Travelling Las Vegas, New Orleans and Orlando

So I know I have been seriously slacking on the blog front – sorry!! The last week of camp seems so long ago now but it was really good but pretty sad to say goodbye. I was in an adult male cabin again and had some great characters there. That weekend, we had a staff banquet where we all go to a function type room in a bar in fancy dress and say our goodbyes to everyone. Tora, Alana and I went as the power puff girls! It was a really fun night followed by an entire day of jolly chores cleaning every inch of camp.

On the Monday the majority of us flew to Las Vegas which was amazing. So different from any normal place! Pretty much run on alcohol, money and poor decisions haha. We stayed at the nice chavvy Hooters hotel but it was actually pretty nice with a good pool and so close to the main strip. We spent the evenings wondering around the casinos and hotels which are just in a completely different league of their own. So massive and so grand! One evening we booked to see a Cirque de Soleil show called Zarkana which was supposed to be mainly acrobatics but also kind of creepy. It was amazing! I’ve never been to a show like that and the 90 minutes just flew by. I spent the whole time on edge convinced that someone was gonna fall off a giant ladder or spinny thing or rope and fall but obvs they didn’t. We also drove to the Grand Canyon which was an amazing sight but a pretty intense 5 hour drive each way for me as no one else in my car was over 21. The photos we got were incredible though and I’m glad I got the opportunity to see it. I didn’t actually gamble until the last night but it was fun too! I had no idea what I was doing so me and a friend put our $20 together and went to the roulette table. First go we win $70! We put another $40 on from that and win $70 again! 3rd time round wasn’t so lucky but we still walked away with $100 dollars which I thought was pretty good for my first time trying! (Because obviously gambling is all about how you play, nothing to do with luck right?!) The next morning we headed to New Orleans….

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about New Orleans, I’d heard lots of things about it being pretty dodge and sketchy but I actually fell in love with it. I think it is one of my favourite places I’ve ever visited. If you’ve ever seen the Disney film Princess and the Frog, it’s just like that! The streets are just beautiful and have lovely little balconies, the cafés sell gumbo and beignets which are like these amazing flat donuts covered with the most amount of icing sugar I’ve ever seen. There’s people bursting into jazz on every corner and music everywhere. It was a good time to visit as the night we arrived there was a big festival going on so the nightlife was on top form. It was in aid of abused women so all the men had to wear red dresses which was hilarious. Out of our group not many people went out so it was just me, Tora and 3 of our guy friends who obviously didn’t have anything to wear. So in the end we had one of them wearing my red spotty dress and the other 2 in shorts and my pinky/red bikini tops, the looks they got walking into town was hilarious and it was just a great night. The next day we wondered around the French market which was full of things and went around the parks watching people get their palms read and seeing voodoo shops and all sorts!

From New Orleans we took a 9 and a half hour drive to Orlando, the drive was more evenly split up this time so I only had to drive for about 4 hours. I’m a pro at driving on the right side of the road now! (Also how EASY are automatic cars?! No wonder dad has one, you don’t have to do anything!!) Orlando was typically touristy but amazing still. We spent the first day shopping in the outlet and catching up on sleep before a busy 2 days to follow. We bought two combined tickets for Universal and Islands of Adventure. I love theme parks and it lived up to expectations – Harry Potter world is amazing! And it was just super fun. I’m now on my flight to Chicago where I’ll spend a dew days before flying home. It was pretty sad and emotional to say goodbye to the group we’ve been travelling with this whole time. Not too bad for me though as even the ones that live in Australia and New Zealand I’ll be hopefully seeing in a few months!

Enjoy the photos, sorry this has been such a long post. I’ll do one more at the end of my trip 😦 I’m so sad I don’t want to go home to normal life even though I’ve missed you all! Speak soon,

Abby

Pontooning, tubing and almost the last week of camp!

Hello

So I’m sorry I’ve been slacking on the blog posts. It has been pretty manic recently and with lots of other stuff 2 weeks has just flown by and before I know it it’s the last week of camp!

So since I last posted, my first week I spent in an adult male cabin. It was a great cabin that was pretty easy and had some real funny characters. On the Monday night though I got asked to move cabins into the one next door that was a lot tougher and really struggling. I was a bit gutted but it turned out not to be so bad. They had a lot of campers that just like to wander off. Especially ones in the wheelchairs funnily enough. You’d turn away for 30 seconds, turn back to find them rolling down the meadow! All fun.

