Working on a Summer Camp in the USA: A warning
Jonathan Horniblow
The Summer of 1997 should have been one of learning, excitement,
opportunity and challenges.
At least, that's what the Man from BUNAC told me.
BUNAC is one of several organisations that, for a large fee, will set
you up with either a guaranteed place working on a summer camp, or find
you a visa to work for three months. I chose the second option, and to
cut a long story short, DID actually end up working on a summer camp, as
a driver.
I hope the following short but true story will be a sobering lesson to
anyone thinking for one moment about working in one of these places.
I worked at Camp Greylock in Becket, Massachusetts. A few of the
incidental names have been changed, but the facts are facts.
The first thing to beware of are the descriptions of the camps in the
brochures. I can say, without fear of libel, that the job descriptions
are almost always wildly inaccurate. You'll read stuff like "plenty of
time off in lieu". Crap. "Time to enjoy the facilities." Crap. Some of
the kitchen staff were working solidly for ten or more hours a day.
And you get 5 days off in 9 weeks.
The wages on most camps work out to be around 1 UK Pound per hour.
And there is no way the food and accommodation make that up to anything
like a decent wage.
Camp philosophy is something of an anathema. It seems to be all about
dollars and false altruism. I caught a kid late on night trying to untie a
boat, cos he really wanted to run away. The next day, I heard the camp
director on the phone; "Your son is just loving it here, Mrs.
Weinbergersteinman....." There is a very obvious hierarchy and division
between the American and English staff. "They" can be so cliquey at
times, as if we were poisoning "their" camp and country. Nope, it's just
that the contract would break minimum wage laws for Americans.
That's why we're here! Great advantage is taken of the fact that there
is virtually no contract in camps, and they over-hire, and then fire at
will, leaving many foreign staff broke, and having to go back home feeling
bitter. The kids themselves seem to enjoy it, and so they should...it's
cost their parents a thousand dollars a week!
Friday 23rd August 1997 was possibly the worst day of my life so far. I
was lying in the infirmary, just to get away from Michael Marcus, (the
camp director) feeling more exhausted than ever before. I've had 3.5
hours sleep in the last 36 hours, and nearly killed myself, and four
others, on the road....and why?
On Thursday Morning I was up at 8am, and worked through the day. In the
evening, the kid's luggage needed sorting out, but it all turned into
a big unorganised mess, leading to my arrival back at the camp from the
airport after midnight. I was then told to be in the office at 5am. I
arrived on time, and yet had NOTHING to do until 7, when I just portered
a couple of bags 50 yards. At 10, I did the mail run. On my return,
I was told that I had to take 3 kids to Scarsdale, New York, a round
trip of 270 miles. I protested my tiredness, so they sent someone with
me....who couldn't drive. During the next 6 hours, I consumed countless
cups of coffee, even some cigarettes I found, in a desperate effort to
stay awake. And yet I still kept blacking out for half a second at a
time, and in the moments in-between, the road was just a dizzy blur.
I would not have even thought of driving myself 5 miles when I was that
tired,
let alone sending someone else's sons on a 135 mile journey. I'd just
like to know:
Why couldn't one of the maintenance guys have gone on the baggage run
the night before? I wasn't driving either way.
Why was I needed at 5am?
Why couldn't someone else have gone with the kids? and..
Why do they never take responsibility for there own actions/mistakes?
At the end of the day I was exhausted, and yet unable to sleep, worrying
about the lives that may have been lost, including my own, simply
because of other
peoples inability to manage.
And then, the crunch came. The following is an extract from my journal
"Tuesday 25th August 1997. I arose at 6am this morning, and proceeded to
assemble my maths paper for sending to the UK. Lukas Horn (director 2)
came to me at breakfast and asked me for a word. I wasn't sure what he
wanted, but then Fuller came and was obnoxious, and I knew
something was wrong. It was put to me that I had driven the local Chief
of Polices' daughter around, and bought alcohol for her. She is 17. I
denied it immediately, as I was not responsible, but they would not
listen to me, and gave me no opportunity to speak
Things became nasty, and I was threatened in various ways, and watched
as I packed. Eventually, Amy, one of the office girls, overheard. The
next thing I knew, 8 others had quit, leaving Camp Greylock in a bad
position for post camp staff.
During the next hour, my innocence was established, and my job was
offered back. I did, of course, decline."
And this is how they treated my after:
* I'd stopped a kid trying to escape
* I'd discovered shards of metal in the chocolate brownies before the
kids got to them
* I'd saved their butt by sorting out some graphics for their sports
day, which they hadn't managed to do.
* I'd done free balloon decorating two nights running for their
banquets.
* I'd worked before 6am and after midnight several times.
* I'd driven kids to strange airports and never screwed up.
....and the list goes on.
If you've stuck it this far, I'll just give my two cents worth. The
general opinion of those who did camps (especially maintenance) is that
you'd be far better off getting a "proper" job, and finding your own
accommodation.
Respect. Recognition. Reward. All I, and probably you, require is at
least one of these. Work at a summer camp, and you'll not only get none,
but a kick in the nuts at the end of it all.
Just as a thought, there WAS one group of people who seemed to enjoy
camp work. It didn't matter which camp, but these people all had one
thing in common. They were all on leisure and tourism courses. But I
suspect they were just preparing themselves for the working conditions
after they graduate ;)
If you'd like to read my full journal, it (and some pictures) can be
found at
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/1696/America.html
(shortly to be updated with maps/new graphics/more stuff)
If you've worked at one of these places, I'd love to hear your
experiences.
--
Jonathan Horniblow, 2nd Year BEng Multimedia Communications(Hons)
http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/1696/
SMS or voice welcome on +44(0)958 372226 or via my homepage.
Ask me how to save shedloads on your phonebill.....
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I Potter
Rod Begbie (r...@null.net) wrote:
: In article <8798765...@dejanews.com>, Jonathan Horniblow <ho...@geocities.com> said:
: > The Summer of 1997 should have been one of learning, excitement,
: > opportunity and challenges.
: > <tale of woe snipped>
: Could have been worse. The words "Louise" and "Woodward" spring to
: mind...
Time would be better spent artexing the spare room.
ian.
--
ipo...@uconnvm.uconn.edu
"and PATRICK DUFFY for a LEG"
Rod Begbie
> opportunity and challenges.
Could have been worse. The words "Louise" and "Woodward" spring to
mind...
Rod.
--
Rod Begbie @ http://www.cee.hw.ac.uk/~ceerab/index.html |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pastaplegic: n. Person who's eaten so much spaghetti he can't move