The best decision ever

Since I was a child I absolutely enjoyed going to summer camps and I went to some almost every year. But it wasn’t until three years ago that I realised that spending time at summer camps was something that I wanted to do for some more years (at least this is what I think nowadays, but the future it may change). Currently, there are not so many facilities for adults to go to camps, so I decided to do a monitor course. What I didn’t expect was that it was going to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I started it in October and finished it in December. The organization where I did the course is called ESTOU and it is one of the activities that the University offers to students. I made a lot of friends there, we had dinners together and also parties. The theory part of the course changed my mind completely and made me a more extrovert and open-minded person.

When I finished the theory part of the course, I decided to do the practise in summer. I decided to go to a play centre that was near my house and also the owner was a very good friend of my aunt, so I was really excited about going there. Unfortunately, Coronavirus arrived before I was able to start the practices, but it didn’t stop me from doing them. I started on 27th of July and ended them on 9th of September. My schedule was from 9 am to 2 pm and although I’m not very keen on getting up early, the effort I had to make was nothing compared to the desire of going there. This was the shirt that I had to wear.

Due to the pandemic, they were more or less 16 kids in the camp of ages from 3 to 14 (usually they used to be around 60 children) and there were only two monitors, an older girl and me, but the relationship with her was also amazing. The first day I was VERY VERY nervous, but as the time was passing, I felt a really strong connection with almost all the children. That bond became so strong that the day the camp ended, we all started crying and I felt so bad for them because I knew I wouldn’t be able to see them everyday. 

Everything changed when Easter holidays arrived and the owner of the centre wanted me to go again and to be part of the monitor team for that week. I was so happy and glad because I had the opportunity to spend more time with them once more. We did a lot of activities such as: pool days, going to the park, magic tricks and contests, they really enjoyed this last one because they were the protagonists. These are only part of the letters they wrote to me.

I don’t know what I’m going to do this summer yet, but with no doubt, I will do my best to go there again and to see my little boys and girls. As I said at the beginning, being a monitor was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I wish I could keep on working as what I really like.

I also want to encourage you all to try to do new things like these one, I'm sure that most of you would enjoy such a great experience the same way as I do.