Not Too Shabby

Well I survived my first week out in the field and then my few days back in the office before heading off again. The workcamp in New Windsor was AMAZING. I couldn't have asked for a better group. They were energetic (then again they were junior highers), they were thoughtful and asked a lot of questions, they did a ton of work and learned a lot from what the did! Yeah, I know what I said about the girls being super girly, but they didn't turn out to be so bad after all! I dunno, they all seemed to flock to me during the week, quite strange if you ask me! And the best quote came out of this week! One of the boys was talking to an advisor and said " I just don't understand why people would come here if they didn't want to work. I mean after all this is a workcamp, not a loooooove camp!"

Like I mentioned before (I think, I honestly can't remember!), I absolutely love going back to New Windsor and reconnecting with everyone. I think that was part of the greatness of the week as well. Being in Maryland and in New Windsor has become such a huge part of who I am and I love that the group was able to experience that place and I hope they have grown to love it and appreciate it as I have over the years.

My energy level was surprisingly high all throughout the week until Friday rolled around and then it simply disappeared and was no longer. Swimming two days in a row along with having shouting matches while playing Marco Polo is apparently very exhausting! Friday night we took the group into the Inner Harbor of Baltimore and that was a really great trip and it totally tired all of us out! It is always funny to watch the energy level of groups be really high in the beginning and then slow down as the week goes on. Saturday came before any of us were ready for it, well maybe I was, but I couldn't believe that it came so fast!

After all the kiddies left I was able to spend the weekend relaxing a bit in New Windsor and I stayed with some good friends of mine and was able to sit and relax and play and swim and just 'be' for a few days. Coming back I volunteered myself to go on a later flight because it was overbooked and I got a free round trip ticket to anywhere in the continental United States! Oh the possibilities are endless! I think I'm sensing a trip to Colorado coming in my near future! Woot woot!

It has been nice to be back in Elgin for these few days. I was able to come back in time to play some Ultimate Frisbee on Tuesday which is always a highlight of my week! I really enjoy playing and I've met some really awesome people while playing! I was really sad to tell them that I wouldn't be back until August but at the same time it was really funny to tell people where I would be. It's a fun thing to say, 'well, I'll be in Kentucky for two weeks, then a week in Virginia and week back here in Illinois (but I can't come and play), then a week in Maryland and a week in Florida and THEN a week in Colorado before coming back.' Then people always wonder what the heck it is that I do! So of course I enlighten them in the wonderful ways of workcamps! : )

Whelp, I think that's it for now! I head off to Neon, Kentucky early Saturday morning! I'll be in touch!