Last shift

So I had my last shift in the kitchen today and it was soo good. We had such a laugh and a joke around but it was also sad knowing that I won't be working with Chris and Aaron again! 

Time to get packing !! I don't know how the hell I'm going to fit all my stuff in my my suitcase. I seem to have more than what I came with. 

I'm so excited about our trip to New York City on Monday! Judy, Martina and I will have such a fab time (we even have an itinerary of what we are going to see on each day). First stop on Monday is central park where we are going to have a cosy picnic and explore some of the famous sights around it such as the Alice and Wonderland statue and the Strawberry fields. 

Talk tomorrow!

Xoxo Aims

Camp North Star Talent show

Hi guys it's half 9 on Thursday evening here and I have had such a lovely day. I got a nice lie in till 12 today because I was on the dinner shift and it was the best sleep I've had in ages. After lunch Judy, Martina and I had a pleasant surprise as the leader of Camp North Star 'Jerry' made a cute speech about how hard we have worked this week and we got given some goody bags which had a towel, t.shirt, NY cap and a teddy bear in it !! It was so sweet.

(With Jerry the head of North Star)

After dinner we watched one of our last sunsets which was absolutely breathtaking and had an emotional moment as it dawned upon us that we leave Quinipet on Monday. 

After enjoying the sunset, we went to watch the Camp North Star talent show (which we originally thought was yesterday but it was actually today!) and it was fantastic! I must admit I did have a little cry because they really put their heart and soul into each performance. It really makes me wonder how such people are viewed as having disabilities when they appreciate the simpler things in life so much more than everyone else I've met here!

Tonight we're taking some music to the gazebo and having our own little dance party. Need to savour the last moments we have here.

See you all soon.

Xoxo Aims

Only 4 days left!

Only 4 days left at Quinipet I can't believe it and we have really been trying to enjoy our last few days! I finally got to watch the end of 'Frozen' is everyone proud ? Being one of the only people that hasn't watched that film I really didn't think it was as good as everyone says it is! We watched another Disney film 'Up' which was fantastic and I recommend to anybody ( I may have had a good ole cry).

Yesterday afternoon Judy and I went to the beach and did some swimming and sunbathing which was relaxing and later on I went with Martina as she was on the lunch shift. I'm still in awe of this place with the outstanding views and total serenity, it's going to be crazy when we go to New York City on Monday as it's the city that never sleeps.

Camp North Star are wonderful and it's been a pleasure working with them this week. They have a talent show tonight which Martina, Judy and I are going to go and watch. I expect it's going to be super fun because that's the kind of people they are! 

Last night Judy, Martina and I made our mark on the famous 'K rock' of shelter Island and we hope that when we return next year it will still be there.

Mixed emotions at the moment! I will post again before I leave!

Xoxo Aims

Sundays don't feel like Sundays

(Pictures with the camp adventure staff) 

Hi everyone, it's Sunday evening at camp Quinipet and Camp Adventure has left and also Dana and Jay :( It was an emotional goodbye watching such good friends leave. After work on Friday Dana, Judy, Martina and I took a trip to Greenport where we got icecream, had a picnic & coffee and went on the refurbished carousel. It was hard to see the beginning of the end to my time at Quinipet as the first of my closest friends left. 

But when one thing ends another one comes! Camp 'North Star' is a group of those with developmental disabilities and there is approximately 100 of them. They are incredibly sweet and happy people and seem overjoyed to be at Quinipet. It's so nice to see the delight that Quinipet brings to retreat groups :) In the dining hall today they were singing Karaoke and it was very pleasant to be around because you could see them having such a good time. 1 week tomorrow my time at Quinipet will be over  and it's going to be so sad :'(. 

Xoxo Aims

Princess day and Adventure Camp Prom

When I went to work today I wasn't expecting it to be Princess day!! It ended up being so fun as some of the lovely ladies from Camp Adventure, bought the kitchen staff some tiaras and wands and they played Disney music all day for the kids. 

