Luke+USA+Blog



include page="HTML_div_pullquoteleft_open" This is the summer Blog of **Luke Yeates**, thats me on the left. Posts are added at the top, so the storyline starts with the most current post. If you want to read from the start then you will need to scroll down to the bottom of the page and work your way up. Thanks for reading. Members of the site can obviously post comments if they wish.include page="HTML_div_close"1189036596

Final Post
Lance Armstrong says That in life you should have one life changing moment. This summer was my life changing moment. I dont feel like this summer has really ended, I've made friends that I will keep for a very long time, moments that i will remember for ever, every single second of them. This summer was amazing and it hasn't ended, I'm going back next year to do it all again. I wish that I end up on Camp Huntington soil everyday, I never thought that I would be saying that especially after the first week when I was so close to be going home. I cant wait to get back next summer and see all the campers over again spend every moment on my feet, getting up at 6 and finishing at 9, the funny tasting food, the low moments and the high and just getting up everyday willing to take every bad moment with 100's of BRILLIANT ones.

Thankyou for reading see you next summer!!!!!! 1193054734

Went to see David Beckham play at his first game in NewYork, against the RedBull's. The most that they have had in the staduim is 16,000 but because Beckham was there 65,000.



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Home!! Feels so weird being back in the UK didnt remember what everything looked like, but was good to hear english voices as I came off the plane. This last week and an half I have been spending it with one of my campers families, I was invited by them go to stay with the, was an amazing time. They are a great family with two kids Charlie who is the oldest at 11 and sam who was my one-on-one for the last week of camp he's 9. He has certain differculties communicating the people which is really hard for him but still we had best times playing together. While i was staying with his family I went to a Yankee's VS Boston Red Socks which is a big big game in Baseball with alot of rivoury, when walking into the staduim you can see why the american's do it big! The staduim was huge we were right up the top of the seating but you got a real good view of everything that was going on. Yankee's won 4-3 so was a good night.

During the day Sam would lesson's with his teacher 10-3 so I would get time to chill out and play Baseball,Basketball and American Football with charlie which was nice and his friends would come over on play dates aswell so we could get a game going in each of the sports. The kids here are so much different from the ones back home, when i comes to there american sports they know everything and have their own opinon which is really to watch them argue about whether the ball was good, safe, to high, to low and what plays they were going to do. I didnt have a clue what they were talking about so I would just say when asked my opinon DO OVER which means that the play is done again. When playing Amercian football I would stand there helpless wondering what was going on and some 10year old kid would move me into my place and give me a quick run down of the play and what i had to do. It was a sad day yesterday leaving after getting to know them. But they invited back next year.

I cant believe its all over. The last days went so quickly! As you can see in the picture below this is the scene our last prom. See all the green walls in the back ground, all the squares were individually paint by a team of Huntington staff and it was well worth the looks on everybodies faces not just campers but counselours too. The theme was Wizard of Oz and the green walls are the Green City and the back stage was covered with yellow brick road. And then all down the middle yellow brick road. Just get an image in your head, until i get pic up! Sorry! 1188276041


 * [[image:CIMG1568.JPG width="300" height="240" align="center"]] || [[image:CIMG1556.JPG width="300" height="240" align="center"]] ||

Sorry to everyone that has been waiting for me to write a new post. Been an emotion week, the second session of camp has now finish and now we move on to the post camp. Campers and Counsellors left on the 11th there was alot of tears all around. I have now stopped doing sport and handed it over to another counsellor but i now have a new job working 1on1 with a camp called Sam he amazing we have a wicked time together. He went down the Zip Line yesterday which he could do all summer so his parents are really excited to see pictures. Today we spent most of our time near some kind of water we started going down the creek together and paddling and sitting for a long time in the water, we then after lunch move up to the pool where we spent the rest of the day because its to hot to do anything else.
 * 13th August 2007**

