Summer Camp Stories: Ciaran's Story

Ciaran, who’s a Program Coordinator for Camp Leaders, is a summer camp veteran, who first went a decade ago in 2015. As someone who’s been a lifeguard, swim instructor, and group leader, he’s had lots of different experience in different areas of camp, and can help you by telling his own story of his time there.

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What summer camp did you go to?

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"I went to Camp Iroquois Springs in New York State."

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When did you go to Camp Iroquois Springs?

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"I went to Camp Iroquois Springt in 2015-2017, then spent a summer elsewhere in 2018, then 2019-2024 back at camp (minus the Covid summers)."

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What job role did you do at Camp Iroquois Springs?

"In my 2015-2017 summers, I was a lifeguard and a Swim Instructor, and then from 2019 I was a Group Leader, so I really got to experience a variety of roles at camp."

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Before you flew out to camp for the first time, how were you feeling?

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"I was super apprehensive about going to camp to be honest.

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I had travelled before, but this was the longest I had been away from home.

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However, the second I stepped foot on camp, I knew I made the right decision.

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Also, being the only Welsh person at camp that summer, and many of the Americans, I felt the need to represent and be proud of where I am from.

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Camp Leaders did a great job at preparing me for what to expect at camp."

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What is your favourite summer camp memory?

"There are so many to choose from, but as a ten-year returner, I have seen campers from my first summer become staff and give their campers the same/better experience they had as campers.

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The friends you make at camp will be friends for life."
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What's one thing they don't tell you about summer camp?

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"It's no 9-5, that's for sure!

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But I wouldn't change it for the world.

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One of the hardest jobs but the most rewarding!"

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What's your advice to those going to camp for the first time?

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"Be open to learning, explore and expect yourself to change for the better.

The more you feed into the camp culture, the more you will gain from it."

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