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

Hullo!

Apologies to all and sundry for not writing sooner, I have not had access to a fast connection like I did last year, so have kinda been putting it off!!

I'm doing fine, I'm on my day off at the moment, have just spent most the day at Skinners Falls, lolling on rubber rings, reading Harry Potter and scraping my backside on rocks, so pretty the same as every other year on that score!

My bunk are pretty cool, I am working with a couple of pretty sound co-counsellors. It's pretty weird because we are all returners, which is pretty unusual. I've got a real mix of kids, ranging from classic ADHD [who are really tiny and cute, but all over the place] to a couple with bi-polar, which scared me a little because I've never dealt with that before. It's not been too bad, a couple of incidents but nothing compared to last year. The worst was probably when we were worried that one of the kids was going to lose it completely in the Jewelry roomwhen I was on my own, which is this poky little room with one main exit... The kid didn't completely lose it and we got him out before the next bunk arrived for their period. I went out on a kayak with a kid yesterday, and he was petrified because it was his first time on one. It was quite cool coaxing him out to the middle of the lake, as it was something he'd never done before, and I really liked spending that one-to-one time with him.

I have also been given Deputy Unit Leader, which means that when the Unit Leader has his day and night off, I take over the Unit. I was a bit worried about it at the beginning, mainly about missing the morning meeting with all the other UL's, but it's been quite good fun. I have to run three evening activities a week, one Clubs night, which is sending all the kids off to the activity of their [first or second] choice, and then two open fields, which is basically me setting up an activity from scratch. This has been a... challenge but good fun at the same time. I've done an evening of mini-games based of Roald Dahl books, and I did a Face paint Pictionnary evening where the kids got to stain the faces of their counsellors, because Wal-Mart face paint isn't as hypoallergenic as it claims to be!! I've really quite enjoyed that side of things, though as with every job there are a couple of bits that you wish weren't necessary! Last week, I was in the Head Counsellor's office, as I had a misbehaving staff member, which wasn't pretty and a bit of a headache!

Anyway, best be off am in the Public Library and my time will soon be up, hope you are all OK, and sorry again for not emailing more regularly!

tlg