Summer Travel Camp

Last week, I took my youngest to her first 5 day camp.  The house was filled with excitement as we prepared her for the trip and her time away.  We checked the list and checked it again to make sure she had everything she would need for camp.  That got me thinking, what “travel industry topics” could be taught in summer camp?

- Appropriate packing skills.  No, you don’t need 14 pairs of shoes for 5 days!  Kids get to wear one pair of shoes and pack on pair; sandals and tennis shoes.  Imagine how much room would be left in the overhead bins if we were all rationed to one pair of shoes in our luggage!  If it’s not on the packing list, you don’t need it! 

- Kids are told to bring a good disposition.  I would LOVE to remind people a few people of that each time I travel.  Having a good attitude gets you further in both life and relationships. 

- Friends CAN be made around an evening campfire with s’mores and mosquitoes.  It takes adults much longer to trust someone enough to call them a friend.  We have words like acquaintances and colleague. 

- Arts and crafts during the day.  This is one I would fail at miserably because I have NO artistic talents.  However, imagine the fun we would have creating the perfect hotel room or the airplane seat that one actually can sit in for more than 2 hours! 

- Anyone can sing.  We all know that not everyone can sing well, but kids don’t care.  They belt out the songs and have fun just singing! 

- Rec time is cherished.  Get out and enjoy the great outdoors, even if that means a walk around the block of your high rise in downtown big city, USA.  Taking in fresh air revitalizes you and helps you to get through the day. 

- The ride home is all about the memories.  In the car coming home, parents hear about their time away, what they learned and all the friends they made.  Most of us shake the dirt from our shoes, board a plane and never look at the impact our trip made to anyone, including ourselves.

We left the campground the other day with the kids singing, “Go make a difference.  We can make a difference!  Go make a difference in the world!”  I think they are right, each day, each trip, each event, we can make a difference.  So, however you do it, make a difference and keep going!