Camp Life

6 Emotions You’ll Feel on your First 4th of July

3rd July 2019  |  Blog,Camp Life

Here are 6 emotions you’ll feel on your first 4th of July! It’s your first 4th of July in America and every American’s favourite day. It’s time to celebrate the land of the free and the home of the brave and boy are you in for a treat. Red, white and blue are everywhere and you feel like you are in a fresh tube of Colgate toothpaste. You never thought you’d feel so patriotic for a country you’re not from but here you are belting out the National Anthem like you didn’t just learn the words two weeks ago. Independence Day is not just a film about Aliens on the 4th of July   1. Confusion There is none stop chanting of “USA, USA, USA!”. Everyone is in red, white and blue. There are stars and stripes literately everywhere. You didn’t realise how patriotic everyone is until today. Everyone is running around waving flags and singing Katy Perry. Independence Day isn’t just a film about aliens? What?! You thought that the bonfire firework display at your local park was a show. Think again. This display is something to rival Londons New Years Eve show. Who knew independence meant bottomless chicken wings? Sign us up!   2. Food Coma There is food EVERYWHERE. You’ve gotten accustomed to the food at camp by now including the mad portion sizes. However, you were not prepared for today! You never knew it was possible to arrange burgers and hotdogs into an American flag display but here we are. There are snacks on snacks on snacks and you are ready. The food coma is coming and you welcome it in waves.   3. Fear There is a lake with your name on it and you have the fear, bad. You’ve been hiding out all day trying to avoid getting thrown into the lake but tradition is tradition. The feeling of knowing that it is coming is the worst and you’re contemplating just throwing yourself in.   4. Patriotic You might not be American but today you are an honorary citizen. Everyone else’s buzz for the country has got you swept up in the celebrations and your singing Star Bangled Banner with the rest of them. Today, this land is your land and today this land is my land. Go America!   5. Excited All your campers have got you absolutely fizzing with excitement. There are fun, games and food everywhere. The only holiday you have to compare is Christmas and this is the Christmas of summer. You’re ready to fly the flag and fly the flag HARD. Why can’t every day be the 4th of July?   6. Tired It’s been a long old day and you are ready for bed. The whole day has been non-stop and although it’s been enjoyable you are worn out. Who knew Independence was so exhausting?! It’s time to kick your feet up, make a cup of tea and go back to business as usual tomorrow. You’re retiring the red, white and blue for Color War. Until next time Independence Day!  

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Capturing the Perfect Shot While at Camp

21st August 2019  |  Blog,Camp Life,Travel America

Capturing the perfect shot while at camp often comes naturally during your stay. However, sometimes you need a little inspiration and a few tips! Make sure to check out our yearly photo competition to be in with the chance of winning some great prizes after camp. Whether you’re a total beginner or you have mastered the art of photography, you’re bound to get some creative shots. Likewise, you don’t need to shell out on any fancy camera equipment. Your phone will do fine! Check out our 2019 Photo Competition here! Lights, Camera, Action! Capturing the perfect shot often comes at moments you least expect. In other words, don’t force the moment. Forget having fancy lighting and photography equipment, the magic of camp is in the unexpected. Phone cameras can work wonders nowadays and are sometimes even better than a fancy DSLR. If you can’t have your phone on you while working at camp, there’s still plenty of opportunities while travelling as well as on your days off.   The More the Merrier You’ve met some great people while on your travels. More importantly, you might want to record your memories with them. A group shot together always brings the memories flooding back. Moreover, you might also want to recreate the shot at your camps reunion! You’ll find that the people make the place and you’ll want to be able to put faces to your memorable summer. A fun group snap at the Golden Gate Bridge or gathered around your camp sign will be a memory you will treasure forever. In addition, you can save on your travelling with Contiki or TrekAmerica!   A Photo Finish While at camp there’ll be a whole summer jam-packed of different sports events. From Color War to Camp Olympics, you’ll be representing and competing as a team. You’ll find these events truly capture camps spirit and there’s no better time to snap a shot. You might be covered head to toe in paint and this will be a memory you’ll want to remember! Whether your team won or lost, there won’t be many opportunities to take a picture of a shower of powdered paint back at home.   Here’s to Adventure After Summer Camp comes to an end, you have 30 days of travel time to explore. You don’t have to use the whole 30 days but a good week or two allows you time to travel. You might be the outdoorsy kind and hitting up Americas National Parks. Alternatively, you might be more into your theme parks and heading straight to Florida. You’ll be able to capture some great shots of the outdoors and sometimes even the indoors! There are loads of discoveries to be made while travelling so make sure to capture your best moments.   Order Up Do you even have Instagram if you’re not taking a quick pick when you get your meal? While travelling, you’ll discover amazing eateries, food stalls and markets. A cheeky pic with your snack is a great way to document the tasty treats you picked up while in America and will look great on your Insta feed. The food you’ll get while in the states is on another level and you’re going to want to remember the time you ate a burger sandwiched between two doughnuts!  

