Matthew Mirkin’s story
2019-07-18That was my rationale, I suppose, when I confirmed my place two days before the camp was due to start. So with a fair degree of optimism, I threw some clothes into a rucksack and made my way a thousand miles away to the south of France.
I’d arrived by myself, knowing no-one, yet I quickly felt a sense of kinship with the other participants, we were a huge variety of nationalities and backgrounds, but we’d all turned up to the camp, and that was a wonderful thing to have in common. We pitched our tents in a field overlooking the Pyrenees Mountains, the view was incredible, miles of woodland and hills in all directions, and I’d never seen anything like it. When the sunset, the stars came out to light up the sky, I was spellbound at the lack of light pollution, the sheer quantity of stars was surreal.
After a couple of days spent setting up the camp, the annual hike began. We were all divided up into groups, given some foodstuffs and a map, and then we set off across the mountains. The hiking was arduous, we left the campsite and took the path straight up the side of a mountain, it was very hot and we took several breaks, but just before lunch, we’d made the peak. We stood almost a mile above sea level watching an eagle fly below us, I think we all felt a huge sense of accomplishment. Once we walked down the other side, we stopped in the nearby village, here, we rested, before finding a generous family who allowed us use of their garden to spend the night. The next day, we set off once more to the second campsite, where we were able to rejoin all the other groups and see how everyone else had fared. The second week was spent at the first campsite, with wonderfully cooked meals by the kitchen team, singing and workshops. Initially, I dreaded the singing, I Can’t sing, but being part of a large group really makes you feel like your voice is contributing? Towards the end of the camp, we performed to the local village, I don’t quite know what the locals thought when 80 odd of us turned up to sing outside a coffee shop, but they seemed to enjoy it, which put a smile on my face, at least. There were a variety of workshops to choose from, such as sports, drama and making an obstacle course. Regularly throughout the camp, people showcased their talents on the open stage, it was amazing to see people’s different talents, along with regular performances from different workshops. At the end of the camp it was, unsurprisingly, time for us to say farewell. It was sad to see so many people I’d become close to leaving. But I’d truly say that IYC is an unforgettable experience, I leave with memories that will last a long time. The camp gives you a place to be yourself, make friends, and above all, have an absolute whale of a time.
Campomic summer camp 2019 Istanbul-Turkey
Spending two weeks in the heat with incredibly awesome people.
Is that about it? In a way: yes. In another way: not even close! Let me try to give you an insight into these fourteen amazing days. Having been to quite some children- and youth camps, it didn’t feel like jumping into the big unknown. On the other hand, it was a very new community with people I didn’t know. So yes, a bit scary and exciting. From the first moment, I was struck by the warm, welcoming energy from the staff. That feeling of safety only grew with the days passing by, created by both staff and participants.
We landed in a field surrounded by mountains and a lake right next to us. I was stunned that the staff only needed this field – all the rest was brought or built, such as kitchen, toilet, big tent, benches. But before really settling in, we split up in small groups and went on a hike. And the heat? It didn’t stop anyone from pulling through. I appreciated the energy of our hiking group: fast in walking and easy in resting. An image that will stay with me forever: us sitting on the top of a mountain, surrounded by other high peaks and being able to look kilometers far in each direction. And of course, a sunset to top it off! After a chill day (for me and many others) next to a clear and ice-cold river, we hiked back altogether. And already, a sense of coming home when we arrived at our main campsite.
Campomic summer camp 2019 Istanbul-Turkey
Campomic summer camp 2019 Istanbul-Turkey
From that moment on, time is a bit blurry. I got into this amazing daily rhythm of breakfast, singing, workshop, lunch, siesta, games/alternative workshop, supper, and evening program. It was so easy to follow and just go from one part to the next. My phone and watch were no longer of big importance. It allowed me to be so much more at the moment and enjoying that to the fullest! Like doing synchronized swimming in the lake. Crazy moments in the kitchen. Watching ‘Black Cat, White Cat’ in the big tent, all cozy together. Singing! Sitting in the big circle, with delicious food. Some unforgettable theme evenings. Campfires. Eye-opening conversations. Hidden talents uncovering at the open stage. Real-life soap about twins. Taking extra care of a ‘secret friend’. It was a time for me to connect more deeply to myself. Slow down, take care, listen, reflect, enjoy. And a time to connect to wonderful others! Talk, sing, dance, laugh, and hug. Those others coming from all around the world. Only that already opened my eyes. One other aspect of IYC that I absolutely love, is the age differences. Or should I say the absence of it? Age gaps between staff and participants are much smaller, sometimes overlapping. I remember a conversation one of the first days with a staff member when I was still so surprised by this. She put it easily and clearly: the staff organizes and everyone is there to enjoy. I like the freedom and taking your own responsibility that comes with that. Many times I felt inspired by the staff, through one-on-one conversations, through stories at theme evenings. And ‘just’ them together as a group. I absolutely loved it; and I knew, this was only the beginning of a new journey.
