). Within a 12 hour period, I fell in love with the people and the place itself. Throughout the rest of the weekend, I learaned about my job and grew closer to the other staff that I'll be working with. Now, Im back home and I cannot wait to go back. I go up next weekend to meet the counselors who will be working with me and I am so excited!

Thanks to my friends that already work at camp, (Sarah Derrick, Blythe Reynolds, Leah Hassler, Murray Corbett, Holtie Murphy) I have all the "cool" camp gear--chacos, rope bag, nalgene, etc. I definitely feel too camp for cool...here's to being too camp for cool!

So, I leave you with this. Diva does Camp and I think I'm ready.

This is where I'll be working. Literally fell in love in 30 minutes.