Going to see Beckham play on the 18th at the Giants stadium which should a brilliant day out and ment to be coming home on the 20th but sam's parents are talking to me about coming to stay and work with him at his home for a little longer, which i'm really interested and excited about. This whole camp experience has opened so many doors for me anyone thinking about doing Camp America go to a disablilty camp put yourself out there give it a chance and you will never look back! 1187062045

Lake trip!! This is one of the campers favourite days, when they found out what date it was going to be on in the second session, they talked about it for weeks in advance..... which is fair enough because I get pretty excited about it as well. Spending all my time down by the lake, sitting in the sun, on the bit of beach, going on pedallows, getting a change of food and being able to eat burgers, fries, nachos, drink coke and really just get a change of location. When we get down there, its really wierd 'cos we have Camp Huntington T-shirts on which are bright green, so that the people that are down at the lake for their day out just see three American bright yellow school buses arrive and a sea of green come flooding out and cover the park. (Watch Persie's goal against Milan)1185972683
 * July 31th 2007**

This was the longest day ever!! Its was "Leaving Day" and all of our bunk were leaving (thats the Campers). Though at times they werent the best to be working with, there were millions of times when they were!! Cody (who I even emailed Kristain Still about because I felt that everything I was saying was going in one ear and out the other), I will miss him for the music that he would put on and then the dance moves he would come up with! haha! And Mike for teaching me and never ever letting me forget the phase "hey buddy!".... Which I have keep going. Evan, for his amazing imagination and huge vocab for a ten year old. Zac for repeating everything anyone would say, especially during joke situations to try and get people to laugh at him. David for his energy at two in the morning. Matthew for when he would shout at you, you were unable to understand anything that would come out of his mouth. And finally Jake for his enthusiam during sport. All the "old campers," I will miss loads..... but as old becomes new there is Andrew, Willie, Justin, Justin and Ben to now get to know! Which is sometimes difficult, but a new challenge, especially on the first three nights when all of them either pooh or wee the bed or when one campers is dressed at six in the morning and runs out of the bunk ready to play and you have to get up just in your boxers and chase him across the field!! But its all gd fun!! :)
 * July 17th 2007**

The night before the Old campers leave I was sitting on the B6 on OD (help?? What does this mean Luke?) with my friend Lindsay and normally its a really easy night, everyone just goes to sleep until the person on 12's comes and swaps with you! So it started with Robert crying and waking up Jim who doesnt like shouting, so he starts to crying also. So Lindsay goes and calms Jim down lies down with him. I go to sort out the problem with Robert who is gradually getting worse now he's starting to swear, me and Lindsay are looking at each thinking "where has he learnt this language from?" I start to calm him down asking him whats wrong and he starts to settle, then in a second he's gone to hit me with both hands but I've got hold of them......... but Robert is 29 and weights 200 pounds (about 14st) so he's got me. He start to scratch at my arms, cutting them, then he threw back my arm and my shoulder has just snapped! haha! And I've gone flying across the room landing next to Spencer (another camper) who was sleeping. He gets up to go to the bathroom, steps over me laughing to himself!! Haha! The rest of the night was continuing to calm him down until he was asleep which took till 1. Next it was off to hospital to have X-ray but luckily no real damage!! 1185400207 OD means On Duty- This starts from 9 O'clock the campers are normally in bed by this time apart from one or two who decide that sleeping is not an option. You are On Duty till 12 when some takes over and they are On Duty till everyone is settled or they want to go to bed. When your on twelves you can still go out and got rid of the stresses of the day, but when you get OD there's no point your to tired and if your really lucky you will get OD and twelves which really stinks! Want i've done in the past is take peoples OD that are on OD in my bunk then they will pay me back when its going to be a big night out.1185972683
 * 16th July 2007**

