I leave for Rome in 2 day! AHHH! I am getting really excited about it! I am getting board in Memphis and am very ready to start the semester and my European adventure. I have spent this past week gathering everything I must have to live for the next 4 months. My mom was kind enough to take Thursday and Friday afternoon off and not only run errands with me but also foot the bill for all of the stuff I need to buy! I love my mom and was great-full to have her company (and her wallet), this week. I think I have figured out everything I am taking. Tomorrow I will figure out how I am going to pack it all in my one giant duffel bag and large back pack. For those of you who know me well and I have seen my closet should be impressed that I am only taking about 8 pairs of pants, and about 25 shirts for 4 whole months.
Well the next time I write will probably be from Rome! I cant wait for the adventure to begin!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Small Town Girl
As you all know I am back in Memphis for about 2 weeks before I leave from Rome. While I have only been back about 4 days it is very clear that I am not the big city girl that I once was. Perhaps it is just my deep deep love for Fayetteville, but I am proud to say I am a small town girl. What makes me say that I am no longer a big city girl you might ask? Well let me just share a few stories/ facts about the last few days. While all of you from Fayetteville get a bit nervous about my aggressive driving, I have apparently lost my touch when it comes to driving in the big city. Apparently when you are driving in Memphis you are going to slow if go the speed limit and if you aren't half way through the light the second it turns green you are crazy. Lets just say I have been honked at a lot, and in my opinion for no reason. Second, over the last few days I have had several appointments and lunch dates with friends and family, and lets just say I haven't been on time to a single one. Now, I am typically a punctual person, but I am not use to it taking a half hour to get everywhere. This long travel time is really cramping my style. I mean heck, church is the only place that it took me more than ten minutes to get too in Fayetteville, and that because it is in Rogers! Also, I just hate the traffic and all of the drivers are unfriendly. Thirdly, while North West Arkansas News reporting is arguably sub-par at least it isnt all bad. In Memphis the entire new report is on one of 3 topics; murder, rape, or King Willie (Memphis' crazy former mayor who is addicited to crack, resigned so that he could run for senate but is now running for mayor again to "save the city" as he says).
Anyway, I am definitely not a big city girl anymore and am very excited to move back to Fayetteville one day. (Carter if you are reading this "one day" does not mean the spring)
Anyway, I am definitely not a big city girl anymore and am very excited to move back to Fayetteville one day. (Carter if you are reading this "one day" does not mean the spring)
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Fall is Back in Fayetteville...
...and I wont be there to enjoy it! Kamp is over and I am spending a few days in Fayetteville before heading on to Memphis. As I drive through Fayetteville I can just feel the buzz of fall, and while I am excited to be going to Rome, it makes me want to stay here! I love this place. I love the people, the town, the atmosphere, the football, the restaurants, the Dickson Street, the University, my church, and everything else that is great about North West Arkansas. But I know that it is only a matter of time (only a few short years if I have my way) until I return here to live. I can think of no other place I would rather call home and raise a family than Fayetteville, AR.
God has blessed me with an amazing summer. He has used the summer to confirm in both my heart and my head that I want to work in Student Affairs the rest of my life. I loved the internship that I did the first half of the summer. I got to see the business side and the people side of Student Affairs and loved every minute of it. Then I had the opportunity to serve in a leadership role at kamp where I served as a UC. As a UC one of my primary jobs was to work with the counselors by serving them and helping them to do there job better. This further affirmed that I love helping people succeed and feel successful.
That's all for now. T-Minus 18 days till Rome!
God has blessed me with an amazing summer. He has used the summer to confirm in both my heart and my head that I want to work in Student Affairs the rest of my life. I loved the internship that I did the first half of the summer. I got to see the business side and the people side of Student Affairs and loved every minute of it. Then I had the opportunity to serve in a leadership role at kamp where I served as a UC. As a UC one of my primary jobs was to work with the counselors by serving them and helping them to do there job better. This further affirmed that I love helping people succeed and feel successful.
That's all for now. T-Minus 18 days till Rome!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
What I do All Day!
Before I tell you what exactly it is I do all day I thought that I would give a quick update on Kamp. Kamp is going well. It is hard to believe that we are in the middle of 10th term (out of 12). There are only 14 days and 800 more kampers left for the summer. My how time flies. The counselors seem to be doing well. Everyone is getting a bit tiered and having to rely on God more and more each day for there energy, but that is normal and to be expected. It seems that it is always in the these last few weeks of summer when everyone is worn out and feels that they can go on no more that the Lord moves in the biggest ways and does the most amazing things.
Last week was a fun week. I finished my boater safety course and got my Missouri Boaters Licences. I am now a boat drive at kamp. It is a blast. Sorry I didn't post last week, time got away from me on my 2-4.
Now for what I do all day. This is my basic schedule each day. It looks a little different on Change Over Days (the day old kids leave and new ones arrive) and on Day 4 or Church Day/ Man and Girl Day as we like to call it.
Some time between 6:45-7:15- Rise and Shine
7:15-8:00- Check on Counselors who's Co- Counselor are on 2-4 so that they can go to the Bathroom, Brush there Teeth, Check the Schedule for the day etc.
8:00-8:35- Get Dressed, Spend time in Gods Word, Write Letters etc.
8:35-8:45- Check on TPs and Counselors to make sure everyone is going to make sure everyone will make to to Flag on time.
8:45-9:00- Help grade Jr. Kamp Tip Top TP and preform morning Utility Checks to insure all TPs are clean, and all lights and fans work in girls kamp.
