I am about to describe to you the most excellent summer experience you can have. The other BUNAC reviews on here are regarding the Work America programme. I travelled with BUNAC to America on the Summer Camp programme. After researching the two I decided the Summer Camp programme was better structured and offered you more for your money.

I applied for the BUNAC camp programme in November 2000. The application was similar to a job application form; you were prompted to sell yourself! It was mandatory to have some child care experience and references were asked for. There was a section for special skills (such as ability to do archery, or art and craft experience) and I was asked whether I would like to be a general counsellor or one that taught a skill. I selected the general option. I was called to a local interview held in a plush hotel nearby and was quizzed about my intentions, why I wanted to go to camp and a bit about myself. In turn my enthusiastic interviewer related stories of their times at camps and explained to me what I could expect.

I attended an induction day in a local university (I was given a choice of where to go). Here they gave us more information, about what to expect, what to pack and allowed us to meet many more counsellors and counsellors to be.

Finally the day to leave arrived, I waited with trepidation at the coach station and travelled down to Gatwick airport (flights may be booked from other UK airports if you pay a small supplement). The flight went smoothly, it was a posh Virgin Atlantic aeroplane, and on arrival the BUNACers gathered in the airport and were transported by coach to New York City. We booked in for one night (Paid for by BUNAC) at the International Youth Hostel on Amsterdam Avenue and were left to settle in. I went to look at the bright lights of Times Square with some other girls. The following morning we had a short orientation and then were collected by staff from camp - Chief (the director) and Baywatch (the head of waterfront).

Camp was on a large rambling site with many cabins that slept between up to 8 campers. The cabins were made of wood without windows but with insect netting, they had metal beds and wooden cubby holes, they were sparse but comfortable and best of all the counsellors were allowed their own cabins. I had previously been told I had to share with the campers. Other facilities on camp included a climbing wall, a fire circle, areas for barbeques, an activity hall with fireplace, large TV, stereo, games and art and craft area, a trading post where stamps and sweets could be bought, an office with a telephone, photocopier and fax, a large dining hall and kitchen and the waterfront area.

The toilets were basic to say the least, there were flush ones for the smaller children near the entrance but the main ones were long drop style (think Glastonbury toilets!) and the showers were insect infested with just a shower curtain between you and everyone else. All in the name of good fun though!

Camp was divided into 5 age group units with approximately 20 girls in each unit. 2-3 counsellors were assigned charge of a unit. Prior to the campers arriving on a Sunday we were assigned a blank schedule with just archery, boating sessions and swim lessons timetabled. It was up to the counsellors to invent activities to fill in all the gaps between waking up and bedtime. This was a difficult exercise, we were reprimanded for repeating activities to regularly and sometimes it was difficult to think of enough activities. With retrospect it would have been nice to know prior to leaving for America the requirements so I could have researched some activities. Examples f activities we lead were; games, croquet, mini golf, dinosaur egg hunts, hikes, cook-out hikes, hobo hikes, night hikes, ghost nights, ultimate Frisbee, water fights, slippery slide, team skills, crafts, cooking…. The list goes on. At least one lunch a week we made a boasting lunch. All the lunches were wrapped in airtight bags and the counsellors set off into the lake with them the campers then had to make chase on other boats to retrieve their lunches! Froggy pond was a nature site on the edge of camp, it was very muddy and full of bullfrogs, the campers had good fun wading through catching, naming and releasing ‘specimens’!

The wildlife at camp was amazing as it was so rural! There were chipmunks everywhere and the children could not believe we had never seen them before! We were taught what to do if we met a bear, met a rattlesnake, got a tick or met a bat! Several rattlesnakes were found during my time at camp and I have some excellent photographs of them. One night we returned to our cabin and found a raccoon had ran in and was sitting atop my staff shirt! (Staff uniform – orange shirt, tan shorts worn only when parents were there and trip day) Again I got some lovely photos and the raccoon made some friends!

I have many wonderful memories of camp and have no favourite or worst moment, I still sing the songs I learnt whilst there, in the car and am in touch with many counsellors (and campers) from my time away. I was very sad at having to leave camp as I had a wonderful time.

At the end of camp I transferred my flight (about £20-00, BUNAC arrange it all) so that I could co-ordinate my flight with someone I had met at camp. I then went travelling for two weeks with other counsellors, we visited New York City, Boston, Providence Rhode Island and a water-ski camp in the Adirondacks. I went on a whale boat trip, climbed the Empire State Building, went to Macys, Tiffany’s, central park, John Lennon’s apartment, the court buildings from Ally McBeale, the camp from Dirty Dancing, Lake Placid many Ben and Jerry’s scoop shops, Salem where the witch trials were held and on the Staten island ferry to the statue of liberty. I did not climb the twin towers but had a coffee under them.