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Day in the Life of a Camp Counselor

10th October 2019  |  Blog,Camp Life

Ever wondered what a day in the life of a Camp Counselor involves? Meet Camp Counselor Summer! Hey! I’m Summer and I was a Camp Counselor in my two summers at camp. I spent a year working at French Woods Festival of Performing Arts in Upstate New York. French Woods is a specialist camp with all the traditional camp activities. Not only are there traditional activities but there are also four theatres, a circus and a magic department! Specifically, French Woods is a sleep-away camp, which means that campers spend the nights sleeping in cabins. There can be up to about fourteen children in each cabin. Above all, summer camp is one of those places where you fully immerse yourself in a camp bubble. Every day is different and you’re always inspiring and influencing your campers. In addition to all of this, you get paid! You are also adding top skills to your CV. Ready to find out more? Keep reading below to find out what a typical day in the life of a Camp Counselor is like! Mornings at Camp! The first task of the day as a Camp Counselor is to get the kids up and excited for the day ahead! In order to do this, I and my co-counselors find that the best way to do this is to get some top tunes on. Getting them up and dancing is a great way to start the day. This motivates the kids for the day ahead. The dancing doesn’t stop there either! Mealtimes at camp (breakfast included) are filled with singing, dancing and banging the tables. All of your typical table manners go out the window! If it’s someone’s birthday then the dining hall becomes a buzz of hundreds of campers and counselors singing, clapping and celebrating. It’s SO fun and one of the best parts of a day in the life of a camp counselor! Activities After breakfast and a quick cabin clean-up, it’s time to head to activities. At French Woods, the kids choose their own schedule made up of Majors and Minors. Major activities are things the kids would do every day and maybe work towards a project. These can be things like taking part in a musical, being part of a sports team or circus show. Minor activities are things that they chose every day such as activities like swimming, rock climbing or mountain biking. This is where specialists counselors would head off to teach their activities. Now although you’re ‘teaching’ a skill, this doesn’t mean you’re cooped up in a classroom, you organise your activities any way you see fit! A typical day for myself is usually spent in the Theatre teaching Sound and Lighting skills. Getting kids to create crazy sound effects to use in performances often means heading around camp and looking at how we can record sound effects. Every day you get a period off, which can be used to get stuck into all the activities. For instance, on a day I was feeling lazy, I could chill in the cabin or by the waterfront. The different activities on offer meant that you could learn a new skill or try something different every day! I tried everything camp had to offer, even daring to go on the flying trapeze in the circus! Evening Activities After dinner and some chill time for kids and counselors, it’s time for evening activities! This is my favourite time of the day. Every evening is something different as well as a time to get stuck into activities. We would spend our evenings watching shows and performances by the campers and taking part in games like Color Wars, Capture-the-flag and sing-a-longs. We also had ice cream socials, campfires and themed discos. Nights at Camp After evening activities, everyone is worn out from a busy day! At my camp, counselors work on a rota in the evenings. One counselor and a CIT (Counselor in Training) take care of the kids and settle them for the evening. The other two counselors are able to take the evening off. To sum it all up, one thing I loved about camp on my evenings off was sitting by the waterfront on warm summer evenings and watching the stars, I’d never seen so many it was absolutely spectacular. Days at camp are active, exciting and busy. Every day is different but every day is fun! You’ll never find a summer job which pays you to have a great time more than being a camp counselor. Become a Camp Counselor! Do it, you won’t regret it! Click here to start your Camp Counselor application and experience being a Camp Counselor for yourself. 

