More days

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Monday : A standard day, but in the evening I was told I was to become a 'rampaging rhino', whilst others transmogrified into lucky leopards. (I have originally heard this as being 'lucky lepers'. Sadly, upon inquiry I was informed of the boring, leopard-like truth of the the promising juxtaposition.

We were then told to go and play a baseball match. After one camper was sick, I was thrust into one of the teams. As I may have mentioned before, I think baseball is a ridiculous sport. It seems to consist of a bunch of males wearing silly socks which their teams are named after (ie the Red Sox, White Sox etc) playing a glorified game of rounders. On top of this due to the American safety craze everyone, in whatever position, is forced to wear a frankly ridiculous mitten for the safe catching of the ball – something I don't recall being present in cricket. Cricket also has the advantage of offering a variety of shots to the batsman, whereas baseball gives you one option – the over shoulder slog. There are also only a limited number of ways one is able to throw a ball in the air to 'pitch' it at a batter.

Naturally, I am not in the slightest bit bitter than I got out twice through silly rules no-one thought to tell the English guy – and lets not even get started on the over-padded, over scripted game that is American football!!


Tuesday – A camper was in floods of tears because the person in front of him got the last bit of garlic bread. As a result he refused to eat his dinner, anything from the salad bar or a cheese sandwich the catering staff offered to prepare. Who says some of these kids are spoilt....

Wednesday – Went on a day long canoe trip, which was surprisingly fun – in spite of one camper getting whacked over the head with a paddle (accidentally, and it w wasn't me that did it I might add) and the boat carrying half of our lunch capsizing on a rock, leading to some decidedly soggy sandwiches. It was extremely enjoyable to be able to maliciously splash kids with my paddle, and tilt their boats to make them head straight into the river banks whilst simultaneously trying to avoid having the same done to me.

Sadly I am now slightly sunburnt in spite of lathering myself up in excessive suncream in the morning. It's worse on my shoulders from where I took my top off and applied some factor 50 suncream (thanks kids!) which turned out not to be waterproof (yeah, thanks again!). Thus when I jumped out and let the campers in the canoe drag me along as they paddled I got slightly fried.


I also want to record as a matter of fact that no less than three children asked beforehand if they could come with me in my boat.


Saturday – Constant raining, so went into the new gym to play dodgeball. (the old one collapsed over the winter, and the new one had just been finished and ready for use the previous day. Fantastically lucky timing!).

At least three children got smacked hard in the face with the ball. Ouch.

Sunday Yet again out toilet was clogged. Unfortunately (though not for me) someone had attempted to flush the toilet. Thus it was full of brown, shitty water. Because of this, maintenance decided to give us a plunger. Clint, my co-counselor decided it was only fair that the kids responsible should plunge it. This was going well until another child, William, decided to flush the toilet. Brown water went everywhere. The two kids who had been plunging were instantly sick in the middle of the hut. I arrived back from the computer room just as Clint had finished cleaning all of this up – thank god!!

In the evening, after more rain, was a staff meeting where it was spelt out to us how we should conduct ourselves on visiting day. No-one was to ever say anything negative about a child. If a kid is, as it was put ' a little shit', we are to say how, like, totally awesome they are. Fair enough, but it's going to make it especially interesting when it comes to W------.

This child is by far the worst in the bunk, and disliked by all the kids (and if were them I think I would too. He dances around naked, demanding people examine his penis amongst other things). He winds them up, he doesn't know the limits for physical contact, or when not to say something, or how to behave generally. Whenever you ask someone to tell them join in, he tries to make everybody be like him and do what he wants rather than adapting to the group.

To the counselors I've spoken to (including myself) he's rude, grabs food at the table, refuses to clean or listen without being asked twenty times (even then it's a poor job) and is abusive when his gameboy is taken away for this – to the extent of hitting people. The phrase 'William stop!' is one of the most common I hear whenever he is around.

Things got so bad that three kids asked to change sleeping huts because he was ruining their summer – and his parents have been informed of this appalling behaviour. On top of this, his parents have been singled out as ones to beware of in terms of pushing you to say things you shouldn't about their kid.

This could get interesting if I then say “hey – your kid is absolutely amazing”

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