Summer Camp Fever

The last two weeks really kept me hoppin' as summer camp fever hit MoBay. PCVs Robin, Julie, and me along with Flankers community counterparts Allen, Julianne, Charm, and Mrs. Nash ran summer camps for ages 6-10 the first week and ages 11-16 the second. We had about 50 kids everyday! We played games, did crafts, and talked about the environment, health, and safety. This is me discussing their posters on disease transmission routes and blocks ("F" diagrams for water sanitation folks). One of the coolest projects we did was an "eco-sculpture." I sorta got the idea after reading Essa's blog entry about using recycled materials in arts and crafts (http://essanicapc.blogspot.com/2006/05/in-service-training.html), and Robin had wanted to do a thing with empty paper towels rolls she was collecting. In the end, we sent the older kids out into the community and had them collect trash - 3 bottles, 2 cans, something red, something shiny, etc. Then we asked them to make something out of the materials and awarded prizes. This is the group that won. Their scene is one of a mother making the beds while her grimacing son takes out the trash. Way to get the theme guys! At the end we took the kids on an "underseas tour" (a boat with big glass windows in the hull) and hosted dance competition. Watching 8-10 year olds do the dutty whine has definitely given me an appreciation for where Jamaicans learn to dance. Or should I say when...

I also helped out PCVs Lauren and Malaika with Lauren's Marine Park Camp. On Thursday we gave the kids a chance to try out scuba equipment for a minute and swam around with them. Friday afternoon it was raining so I helped entertain them with some rounds of Simon Sez. Between the past weeks' camps, most of the other PCVs and I hosted the new trainees to give them a brief taste of PCV life. Most of the new vols will be in more rural settings. But we got to share a few stories and all had fun. My webshots account (http://community.webshots.com/user/asnauffer) has pics from that weekend and these camps except for the post-party from Flankers. Send me an email if you want a link to these.

I'm heading back out to Castleton tomorrow for the ribbon cutting on the water supply system Monday morning. The water sanitation sector trainees are going there for the ceremony as well. I'm looking forward to sharing a little about the work we've done there. Then I'll be back in Kingston on Friday for their swearing in. Wow - hard to believe the next group is here and ready to start serving.

That's it again for now. Peace to all,
Drew