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Our 2019 Photo Competition Favourites

8th November 2019  |  Before Camp,Blog,Camp Life,Travel America

Each year, USA Summer Camp holds a photo competition searching for that perfect photo that represents how amazing summer in America really is. Whether it’s images from travel or camp, we get hundreds of photos rolling in with spectacular scenery photographs of the Grand Canyon to 1000000 images capturing the beautiful camp sunsets. Trust us, after seeing all the pictures of our applicants having the time of their lives, it made every person in the office this summer get extreme Summer Camp FOMO. It was HORRIBLE, but we fought on and after some hard consideration, we picked our favourite photographs and the winners! The Final Three In 3rd place – Molly Nelson! In 2nd place – Bethan Mccormick! z And finally… The winner of the 2019 Photo Competition – Mary Mccarthy!  The 2019 Shortlist   We want to say thank you to everyone who took part and entered their photos. Each image was amazing and reminded us how fun, impactful and important Summer Camp is. That’s why we do what we do. USA Summer Camp can’t wait to send even more people to camp in the upcoming years! Interested in heading out to camp yourself next summer?Apply here now!

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Level Up Your CV By Working at a Summer Camp

9th September 2020  |  Blog,Camp Life

Level Up Your CV! Being a student and trying to create a full CV can be frustrating.  All you want to do is create a CV that stands out of the crowd to future employers right? Stop your worrying because we have the perfect Summer Job for you that will level up your CV! Why not spend your summer in America as a Camp Counselor? We work with over 600 camps in the USA who are all looking for young adults just like you, to work at their amazing camps over the summer. There are multitudes of different jobs available such as Camp Counselor roles, Activity Specialists, and Support Staff. You’ll gain experiences and skills to blow away the competition. Your CV will scream “hire me!” to your future employers. Still unsure? Here’s why working at a Summer Camp will level up your CV! Gain Work Experience Abroad Having the skill of working abroad will give you a leg up on the competition. Applying for jobs can be very competitive. Working in America will demonstrate to your future employer that you can step out of your comfort zone, experience new cultures, and try things you’ve never tried before. You’ll show that you’re ready to take on new challenges, experience the world, and ready to get stuck in at any job you’re given in the future. Moving to a different country will demonstrate to future employers that you can be independent, are confident in new situations and adaptable when it comes to working in new environments. Get a Job That Will Level Up Your Career The rumours about Summer Camp being just for people with sports skills is, FALSE! The range and breadth of jobs available to work at camp are endless. There are jobs in waterfront, sports, arts, drama, media, STEM and many more. We even had one of our applicants this year teach Fashion Design while at camp. If you have a skill you want to develop or gain more work experience in a particular area, just ask us. Gain relevant experience abroad, while getting paid as well as having the summer of a lifetime. Score!  Skills, Skills, Skills! When you get home from an amazing summer in the states, you’ll be equipped with a plethora of new skills. We all know skills can level up your CV and by working as a Camp Counselor or Activity Specialist, you’ll be in charge of getting your kids ready for the day. Preparation, timekeeping and leadership are all skills you be putting into action while at camp. There is also the possibility that camp will pay you to gain qualifications such as lifeguarding and first aid. You’ll be able to mention all the skills you have gained in your future interviews! Confidence All Around A summer at camp will give you a new found confidence you wouldn’t have expected. Leading camp sing-alongs and chants brings out a side you might never have thought you had as well as gaining the confidence to be a role model to your group of kids. You’ll meet other counselors from all over the world making you a natural conversationalist by the end of camp. The next interview you have, you’ll have so much confidence you’re bound to smash it! You’ll Become a Creative Genius! Just picture this… A bunk full of bored kids and it’s your job to entertain them and make sure they’re having a great time at camp. Trust us, you’ll begin to learn to think outside the box when you have to come up with a completely new game for the kids. Arts and Crafts activity? Nailed it. Creating banners for Olympics and Colour War? Best banner ever. Employers love to see interviewees with creative skills and who are able to think outside the box. Camp will totally prepare you for this! Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork While at camp, you will be living in a bunk with fellow Camp Counselors for the summer. You’ll work together to make sure the sessions are prepared and making sure the kids are where they need to be all while making sure they’re having a great time. If one of you needs a helping hand, you’ll be right there to help because you’ve got each other’s backs! You’ll really feel like a big family towards the end. Questions about teamwork? You’ve got this. You’ll Smash Job Interviews As you know, every interviewer asks questions about previous experiences, job roles and skills. After camp you’ll have an answer for every question. What previous job experiences have you had? Camp. Have you ever been put into a difficult situation and how did you overcome it? Camp. Tell me a little about yourself? Travel and CAMP! Most employers love to talk about travelling and real-life experiences so you’ll never fall short of conversation. Not only will you level up your CV you will also level up your interviewing skills! After bragging about your amazing experience at Summer Camp, they’ll just have to hire you then and there as you’re so great!

