Camp in USA: American camps

As a rule, camps are located outside the city, in the woods, on a river or a lake, or maybe by the ocean. People come to camp to relax and have fun, so you can always find plenty of different games and everything for arts and crafts, handicrafts, sports, water activities, etc. Of course, opportunities vary from camp to camp depending on its type, but the general idea is that leisure time can be spent actively and usefully (ride bikes, swim in kayaks, do archery, etc.). Campers (they are called campers) usually live in wooden cabins (they wanted to be closer to nature!): a group of 5–15 people together with counselors (from 2 to 5 people) usually sleep in the same room. For Support Staff there may be a separate cabin, or sometimes they live together with the kids. In any case, each cabin (cabin) has a shower and a toilet, liquid soap and paper towels — staple features of American restrooms. The toilets are clean, not wooden and, of course, not outdoors — well, at worst, in a separate room (after all, Americans haven’t quite gotten close to nature yet… or have already moved too far away from it). Program participants are given days off (1–2 days a week, depending on the camp). As a rule, those whose days off coincide get together for joint trips into “civilization”.

Girl/Boy Scout Camps (guides) — camps for girls / boys. Usually these camps have a very tight schedule; children are constantly being taught, entertained and trained (there are camps only for girls, only for boys, or mixed).

Religious camps — religious camps. The usual program, but with added discussions on religious topics and some ritual elements. There are many Christian and Jewish camps.

Special needs camps — camps for children and adults with intellectual and/or physical disabilities. As is well known, Americans pay a great deal of attention to people with disabilities, so there are many such camps, and if you indicate in your application that you would like to be placed in such a camp, you will be placed there 99% of the time. Moreover, a counselor’s pocket money in a Special needs camp differs from the stipend of a regular counselor. What can you encounter in such a camp? A common motto of camps for people with disabilities is ‘We’re glad to have everyone, from 8 to 80.’ This means that in such camps, adults, as well as children, often attend. The degree of disability can vary widely — from mere restlessness of a choleric person to paralysis. Counselors always undergo training in caring for campers. They should not treat them; there is a nurse who is on duty at the camp around the clock. The main task of the counselor is to make sure that the camper participates in all the camp activities and does not get bored. As a rule, the schedule in such camps is not very tight and is flexible.

Private / independent camps, agency, family owned camps — depending on the form of ownership, camps can be private or belong to associations (YMCA, for example).

Day camps — in the morning the children come to such a camp, and in the evening go home.

Disadvantaged camps — camps for children from disadvantaged families or families with low income.

Each participant in the program can indicate in the application the type of camp they would like to go to. It should be noted that the less picky you are and the more boxes you check, the higher the chances that they will find a camp for you and send you a placement. Pay attention to the fact that placements in ‘day’ and ‘disadvantaged’ camps are extremely rare.

The functions of counselors in American camps are almost the same as in ours: they look after the children, teach them various sports, and generally make sure that every day is fun and eventful. To work as a counselor you need to have a good command of English, preferably experience working with children, and, as trite as it may sound, love them, because this job means you’ll have to spend at least 2 months with them almost around the clock! No special skills are required, but if you have any (for example, the ability to play the guitar, horseback riding, archery, a sports qualification, etc.), they will be considered definite advantages.

Support Staff helps organize the camp’s day-to-day operations. As a rule, these are kitchen positions (dishwashing, kitchen assistance, serving breakfasts, lunches and dinners) or maintenance (minor repairs, grounds upkeep, electrical work, etc.). Work experience is not required, but of course is welcome, especially if you are applying for a ‘tech’ position.