I don’t know if I’m ready to write this so I’ll go ahead and do it anyway.

I kind of wrote about this on a blog we created at camp with the kids. Please go and check it out, we worked hard and it looks so cool! (the link is kirkwoodblog.wixsite.com/kirkwoodblog)

But yeah I sort of talked about my experience at camp.

I was working on a summer camp in America, Pennsylvania to be exact, called Kirkwood Camp or Camp Kirkwood. It’s a Presbyterian camp so it was christian and as I am also christian that was cool. I was so happy to be hired onto the camp and that it was on the east coast close to family.

I was also psyched because this was the first time I’d have the opportunity to make friends in America.

Okay listen, every time I come to America I stay with family. The public transport system is confusing so I don’t venture too far on my own. So last time I was in America I was 16, in Boston and bored. I love my family but I needed to meet people my own age.

This summer I got to do that. It was so cool. The staff was friendly, we pretty much hit it off right away and for the first couple of weeks I had fun.

But when humans get together there will always be conflict. It was nothing major but I definitely learned a lot of lessons this summer. There are decisions I made that I am not proud of and wish I could go back in time and reevaluate my life. Or just go back in time and slap myself. Wouldn’t that be freaky?

I also learned a lot about others and how trusting I can be. I don’t want to lose that quality but I want to be wiser and to stand up for myself more. We are what we allow and I allowed a lot of crap I shouldn’t.

I also learned a lot about myself, as mentioned above. I thought I could be something else. I don’t want to get into it but I learned I really am what I am. I have to accept myself or no one else will accept me. I shouldn’t compromise to be accepted because that’s not how it works, trust me.

But that’s a lot of negatives no?

I made a ton of good friends, life long friends. They know who they are and they kept me going when times got tough. Whilst conflict can happen when humans get together great things can happen also and I made a couple of great friends. I’m glad.

But the main highlight for me was the kids. No matter how difficult they were working with them was always rewarding. I learned so much from them and they gave me joy even when I wasn’t feeling so joyful. Working with kids is honestly never disappointing. You get to help someone in a positive way and give them an awesome summer. I will never regret that.

It was funny, they would ask me “Are you coming back next year?” and at first I would be like “Nope! One year was enough!” but then I’d feel bad and then they’d look disappointed and I’d think “Maybe my work here is not done, maybe it is God’s will for me to come back”.

I’m still thinking about it and I’m still talking to God about that and a lot of things. But we’ll see.

It certainly was a roller coaster. God put me on that camp for a reason. I’m still trying to figure out all the reasons and I pray that he will reveal them to me but yeah… it was a journey.