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USA Summer Camp Staff Spotlight – Meet Chloe

4th April 2019  |  Blog,Camp Life

Hey, I’m Chloe! This is my first season in the office! I help all our applicants on their journey to head out to Camp from making sure profiles are completed, documents are in and helping get everything prepared for their departure to the States. I also visit universities to meet our applicants and hold information stands and presentations. My Favourite Work Memory My favourite memory has to be attending our Dublin Job Fair in January. This was my first job fair and was the best experience. I loved helping and meeting our Irish Applicants and it was such a rewarding feeling seeing applicants so excited when they got placed at Camps! It was also fun to get to meet so many of the amazing Camp’s that we work with. My Day in Three words Dr Pepper, Kardashians, and Documents My Favourite Place I’ve Travelled It has to be Cancun, Mexico! I’ve visited here with my family 3 times and each time we have been able to do so many different things such as swim with Dolphins, Flyboard and release baby Turtles back into the ocean. Everything about Cancun is beautiful from the weather, beaches, food and scenery. Visiting here is definitely a must! My Summer Camp Experience I’m hoping to head out to camp next summer! Working in the office has shown me what I’ve missed out on all these years not going to camp. If I could turn back time I would have headed out to camp for my first summer as soon as I turned 18! The Best Thing About Camp Meeting friends for life, having fun all day long, and learning new things about yourself! It is such a unique and rewarding experience heading out to camp. It also looks amazing on your CV and to future employers as you will learn so many transferable skills over the summer. A huge benefit is also getting 30 days after to travel around the States. Travelling is the perfect way to end summer with your besties from camp in a State that you have always dreamed of visiting. My Favourite Place in America I have been very lucky to visit New York, Miami, and Florida! I loved each place for so many different reasons. But my all-time favourite place EVER has to be New York. I visited here in 2012 and in February this year; I just love the busy atmosphere of the city and how everywhere you walk reminds you of a movie. The food and shopping are also amazing- especially Sephora and the Hershey’s store. If I could live here I definitely would! Want to Find Out More About Summer Camp? Apply Here!  

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The Ultimate Summer Camp Game Day Guide

12th April 2019  |  Blog,Camp Life

 Get Ready To Put Your Game Face On Unsure what a Summer Camp game day is? When you get to camp, you’ll soon realise Summer Camp game days are EVERYTHING. The campers live for these events and stock up on accessories, face paint, and outfits to get into the camp spirit. Don’t think you’re the competitive type? Think again! Game days can get intense, but don’t worry, we’re here to make sure you’re super prepared for the events of the summer. Keep reading to find out how to smash and win game days at camp! Colour War/Olympics “Make sure you have loads of colourful tees and shorts you don’t mind to get DIRTY!” Colour War is one of the most famous Summer Camp Game day across America. Split into teams with fellow counselors and campers for some serious games of tug of war, sports, capture the flag and more! The campers will put their ALL into these games so this is your time to show the rest of camp what you’re really made of. Top tip, you won’t know which colour team you will be on until you get to camp. Prepare and bring as many different colour tees or stock up on your visit to Walmart. There’s nothing better than standing with your team members all kitted out in your colour, representin’ the team. GO TEAM BLUE! Camp Carnival “You’ll eat your body weight in sweets, popcorn, and candy floss.” Camp Carnival is a little treat game day for the campers to let loose and have fun! There’s Carnival games, bouncy castles, and LOADS of food. You’ll never get hungry as popcorn, sweets, candy floss and chocolate are to be seen everywhere. Depending on your camp, you’ll be able to go on the rides with your campers and really act like a big kid again. As well as all the rides and food, you can even get married at one of the Carnival stools.  Fake marry your BFF Camp Counselor and live happily ever after. Rope and Fire “Get ready for some INTENSE scenes!”  This is the game day that the older campers and counselors prepare for throughout their Summer Camp years. A couple of days before the event, the rope is soaked in water to make sure it’s extremely hard to burn. When the event starts, counselors and campers are required to start a fire and build it tall enough to reach the rope. The atmosphere is crazy and everybody screams, sings, and chants for their team. Finally, when the rope breaks, everybody goes absolutely crazy. It’s definitely something you’ll never forget. Ready To Get Started?    

