Day 1

We left on Saturday just after 9pm. I will be honest and say that I was a bit intimidated. Getting on the bus (we had two) not knowing anyone, not even the other leaders really, was well, uncomfortable to say the least. The bus ride took 22 hours. When we stopped, I usually tried to sit in a group, mostly on the outside trying to find my place. From the beginning of my being able to go on this trip I had considered myself as more of a 'chaporone' than a 'leader' because I'm so new and knew practically no one. By the time the bus rolled up in MN, I had made a friend sitting near me at the front. We made friendship bracelets together and exchanged them. All throughout the week, my new friend would see me and show me the bracelet and make sure I was wearing mine. So, there we were, FINALLY at camp, and I felt myself getting anxious and excited! All the work crew (high school students from around the US that volunteer for 1 month of service at a YL camp) were clapping and high-five-ing the arrival as the kids stepped off the bus. I waited for the last camper still gathering her things. I looked back for her, stepped of the bus and twisted my ankle. I sprained my foot!!

It was embarrassing, sure, but it gave me a great story and good excuse to get to know the kids as I limped and hopped the first few days in the brace the camp Dr. gave me.

We all went to our assigned cabins, ours with 15 girls and two leaders, one potty and two showers. Yikes! I walked in, and I felt SO old!! I had all of these pre-conceived notions about these girls that they would think I was 'cramping their style' or be the odd one out of their cliques. I figured, like me at that age, they would probably have attitudes... That night changed it all.

Dinner in the hall is set up "family style" with round tables, about 8 each, passing food around the table and engaging in conversation. I fumbled the convo the first night, as did some of the girls that didn't know each other well. But hearing how much they liked sitting around a table and passing food, because it's not what they usually do, was nice.

After dinner, the first task we had was "Protect Your Leader". All the girls dressed in "throw away clothes" (we got wet and gross!!) and the other leader and I in camo. We were yelled through the grounds in darkness to climb through pipes, shimmy down poles, army crawl, carry me on a gurney, get pelted unexpectedly with water balloons and flour, crawl under and climb over things, run, run, "Protect Your Leader!!", all ending up in a nighttime race/swim in the lake under a stationary log and back, crawl under hammocks on the beach...Protect Your Leader

ALL with a bummed/swollen foot! But the girls protected us, for the most part, and it was a great bonding experience. I also got to know the other leader in my cabin a bit more.

The first night was kind of quiet, but sleeping on a mattress in the floor had never felt so good!

More on Day 2 tomorrow!!