"it's camp time in the Peace Corps nation!" no that doesn't sound quite right...

The high schoolers in my village go to camp on Monday.  I have to admit to a twinge of jealousy.  How I’d love to go to camp with them!  But, for now, I will loan out a few mattresses and wish them well with much excitement.  I LOVE CAMP! And I’m truly excited for these kids to experience it.  PC/Rwanda, like several other PC programs in various countries holds camps for boys and girls every year called GLOW (Girls Leading Our Word) and BE (Boys Excelling).  It’s almost a weeklong during there are Rwandan volunteers and American PCV’s facilitating games, teaching lessons, and doing other fun camp-y things.  I can’t go yet because I’m supposed to stay at site for 3 months, but you can be sure I’ll be involved next time.  

Maybe I’ll be able to visit for just one day of camp so I can tell you more about it.  Research, right?  I really should check it out before I’m one of the ones responsible for leading it.  Right? Right?  I’m already having to sustain myself from telling my site mate about games and activities she should do. This year’s camp is already planned, but I’m overflowing with ideas for them. 

For now, though, I will direct you to a speech delivered by one of my most favorite people, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  In her speech she addresses campers at a GLOW camp in Malawi.  It further affirms and excites me about how life-changing and powerful a camp experience can be.  I’m so happy there’s camp in Rwanda!  I’m also thrilled Secretary Clinton visits Peace Corps projects.  (side note:  on the day of our swear-in ceremony Bill and Chelsea were in Rwanda opening a Partners In Health/Clinton Foundation hospital in my province.  I was really hoping they’d have time to swing by our ceremony.  Everyone told me that my hope was ridiculous and that he didn’t have time for such things.  But they very next week Hill-baby herself swore some PCV’s into service in Senegal and now she’s visiting camps!  Perhaps my wish wasn’t so crazy after all.  Here’s to hoping I’ll get to rub shoulders with cool dignitaries!)

the speech

---> this just in: my program manager called me yesterday after I wrote this post and told me I should definitely go to camp for at least a few days! Hooray!!! a summary will definitely follow.