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The Best Sports Coaching Jobs in America

15th December 2018  |  Blog,Camp Life

The Best Sports Coaching Jobs in America Bagging one of the best sports coaching jobs in America would be a great way to spend a summer. Sport plays a massive part in life at Summer Camp, and they’re some of the most popular activities. Getting to play, coach, and have fun all day sounds like a good summer, right? Coach Soccer at Summer Camp Coaching Soccer at Summer Camp is one of the most popular job options for Europeans heading to camp. You’ll need to learn to call it soccer, but both men’s and women’s football is growing massively in America. As a coach, you’ll be helping players of all levels improve their skills through the sessions you run. Adding international coaching experience to your coaching CV will help you grow your own skills too. Teach Archery at Summer Camp Are you a bit of an expert with a bow and arrow? Want to channel your inner Robin Hood? Working as an Archery Instructor at Summer Camp is one of the best sports coaching jobs in America. The sport has been a massive part of life at camp since camps started and the campers love it! Become a Climbing Instructor If you’re adventurous and want to become a Climbing Instructor at camp, step this way! You’ll help the campers overcome their fears and get further up the wall on each try. It’s a really rewarding job and you’d be paid to enjoy your hobby… which is a bonus! Coach Tennis at Summer Camp Spending your day out on court helping the campers improve their shots is great fun. Some camps offer tennis sessions as part of their program, and others are specialist tennis camps. If you’re up for one of the best sports coaching jobs in America, why not apply for camp today!

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10 Summer Jobs Abroad You Didn’t Know Existed

