Árdís - 01.01.1954, Page 49

Ársrit Bandalags Lúterskra kvenna
47
up or returned to the suitcases, making our beds and cleaning our
dormitories. Small as these duties might be, they did serve a pur-
pose. They taught us to help and be responsible for many of the
things which we rely on Mother to do at home. A nice thing about
this is that many of the campers continue to help after they return
home.
Coming to camp is an experience which holds in store many
new and exciting things for every camper. First and foremost,
camp life is very different from our everyday life at home. We
share our bedroom with about twenty others. Can you imagine the
dining room at home if we crowded fifty or sixty youngsters around
the table for Mother to feed?
Second comes the exciting experience in meeting our fellow
campers. We soon get to know one another, to share experiences,
and become the best of friends. Children from the cities, towns,
villages and farms gather together to learn how people live in other
parts of the country. These new friendships are wonderful for
young people and serve to broaden their outlook on life. No school
or university can compete in this form of education. At camp, life
is informal, with everyone on an equal footing. Social status is
forgotten and we are all of one and the same page in the book of
Who’s Who.
Everyone is expected to take part in all planned activities,
whether they be sports, handicrafts or devotional. Since we are all
a little different in our make-up, a variety of activities gives each
and every one an opportunity at expression. Handicrafts are a
wonderful part of camp life and are an excellent means of ex-
pression to those who do not excel in sports and thus help to prevent
the development of an inferiority complex. An inferiority complex
is dangerous because it prevents a youngster from deriving the full
pleasures of camp life. It is a well known fact that we can’t be
good in everything, and a variety in recreational facilities offers
each camper an opportunity to exhibit his or her talents, whatever
they may be. Concerts, sports, bonfires, weiner-roasts, hiking and
many sports give each child a chance to participate in some activity.
The greatest lesson I learned from this is a feeling or a sense that
I belong. To me that is important. Until we feel that we can belong,
our life is humdrum and without much purpose.
Water-safety is taught and practised at camp. We were taught