Fantastic Last Day

The Caribbean group made it back to Windsor Mountain in the early hours of the morning. They were able to sleep in and enjoy a nice breakfast. Today, the group did a fun presentation in front of the whole summer camp, telling them all about their adventures in the Caribbean. Tonight they are headed out to Daniel's Restaurant, a local favorite, for their final banquet and closure ceremony. All in all, a fantastic last day!

Adventures in Bequia

Greetings from Bequia!!!!

Here is a short update on our expereience thus far on the beautiful island of Bequia. On Saturday we settled in to our new digs in Friendship Bay, Bequia. We are staying in an AWESOME 5 bedroom house, where there is plenty of room for us to have camp planning meetings, do yoga, have evening discussions, dine on delicious food, have sing alongs, blend endless mochachinos (thanks to our Barista-in-residence, Ari WeinsTIME) and have impromtu activities and games. We are staying just a short walk from Lower Bay (the nicest beach on Bequia) and have spent a good deal of time snorkeling, body surfing and relaxing on the white sandy shore; and we even had an opportunity to witness the natural wonder that is bioluminescence during the evening. We spent most of the day on Sunday cooking a mean breakfast of chocolate chunk pancakes (headed up by the males in the group) and then planning camp for the upcoming week! The evening was extra special - a delcious Roti and fruit juice dinner at Mangoes, then Kate's Circle of Love activity.

Monday was an amazing success at our new camp! Students (all from the local summer school) were engaged and excited about all classes and activities. Tuesday and Wednesday at camp we worked with a different set of students - members of an outreach program called "Children Against Poverty." These students had some challenging behavioral/ social adjustment problems and some learning disabilities....but nothing our students couldn't handle. Our Bridge students were complete ROCKSTARS both days, keeping the kids well behaved and positive about their camp experience. Wednesday brought one additional challenge when it began to DOWNPOUR in the middle of the day. Everyone really thought on thier feet, and pulled off a wonderfully random "talent show" activity, that kept students smiling and enjoying the day, despite the rain!

Thursday was our last day at camp (we were back with the summer school children) and it went soooo smooth. Some highlights include: Kites with Seth and Kyla, Improv games with Zippo, Baseball with Aly, Satch and Aidan, "Challenge Alex and Kayla," Games with Libby, and Masks with Ellen and Kaya. Ari (our BLING BLING leader of the day) was the emcee for today's all-camp fashion show, where the Purple team (led by Kayla) came out victorious! We spent the afternoon shopping for souveniers and found some really cool stuff. Friday and Saturday we will surely be celebrating, as a tribute to everyone's efforts and contributions to our Bequia camp.

Aside from camp, its really been a spectacular week for the group. We are accomplishing tasks like a well-oiled fry-a'later!! Friday we are going on the FRIENDSHIP ROSE SCHOONER journey, we can't wait!!!!!!!!!

Joan of Ark!!!

peace, love and chow,

Kate, Max, and Adam

Student Notes

Libby “Libbles and Bits” – Libby has especially been enjoying her time in Lauders. She easily warmed up to our host family, the Cupids. She also has developed a good friendship with a 15-year old camper named Debricia. Libby has really enjoyed running our friendship camp, and co-taught an awesome “games” class with Kaya that had all campers laughing and enjoying themselves. Also, her spontaneity at the top of the La Soufririe volcano caused the group to chant “We Love Mangos, We Love Libby.” So true.

Aidan “Ceasar” – Aiden really took a leadership role in the sports department at camp and led several classes on the field – often with young Osbert, age 3, attached to his hip. Besides earning the admiration of Osbert, Aidan is very well liked in the group, truly a great listener and friend. Aidan also steps up to help cook each night in the kitchen, even when it’s not his turn. Go Aidan!

