Trifter

Summer camps in America are a huge business.  There are many different types of camps out there – camps for rich kids, inner-city kids and special needs kids.  There are religious camps (mainly Jewish and Christian), camps for the sports, camps for the arts…

No matter what your speciality area is, you could find a placement (Providing you fit the age requirements and pass certain checks).  You could be spending your days coaching soccer or basketball, teaching arts, drama or music, or perhaps safeguarding a hundred American kids as a lifeguard down at the lake.  Don’t have a speciality area but are good with kids?  You could be a general counsellor, taking the kids around to activities.  There are even positions working in the office, driving, working in the kitchens or helping in the camp store.

Every year I say that this year will be my last.  But every year I am drawn back again.  5 years in and it just gets better.

The day starts with getting the kids ready and off to breakfast.  OK so the meals aren’t always the best, but they’re free – what more could you ask?  The morning is taken up with activities (either teaching them or taking the kids to different ones), before lunch and then more activities in the afternoon.  The evenings usually have a different program every night – some of them I’ve helped out with are treasure hunts, movie nights, dance-offs, “Capture the flag”, hair and beauty nights (for the girls), and the camp play. 

There are downsides – there is nothing worse than being woken up at 3am and having to sit up with a homesick camper, or awakening to find that a camper has thrown up all over their bed.  The days are long and tiring, you get little sleep and you have to abide by all the rules and curfews.  You don’t get much free time at all – one day off per week.  You  have to live in close proximity with lots of other people.

But I can honestly say that I wouldn’t change a thing.  Some of the best friends I have ever made are from camp, and although you won’t get rich quick (far from it!), you get to travel the USA afterwards with your new friends.

It’s an amazing experience and I’d highly recommend that anyone wanting to take part definitely gets in touch with any one of the reputable agencies to find out more.