Sky Camp is as much about the experience the kids have, as it is for the volunteers. When I first arrived at Ardaluin the camp was completely silent, but once the kids came it was an explosion of sound and movement. It amazes me how much people are similar and also so different depending on where they live, how they are influenced, and what they are influenced by. Having said that Northern Irish kids are influenced by a lot of American culture because NI and American people watch and listen to the same music and movies, so that is a way that we all started to relate. We got lots of questions that comes out of what they see in movies and hear in songs. A few were, "What's thanksgiving? ", and " You guys call crisps chips?!". These children are so bright and intelligent and that shows through to us looking at them on a personal level, but doesn't always show itself through the media that people from the U.S see, which is doing an absolute disservice to these kids.
All this wasn't obvious when we first arrived. It took a solid two days before the team and I agreed that we were going to survive. Now at the end I look back and think how crazy it was that we were only volunteers for four days. As the kids pulled away in the massive bus that they came in I was left hoping that they got something out of this experience because I could see them already moving on from the mindset of being in camp. The leaders assured me that it did, even though in the picture of our whole lives, this is just a small hump in the monotony of everyday life.
I am getting to a place where the idea of going home to my bed is very appealing. Having said that though I am loving my time here and cant wait to see the Giant’s Causeway tomorrow!
Chow,
Selah Judge
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