Confession #1

I thought I'd take a break from recounting my application process thus far.

As the blog title suggests, this blog should, at some point, involve confessions from this particular English Muffin.

I chose English Muffin rather than English Rose because...well "Confessions of an English Rose" was already taken! But also, a certain American that I know used to refer to me as his "little English Muffin". I quite liked the nickname and thought it was appropriate here, given that this blog will detail my journey to and around America.

So here's my confession...

In the UK...we don't have English muffins!

I know! Crazy, right?! Why are they called "English" if they're not English? It's not even as though they're like Belgian Waffles which in Belgium are just "Waffles". We simply do not have them!

This meant that one day, while visiting aforementioned American, we went out to breakfast at a diner. We were offered the usual mind-boggling list of options, and one of them was an English Muffin. Now, I watch enough American TV to have heard of this, but didn't actually know what one was. So I asked. And to be honest I'm not really any the wiser!

It was rather funny watching the faces of two Americans as they tried to explain to this English girl what an English muffin was though...

Eventually my friend agreed to order some and let me see for myself, since their explanations weren't getting them anywhere. It was an odd mix of a crumpet and a bread bun. It was like a bread bun on the bottom (what I'd call a muffin...but not a muffin like a chocolate chip muffin...!), and a crumpet on top.

Very strange indeed! I don't remember if I was brave enough to try it though...

Application : Step Two

...I didn't have to wait long!

A couple of days after submitting my application, I was invited to meet a fellow CCUSA-er who would be my interviewer. She was a returning applicant, and last year was her first year. I hopped on a train to the nearby city where she attends university.

It was a very informal interview. She had a declaration that we had to read through together and both sign, then she had some forms with standardised questions. She wrote down my answers to all the questions, then asked me hobby-specific ones. It was quite funny being asked about fencing and archery by someone who knows nothing about either of them! She carefully read out each question, word for word, then wrote down my answers, word for word, and clearly had no idea what was being said! Her specialism was horse-riding though, and I'd be just as clueless if I was having to ask the questions related to that!

I also had to answer a lot of "Give me an example of..." questions. Things like "Give me an example of a time you taught a child something...How did that go?". I don't remember how many of them there were - it felt like hundreds! If I was stuck on a question, we moved onto the next one and went back once I'd had time to think.

Once we'd finished all of that, we chatted about camp. She encouraged me to add "Religious Camp" to my list of camp types I was interested in. My list at that point was Traditional ; Girl Scout ; Inner-City ; Campers with Specific Requirements. She told me that the camp she went to was a YMCA camp, and she had really enjoyed it. She said it wasn't too heavily religious (she's non-religious like me) and she highly recommended considering it.

Then that was that! I headed back home, and she typed up my information and sent it off to CCUSA for consideration.

One more hoop down, no idea how many more to jump through...

Application : Step One

You'll have to forgive me if my memory is a little shaky on this, it's been a while since I began my CCUSA application! Plus I'm getting a little senile in my "old age" :)

I looked into all the relevant UK options for working in America on a Summer Camp (I had my heart set on the USA). I eventually chose CCUSA as I felt it was the best value for money, though I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who disagree!

I signed myself up with CCUSA and began my application. It was a rather long and in depth application form - it took me quite a while! I had to write about myself, my education, my work experience, what camps I wanted to work at and why...and all within a 3 line character limit! It was surprisingly difficult to say everything I wanted to say in such a small space. Then, as if to make it for it all, I had to write a 3,000 character "About Me" essay!

I put that essay off for days! But after a little pep talk from my team leader at work I finally sat down and started writing in Word. I wrote about what my interests were, what experience I had of working with children, why I wanted to work at camp...I just let the words flow in one big burbling mess. Before I knew it, I had about 5,000 characters and something that roughly resembled an essay! I spent the next couple of evenings shaping it, editing it, cutting it back, and making it a coherent work of art.

Finally my application was done and I hit the "Submit" button. I also paid my £45 application fee.

I then sat back...

And I waited....

Introductions

Hello!

My name is Charli, and I have started this blog to capture my journey as venture out of my front door. This blog will follow me as I take my first tentative steps, right up until I let myself be swept off to see where life takes me.

I opened my front door to opportunity, by applying to be a Camp Counsellor at an American Summer Camp through CCUSA. I'm currently caught up in limbo, playing the waiting game, but that's another story, for another post.

A little about me...

I'm 22 years old, very soon to be 23, and am from a small village in England. I went to university for two years to study Psychology, and now am completing my degree through the Open University. I work full time investigating complaints at a bank, and am studying English related subjects to finish my degree in my spare time. I love working with children, and once I graduate I hope to study towards being a nursery teacher and a Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator.

I enjoy going to the gym to keep fit (I'm going to need it this summer!), and love doing fencing and archery. I also play piano, and dabble in a little creative writing now and again. I hope these skills will be useful for Summer Camp!

I decided to apply for CCUSA as I have recently gone through a rather difficult and sad break-up. I needed something to look forward to...something new and exciting...something that will be bigger than "Me"...something that will, hopefully, enable me to make a difference in a child's life.

I know it will be exceptionally hard work and it will be wet, mucky and very outdoorsy (things that my parents find far too funny!). I know that I won't have a moments peace, and no matter how tired I am I will have to just "suck it up, princess". I know I'll have to put a large number of excitable childrens' needs before my own, and it's likely to all be in weather much hotter than I'm used to. But I have to say...good GOD am I excited!

I think it will do me a lot of good to be taken so far out of my comfort zone, and I will learn so many wonderful things. I can't wait to get started!

And on that note, I invite you to pull up a chair and stay a while. To join me on my journey, and let us see where we get swept off to.