19th December 2018  |  Blog,Camp Life

There are lots of fun summer jobs abroad that give you an opportunity to work and earn some extra cash in a new environment.    Common seasonal jobs include summer work as a waiter or waitress, bar work, holiday repping, au pair and teaching English to international students. These jobs are perfect for anyone who wishes to work in the summer months part-time or as part of a gap year, however, there are more opportunities available which we bet you didn’t know existed!   If you’re looking for the perfect American summer job, that’s a little out of the ordinary step this way. From working as a Survival Skills Instructor to teaching magic, there are an almost endless number of summer camp jobs abroad.   1. DJing Spending a summer abroad as a DJ is pretty much everyone’s dream at some point, right? If you’re into your music, then a summer teaching DJing skills could be the best way to earn some money! You’ll teach mixing techniques, how to use sound effects, and lots of other things too.   2. Lifeguard A lifeguard is an important role, but also one of the coolest summer camp jobs abroad. With many summer activities taking place around water, lifeguards are highly sought after. If you’re already a qualified lifeguard or are looking to be trained up, you’ll find work easily.   3. Magician Are you a budding magician? You could spend your summer teaching campers the tricks of the trade! There’s nothing better than being paid to have fun, and helping the campers improve their skills is really rewarding. Forget Disney, because this really is a magical way to spend a summer… (sorry!).   4. STEM Summer Camp isn’t just about playing games all day. Some activities are set up to help the campers expand their knowledge. Science, technology, engineering, and maths are all covered by Counselors working in STEM roles. Why not have a read through USA Summer Camp’s own Jess Toogood’s summer as a STEM manager?   5. Football/Soccer Coach Depending on where you go in the world, you can have the opportunity to be a football or soccer coach – the wording is the only thing that is different. Football is a sport that brings everyone together, no matter the language barrier. Take joy from teaching young people the beautiful game in an enjoyable way.   6. Survival Skills There’s something about working at camp that helps you reconnect to nature and switch off from the rest of the world. Camps are usually set around natural lakes or forests, which is perfect for stepping out of your comfort zone. Camp Counselors run campouts and adventure trips through local forests, which are great fun!   7. Photographer Yes, you can get paid to take photos! With many summer activities involving people who want to take memories away with them, a photographer is always required. Get your best camera ready and take some awesome shots!   8. Minecraft Playing Minecraft a little more than you should? Why don’t you turn the hobby into a summer job abroad? That’s right, you can get paid to teach campers how to use Minecraft and help them improve their skills!   9. Music Teacher Can you play an instrument? Have you ever wanted to spend all summer playing in a rock band? Our campers are always looking to develop their music skills across a range of genres, and our camps give everyone that opportunity. So bring your guitar or even your cello and become a music teacher.   10. Camp Leader As a summer camp counselor or leader, you’ll have children around camp to take part in lots of amazing activities, including hockey, climbing or going down to the beach! You get paid to take a leadership role and become an older brother or sister to these kids. You don’t even need any qualifications!    Ready to take on the challenge? Then apply to work at Summer Camp today! Want to know more? Find out the roles we have available below!   Summer Jobs Abroad Opportunities If you’re looking for a summer camp job abroad that is completely out of the box, USA Summer Camp has a number of roles waiting to be filled.   Summer Camp Jobs In America An incredible summer job brought to you by USA Summer Camp Visa support included Food, accommodation and return flights included We’ll match you with the right camp and role Visa sponsorship and support 30 days travel after camp No qualifications needed! Earn up to $2000 Apply Now   Camp Counselor The ultimate summer job in America Become a leader and have the best summer Food, accommodation and return flights included We’ll match you with the right camp and role Visa sponsorship and support 30 days travel after camp No qualifications needed! Earn up to $2000 Apply Now   Specialist/Advanced Skills Roles at USA Summer Camp Lifeguard, coaching, teaching and instructor roles available Gain valuable work experience Food, accommodation and return flights included We’ll match you with the right camp and role Visa sponsorship and support 30 days travel after camp No qualifications needed! Earn a minimum of $2400 Apply Now   USA Summer Camp Support Roles Behind the scenes summer job in America Office support, camp maintenance, housekeeping roles and more Gain valuable work experience Food, accommodation and return flights included We’ll match you with the right camp and role Visa sponsorship and support 30 days travel after camp Must be a full-time student Earn a minimum of $2400 Apply Now

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Find Your Zen with Yoga at Summer Camp

27th November 2018  |  Blog,Camp Life

Find Your Zen with Yoga at Summer Camp Camp’s a place of excitement and fun, but you can still find your zen with yoga at Summer Camp. In today’s Guest Blog post, Bella talks us through her experience teaching yoga in America. Her Summer Camp job helped inspire her to set up a yoga business when she came home to the UK! Become a Yoga Instructor at Camp When I was offered a job as a Yoga Instructor, I was really excited to bring fun to yoga classes. Before applying for camp, I was already working in a yoga studio in London and so had some experience. I achieved my Kids+Teen+Family Yoga Qualification before going to camp so that I would feel confident running classes. I was nervous about going to camp, but as soon as I got there, I knew I was in the right place. Typical Day as a Yoga Specialist I taught back to back lessons throughout the day and each one had a different theme. Every class was different because I had different age groups, but the campers really committed to the session and that helped. In my classes, I would incorporate guided meditation, salutations, vinyasa, acro yoga, restorative yoga, and lots of games. Why I loved being a Yoga Specialist I love yoga. It’s helped bring me out of my shell and I wanted to share that with the campers. Yoga was one of the classes that were really popular. I had new campers and counselors joining every day! When we were stargazing at night on our time off, people would ask me if I could lead them in a meditation session. Yoga classes on rocks by the lake and surrounded by a beautiful forest… it was so magical! Outside of Yoga Lessons Outside of doing yoga, I would be with my campers joining in all the fun activities camp had to offer. I really enjoyed playing tennis and doing water sports in the lake and pool. The weather was so beautiful this summer, so I took advantage. I took lots of walks in nature berry picking!

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