Alexis en El Mundo: Pinamar

So Levi and I spent the last three days working at a camp in Pinamar, a beach 6 hours outside Buenos Aires. It was a beautiful beach with white sands and blue water which I didn't expect at all. We had 41 kids and 3 counsellors, me, Levi and a guy named Leon who was kind of in charge. We played different games, did activities for learning English, watched a movie, had competitions, hung out and played with the kids. As it was Levi's first time teaching anything ever, I was nervous that he would be shy and not have fun. On the contrary he seems to have a sense about what to do with kids, so his activities were really great and his group really loved him.

We did have some frustrations with the camp, however, because of some of the planning and organization. First of all, there were the 3 of us, plus two people froma group called Grupal, who were in charge of the meals and the logistics, named Grace and Yessica. Grace was a 40ish woman who was always singing things like "The Wheels on the Bus" and "We are the Champions," and the kids imensely enjoyed making fun of her. She was really funny. Then there were 3 teachers, Vale, Majo and Melinda. Valeria was on Levi's team, Majo was on mine and Melinda wason Leon's team. Majo was cool, played a lot of the games with us and was generally part of the group, Vale I think was kind of an observer, and Melinda sat out and drank mate for three days straight. Then we also had the principal, Victor, who spoke more or less no English (good role model for an English-only trip) and another guy who spoke no English, and I am not sure what his name was.

So the days started with breakfast at 9, then there were activites (subject to change) then a competition (decided upon on the spot, usually, with rules changing literally in front of the kids so that no one knew exactly what we were doing...) then lunch, then activities (subject to change, time unknown) then free time (which I had to beg for but was finally inclued for day 2) then a workshop, then dinner, then a movie, then activities (subject to change). Then Thurs. night we had a compfire and sang songs and hung out, and introduced Argentines to marshmallows, who promptly set them on fire then decided they were not that good. Oh well, we tried! The funniest thing, to me, was that they all said they were too sweet! This from people who slather dulce de leche on EVERYTHING, which is basically caramel, but so so sweet. Oh well...

During activity time we were divided into 3 groups, I was green, Levi red and Leon yellow. We went to different parts of camp, did games and songs and ran around, but were also competing. At the end of the camp they did a play, and they had me as a cheerleader-type leader, Levi was talking and had to repeat everything 3 or 4 times because he spoke so quietly and no one in his group could ever hear or understand him, and Leon just busting in all the time shouting "Yellow! Yellow!" It was pretty hilarous.

On the bus ride back, a mere 8 hour ride, Leon was asking what we thought of camp, as we got feedback from the schol that it was one of the best trips they had been on. I was saying the ways I think the camp should be organized, and Leon basically told me that he thinks next time I should run the camp, so I am mulling it over. I definitley do like to be in charge...

All in all it was really fun. I had a great time, got to see an amazing beach and got to spend the time there with my boyfriend! Who can complain about that? We also met great kids, Levi got to play guitar on the beach, and had a camper with great music skills who is also a wicked musician, we are hiring him for Levi's birthday party, he is seriously David Blane good!!!

Me and Levi in front of the hotel