h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...Camp Towanda!

Yet another song that Camp had forever ruined for me. Well, that and American Pie, really - and then there's a whole bunch of songs that will always remind me of Camp, because that's where I heard them first, or very often, or in some memorable circumstances.

Been thinking a lot about Camp recently... probably because this time last year I was getting ready to go there. No, actually, one year ago I was there already. Where did time go? And then just a couple of days ago a camp-friend of mine from Australia sent me a DVD of the video she took throughout last summer, which really got me nostalgic.
Last year, there were of of us in O&A (Outdoor Adventure) who returned a second summer - Dan, Mike, Jill, Erina and myself. From what I've heard, Mike's the only one coming back for a third summer, but the rest of the Gainsville Gang, Paul and Tyler - awesome guys - will also be coming back. Danny's coming back too, I promised her I'd send her letters to Camp. Very few other people coming back, actually; if I were there, I'd hardly know anyone.
Kinda wish I were there. Had some really good times, and met some really great people. I miss them. Funny how at the end of summer everyone is saying 'Keep in touch, alright?' - 'Oh, definitely! You too!' - 'Sure!'... and then almost nobody does. *shrug* Ah well. I'm happy to be in touch with those that do.

Not that everything was great last summer. Jody was on that video too - he was our bike speciallist. Great guy. Got fired on the first week of Camp because of some stupid accident he really shouldn't have been fired for. And they have this ridiculous policy of not letting anyone leaving even say goodbye, so he was there in the morning and then in the afternoon he was suddenly gone. That was a pretty horrible day. I wonder what he's up to - he and Dan were planning to go on some insane hiking trip this winter, I wonder if they've done it eventually. Not in touch with either, so I have no idea.
For some reason, lots of people were fired last summer, which obviously affevted the general atmosphere. At some point our boss, Rae, got a button saying 'Am I Fired Yet?', a phrase that eventually made it to our O&A jumpers (along with all sorts of other quotes and inside jokes, that still make me chuckle).
Good times. Not always, but in general, definitely good times.


~*~

I've just re-read this and realised it's quite hopelessly nostalgic and not really of any value to anyone who hasn't been to Camp. Sorry about that. Feel free to disregard the whole thing.



'You wanna go where people know
A great summer's why they came
You wanna go where everybody knows your name!'


*sigh*

With my bit of military time, there've been times, circumstances and places that I will remember always. The friendships, the comraderie, the sorrows shared with a friend losing someone or something. The shared successes and triumphs (group and personal). Bitter-sweet memories for life. Lady P, you are lucky to have them, and so many more yet to aquire. Please, never regret a moment of them.

Sounds like you've had alot of fun. There's allways a down side to everything, in this case missing the good times you had...
But it's worth it
Good memories will stay with you forever

Traveller in Time sitting by the campfire
"It reminds me of the scouting camps I had. I never joined the visits to internatiol events however. But I can imagine what it was.

The process of bonding into a group, 'fighting' a common enemy is a great experience. "

Hey, Lady P! Those memories are great...and I bet everyone of those people have special memories of you too! It's funny how people you only know for a short time can have such an impact on you. HERE'S TO FRIENDS! AND NOSTALGIA!

I did have a lot of fun. And yeah, Traveller, there was a certain measure of 'Us against Them' mentality sometimes, even though it wasn't all that bad...


Oh, and yesterday morning I was doing some 'community gardening' with the student volunteer group I'm in - we were working with a bunch of fourth-graders in a valley that's supposed to be built over - the whole thing, both doing a bit of physical work (which I usually don't get to) and working with kids, really made me miss Camp.

But all in all, I'm not that sorry not to be coming back again this summer - I'll be going to Florence, after all! Might come back for a visit some time though. That could be fun.

Florence?!
Wow, good for you

Oh yeah, you missed that thread... I'm off to Florence at the end of August for a 4-week Italian course. Very excited about that.

Who wouldn't be?!
I used to speak Italian when I was little, but I've never been anywhere ecxept Israel and Russia

**

Loads of Canucks at Camp, actually. It appears that the entire population of Nova Scotia migrates south in the summer and goes to work in American Summer camps. 1st of July is almost as big as the 4th.


Anna, if you want me to refer you to Towanda next summer, I'll be delighted to. When are you getting out of the army?

This September

Good on ya! My sister was supposed to discharge this July, but she's signing for another 6 months. *shrug* Better money than waitressing, that for sure.

Yeah, the money's better, but...
My officer has been in the army six years (he studied first) and he's supposed to be discharged in August...He's counting hours.
Honestly, he's got a chart and everything.

*slips away with his 21-year-military pin ...*

It's different in a regular army, you know... it's a very young society. My first CO was 22, and he was OLD!

An army of 18 year olds with guns...
Gives you confidence, doesn't it?

Or with computers, in my case... gives you any more confidence?

Though some of the 18-year-olds I knew there had better sense than the 80-something-year-old that is currently running things. *shrug*

I just still can't get over the fact the army would trust ME with a gun.
I mean, I'm crazy!
Someone could have gotten hurt. Probably me...

I had an Uzi for the three ridiculous weeks of Basic Training I did, and thankfully, that was it.