Mom was right again!

I wrote this yesterday on MS Word when I didn't have interwebz connection and only now had time to post it. Enjoi!


When I was going through the hellish week known as training week around here I had a pretty tough time and called my mom in tears almost everyday wondering if I could do this job all summer being I was so homesick and overwhelmed already and the campers hadn’t even arrived yet. In one conversation my mom told me that the when the campers came things would get so much better and I would fall in love with every last one of them. This was kind of true last week, but now that I’m working with the campers so closely no truer words have been said. Ever. At least in the cabin I’m working in, I adore those campers. We had a talent show last night and it was SO great to see the awesome skills these guys have. One kid used his computer that he uses to talk to ask all of the “ladies” to come forward. We did so, and he proceeded to press various buttons on which he had programmed pick-up lines. AWESOME!

I’ve learned a lot about people who are nonverbal in general, like the fact that they are wonderful intelligent people. So many people will meet someone who is nonverbal and just assume that they are stupid or don’t understand you. Please, if you are or have been one of these people, don’t be ashamed or upset about it just don’t do that anymore. Don’t baby talk to a person just because they have problems verbally expressing themselves. I met someone once who did exactly that to a woman with a brain tumor and I was PISSED. I didn’t say anything at the time though, but after this week I think I would given the same situation arose.

I can’t tell you how many times one of our campers has saved either my ass or another worker by telling them that we messed something up or we’re doing something wrong. One girl laughs at us whenever we do something wrong. I think if I was in her position I would do the same. I mean, what else can you do sometimes?


So that was then! I'm having a roller coaster of a week though. Honestly one second its great, the next I'm moments away from throwing myself on the ground kicking and screaming. I'm at the latter point lately (though now that I'm on break I'm doing fine). Everyone is getting frustrated with each other and I'm stressed and therefore not thinking clearly. I'm also over tired and sensitive so that doesn't help. I keep feeling like some people are snapping at me or getting overly impatient. I got scoffed at today because I asked for help transferring an 18-year-old girl who was supposed to be a "one person transfer." Well hello genius. She may be a one person transfer, but that doesn't work so well when that "one person" meant to do the transfer is SMALLER THAN HER!!!! I also get snapped at whenever I ask where something is kept, when ever I ask any question about anything, and when I say that I need to do my other duties other than working in the cabin which is not my main job.

Ok. Venting over. Sorry about that, but I do feel better now :)... a little.

Part of this also comes from guilt. I feel like because everyone is getting so impatient, that means I'm not good at what I do. I'm also feeling really torn between my what my jobs are and how I can prioritize them (I know, surprise, right??)

I love these campers and I'm forming really awesome bonds with all of them, but if this week wasn't coming to an end tomorrow I might drown myself in the lake.



Oh, that was supposed to be the end, but here's a little post script for you all. Happy stuff!

Last night I was hanging out on the dock with some people and there were four fireworks displays going on around the lake! It was awesome! Then someone walked off the dock on accident (don't text and walk on a dock in the dark, kids) which was HILARIOUS! Until I saw that she was holding her computer. I think its fine though, so it goes back to be hilarious. She also dropped her phone in and in the frenzy to get over there one of my friend's flip flops was kicked in to the lake and taken away by the waves.