We finished early then went into greenport to get our eyebrows waxed and do some touristy shopping of which I bought some presents for some special people at home who I am looking forward to seeing !! Tonight was meant to be Pridwin night and we got all dressed up in our little black dresses but It was an over 21's night so we didn't end up going to Pridwin for long. 

It was adventure camp's prom tonight at camp and we decided to go... It was wild!! There was some great music and everyone was out on the dance floor enjoying themselves, they are all truely a great bunch of staff and kids and they make camp so fun :) 

Going now!

Xoxo aims 

Long shifts, illness and a whole lot of party music!

Adventure camp arrived on Saturday and it's been nothing but madness since :) We now have 3 extra people in the kitchen for the week to accommodate the huge volumes we are cooking for. It's been so fun though as there is a DJ that is constantly playing party music in the dining hall, which we can dance/work to. I almost forgot to mention that I woke up at 5.30am to watch the sunrise a few days ago, it was magical.

I've had a god awful cold which I have been trying to keep under wraps with medicine and it's working so far. Probably wasn't the best week to get ill however I think it was a long time coming. It was Martinas birthday on Sunday and we had a boogie in our room with the kitchen staff and Aaron our chef. As you can tell from the photos it was eventful... We may have found some glow sticks in the process.

There was also a bouncy castle and an Ice cream van that was set up by camp adventure that we were able to use in our free time. 

Like I said it's been hectic which is a nice distraction from thinking about home . Sorry this blog has been a bit scattered there has just been so much going on. Will write soon.

Xoxo Aims

P.s we were making silly things out of raw beef mince in the kitchen today (clearly having way too much fun) 

Feeling good... For now

Hi all. It's 11pm Wednesday night and I am not a Pridwin ! The truth is, most of my cabin are sick with a cold and didn't feel like going out so we've just had a chilled out evening instead. Really trying to avoid getting sick so I'm eating healthily, eating lots of fruit and salad and taking a multivitamin a day ( I refuse to get ill!!). I've been really pushing myself at the gym lately and I am feeling so good, it's amazing how much energy I have here considering how hot the kitchen is. A bunch of us went to see the new Marvel film on sunday 'Guardians of the galaxy' which was fantastic + I recommend. I also went to see it again today with Dana and Jay after our shift because they missed out ( I enjoyed watching it again).

This week has been interesting so far as we are dealing with the Unitarian retreat as there are no kids at camp anymore , it's so strange serving adults instead of children, I think I prefer the children. Next week we will have a total of around 400 people per meal coming for adventure camp which  is for cancer survivors, those who have cancer and those who have lost loved ones to cancer ( all children up to 17). I fear it will be a very busy and very emotional time and there will be no day off for any of us. The kitchen crew will also have to work the morning and evening shifts together to compensate for the amount of people ( it's going to be crazy!). Yesterday I booked our New York Passes for when Martina, Judy and I spend 6 days in New York after camp. I cannot believe only 2.5 weeks till I leave Quinipet, it's going to be so sad and so happy at the same time. 

The end is near!

Xoxo Aims

It's nearly been a week!!

Oh my gosh it's nearly been a week since my last blog. Well let's go from the beginning... On Wednesday we didn't end up going for our usual dance at Pridwin but instead had a movie night in laughing and crying over Bridgit Jones' diary. Not a whole lot happened on Thursday and Friday apart from our head chef Chris is away till Tuesday at a concert. The replacement is Kyle, a guy who worked here last year :) on Saturday all of the staff went to the annual staff 'lunchon' at this very posh golf club and I tried lobster ! It was incredibly gross and chewy but still something that needed trying at least once in my life ( as it was free and paid for by the camp!). Over 3/4 of the staff have left now and it's just the kitchen staff, the lifeguards and a few others. We have 3 different retreats coming over the next 3 weeks the first one being the 'Unitarians'. I will update more soon.