2011 Spring Camp Tinghrir!!

  3-31/4-9

Spring camp comes but once a year, and its a glorious occasion for Moroccan Youth and PCV’s a like. Spring camps are held all over Morocco and are in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Peace Corps. PCVs are assigned to camps with Moroccan staff and we host English language camps. English language is really important in Morocco because it’s part of a college entrance exam called the Baccalaureate (for a lot of kids). The camp I was assigned was in Tinghrir. I was really excited because Tinghrir is only about 6 hrs from my own site (close in Peace Corp terms) and a really amazing fellow YD volunteer was coordinating this camp with three other PCVs from the health sector. Tragedy struck and the coordinator had a death in the family and had to return to America about a week before camp.

I found out in Rabat that I might have to coordinate this camp. Sometimes first year volunteers coordinate camps but usually its second years who have seen it all done before. I told Peace Corps I’d be happy to help and THEN the other three volunteers who were supposed to work the camp with me told me they weren’t coming either! I was shocked! I was terrified! I was confused!

Anyway, I rallied and starting calling people in the area. Turns out I have some amazing friends located in southern Morocco (and Jo!). My friends Jo, Jeff, Marisa, Maggie, Kaytea, and Dipesh all came to my rescue and we had a crazy/amazing/hilarious camp experience.

Basically we didn’t have much time to plan for camp and I did have much time to coordinate.

Our days began at 8:45 with icebreakers and the Moroccan national anthem

9am – Breakfast

10am- English class

11am- Sports time

1pm-Lunch

2pm-Nap Time (lesson planning_

3pm- Activity Time (outside games, planning for nighttime activities)

4pm – Clubs (Fashion Club, Dance Club and Theatre Club)

530pm- Snack TIme

7pm- Free Time

8pm-Dinner

9pm Night time acitivty (Talent Show, Soccer game, Movie Night, Picture Slideshow)

11pm- Theorhetical lights out

We were basically worked 18 hours a day, and we even slept in the same room as the kids. It was EXHAUSTING! But I dont’ know if I have ever laughed so hard in my life. I had so much fun with the other volunteers and it was such a great group of kids!

I don’t know if I will be asked to coordinate again but I think it went off well and I think were were all reminded of why we joined Peace Corps. 🙂

Dipesh and I going BANANAS!