A Long Overdue Hi

A long overdue Hi from Gelp Spey NY!

So since Ive arrived 3 weeks ago, this is the first day Im able to get high speed internet, which explains why I havent been able to send any emails, update my blog or talk to anyone at all...Which is also why I could reply to any of ur emails and why I wasnt able to get hold of Danchi while she was here. How was your trip to NY Danch? Sorry I couldnt meet you.

So remember how I said my camp has internet and I'd be able to update my blog and get in touch with you all? Picture this. One 5 yr old computer, dial up internet, shared between 60 camp facilitators and the last time I went on in, it took 20 mins to open my smu mailbox and by then, it was time for someone else to use it. Wonderful aint it?

And on top of that, we're only able to use our phones or internet on our nights off (10pm-1230am) or days off (once a week in 5 out of 8 weeks) So I gave up trying to use the camp's internet and Im now at a free public library at Port Jervis on my 2nd day off (I only have 5 days off in the 8 weeks im here) desperately trying to reply 3 weeks worth of emails, purchase my textbooks for Semester at sea and get connected with the outside world.

So now updates. From the top. The day I got off the plane in NY, the train I hopped on did not stop at the station I was supposed to get off. So I got off the next station, and imagine sheryl carrying a sling bag and huuuge back pack, pulling a trolley bag trying to get directions to the platform with train that could take me to the correct station. Not for the faint hearted.

So I arrived at the correct station, and guess what, the connecting train I had to take just left and the next one was 2 hrs later. On top of that, all the food places were closed. So picture me, 9 pm at night, hungry, havent eaten since 3, probably wont get to eat at all till the next morning since the camp was a 2.5hrs train ride away and I'd be arriving past midnight.

So I thought might as well use the toilet...so i took my time in the toilet, still hungry, and then, I saw my cup noodles which daddy made me pack,( just in case). There were 2 spanish janitors chatting away in the toilet so I went up to them to ask if they knew where I could find hot water for my cup noodles and at first they said no the dont think theres any. Then one of them said "can you wait?" I said yea..my train will leave in 30 mins. She said "ok I'll be back." And she came back with my noddles and even brought a plastic fork for me. She said dont tell anyone cos shes not supposed to do this but she did it cos I was hungry. So sweet right....took a picture with her.





And on the train, I met this nice train conductor Bob. Nice Burly old man, he asked me if I was coming home from somewhere and I told him I was going to camp. He told me about his daughter and how she was also in University...had a nice long chat he was nice. When I arrived at the station, my ride from the camp hasnt arrived and it was like 1230am. Bob was nice enough to stand at the station to wait with me in the cold. So sweet right...before I left I gave him my namecard and told him if he ever came to visit singapore, I'd surely host him.

So despite several mishaps, I'd say my trp started off well because of all these nice people Ive met. But then, things take a turn for the worse at camp.

My computer dies on me the first day I got here. But thanks to the head facilitator's assistant (this really nice old lady) who was on the phone with the apple service centre for 40 mins trying to get them to ship over a box for me to put my computer in and send it to apple, it is now on its way to recovery.

The first week of camp was plenty of waiting and waiting. They didnt really have anything structured planned out for us so we spent most of our days sitting and talking and waiting. The Americans are *******. Well, not all but a large percentage is. I feel like im in another planet here. They talk nonsense all the time. Seriously. But then time passes, and you find some friends you can trust. Like last week on our day off, some of the facilitators left the night before and only me and another girl wanted to leave the next morning. These 2 girls from Missouri actually woke up earlier and left their motels and drove 30 mins back to camp to pick us up. And my co-facilitator whos english..been hanging out with her alot. And this tennis coach from seyshells.

The kids. The kids here are psycho. Well some are nice, but many are psycho. They lie, they dont listen, they are manipulative. I have the worst bunk. I swear some of the kids in my bunk have psycho problems. Yesterday, this kid kept shouting "stop staring at me! stop staring at me!" when I tried to get her to clean up her area.

The only part im enjoying about this is the Lake. We have this huuuge trampoline on the lake and kayaks and waterbikes and we get to go everyday when the kids go.

There were 2 NZ boys who hated it so much they quit after 2 weeks.Im seriously thinking of quitting after i get half my pay and join then on a road trip around the US. But im still thinking about it.

Hi to allllll at homeee......!!!!! keep the updats coming!