 YOU JUST HAVE TO BE THERE...
I've been to the camp last year also and although there were a lot of differences, this camp was great. Our trip to France went quite smoothly: which means nothing bad happened. We actually were smoking and being humorous all the way. When we arrived we weren't that tired. That came when we woke up by the very nice singing of the staff members, much too early. I used the first days for getting used to the campsite and the camp itself.
Than we left for the Hike, the most special but strange part of the camp. We had to go through some kind of suffering (also because it was raining all the time) but this only made the connection we had with each other much stronger. During the hike one really has the feeling that you get to know the people. I had the feeling that the camp actually started during and after the hike.  The atmosphere at the camp was perfect (at least almost). Everybody was totally open and we really were a big group. The theme was Freedom; Narrow your freedom to real life. We discussed this topic in several ways, and realized the freedom of being yourself. Lots of people had very bwith this experience, but we had enough space to have them. At the end of the camp I really felt like I knew these people better then my own best friends. The staff made the camp exiting by for example disappear all in the same time, and they made sure we had always something nice to do. We had singing, workgroups and some sports activities. Also lots of amusement at the open stage and sometimes even during dinner or lunch. We had an evening play twice, which was kind of exiting but most of all lots of fun. The other evenings we had a campfire where we were sitting around smoking, singing and just had a nice time. After latest snoring time every body was send to bed, except the staff, who even fell asleep at the campfire a couple of times. Actually we all slept at the campfire once, but that was at the end of the camp. Before that we had a very nice social evening on which we sang songs played funny acts and just had a nice time. We started this evening on a stage we built ourselves outside, but because of the everlasting rain we had to continue inside of the White-Marquee (this is a very big tent where we also had ACM and close of day). The rain was a little shame, but it didn't destroy our evening at all. The sleep over at the campfire was very special. We already placed all our stuff and collected very much wood for a campfire of seven meters high. We (the participants) were waiting for the staff, who were having some sort of a staff meeting, suddenly a group of half naked people with burning torches arrived, humming "Conquest of Paradise." Some of them spited fire, and one of them was juggling with burning balls. They lighted the fire and joined us. This group of people were of course our one and only Crew. We made a big 'Pit hill', also a typical camp thing. It means that a lot of people just lay down all over each other, as one big hill of people. We didn't get much sleep but of course, as always, had a great time. Everybody was very tired next morning, and used much of their energy for saying goodbye, which is a very horrible thing to do. Some tears flew, and we all wrote in each other songbooks as a memory. We all went back home on a long journey with of course not much sleep in it. We all arrived home with enough things to talk about until the next year. Such a camp is very special, and hard to describe in words. You just have to be there, and have the experience yourself.
by Else Hofma, participant of the IYCamp 2000
 SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
The theme of the camp; freedom was pulling at me. But it was also exiting to go to some foreign country, somewhere in the middle of nowhere with a lot of strange people. On top of that you could only talk English, and this for two full weeks. I was going there. As soon as I arrived at the campsite, I felt at ease. The Crew took care for a good welcome. A little bit dull from the long way traveling everybody slowly put up his tent. We went to bed that night very early, because we really needed it. The next day everybody had a good night and was well awake, full of energy. The workgroups where announced so we could choose what we liked the most. We could choose between sports, juggling, discussion, singing, help cooking in the kitchen and many other things. I made my choice, the kitchen workgroup, which mend that I had to cook every day with others for the whole camp. Often it was very hard working, but always fun and a lot to laugh about.
The first evening we, the participants, where fooled. One by one all the staff disappeared almost unnoticed, so finally only one was left. At that moment one of the disappeared staff returned with his car, like a complete drunk. Our only leftover staff went to the car, got knocked down (at least that was what it looked like) and was kidnapped. Right, now we where on our own, some of us tried to take over staff duties, but within fifteen minutes all the staff returned. And of course we had big fun! A few days later we left to walk in the mountains for three days, in the Vogues. It was a heavy but beautiful tour. The great feeling and the view you have if you walk to the top is definitely worth the sweat and pain in your legs. You could feel how the group of people grew together after this three-day hike.The days after we had normal program, this mend we went singing after breakfast, than workshops till lunch. After lunch we had siesta and two hours of sports. Before the evening program was supper and singing. At about nine o?clock there was always something different to do, like a long walk, an evening play, or just a theme evening. Because the singing went so well we where even asked to give a concert in the village. All together about thirty people came to listen to us and it was wonderful. The evening before the last we had a social evening. Everybody could come up with an act. In between the acts the kitchen group served a range of salads, snacks and meals. To be honest, I think we, the kitchen group, managed very well. And the social evening was really entertaining. Next day was our last day, but a good day. At night we had a huge campfire, which was lit by the Crew in a fantastical manner. All around the campfire where plains on the ground so we could lay and sleep there on our mattresses and sleeping bags. That night we all slept around the campfire. Next morning all of us had to go home again. Everybody said each other goodbye and some left a tear. Do you want to experience this yourself? You just will have to come next year yourself.
Author unknown |