That weekend was super fun too as the entire group of staff went pontooning. It had been booked for ages but cancelled because of the weather and now we finally got to do it. We initially split up between 4 boats and then tied ourselves together and hopped between them for about 6 hours. We bought loads of food and drink and it was cool to just jump into the lake when you feel like it or just mingle with everyone.

Last week was ok, I was the cabin leader for a girls kids cabin. All was going well, our nightmare one on one didn’t show up on Sunday, we only had 8 campers – life was great! However, on Monday she showed (in the end she wasn’t as bad as her application made out but I wouldn’t describe her as a bundle of joy either.) On Monday night I spent the whole night with a high temperature and the following day the nurse kept me in with a fever and I was too I’ll to be allowed to work. The next day I woke up not feeling great but ready attempt work again but lasted all of half an hour before needing to head back to the nurse again. Felt very guilty as my cabin only had 4 staff including me as it was and it was all a bit stressful. By Thursday it was all good though and I headed back to my cabin to finish the week.

On the Friday a few of the girls all headed out to this hibachi restaurant where the chefs kind of put on a performance and cook all the food elaborately in front of you. It tasted soooo good. After, we headed downtown to meet up with the rest of the group and had a good night there. Saturday morning was an early start as we were up at 8 ready to spend the whole day tubing. We split up into cars driven by Americans and drove about 30 minutes to the massive river. From there we got an American school bus to the top of the river (which burst its tyre and broke on the way!) where we start. We headed into our dingys with our coolers of food and alcohol and spent about 6 hours floating down stream! It was fun to be with everyone and just spend a day chilling.

Again I’m writing this on my night duty. Not feeling fantastic which isn’t helped by the fact that the staff on night duty last night got a solid total of 30 minutes sleep. Dreading it is an understatement. Oh well, final week and all…let’s see how it goes!* Scary to think it’s almost all over now – 9 weeks seem to have flown by!

Speak soon x

*just FYI, it was a terrible night as expected!

Best week ever

Hello hello

So I think the week just gone has probably one of my all time favourites at camp! It was superhero week with kids and so there was loads of dress up and fun activities to do. I was in a boys cabin this week full of mainly tiny little cute ones! One was 4…4!! So so adorable. Being kids they wanted to get involved in every activity and were so happy and eager for anything which made the days just fly by. I had a few favourites for sure and was definitely a bit upset to see them go! One day I was off on my break and he starts following me. I say “go back to the group, I’ll be back in a few hours” so he puts a grumpy face on and heads back to one of my friends. He asks her “where’s abby going?” She says “on her break, for a nap”. He just replies: “OK. I go too. See you later.” So cute!! It was a great week.

At the weekend we did our usual routine. We all went out for dinner together which was nice but definitely had another eyes bigger than tummy moment (seems to happen every time I eat out here) and we all ended up eating sooo much food. Be prepared to greet a whale when you pick me up from the airport.

On Saturday the weather was overcast but hot so we went out for lunch and a small group of us headed to the water park to just chill for a few hours. One day off a week leaves you absolutely knackered when you’re working 16 hours a day for the other 6. After the water park I headed into downtown Des Moines with a lot of the people from camp for one of the girls’ birthday. Tora and Alana weren’t feeling well which was a shame but I got to spend some time with new people from camp which was good. It was a really fun night and I surprisingly felt not too bad for work on Sunday morning!

This week has been more challenging but good. I am in an adult make cabin and it is nice that everyone seems to stay with the group and we don’t have too many wanderers and no one on ones which makes life easier. I just got told however that they’re moving me to another cabin for the rest of the week which is a hell of a lot harder. Full of wanderers and men are often aggressive – wahoo! Leadership did try to compliment me into it, saying they picked me for my ‘organisational skills and being such a great staff member they need you’ but I’m not so sure I’m buying into it! Bit gutted but really gonna try and stay positive and hope the cabin is a lot more manageable and so therefore fun with me in it.

I’m on night duty now so I better get off to sleep before I get woken up soon enough. Hope you’re all good, love and miss you lots xxx

4th July!