Anna “Wikendingle” – Anna has worked tirelessly these past few weeks to help the group live up to and be accountable for our “full value contract” that we designed. (A Full Value Contract is a document created by the group that outlines the values and rules of their community). Group members trust her and feel comfortable coming to her for personal conversations. Anna LOVES beach days and really enjoyed our visit to the Owia Salt Ponds. Although she expressed feelings of missing folks at home a bit at the beginning of the program, she has not let that impact her experience the past week and is excited to share her experiences when she returns home! She is well supported here, and has made lasting friendships.

Satchel “Satchsquatch” – Satchel really stepped it up this week, and was often the first to volunteer to help with group tasks. He also took on the challenge to learn the local game of “Run Dodge” so that he could teach a class that he knew campers would enjoy. He also helped Alex teach juggling and was good at checking in with everyone, to see where he was needed at camp. We love Satchel’s sense of humor and appreciate how he helps the group gel.

Emma/Zippo "Zeminem” – Emma has been so enthusiastic at camp this week, and really went out of her way to make campers feel welcome and involved as they arrived each day. Zippo ran the all-camp final activity of "sharks and minnows" on Wednesday and it was a huge success. Zippo worked hard to overcome some physical pain on the hike, but she was so proud of herself (as were we all) for conquering the volcano! Zippo is trying hard to really "be here now" and not sweat the small stuff. She makes great strides every day, and is loving playing and teaching guitar in her free time.

Jacob "Sherps” – Jacob has gained an affinity for meditation and can be seen doing it everywhere in St. Vincent: on the tops of volcanoes, beaches, salt ponds. He has really sunk his teeth into the culture of St. Vincent and loved serving the Lauders community. He was the Leader of the Day on Wednesday – a really rockin' day at camp thanks to his leadership! Jacob has been so helpful with group tasks that we have had to cut him off from volunteering so much. He really has the whole group in mind and is making the most of his time here.

Kayla "Beebs” – Kayla really loved staying with the Cupids and attending church last Sunday. She is continuously positive and enthusiastic about the program, and locals really enjoy getting to know her. She is a true lover of the water and enjoyed heading to Indian Bay Beach as much as possible! She taught some awesome classes this week at camp, including Paper Bag Puppets" and Gymnastics.

Ellen "Fincy Mas” – Ellen has demonstrated some incredible leadership skills at camp and at the Cupids. She cooked us a mean Mexican meal of quesadillas and taco salad, all with a big smile on her face. She used her athletic prowess to help the group get in shape for the volcano hike with frequent exercise sessions. She also has been teaching very popular classes at camp, especially play dough and mask-making.

Alex "Rooney” – Alex has really kept the group positive and optimistic about each activity – he has an uplifting spin for every challenge we face. He was a star when teaching the "a jig a jah" to 80+ kids at camp, they loved it!! Alex has also taught American football, Run Dodge AND helped campers make their own juggling balls and taught them how to juggle! Alex played the guitar at church on Sunday, for our group's rendition of The General by Dispatch. His dedication to the group was evident in the blisters on his fingers after so much practice/performing.

Seth "Bubbles" – Seth is having a stellar time and has truly been taking advantage of the special cultural opportunities that we have had. Seth was the first student to deeply engage with the local community in Lauders, spending many evenings hanging on the stoop with local teenagers discussing the inner workings of the universe. He loved the Volcano and played a large role on what was possibly the first group sun-salutation amongst the misty sulfurous air atop La Soufriere. Seth has continuously been helpful and compassionate with all group members and the local community in Lauders. He was an all-star at camp, taking a lead role in many sports activities and he taught local children how to play baseball, no easy task in a cricket-crazed nation. And last but not least, Mr. Arar stole the show at the camp fashion show, shaking his thing on the catwalk, yes the catwalk, edging out Ellen by a hair to tremendous child applause!!!

Ari "Axl Trixton Rose" – Ari is brightening up the already sunny Caribbean with his unique and effervescent sense of humor. He continuously has the group rolling with laughter in the evenings once his delirium sets in. He has been so open and enthusiastic trying new experiences like bucket showers and doing laundry by hand. His culinary skills continue to shine and we believe he should trademark his delicious recipe consisting of Nutella and Caribbean salt water. He has been super enthusiastic and determined in camp planning and stayed up into the wee hours perfecting his Playdoh recipe – which was a roaring success the next day at camp.

