[bessa-66]

Hi everyone, this forum is a gold mine of information, so I thought I could find some good info here for this question as well! Admins, please remove if not allowed. Anyway, I just got accepted into an American summer camp as a Wilderness trip leader and counsellor. I'm from Australia, can any of our US members shed some light on what I've signed up for? Has anyone been a counselor before, or even gone as a camper? Any info would be greatly appreciated!!
EDIT:
I didn't put up all the info as I thought it would be removed. I will be working at Camp Walden in Maine as An Adventure Trip Leader, taking campers on hikes into the bush trails around the camp. I will also be a lifeguard on the lakeside, looking after swimmers and helping out with canoeing. So the position has been fully described to me, which is good! Thanks to all of you below telling me to be careful!
Thank you kindly,
James

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Last edited by bessa-66; 01-15-2017 at 05:08 PM.

[SpecialK]

I'm from Australia, can any of our US members shed some light on what I've signed up for? Has anyone been a counselor before, or even gone as a camper? Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you kindly,
James

Was there no job description/requirements from your employer? It sounds like you will be backpacking, sharing survival skills, and singing around a campfire, among other things :-)

[Perthspartan]

Hi everyone, this forum is a gold mine of information, so I thought I could find some good info here for this question as well! Admins, please remove if not allowed. Anyway, I just got accepted into an American summer camp as a Wilderness trip leader and counsellor. I'm from Australia, can any of our US members shed some light on what I've signed up for? Has anyone been a counselor before, or even gone as a camper? Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you kindly,
James

Hi James,
I did camp in USA in 89, many moons ago and loved it... I'm from Perth and my camp was in Maine...what do you wanna know?? I lived in NY for almost a year after camp n sold hot dogs LOl (not meant to work but it wasn't a lot of money I was making was more to pass the time as my Misses was working in NY also..

[bessa-66]

Was there no job description/requirements from your employer? It sounds like you will be backpacking, sharing survival skills, and singing around a campfire, among other things :-)

The only job description was to be enthusiastic and be yourself! I'm keen!!

[alamo5000]

It didn't tell you where (which state) or what kind of camp it was?

A lot of religious organizations do camps where the kids can do fun stuff without getting into trouble. Camping out, sitting around a camp fire, fishing, hiking, paddling a canoe, whatever.

From what I gather there are religious affiliated and non religious affiliated camps of this nature. In the US the kids get summer break so they are all pretty much at home for 3 months 'bored' and hence often their parents sign them up for a camp experience.

I live waaaay out in the country so camping, hiking, fishing etc is not new to me, but many kids in places like New York City or whatever will get sent to camps where they do stuff like live on a farm for 6 weeks or something like that. I have literally met people before that had never seen a real live cow!

Generally though it's supposed to be a fun experience where people make friends etc and the adults are there to make sure little Billy doesn't play Tarzan and break a leg or to make sure the older kids don't bully the smaller ones... and to organize and supervise their activities and games or whatever.

Think Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts only it's for boys and girls and you will probably be doing a whole lot of different activities.

I've never done it but that's my take on the whole thing.

[monochrome]

Ask them to send you the activities brochure they send to prospective parents. It will tell you everything the campers do, all the safety factors, where the camp is, what the name of the camp is, who sponsors the camp, what the campers bring, how to get there, when it starts and ends etc.

Also ask for the camp counselor guidebook. That will tell you everything you should not do. VERY IMPORTANT!! You have to know EVERYTHING you SHOULD NOT DO, SHOULD NOT BRING, AND SHOULD NOT SAY!!!! Camps have very strict protocols for counselors actions, words and thoughts. You must know in advance what is WRONG and avoid it AT ALL COSTS!!!

[csa]

Ask them to send you the activities brochure they send to prospective parents. It will tell you everything the campers do, all the safety factors, where the camp is, what the name of the camp is, who sponsors the camp, what the campers bring, how to get there, when it starts and ends etc.

Also ask for the camp counselor guidebook. That will tell you everything you should not do. VERY IMPORTANT!! You have to know EVERYTHING you SHOULD NOT DO, SHOULD NOT BRING, AND SHOULD NOT SAY!!!! Camps have very strict protocols for counselors actions, words and thoughts. You must know in advance what is WRONG and avoid it AT ALL COSTS!!!

James, the above is great information! I can't believe that even after you've been accepted that you have not been given any information as to where, what, etc. If they won't give you full information, I'd be very skeptical of this "job". Giving absolutely no information doesn't seem like something a reputable organization would do. What about your airfare, etc., has that been covered?

As far as job description; depending on where this would be, swimming would be a necessity, I would think; in order to keep the children safe. There's many questions I would want answered before I board that flight!

[stevebrot]

Who is the employer and which camp? As a wilderness trip leader, you would be expected to have advanced first aid and rescue skills (Wilderness First Responder is the standard) as well as knowledge for the area you will be taking the campers into. Hiring out-of-country for such a position is highly unusual. You need more info if the offer is legitimate.


Steve

(...worked several years as counselor including wilderness trips...daughter and son-in-law have many years as well, both currently with NOLS...)

[Parallax]

Watch the movie "Meatballs".

