Clara's guide to Camp America

All Camps are different and run in different ways. However camp life is like re-visiting your inner child and all about having fun, despite their sometimes being some hard times. Before I left to go to America I had little to no emotion and would say it all hit me in my first  week of camp. This first week really was a shock for me and I wouldn’t have been able to work through the horrible spell of homesickness without the help of my friends at camp and facetime. Facetime really will be your best friend when you are away, I have a really close family so talking to my mum, dad, sister and brother everyday really made me feel better and once I got into a routine the homesickness was very rare. For me camp life was always spent by the pool, water slides or the lake. Being a lifeguard at camp was the best job as I was always sitting in the sun for hours and had the best team, the job you have at camp is one you will be doing everyday for 9 weeks so make sure it is something you like. C...

  In order to work in the states you are required to get a J1 Visa, this has a small cost and will enable you to work and then travel for up to 30 days after your contract ends. In order to obtain this you have to go to the embassy in either Belfast or London (if you are UK based), this could be a day trip or you could make a weekend out of it which was what I did and I would recommend this to anyone as it ended up being one of the best trips. To apply for your visa you firstly have to fill out an online application and Camp America will provide you with step by step instructions which are super useful. Once this is completed you will pick your appointment, I would recommend going for one a couple of months before your arrival date incase there is a delay. Before you go to the embassy you will have access to a checklist to ensure that you have all the documents needed for the appointment, i would recommend using this and getting a small folder to store them. This will al...

    Selecting the right camp during your application process is so important. This camp is where you will be spending 9 weeks everyday, excluding days off, and you want to make sure it is the right choice for you. Camps from all over America will look at your application and decide whether or not you are the right fit for them based on the experience and skills on your application. If they pick you they will contact you congratulating you and schedule an interview, typically Skype or Zoom, to get to see you in person and discuss what your job at camp would be and ask you a few questions with a main focus on your background of working with kids. Working with kids is challenging and not everyone is built for this therefore having some experience isn’t crucial but always helps. At the end of the interview they will usually offer you the job which could be lifeguard, football coach, arts and crafts counselor and so on.  During this process I would also ask the Camp Directors ...

"9 weeks at camp. 30 days off free travel time. Meet people from around the world. The ultimate student summer abroad.” This summer I decided to do just this and had the summer of a lifetime making unreal memories and creating friendships from all over the world that will last me a lifetime. This blog will explore all things Camp america and will be a guide for anyone who is interested in taking the plunge themselves. The Process The Camp America Process starts with the application. After registering you will begin your application. The application can feel daunting at first due to the information required, however, you can save your information and go back and add more each time which will help break it down. This application is like a CV and as a Scottish person it is always an ‘absolute riddy’ to show off but it is so important that you really do put yourself out there and highlight all your achievements. Just like a job interview this will set you aside from all the other cand...