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Published: June 22nd 2012
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Hello! Holla!
I started writing this blog a few days ago, with recounts of time on the plane and travel details and so much information.
But then something amazing happened. So here I was on the way back from getting my social security number in Rutland (45mins from camp). We were traveling in the camp van with the best view of mountains and forests, the most intense heat but a beautiful day. I was playing "The Black Seeds" off my phone to a man called Sergiu from Istanbul, and as I was singing and he was tapping along to the beat I had the greatest epiphany....
The world is an amazing place... it is filled with the most incredible people, incredible kindness and care, but most importantly love is a universal language. Every time I talk to any of the people I have met so far I keep thinking how can war and terrorism and hate for other cultures exist when we all speak the universal language of love, every culture and every person is so vastly dynamic and unique that I learn so much about myself and about other people every second of the day.
I
am so blessed to have this opportunity. Every day it is reinforced to me that everyone is important, everyone has so much to offer, the simple gift of giving your time to people, helping them over come their fears or help them feel more at home is invaluable.
So when I decided to write this blog initially it was filled with experiences and factual things but lacked meaning lacked the true effect the people have had on me. Instead of writing every detail (ill tell you everything when I get back ) ill just share a few of the stand out moments so far:
We went to a beautiful and very refreshing swimming hole about 10 minutes from camp with a big cliff to jump off. I try not to think very much when it comes to heights or scary things so I just wen straight to the highest bit and jumped...it was a wicked feeling. But what made my day was when I helped Nancy. Nancy is so beautiful and lovely, shes from Mexico and she was quite scared to jump. So her and I stood up on the cliff for a long time, everyone was encouraging
her and I held her hand and kept reassuring her...we finally did together and the smile on her face afterwards is something I will always hold in my heart, she gave me a hug of relief and in that moment I was so proud of her.
Im being taught Spanish at the moment, its a beautiful sounding language. There is a girl from Boulivia called Elizabeth here and she is committed to learn english, she is doing such a good job and shes teaching us Spanish at the same time. I really want to start learning more languages as I never knew how much there is to see in the world and how much you can learn about someone and their culture by taking the time out to learn their language. The Mexicans are doing amazing at communicating with us so why not do the same with them 😊
Speaking of the Mexicans-krlos, Julio, Nancy and Daniella are bringing the most interesting dynamics to the group. When they arrived on Tuesday they had to be the most warm, welcoming and loving people ever. They were just so friendly and gave us all massive hugs and kisses when we
barely had met them. Its something I absolutely love about other cultures- how they make people feel so important and so loved, not like strangers at all. I really want to adapt this into the way I treat people and the way I meet people. It was really awesome belting out Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani the other day with them when we were doing arts and crafts 😊
We had a trial of how camp will run yesturday. Michael and Jenny both came along, Jenny lives with our camp director and used to be a participant on camp but is now helping out with the kitchen and will get to be involved with all the activities and has Cerrebal Paulsy and Michael is the loveliest person ever. He loves camp and stayed with us for one day, he comes back on sunday and everyone cant wait to see him. Hes blind and partially deaf and I think hes got a lung problem, he loves peopler walking with him and hes absolutely fascinated about where you are from and what is like there. We did a fire training using the fire extinguishers with the local fire department and him
and I sat together just holding hands and telling him all about what everyone was doing and how well they were doing at putting the fires out, he would cheer for everyone. He has already taught me so much in the space of hours and I cannot thank him enough for the gifts he is giving me and teaching me.
This camp is so important, it already has a massive part of my heart, and we continue to learn how important it is to the campers and how much they love it here as it gives them the opportunity to be treated with respect and love and feel important.
I love the people here, all from England, Ireland, Wales, Romania, Istanbul, Boulivia, Mexico, Egypt, Poland, China and USA of course. Americans have to be some of the loveliest people in the world!! Im already getting kind of an english accent and picking up on lots of English sayings cause theres about 6 of them from England!
I cannot wait to share more with you all!
Until then,
Te Amo!
Anna
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