My First Job Camp Counselor

Memory From:
Dan , United States, My First Job Camp Counselor
My first job was as a Camp councilor


I was 17 and the job was to try to keep ten active ten-, 11- and 12-year-olds in some sort of order and to stop them killing one another or themselves. The activities, included taking them camping in the woods


The camp was for kids from poor inner city families and other councellors came mostly from universities in the Midwest.


I did not realise how responsible I would feel for these kids as I just thought I would be looking after them but soon realised that I worried about each one of the kids and how they were coping with the outdoors life.


There were some other advantages though as half of the councilors were girls so that helped to ease the stress, but looking after the kids seemed like a 24hr job sometimes and I think they must of tried every trick there was to stop any time romance long after they were supposed to be in bed and asleep


I learnt alot about myself on that trip and about life outside of what had been my experience as these inner city kids were much more street wise at 11 than I was at 17 , I did manage to save a small amount from my job but I think the experience was much more important than any money I earned.