Lieve lezers,

De eenaarlaatste dag van de eerste sessie is een speciale. Op die dag vindt er in de morgen een superclean-up plaats waar we de bunk helemaal schoon moeten maken en de meiden hun spullen inpakken. Helaas, als je met 2/3th grade te maken hebt moet je toch wel echt actief mee schoonmaken en inpakken wil je ervoor zorgen dat zij dat ook doen. Uitgangspunt is dat de bunk schoner is dan wanneer de meiden arriveerden. Na een paar pogingen kregen we de verlossende goedkeuring. Dit was na 3 uur...

Nadat onze bunk goedgekeurd was mochten we het jaarboek ophalen en lunchen. Na de lunch was het tijd voor optredens! Eerst de gymnastiek show, daarna de dans show en als afsluiter de musical legally blond. Erg leuk om de meiden te zien optreden nadat zij hier 3,5 week hard voor gewerkt hebben.

Het diner is op deze dag anders dan op andere dagen. Dit diner wordt georganiseerd door de juniors (8th grade) voor de seniors (9th grade), ook wel genoemd "banquet". Zij hebben een thema voorbereid, dit jaar was dat Aladin, en hebben de hele eetzaal versierd in dat thema. Voor de campers is het de gewoonte dat zij en ook wij in wit gekleed komen. Het is echt een speciale gelegenheid. Tijdens het diner houdt iedere grade een speech met ontzettend mooie woorden over de afgelopen 3,5 week.

Mijn mede-Nederlander mocht was uitgekozen als categorie 'nieuwe counselor'. Zij had een geweldige speech geschreven waar ik super trots op ben.

~ When I applied to work at a summer camp in the USA I didn’t know Fernwood Cove was one of them. My dream was to travel to America- and working at a summer camp was even a bigger dream. Even though I never went to a summer camp before. When Alicia emailed me about working at Fernwood Cove, I was so excited. `I checked out the website and fell in love with the short video there. I was speechless when I felt the love through the video because many of you know I’m from the Netherlands, and I’m sure we don’t have places like Fernwood Cove.

I was late with every form I had to fill in and I don’t know what happened, but all my enthusiasm changed in to fear. I was so afraid to fly on my own all the way to America because I never travelled before. I wasn’t sure if I could talk English all the time if people would like me. I felt insecure and I even emailed Alicia saying that maybe I couldn’t come anymore because of school. Then my mom said, “Femke you must go because this is your dream.” So, I went to the airport, crying all the way from Amsterdam to Dublin- but I survived, and now I’m here.

I met Shane, Sinead, Alannah, Tommy and Karen in Boston, and I wasn’t afraid anymore. I was ready for this adventure! When I arrived at Fernwood Cove I was amazed of how big and beautiful it is. So much green and the biggest lake I had ever seen. The first thing I heard about the lake when I was in the van on Island Pond Road was about the crazy lady on the Island and so the craziness began.

The first time I saw the bunk line it reminded me of my vacations in the Netherlands and I was excited to meet my pre-camp family. Everyone was so kind and welcoming and wanting to get to know you. I never experienced this before and I realized that’s where my personal growth began. In the ordinary world, I am very silent and only my real crazy, outgoing self around friends or family. During pre-camp I held on to my life in the ordinary world and after Jim’s talk about the extra ordinary world and the distraction you can have from the ordinary world I decided to live in the moment, embrace and open my heart to the place and the other counselors. I started to make more friends and forgot about the ordinary world.

I learned so much during pre-camp and it made me feel ready for the real work. My bunk was filled with such big bags even I could fit in one, it made me very curious what my little Puffins brought. But before I could find out I went on my first pick up to Boston to pick up Leah, Nicki and Emma. They were so kind even though they had never seen me before. Every camper I met was so kind, loving and willing to help you with everything. The love that goes around in camp is indescribable. I saw the support during performance nights, focusses, bunk circles and especially cheering on Fun Run. The love and support towards me was a feeling I barely experienced before. I found it strange when kids were saying that they loved me or when they were hugging me. Yes Jessica, I said hugging. I realized it gave me so much confidence and slowly I became my true self. I made silly jokes, and people made silly jokes about my accent. I became the best version of who I can be and people started to love me more. I heard my name from all around camp and I didn’t know what was going on.

But now I know what is going on. Fernwood Cove is a magical place where I can be my true self. It made me confident, happy and sad at the same time. I am sad because you are all leaving. You, who made me so proud even though I killed your abs during sports fitness. You all let me be the best version of myself and I will never forget that. You hugged me so many times, told me you loved me and screamed my name all over camp. Because of you this is the best summer of my life. And everything you taught me about kindness, love, support, and real friendship. And thank you for making me say shade instead of shadow. I also want to say thank you to all the male staff for making me laugh so hard during Miss Fernwood Cove. I knew you were all amazing but that was the best evening of my life. Thank you to all the other counselors for letting me feel welcome and loved. And a big thank you and lots of love for my bunk family and my sweet little Puffins, you were amazing, loving, kind, crazy and so sweet, and I am so proud I could be you bunk mom this summer.

Everything all of you taught me I’m taking home at the end of the summer and this magical place will always be a part of me. Thank you, Fernwood Cove, to let me feel this way, I really appreciate everything you taught me. ~

By Femke Pagie

Na het diner verzamelden we ons allemaal bij de jongste bunk om hen taps toe te zingen, dit gaat als volgt:
"Day is done, gone the sun.
From the lakes to the hills to the sky. Counselors all say goodnight (naam) bunk."

De campers van die bunk blijven dan achter en gaan naar bed en wij gaan door naar de volgende bunk totdat we iedere bunk gehad hebben. Het is een soort afscheidsritueel.
Dit is één van de dingen die dit summercamp zo magisch maakt.