Aly "Teddy Gaga” – really took on a strong leadership role at camp this week, she was often the "voice" of the group when introducing activities. Aly often took on "babysitting" duty, when the very young campers (under 2!) needed some TLC during those busy days! She has been a kind friend to members of the group this past week during some challenging moments. She has also befriended our next door neighbor, 6-year old Latonya who has really taken to Aly.

Charlotte "Chucklet Chip" – Chuck was lucky enough to celebrate her birthday on top of La Soufriere volcano! The entire group pitched in to make her a very chocolatey chocolate chip cake. Chucklet has taken on the role of chief group organizer, making sure that all the group gear and supplies are in proper order at all times. She is a thoughtful friend to everyone in the group, and she is an amazing chef—everyone loved her fried eggplant caper surprise. Chucklet also taught an awesome rock painting class during the Lauders Friendship Camp.

Kaya “Shark ‘n Bake” – Kaya has a wonderful positivity and exuberant enthusiasm that everyone loves. She adds a unique perspective to the group. Kaya really handles her business and knows how to get things done, whether that means cooking up a mean dish of coconut fried Robben Fish, leading awesome group games during Friendship Camp, or contributing her thoughts during group meetings and camp planning sessions.

Kyla "Bok-Choy" – Kyla led the best baseball class imaginable during Friendship Camp, and when the kids ran out of things to paint during painting class, she offered herself up as a human canvas—talk about taking one for the team! She is a consistent friend to everyone in the group and has become the group record keeper, diligently cataloging memories with her handy-dandy underwater camera. Kyla was also the head chef when the group had breakfast for dinner. Yum!

Amazing Friendship Camps and more in St. Vincent!

7/9/10- We arrived in Lauders in the late afternoon and met our wonderful host family, the Cupids. The students sat outside the house and had a comprehensive Q+A session with Pastor Cupid and Desmond (a local Peace Corp volunteer) about life and the culture of rural St Vincent.

7/10/10- Chuck Kohlmann’s birthday! The group woke up early and drove to the base of the La Soufriere Volcano and began our ascent. We reached the summit after a beautiful hike through ever changing vegetation. The group was rewarded with a beautiful view of the crater, some did yoga, some meditated, and everyone sang happy birthday to a very happy Chuck.

7/11/10- Sunday was a beautiful day to experience first-hand the local culture of Lauders. After a much deserved late wake-up, the group donned their nicest clothes and accompanied our host family to church. Everyone enjoyed the jubilant singing and dancing as we were warmly welcomed as volunteers into the community. After church we were invited to a family gathering. Family members had come from far and wide to reunite in the Lauders community center, and we were lucky to be a part of it.

7/12/10 First day of Friendship Camp! Students ran a variety of classes for the local kids including rock painting, juggling, kickball, and a class of multicultural games. The group responded exceptionally well to the challenges of day, and made tons new local friends. After a long morning of camp, the group rode out to Indian Bay Beach to relax in the cool Caribbean waters.

7/13/10 The second day of Friendship Camp in Lauders was a learning experience for our group. They were faced with organizational and disciplinary challenges, but never let their spirits sag. At the end of the day, the students regrouped to ensure that the next day of camp would run more smoothly.

7/14/10 The hard work from the night before certainly paid off. Our third day of Friendship Camp was the best yet! Activities included making friendship bracelets, paper bag puppets, playing soccer, and messing around with play-dough. By the time the campers returned home, our students were feeling on top of the world.

7/15/10 The last day of Friendship Camp was a bittersweet moment for all of our students. Camp ran beautifully, with activities like beading, mask making, and American football. Our students gathered the campers together to have a fashion show, in which the only material for the designers to use was trash. But the energy and enthusiasm of our group made the activity a roaring success. At the end of camp our students received countless thank-you letters from their campers, and were very sad to see them go; but we were satisfied in the knowledge that we truly made a difference in the community of Lauders.

