Reflections on Week 1

 

Everything turned out to be exactly as I thought.  I was in my house last time I checked, but the next thing I knew, I was in a place where there were flowers, which I had never seen before.  They grew in different places and looked different in every way, but they are all flowers.  Besides the 43 beautiful flowers, there were four angels who look out for them.  Four who gave them things they all need, and two who run all things and make sure that everything the flowers need is given to them.  There is one who is responsible for gathering all of the flowers.  The place is awesome, like really awesome.  The food we eat is WOW, really WOW!  There are four houses, which consist of 11 flowers each.  There is a name for each of the houses.  One is named “The Ants” and let me tell you, you don’t want to mess with them.  Another one is called the V.I.P’s, and they really are V.I.P’s.  The next one is a little different.  It’s name is “RAMSEL.” I definitely know that this word is not in the dictionary that we’ve been given at camp, but it has meaning: unification of the 11 members.  Last but not least is the “Big Bangs.” Oh what a name you should say. Dream big, do big, work big, appear big and then “BIG BANG!”  The next thing I knew I was at the YSEL camp writing this story about my first week at camp…

Zerubabel Meressa, Bonga, SNNPR

  I never thought life would be this interesting outside of home.  Where you get used to the smiles, tears, laughter,anger of everyone.  Away form those giggling mouths that welcomed oyu at birth, far from the hands that took care of you.  Leaving those searching eyes that would die to find you in a big crowd.  A new place with new friends and new environment.  The YSEL camp, where the new life begins and where the past life is missed.  New people welcoming you with a warm smile and lively melodies, “You Can Count On Me”  New hands taking your frightened spirit to teach new friendship and relationships.  YSEL, a new life started to teach life skills and stengthen every vein within and give birth to me again.  Imagine the green view on a thousand hectares of land.  The harmony of colorful birds from 11 places, the lovely, warm-hearted farmers taking good care of the plants, positivity over the environment—that is YSEL.  The camp I started to call home, the pace I started to miss when I think I am staying just for one month, the place I am being born again.

Lelisse Tesfaye, Addis Ababa

  I came a long way for the YSEL Ethiopia camp.  I never thought it would be like this.  Of course I was expecting it will be great but what I got is more than I expected.  This camp is a place where English knowledge, fun and food are the best.  I have never talked in English the whole day before.  I was shy because my English was not good, but here it doesn’t matter.  I try it and as practice makes perfect, I am changing.  I can see how I am changing, how my friends are changing too.  We are all free.  We are happy to get this amazing chance.  We are all very lucky.  We work the whole day.  Each day I see I am improving myself.  I am a better person than I was before.

  I’ve made many new friends from different regions.  We are all like brothers and sisters.  We have five American teachers.  They are all amazing teachers and are very professional.  Mr Tom, our camp director is very funny.  He always makes me laugh.  Mr. Peter is my Home Room teacher and I’m glad he is my teacher.  Mr. Paul is my reading teacher.  We finished the book “Freak The Mighty” and saw the movie too.  He is a great teacher and also teaches me public speaking.  Marre is my Cinema teacher, which I enjoy very much.  Everything here is going well.

Asaph Ayenew, Finote Selam, Amhara