So another week passed and it got a lot better as it went on! Though the girls were super whiny, once I felt better I was able to just get on with it a lot better and make the most of it. We had some funny moments and it was also really nice to work with some other staff that I’ve never worked with before. It was also an extra special week because we got Friday off for 4th July! Having a whole 2 days off became a big deal at camp. On the Thursday night we did our usual Friday routine and went to the local bar to grab some dinner and drinks. On Friday we all headed into downtown Des Moines where there was a big festival going on for Independence Day. We all mooched about and grabbed some free stuff, getting some drinks then listening to music and playing ping pong. Much later in the evening everyone went to a club and we all got back early in the morning. On Saturday we went to the Cheesecake Factory and the mall which was fun before snuggling up with everyone and watching a film in the evening. Not a lot to write to you about really! Sorry it’s a bit boring!

This week is another kids week and it is ‘superhero and fantasy’ week. So far it has been so much fun dressing up and actually having groups that are energetic and want to do all the activities! I had night duty last night and for the first time ever I actually had a great shift! Only a few changes to do in the night but I reckon it’s probably one of the best sleeps I’ve had at camp. Looking forward to the rest of the week with my cabin of tiny boys but will definitely be exhausted by the end of it!

I have also now booked my flights to Vegas and New Orleans. Think we’re heading to Orlando afterwards before leaving back from Chicago. Can’t wait!

Xx

Livin’ the American stereotype

Hiyaaa

So last week was my second time around as cabin leader and overall I really enjoyed the week. My cabin was fairly easy, we had no one on ones and only 3 campers that needed total assist personal care. It was western week and we got to do lots of activities with them. I prefer working in the men’s cabins as they are a lot less whiny and have some real characters in them! We had a few issues (bursting colostomy bags, sick campers) and a bit of a huge camp tragedy during the week but I’ll tell you all about that when I’m home. Overall it was really good fun.

The weekend was super fun and was much needed to recover from the week (not that we end up sleeping much!) Me and Tora headed to Walmart with Alana and Kalie to stock up and then went to a milkshake and burger (so healthy obvs) drive thru. After that we headed to the local bar where everyone was at which was fun. The next day we headed into downtown Des Moines where we had a wander around the farmers market, went for lunch and to a few more bars. Some of us girls then headed to the mall (again I barely spent anything you should be proud!) then to one of the American girl’s house. We watched a movie and had a nap to get ready for sat evening where we went to a frat house party. One of the American guys that works in day camp lives there and it looks exactly like you’d imagine! Greek letters on the front and all. That was pretty cool and after lots of beer pong and chatting we headed back to camp.

The weather here has been really horrible. When I came in 2012 we maybe had 4 days of rain all summer – 2014 the storms seem to be coming in daily! Today we had another tornado warning in the middle of the day and had to move all our campers to the storm shelter. I am assistant cabin leader this week in a girls cabin and I’m struggling this week! Today I have been pretty sick and confined to a room in the nurses office most of the day. I was meant to do night duty but my group kicked me out and sent me to bed! Haha it is nice of them but I do feel so bad not doing anything just sleeping constantly. This week we have 4th July off so campers go home Thursday. Sounds awful but I am so looking forward to this weekend coming and finishing early!

Fingers crossed tomorrow will be a better day. Missing you all

Abby xxx

First Week of Campers

Hey hey,

First week was MANIC. I had a cabin of 13 little boys which was definitely a handful although most of them were super cute. On Sunday morning we read through applications thinking we would only have 2 one on ones (campers that need one staff member assigned to them 24/7) but by Sunday evening we soon realised we had 4 one on ones and 3 that acted like them most of the time. Add that to the 6 other campers who although stay with the group, inevitably had their tantrums and upsets – with only 6 staff we felt pretty pushed to our limits. But we managed! When you are cabin leader you don’t get to spend any time with one on ones as you need to stay with the group the whole time. But as I was cabin assistant this past week I got to know them and the little tricks to get them to go where you need to! I was really excited to see one boy who was in my cabin last year. He was still just as hyper and a runaway but his communication had improved lots and apart from one incident that involved me jumping into the lake, we got on pretty smoothly! Below is a picture one of the camp sponsors took as we ate a ice cream literally just after our swim in the lake (…see the life jacket?!)

So Friday came and I was absolutely knackered. We cleared up and a lot of us returners went out to dinner to celebrate one of the Americans graduation. After, we met up with everyone else and went to a bar not too far from camp. It was really good to have everyone together and relaxed, (all looking scarily nice as we actually had time for make up). Saturday we went out for breakfast and spent our day at the water park. In the evening we set up a big tv I the storm shelter, ordered 30 (!) pizzas and brought down some mattresses to lie on.