I have been planning this day for 2 weeks! So to make the most of it, we left a day early! NEW YORK CITY!!!! Arrived in New york at 10:00pm and it was breath taking, was nothing like I thought it was going to be. We planned to go watch Harry Potter at 10:45in Times square cinema. When we got into the cinema and sat down the cinema room was huge like three times the size of anyone cinema at home! There was aleast 1000 seats and the screen was already 3 times the size of ones at home while the previews were on it extended itself even, more when the movie started it was wicked!! Was really weird during key parts of the film American fans would clap and at the end there was a standing ovation. Was weird, they all thought they were at the Premier! Got more, will upload pics and more story tomorrow got OD now ON DUTY!! 1184547158
 * Thursday 12th July**

One day before the 4 July, you have no idea how big this day is for them. Its like World Cup Final day its talked about on every radio station three or fours times every 10minutes. On camp we're having a talent show where the campers can preform anything they like, from songs to magic tricks! Then there's going to be fireworks and camp fire with smores (these are marshmellows melt on chocolate with biscuit around them) they are stupidly sweet need few drinks of water to wash them down. But the campers like them! Think its because of the amount of sugar that they contain.
 * Tuesday 3rd July**

I haven't been completely honest with you camp. Huntington is a camp for disable campers! I say Campers because the age ranges from 8-42. So from now on this is going to be a personal insight into how I'm feeling.
 * Monday July 2nd**

Camp Huntington is a Camp specially for campers that are less able the "normal" people. There is a huge range of "problems" that they have from severe Autism to ADD, with campers that dont speak to ones that cant stop speaking and asking question and willn't sit still for more than 5mins! Coming into the camp I didnt really know what is was going to be like I didn't have any real experience. But before the campers got to camp we went through and introduction week where I learnt the "tricks of the trade." For example, how to deal with campers that can't speak bursting out crying and they our unable to tell whats wrong! The most reassuring thing was that a guy called Patrick came to camp last year in same possition as I am now and felt the same way I did but still came back this year. He said "For every bad day there was five great days!"

During the Introduction week I felt at an all time low, being away from friends and family, being put in a situation that made me feel unconfortable having to deal with campers that didnt know how to clean shower themselves and weren't toilet trained. I did really feel like coming home but I knew that I had to stick it out, push myself but when the campers got here I havn't looked back. Every day has been a new challenge and its brilliant, the campers are ............ well theres no one word that can explain them, there no emotion one day and loadsa of emotion another day! You only experience it for yourselves. This is the staff talent show, we decided to be poor excuses for clowns.

The Camp is about 2 hours outside of New York city, so there's tree's and wildlife everywhere, there's a big river with a water fall. Americans call it a creek but its a river! Already seen dear, fish, someone said they saw a bear but i dont know. I arrived in New York on saturday and stayed over nite in a small motel after a 7 hour flight. Was like the kind of motel that you see in the movies where someone gets shot out of the window and lands in a swimming pool. lol! Weather over is hot hot hot from when you wake up to sleeping time! Food was pretty bad for the first few days but the cook arrived yesterday so thats improved alot more! The bunks are alright nothing really special beds feel like prison beds but you dont really notice it cos your so tired from the heat and all the activities! The kids dont arrive till sunday so this week is just team building week so there's lots of activities that make you think and work together! Every morning we wake up at 7:45 shower and then at 8:15 we do a stupid morning circle where we have to sing the Camp Huntington song not a good thing so early in the morning!
 * Sunday June 1st**

Its now my second day of campers being here and its the best feeling, the campers are really funny. Went swimming with them today and they like to get real close in your face then shot water at you! Some of the kids are really differcult cos they are missing home or have behaviour problems! Just glad their not in my bunk cos they go to bed at 12 and wake you up at 5! My campers are fine they go to sleep at 11 and dont wake up till 7.30 which gives us loads of time to shower them in time for morning circle.

