I arrived in Kiten, Bulgaria on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, for my fourth year at Zenira Camp.  Kiten, Bulgaria is a seaside resort town on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast.  When I first agreed to spend the summer at a youth language and sports camp in Bulgaria, I was somewhat surprised to find out it was hosted at a hotel, Hotel Green Park.  Memories of summer camp in my youth, many, many moons ago, were cabins in the woods in the mountains of Pennsylvania with toilet and shower facilities in a separate “cabin-like” building.  We had to bring flashlights in case we needed to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.  I discovered camps housed in hotels are quite common in Europe.  I also thought it would be nothing like the experience I had as a youth at summer camp.  How wrong I was.

How can camps be so drastically different in appearance, yet be cherished by campers and staff alike?  Why do kids love camp?  Because camp is fun, right?  Sure, we have a lot of great things to do…beach days, windsurfing, basketball, volleyball, football, etc.

We have specialty clubs like engineering, science, music, British vs American, British slang, drama, debate, and journalism.  Evening activities include the staff vs campers challenge, movie night, board game night, murder mystery, karaoke, project night, award night, and a campfire, to name a few.  We go on amazing off-site excursions each week.

The campers visit Beglik Tash which is a prehistoric rock sanctuary.  They take a boat ride down the Veleka River, visit a camel park and the historic cities of Nessebar and Sozopol.  There is a trip to an Aqua Park and a chance to play mini golf and test their skills on high ropes.   So, the reason kids love summer camp must be because it’s fun???

Ahhh, but we also have 25 hours of English classroom lessons and immersion activities per week.  I should also add that screen/phone time is limited to about 30-40 minutes per day.

 

If it isn’t the fun of the activities that bring kids back every year, what is it?  I am sitting in my room this morning after 08:00.  I am at the end of the boys’ corridor and hear loud singing and laughter coming down the hallway.  It is a group of boys just happy to be here and headed to the morning beach activities.  What is the key ingredient that sparks so much laughter, singing, dancing, and excitement throughout the days and leads to rivers of tears on that last night if it isn’t fun?

Camp is more than just fun.  Through fun, kids unknowingly develop skills they will need later in life.  At Zenira, they spend 2 weeks (sometimes more) in a close-knit community that forces them to cooperate, communicate, and compromise.  Within their day, as they interact with staff, mentors, and fellow campers, they encounter caring, kindness, and understanding.  As the days go by, during “phone time”, you notice campers making that call to mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa, and then they put their phone away instead of using up all their allotted time.  Instead of using screen time as entertainment, they are kept physically active and entertained through creativity and interpersonal engagement. Zenira Camp is a place without the social pressures and expectations to “be” a certain way.

When I say Zenira Camp has heart, you may think it refers to the camp’s emphasis on creating a nurturing, supportive, and enriching environment.  And you would be correct.  We also try to foster a sense of community and prioritize the emotional well-being of campers.  Character-building activities are designed to teach core values like teamwork, respect, responsibility, and kindness.  Campers are encouraged, but not forced, to try new things and take risks in a positive environment without fear of judgment or failure.  Through inclusive activities, Zenira strives to ensure that every child finds something they can enjoy and excel at.  Most of all, we try to create lasting memories through meaningful and fun activities, traditions, and shared experiences. Memories that will last a lifetime and positively shape their future attitudes and behaviors.

All those things shape the heart of Zenira, but to me, when I say Zenira has heart, it is something far more personal. It’s when a camper from a previous year comes up to you and asks if you remember them.  You smile and say, “Of course”.  Then they proceed to tell you their story;  that time the summer before they told you their dream was to go to the USA and live and work.  At the end of that camp, you gave them a one-dollar bill and told them not to give up on their dream.  Then they continue and say they have the dollar taped to their computer and anytime they want to give up on their dream, they look at the dollar and think of you and your words.

At the end of the last session of camp, on the last night before they head off to bed, one of your students (the one who seemed disinterested, and you didn’t think you got through to) comes up and hugs you and says thank you with wet eyes.  Then you look over and see one of the biggest kids in camp bawling his eyes out and giving a giant bear hug to one of your colleagues, who happens to be 6’ 10”.  The start of this session, a camper came up to me and asked if remembered her.  Again, I answered with, “Of course”.  She then reminded me that we had talked about the book, “Le Petit Prince”.  She told me every time she reads that book she thinks of me and Zenira Camp.  Today at lunch, a young lady sat at my table and reminded me she was in my class 3 years ago.  She said, “I’ll never forget, you gave us mango and that was the first time I ever ate mango.

Zenira has heart because you never know what effect you have on these kids just by being you.  Zenira “Camp is where you discover the ‘you’ you never knew existed.” Author unknown