Camp

Camp

Ever since I was a young boy, I have always been surrounded by various items one would denote as Indian. Most of my friends are even Indian. However, I am proud to be an Indian and show off my heritage.

Every summer I attend as a counselor for a gujurati summer camp. I can honestly say that it is one of the greatest experiences I have ever experienced in my life. I learn about my culture and teach what I have learned to children between the ages of 5-13. We play games, learn prayers, and we prepare for the last day of camp, which is a show for all of the parents. All of the moral and sentimental values you earn from this camp remains with you for the rest of your life. This year's theme was SEVA, which basically means selfless service. This past year of camp has changed my perception of pretty much everything I go about doing. We have completed many service projects at the middle school our camp was held at. My friend, Sinjen, and I mopped the floor of the cafeteria everyday after lunch while the other counselors kept the kids busy. I made me feel better about myself, helping out the custodian staff in cleaning up the school. After all we made the mess, why would they need to clean it up. Even after camp, if I see the campers are local Indian events such as Garba, we both get excited and rush to greet each other. Also the group of counselors you meet. They have pretty much became my main friend group. We have numerous camp reunions during the school year, while we eagerly wait for camp to approach. Camp is how I love to spend my summer, helping younger kids learn about our culture. All in all, I believe camp has made me a better person, and it has opened up many opportunities to me for the future.