Its my day off today was going to go into New York to see the site but got so much washing to do( washing machine here turns white yellow and my socks, T-shirts are all part yellow and white), so were doing it next thursday and my manager said she would put me up in her house in the City! CLASS!! Here are some pics!!! 1163552157

This is my Bunk: And pool is just 2minutes away! || This is the creek were i'll be leading Fishing on saturday. 2-6 so lazy day in the sun! ||
 * [[image:b6.JPG width="279" height="202" align="center"]]Got a real nice spot really near the basketball court!

Campers Arrive
 * Tuesday 19th June**

Hit an all time low! Dont really miss home but miss lack of sleep and miss good food! Food here as all the right groups a balanced meal should have but still not good enough! Ray said that he doesn't use any salt or flavouring when he cooks! Didnt go to one of my groups today just stayed in bed to catch up on sleep! Some people are starting to annoy me already. Like this girl Beth is always asking questions that have already been answered all she has to do is listen! Decided that I needed to go to one activity so went to team building! (Drumming) with raised me alittle we each had are own individual drum which we all played together as a group to the rythm the teacher did! Was the best thing that I've done so far! After that took some time out to go down the "Creek" Its owned by the Camp, is really relaxing! Went with Jollie he is Jamaican who has moved to live it bristol, his sister lives in bronx. Cant really understand what he says cos he's got such a strong acsent, but when he laughs i just laugh with him so it looks like i understand. haha! During my own time Ben taught me how to play poker for the up coming games between counsellors for money, Ben is from BAth so can ask him alot about the uni! He studies at Liverpool uni. He loves cricket, talks about it all the time. Feel that the orinantation week is to long and the talks are like school so dont really injoy them but all the team building stuff is good fun.
 * Monday 18th June**

Second day was long and tiring but had so time at the end of the day to relax, which of good and much needed. Woke up at 7:45 and didnt have to get till 8:15! had shower but had to run water for 15mins before it got close to being hot. Even during the Oriantation week we still have to do the morning circle at 8:15 in the morning. So boring and its pointless but they say the kids love it when there here! Breakfast and Lunch were rubbish. No Meat! No Protein! But luckly the cook(Ray) arrived for Tea and did chilli! We did team building exercises throughout the day, which all had a meaning behind them. For example we're put into a 4 group of 4 people and 2 people that cant speak English have to take the activity, this is meant to teach us that some of the campers cant speak English and they use other ways to communicate. Every Sunday there is a camp fire, is was alot of fun! Was taught by "The Smore Queen" thats what she calls herself! Was taught how to make Smores, there is a very certain way that she likes it to be done! But its a secret! After the camp fire we went to the Egg nest which is a resturant 5mins walk from the camp, it is the weirdest decorated place ever! Its got Japanese, America, Scottish, i'll get picutres cos you willn't believe me. At the Egg nest I had Nacho's was large for $7.95 you get huge plate of nacho's, Chiles, Olivies, Meat and two different sauces. Couldn't finish it! Then had early night but not really because the beds are like prison beds so takes longer to get to sleep!
 * Sunday 17th June**

First day was a mad one! Woke up in Motel just outside New York City with the sun shining through the curtains, got put in the same room as a guy called Jamie that i've just met pretty cool he's 22 and is doing sport course at leeds uni, we're both going to Camp Huntington so at least I'm not travelling by myself. Left the Motel at 10:30 for the Coach station (Port Authority) getting the bus to Rosendale where we will be picked up by our Camp manager Danny.
 * Orienantation Week**
 * Sunday 16th June**

Got to camp about 3 O'clock Naked! First thing I realised was hows friendly everybody is and all the American's are right in your face and first to introduce themselves. One of the best things here is that you can forget what reputation you have back home and make a new one here. The Food was alright didnt really expect much to be fair! Ate it none the less, while talking to an American girl. Was nice just to have some down time. Played cards with a few people after dinner, played Cheat! Lost! But was just a good laugh! Had stories from returning counsellors, they were really honest about the kids which excitied me but also made me worry!