So this week has already started and although a lot slower pace (I have a cabin of men primarily aged 45-70), it has still been good. This week I am cabin leader for the first time which is proving a lot of pressure and extra responsibility but I am glad I get to try it. Hoping I’m doing ok, but I’m finding it pretty tough! I will tell you more next week though. Pretty knackered as last night we were shouted out of bed at 1am with sirens going off and a tornado warning ensuing. Had to absolutely peg it and get all my campers to the storm shelter…eventful!

Hope you’re all doing well. Miss you!

Xx

First week done and I’ve finished my degree!

Hello!

So orientation week is over and it was really fun. We basically just did loads of team building games as well as training on various aspects like CPR, abuse, lifting and changing procedures etc. We would normally have Saturdays off but this week we worked as the campers that come at weekends were having their annual prom. It was really fun, we got to decorate the hall and get them all dressed up in gowns and suits. (We were also made to don some pretty hideous outfits…) They were SO excited, we had a big dinner with individually wrapped little burgers and chips (obviously super healthy) and the whole place we set out like an old school 50’s diner. Afterwards we had a dance, which they all absolutely loved. I saw two of my absolute favourite campers there and after not seeing them for 2 years it felt amazing to be back with them and see how they’ve changed (or stayed exactly the same!) I can’t publish any photos taken but there is a link here that you should be able to find a few if you wanted to https://www.facebook.com/EasterSealsIowa

So I am now second day into my first week of full time campers. I have been made assistant cabin leader which I’m pretty chuffed about but it is proving quite hard work and a lot more responsibility! My cabin is small boys with a range of special needs. It is great but guaranteed always manic, feeling knackered already! We finally got them to sleep around midnight yesterday and they were up at 6 this morning. I’m currently on my break after a 14 hour stretch and have about 30 mins left until my night duty starts. Fingers crossed I get a bit more than the hour and a half sleep the staff got last night in the cabin (I’m hoping we have started to exhaust them by now!)

Oh and I also found out today I now have a 2:1 in BA English (hons). Wahoooooo! Uni finished! (For a year at least until the masters hopefully starts!)

Hope everyone is well, missing you all x

The next adventure begins…..

The next adventure has begun! I am now back at Camp Sunnyside, Iowa for another amazing 3 months of summer working with special needs children and adults. My trip started yesterday with Tora (who you might remember from my inter railing posts!) and jaaayyyyssssuuussss did we have the most horrible journey here.

So we were sat on our plane nice and early, when there’s announcement that the pilots missing (said he was ill, but I’m guessing a heavy Friday night sesh and he wasn’t feeling too peachy this morning). So we sit on the plane for about 2 hours while our back up pilot is stuck on the M25. Finally we take off, a bit concerned about reaching our connection bus. On the plane for 8 hours, of course it was only our tvs that wouldn’t work – so that was fun! We had planned a cushty 3 hours to get to the bus station from the airport (it takes about 1.5 hours on public transport) and this was rapidly getting shorter and shorter. We have literally never run so fast or pushed so many people out the way!! Finally get our train to another terminal and get on a train pretty much direct to the bus stop. Simple huh? Not quite, the train then had a replacement shuttle bus which shortened our time to get there by about another half an hour. At this point we’re freaking out and trying with all our might to tempt to jog there with our hefty bags as the next bus wasn’t for another 7 hours. ANYWAY, feeling like we might pass out running in 30 degree heat with 17 kilo bags on our backs we by some miracle made it on to the bus with about 30 seconds to spare!! We then got the 7 hour (!) bus to Des Moines. Sounds bad but we definitely would have missed a connecting flight so a bus did turn out to be the best (and far cheaper) option! The bus ride itself was pretty uneventful, the driver was very keen to thank god for getting us there safely and the guy next to me was very enthusiastic in his saying his amen.

Our American friend Kalie picked us up from the station and took us to camp where we met some new people and some lovely old faces from camp 2012 too. So after our rather manic journey I’m super excited to start camp and get to meet everyone for training week.

These blog posts might be a little different as I can’t talk about campers and individual things that happen. But hopefully I’ll be able to give you a general overview and let you know about the weekends. Hope you enjoy them!

Lots of love x