[bessa-66]

Ask them to send you the activities brochure they send to prospective parents. It will tell you everything the campers do, all the safety factors, where the camp is, what the name of the camp is, who sponsors the camp, what the campers bring, how to get there, when it starts and ends etc.

Also ask for the camp counselor guidebook. That will tell you everything you should not do. VERY IMPORTANT!! You have to know EVERYTHING you SHOULD NOT DO, SHOULD NOT BRING, AND SHOULD NOT SAY!!!! Camps have very strict protocols for counselors actions, words and thoughts. You must know in advance what is WRONG and avoid it AT ALL COSTS!!!

I'll check out the website! Cheers

---------- Post added 01-15-17 at 05:09 PM ----------

Watch the movie "Meatballs".

Haha OK!

---------- Post added 01-15-17 at 05:13 PM ----------

Who is the employer and which camp? As a wilderness trip leader, you would be expected to have advanced first aid and rescue skills (Wilderness First Responder is the standard) as well as knowledge for the area you will be taking the campers into. Hiring out-of-country for such a position is highly unusual. You need more info if the offer is legitimate.
Steve

(...worked several years as counselor including wilderness trips...daughter and son-in-law have many years as well, both currently with NOLS...)

Camp Walden in Maine. I was hired through a job fair hosted by CCUSA Australia, a legit company based here and in the US. They had the camp directors from the camps there to interview applicants. Turns out they love Aussies for their outside input.
I'm looking forward to it, and I know it's going to be different, that's all!

---------- Post added 01-15-17 at 05:16 PM ----------

James, the above is great information! I can't believe that even after you've been accepted that you have not been given any information as to where, what, etc. If they won't give you full information, I'd be very skeptical of this "job". Giving absolutely no information doesn't seem like something a reputable organization would do. What about your airfare, etc., has that been covered?

As far as job description; depending on where this would be, swimming would be a necessity, I would think; in order to keep the children safe. There's many questions I would want answered before I board that flight!

Sorry I was misleading in my original post. I was accepted by Camp Walden in. Maine, through CCUSA, a t a legitimate job fair event. I'm a wilderness leader, looking after bush treks and things. All legit, they just like to hire Aussies I suppose thanks for the advice as well

---------- Post added 01-15-17 at 05:17 PM ----------

Ask them to send you the activities brochure they send to prospective parents. It will tell you everything the campers do, all the safety factors, where the camp is, what the name of the camp is, who sponsors the camp, what the campers bring, how to get there, when it starts and ends etc.

Also ask for the camp counselor guidebook. That will tell you everything you should not do. VERY IMPORTANT!! You have to know EVERYTHING you SHOULD NOT DO, SHOULD NOT BRING, AND SHOULD NOT SAY!!!! Camps have very strict protocols for counselors actions, words and thoughts. You must know in advance what is WRONG and avoid it AT ALL COSTS!!!

Yes some of them were very strict! I'll check it all out! Thanks for the advice

[aslyfox]

one more note of caution, do you have the necessary documentation allowing you to work in the U S

[Sagitta]

Oh, well, hell.

You'll be less than 2 hours away, that's darn near local around these parts.

Where you're going is right almost up against the White Mountains, so expect things to get chillier than you may normally expect at night. Pack bug spray to. Trust me. Not sure how much of the local population you'll be seeing, but expect a bit of a language barrier if you do - the Maine accent can get thick, it can be tricky for a native speaker to understand at times.

Maine has an absolutely enormous summer camp industry, hiring people (especially foreign counselors) is a Thing up here. Definitely pack your camera, you'll find plenty of photo opportunities out in the woods. You won't be too far from Mount Washington or Portland, so you may get a chance to visit one of them, to.

[ChrisPlatt]

one more note of caution, do you have the necessary documentation allowing you to work in the U S

Indeed, don't let what happened to your neighbors happen to you...

You Tube

You Tube

Chris

[bessa-66]

Oh, well, hell.

You'll be less than 2 hours away, that's darn near local around these parts.

Where you're going is right almost up against the White Mountains, so expect things to get chillier than you may normally expect at night. Pack bug spray to. Trust me. Not sure how much of the local population you'll be seeing, but expect a bit of a language barrier if you do - the Maine accent can get thick, it can be tricky for a native speaker to understand at times.

Maine has an absolutely enormous summer camp industry, hiring people (especially foreign counselors) is a Thing up here. Definitely pack your camera, you'll find plenty of photo opportunities out in the woods. You won't be too far from Mount Washington or Portland, so you may get a chance to visit one of them, to.

Thanks so much! I'll definitely be bringing the bug spray then! Sounds like an awesome place. What are temperatures like during the day? I'm used to summer temperatures being 30-40 degrees Celsius (86-104 degrees Fahrenheit- all your water must be boiling! 😂&#128514

[Sagitta]

Thanks so much! I'll definitely be bringing the bug spray then! Sounds like an awesome place. What are temperatures like during the day? I'm used to summer temperatures being 30-40 degrees Celsius (86-104 degrees Fahrenheit- all your water must be boiling! 😂&#128514

If we break 85 degrees, people start acting like they're going to die of heat stroke. Figure about 10-20 degrees cooler than your norm. Its not unknown for it to drop into the low 50's at night even in the summer.