Alright, now for the real update. True to the title of my blog, I've moved. I've transferred from a state-run camp in Candor, NC to a private camp in Suches, GA.
It was hard to leave my last camp, mostly because of the people I'd grown close to-- both campers and staff. My last week was an emotional rollercoaster. I had campers cussing me out and saying they couldn't wait until the day I left, but then hours later crying and telling me I was like a family member... and that if the campers at my new camp didn't treat me right, they'd take a day trip over to Georgia to "set them straight".
I felt so uncertain about my decision to transfer. At first I thought it was a good time to leave because I didn't have strong ties to any particular group. I was bouncing around from group to group with no real sense of ownership. But when I saw the reactions to my decision, I realized that I had built bonds with a few individuals, and that leaving them would feel like severing limbs from my body. It's hard to separate your professional life from the personal when you feel less like an authority figure and more like a mother.
At my How-Out (goodbye ceremony), one of my campers didn't say any goodbyes, but instead just started singing to me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxiqAZVC8Hw
I think the kids were taking bets on who would make me cry the most, and this guy was a serious contender. As much as it made me sad to leave, I'm confident that the timing was right, and that there are good chiefs there who will continue to show love, care, and support to the kids.
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