For everyone's awareness of my schedule and the days I am on break where I may check emails or update my blog:

Session III : Jul 12 – 17
24 hour break: Jul 17 - 18

Session IV: Jul 19 – 24
3 day break: Jul 24 – 27

Session V: Jul 28 – Aug 2
24 hour break: Aug 2 – 3

Session VI: Aug 4 – 9
Post Camp: Aug 9 - 12


We started Session II on Jul 2.

Jul 2 – 7

Throughout this session, I have been assigned to help out Joey at the arts & crafts center – The IMAG – which is short for the Imagination Station. In 1995, IMAG was dedicated to Fran Plummer by the Hudson Valley Girl Scouts Council in memory of her dedication and service to Camp Little Notch. From what I have gathered from counselors who were previously campers, Fran held a competition to name the arts & crafts centre and the winning name came to be ‘The Imagination Station’ – pretty much describes this place which I have the privilege of working in for the week.

A corner of IMAG also houses some historical artifacts gathered from the furnace located within the camp which used to weld metal items during the civil war era. The hike to the furnace or as it is popularly known as "The Furnace Trail" is one of the activities incorporated in some programs. I have not gone on the Furnace Trail yet but I am sure I will do so in one of the coming programs.

The first few days of working in IMAG has been great. I learnt to do a few crafts (beading, clay modeling, paper-mache, tiling/mosaic, ‘Shibori’ - Japanese tie-dye technique, wallet/photo frame pouch, candle-making) from Joey and was also given the opportunity to teach the campers as well. It is also fascinating to see the varied expressions of creativity from each and every individual camper.

Because I was helping at IMAG, I was also relieved from taking care of campers. However, I do still need to assist my unit team members at night before bedtime to check on the campers. Our unit, Innisfree houses the Art Emporium program (one of the biggest group in this session) with 15 campers. We have a total of 5 counselors attached to this unit – Turtle, Honeyduke, Rocky, Pooh and myself.

Like how we have events at every evening throughout the sessions, we had the International Night one evening and the 4th of July Carnival for the other evening.

During the International Night, Coke, Pooh and myself the Malaysians talked to the campers about life in Malaysia. I made 'Batu Seremban' or five-stones at the IMAG and demonstrated the game to the campers. The game fascinated them and I am glad. Also, I showed them how to wrap kacang putih! We also demonstrated the use of the sarong - from bathing in the rivers with it, to wrapping a baby with it and using it as a cradle with an attached spring.

The button badges from Tourism Malaysia were an instant hit! All given out!

Since Session II coincided with Independence Day on 4th of July, we held a carnival at the carpark field in the evening. Poker chips were thrown all over the grounds and campers with the most collection in hand gets to throw a pie at the waterfront staffs. However, they may get 'robbed' along the way by counselors dressed up in wacky outfits. In exchange for some of the chips, they may be required to perform a task like singing/dancing or giving away more chips to the 'robbers'.

At the carnival, we had a few game stations. The face painting station which I was taking care of with another counselor was a little messy but fun nonetheless. Infact, it was Joey who started the day by painting red, blue and white on her hair. Just before lunch, Roxy joined us at IMAG and somehow the 3 of us painted our faces with the colors of the American flag.

Joey is Australian, Roxy is Canadian and I am Malaysian - there were praises from campers and counselors alike of how we reflected the patriotic mood. I had campers taking pictures of me and telling me that I show more patriotism than they did on that day. Yeah, international staffs rock!

Forgive my bad management of the pictures....there were some still sitting in another friend's laptop so I don't have a lot updated yet...pls bear with the few for the moment.

After Session II, we had Troop Camp over the weekend of Jul 8 -10. Troop Camp is where adults accompany the campers to stay in camp. The group is huge, almost double of what we usually have at a session.