7/16/10- The students were rewarded for all their hard work and dedication to camp with a trip to one of the most extraordinary natural wonders of St. Vincent: the Oiwa Salt Ponds. These shallow pools of saltwater spillover from the Atlantic Ocean are home to a plethora of beautiful marine life. The group spent hours snorkeling, swimming, and relaxing as the spray from waves crashed against the rocks and gently showered them. We returned to the Cupids for a dinner of fried fresh fish, and began saying our goodbyes to the people of Lauders, especially our gracious hosts. We presented Pastor and Mrs. Cupid with gifts and donations, and were given heartfelt thanks and words of wisdom.

7/17/10- Yet another bittersweet day as we left the community of Lauders. We said our final goodbyes to the Cupids and packed our gear into vans. We arrived in Kingstown to shop for supplies in preparation for our next friendship camp in Bequia.

CHECK OUT THE NEW PICTURES! Remember, you can click on the small picture in the right column, this will link you to an online album where you can view larger versions of all the photos.

Camp to the Caribbean to the Cupids!

We had a great check-in call with Adam, Kate, and Max last night, and we're pleased to report that everything on the trip is going very well. Group orientation at WMI was fun for all, and things are even better now that the group is in the islands. Getting to St. Vincent is notoriously tricky even when traveling alone, but on Tuesday, we managed to get our entire group (almost twenty!) there on time without a hitch. Our leaders and students deserve all the credit for a job well done.

I'll turn this update over now to the people who have the best seat in the house--Adam, Kate, and Max, who sent us the following trip report, complete with individual student notes. Read and enjoy! (ps this update will be posted to the group blog on Monday)

Bridge Caribbean 2010

Blog Notes 1: The Trip So Far

7/3/10 – Group arrives at Windsor Mountain and begins to get to know each other with name games, team building activities, and a wonderful dinner cooked over a camp fire at the waterfront.
7/4/10 – Group wakes up with an early morning swim and spends the rest of the day discussing group dynamics and planning the upcoming trip to St Vincent. The day ends with a delicious 4^th of July BBQ and beautiful fireworks WMI style.
7/5/10 – The group takes the long bus ride down to New York but enjoys every minute. Once at the hotel, the group orders a substantial amount of pizza, then hunkers down to plan out the Friendship Camps they will run in the Caribbean.
7/6/10 – Travel Day! The group wakes up at 5 am to go to JFK Airport and spends the whole day traveling. Finally at around 9 30 in the evening, the group is reunited at the New Montrose hotel in beautiful Kingstown St Vincent.
7/7/10 – Our first full day on the island begins with an amazing breakfast of saltfish, bakes, and eggs. The group then adventures through Kingstown to buy lunch and find transportation to Mt. Wynn Beach where we spend over 3 hours enjoying the gorgeous black sand beaches.
7/8/10 – The group spends the day doing a Magical Mystery Tour of the city of Kingstown. They get a taste of the local culture and cuisine while getting a feel for the pace of island life. The day ends with a beautiful exercise called the Full Value Contract where the group records their values and goals for the program on an artful document. An unexpected rain shower interrupted that activity, and the group decided to spontaneously dance in the rain!
7/9/10 – The group wakes up to another delicious breakfast at the New Montrose Hotel, and spends the rest of the afternoon packing and shopping for our trip to Lauders, the community where we will be running our first Friendship Camp.

Bridge Caribbean 2010:

Student Notes 1: From Camp to the Cupids

Kaya Halpern- Kaya has been a beam of sunshine in the group! Her unfading smile and constant positivity has been a welcome addition. On Thursday she was the head chef for the group and treated us to a delicious breakfast of pancakes and fruit salad, and for dinner, she got creative and turned leftover mac and cheese into a delicious macaroni casserole, both creative and cost effective. Kaya also had valuable input during the groups’ creation of a Full Value Contract (a working document that embodies the groups’ goals for community living).

Alex Koren- Alex has been nothing short of a rockstar on the trip, especially considering he arrived late after a grueling trip from South Africa. His skills as a leader have shown through during group planning sessions, where he is careful to direct the group without forcing his opinions on anyone. Alex’s musical skills are also a welcome addition to our group: whilst in a local restaurant in the Barbados airport, Alex serenaded us with some beautiful music on the guitar.

Ellen Finch- Ellen brings her immense energy and enthusiasm to everything she does, and the first week of this trip has been no exception. As the group leader on Tuesday, Ellen did a fantastic job of keeping the group focused while maintaining a beautifully upbeat vibe which is especially impressive considering she was the leader on a travel day. She also showcased her artistic talent while writing in our group journal. She documented the group’s travels in an especially creative way.

Aly Centrella- Over this past week, Ali as shown such determination and positivity and inspired the rest of the group the act the same. Ali entered the group knowing no one, but within minutes she seemed to have known them all for years. During the group trip to Mt Wynn Beach, Ali had the time of her life swimming in the warm Caribbean waters, eating fresh fruit on the black sands, and listening to reggae blasted from a rasta soundsystem.

Chuck Kohlman – Though Chuck is often quiet and soft spoken, her beaming positivity always lifts the group. Chuck was our first group leader, and she set the bar high. She was the first to use the group journal as an artistic forum, and did a wonderful job coordinating the pizza dinner at the airport Holiday Inn in Queens. Chuck also goes out of her way to be especially kind and generous. On Thursday night the group needed to borrow a large baking pan from the hotel kitchen, and then go back to use the hotel’s oven because the pan was too large. Chuck acknowledged this kindness and repaid it by putting together a delicious plate of salad and casserole for the hotel staff.

Kyla Young- Kyla has been doing a tremendous job of taking risks and overcoming her fears on this trip. First and foremost, Kyla tackled her fear of flying on 3 separate planes. With the support of the group, Kyla had a fantastic travel day. She has also been giving valuable input during group planning sessions, and was especially open during the Full Value Contract exercise. Kyla had a wonderful time at Mt. Wynn beach, but was especially fond of the van ride to the beach, where the group got a special taste of island music and culture.

Jacob Senghas- Jake has made a point of going above and beyond his responsibilities on this trip. If you look around and don’t see Jake participating in a group discussion, then he’s probably cleaning up after dinner, even though he’s not on the clean up crew. Jake’s unique exuberance has brought levity to our group discussions, but his ability to get serious when necessary is exceptional. Jake’s input during the creation our Full Value Contract was poignant and open. Jake has also been soaking in the Caribbean culture: while on our MMT (an activity where the group is divided into smaller groups and sent into a community to learn more about the local culture) in Kingstown, Jake’s group encountered the local foods and dialects of St Vincent.

Aidan Goldman- Though quiet at first, Aidan stepped out of his shell and dove head first into this program. He has taken a leading role in planning our friendship camps and has been especially adept at redirecting unfocused attention onto the task at hand. During orientation at Windsor Mountain, Aidan completed his first backflip off of the rope swing, along with numerous other aerial maneuvers into the water.

Satchel Sturtz - Satchel has been having an excellent beginning to his Caribbean adventures. His sense of humor and playfulness have been vital during extended camp planning meetings. He has a unique ability to mix humor with seriousness, and his Windsor Mountain experience has been a huge benefit to the group. Satchel was lucky enough to be our first head chef of the program and although nervous and hesitant at first, he prepared a delicious homemade macaroni and cheese (yes that’s right, fresh cheddar cheese, milk, butter and elbow macaroni) to a thunderous round of applause!

Ari Weinstein: St. Vincent has definitely been a cultural shift for Ari, but he has been responding with a great deal of flexibility and open-mindedness. Ari especially loves TRAVELING. His highlights have included the airplane journeys from JFK to Barbados and from Barbados to St. Vincent. His favorite journey was the local van ride from downtown Kingstown to Mt. Wynne beach on the Leeward side of the island. He was blown away by the fact that random strangers were waving to us as we were in the van and he loved bopping to the latest Soca hits in the van, especially the Patty song. Ari wowed the group last night with his culinary skills

Libby Cohen- Libby was the leader of the day on Wednesday and really rocked out her responsibilities. She was calm, yet effectively assertive in getting the group to complete all their tasks for the day. She really enjoyed visiting the fruit and vegetable market and interacting with all the local vendors. She also made some friends at the beach while swimming: a 1 year old named Kate and a 7 year old named Kristen—both from the leeward side of St. Vincent. Way to go, Libby!

Seth Arar- Seth’s goofy energy has been a fantastic addition to this trip. He is always quick with a hilarious comment or some useful bit of knowledge. Seth has been truly impressive in his dedication to learning as much as he can about island culture, and using that knowledge to create a wonderful camp experience for the local kids. His input during camp planning sessions has been reflective of this cultural awareness. Seth had an amazing time at Mt Wynn beach, swimming in the warm waters and driving for bits of beautiful coral. Seth also helped clean up after lunch today….by drinking the remainder of the pickle juice!

Emma Rosenstein- Zippo has adjusted easily to the heat and the local culture, and she has shared a lot with the group about her local school trip to Trinidad and Tobago. Zippo’s favorite part of the trip so far has been dancing in the rain during a sudden downpour at evening meeting. She also really enjoyed the MMT, and met some neat folks at the church in town. She was also a big help food shopping on Wednesday, when we had our first big group food shopping trip.

Kayla Riparetti- “Ripper” has been a ball of positive energy and enthusiasm this week. She loves appreciating people at evening meeting by sending “shooting stars”, and members of the group love her encouragement and fun-loving attitude. She really enjoyed our beach day, and the MMT where she learned about local religions common in St. Vincent. She’s also recently purchased a popular Vincy outfit!

Anna Wickenden- The quiet exterior than Anna arrived with has long since given way to her true fun loving and energetic personality that gels well with the group. Anna arrived without knowing anyone on the trip, but quickly found her place in the group, and has been thriving since. She has stepped up on all fronts, whether exploring Kingstown with her group, organizing group gear, or washing dishes, Anna is always quick to lend a hand and give a smile. She had an exceptionally good time at Mt. Wynn beach where she got the chance to relax on the black sand beaches after a long but exciting van ride from Kingstown.

Livia Wescott-Lahar- Livia has gotten used to the heat here in St. Vincent, and is an invaluable member of the group. She has some wonderful suggestions for what will make a successful Friendship Camp, probably stemming from her experience working with youth in California. Her favorite part of the trip so far has been today, when we stocked up on food before heading to Lauders, where we will stay with the Cupid family. Livia is so excited!

Caribbean Here We Come!

The Bridge Caribbean group had an early start and long day today. They flew from JFK to Barbados to St. Vincent. But we are happy to report that everyone made it safely and the group has settled in for a good night's sleep.

More details on this week's activities coming soon...

If you haven't checked out the pictures yet, click on one of the slideshow images in the right hand column. You will be taken to an online picassa album where you can view larger versions of all the pictures.

Sun and Fun in New Hampshire!

After a long day of flying, driving, and busing, all the members of Bridge Caribbean made it safely to Windsor Mountain Summer Camp in New Hampshire. They were greeted by a beautiful sunny day, along with 200+ campers and 80 staff who were also arriving for the first day of summer camp. The evening began with a cookout at the waterfront and some get-to-know-you games. The group immediately clicked and they stayed up for hours talking and sharing stories about themselves - a great start to the program!

Today, everyone cooked breakfast together and then had a morning swim. Now they are doing some group orientation activities, including writing their Full Value Contract (a group-authored document that outlines the values and principles necessary to function as a healthy group: kindness, respect, communication...) and coming up with skits about different scenarios (cultural awareness, inclusivity, group life, etc.). Tonight Bridge Caribbean will join up with the summer camp for a big cookout and some spectacular fireworks. What a day!