9:00-9:15- Counselor Meeting
9:15-9:50- Breakfast
9:50-10:00ish- Sweep Dining Hall
10:00ish-10:30- Help Sr. Kamp Finish Tip Top TP
10:30-11:30 Teach 1st Period Class
11:30-12:30 Teach 2nd Period Class
12:30-1:30- Teach 3rd Period Class
1:30-2:15- Eat Lunch
2:15-2:45ish- Sweep and Mop the Dining Hall
2:45ish-3:00- FOB (Flat of Back) aka Rest Time
3:00-3:15- Attend Counselor Pow Wow or Teach Kamper Pow Wow
3:15-4:15- Teach 4th Period Class
4:15-5:15- Teach 5th Period Class
5:15-6:15- Teach 6th Period Class
I teach 5 periods a day and have 1 off period to use as I please. I usually Drive Boats for 2 periods a day, work ropes for 1 or 2 periods a day and spend the 1 or 2 hours teaching kayak, sail or canoe.
6:15-7:15- Sit on the porch of TPs who have a Counselor on 2-4 so that all Counselors and Kamper may shower. (If I can squeeze it is I also shower at this time)
7:15-Flag
7:15-7:50- Dinner
7:50-8:00ish- Sweep the Dining Hall
8:00ish-9:00ish- Join Kampers and Counselors at Sr. Role Play
9:00ish-10:00ish- Attend and help run evening program
10:00ish-10:30ish- Help counselors get kamper out of the Bathhouse and Back to TP for Devos, and Preform PM Unitility Checks
10:30ish-10:45ish- Copy and Post Schedule for the next day
10:45ish-11:00ish- enforce TAPS and make sure all Counselors and Kamper are in Bed at the correct time
11:00ish-11:30ish- Shower and Get Ready for bed
11:30ish- Go to Bed
In other news: I love getting your mail. Please keep it coming, I am trying really hard to write you back as soon as I get it. While I love kamp I really miss my friends and Fayetteville, but we all have to grow up sometime and move on the the next phase in life and I am ready for the challenge. My friends Vicky and Kevin are moving to Minnisotta on Thursday so it was really great to see them one last time before they move. I can't wait to visit them in the spring. I am excited that Tammy is coming Branson next week to see me and go shopping we have so much to catch up on and it should be a fun girls weekend.
Last week was a fun week. I finished my boater safety course and got my Missouri Boaters Licences. I am now a boat drive at kamp. It is a blast. Sorry I didn't post last week, time got away from me on my 2-4.
Now for what I do all day. This is my basic schedule each day. It looks a little different on Change Over Days (the day old kids leave and new ones arrive) and on Day 4 or Church Day/ Man and Girl Day as we like to call it.
Some time between 6:45-7:15- Rise and Shine
7:15-8:00- Check on Counselors who's Co- Counselor are on 2-4 so that they can go to the Bathroom, Brush there Teeth, Check the Schedule for the day etc.
8:00-8:35- Get Dressed, Spend time in Gods Word, Write Letters etc.
8:35-8:45- Check on TPs and Counselors to make sure everyone is going to make sure everyone will make to to Flag on time.
8:45-9:00- Help grade Jr. Kamp Tip Top TP and preform morning Utility Checks to insure all TPs are clean, and all lights and fans work in girls kamp.
9:00-9:15- Counselor Meeting
9:15-9:50- Breakfast
9:50-10:00ish- Sweep Dining Hall
10:00ish-10:30- Help Sr. Kamp Finish Tip Top TP
10:30-11:30 Teach 1st Period Class
11:30-12:30 Teach 2nd Period Class
12:30-1:30- Teach 3rd Period Class
1:30-2:15- Eat Lunch
2:15-2:45ish- Sweep and Mop the Dining Hall
2:45ish-3:00- FOB (Flat of Back) aka Rest Time
3:00-3:15- Attend Counselor Pow Wow or Teach Kamper Pow Wow
3:15-4:15- Teach 4th Period Class
4:15-5:15- Teach 5th Period Class
5:15-6:15- Teach 6th Period Class
I teach 5 periods a day and have 1 off period to use as I please. I usually Drive Boats for 2 periods a day, work ropes for 1 or 2 periods a day and spend the 1 or 2 hours teaching kayak, sail or canoe.
6:15-7:15- Sit on the porch of TPs who have a Counselor on 2-4 so that all Counselors and Kamper may shower. (If I can squeeze it is I also shower at this time)
7:15-Flag
7:15-7:50- Dinner
7:50-8:00ish- Sweep the Dining Hall
8:00ish-9:00ish- Join Kampers and Counselors at Sr. Role Play
9:00ish-10:00ish- Attend and help run evening program
10:00ish-10:30ish- Help counselors get kamper out of the Bathhouse and Back to TP for Devos, and Preform PM Unitility Checks
10:30ish-10:45ish- Copy and Post Schedule for the next day
10:45ish-11:00ish- enforce TAPS and make sure all Counselors and Kamper are in Bed at the correct time
11:00ish-11:30ish- Shower and Get Ready for bed
11:30ish- Go to Bed
In other news: I love getting your mail. Please keep it coming, I am trying really hard to write you back as soon as I get it. While I love kamp I really miss my friends and Fayetteville, but we all have to grow up sometime and move on the the next phase in life and I am ready for the challenge. My friends Vicky and Kevin are moving to Minnisotta on Thursday so it was really great to see them one last time before they move. I can't wait to visit them in the spring. I am excited that Tammy is coming Branson next week to see me and go shopping we have so much to catch up on and it should be a fun girls weekend.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Life's Simple Pleasures and a Boy Named Jake!
So every year kamp makes me grateful for the simple pleasures in life. I realized as I pulled into kamp last week that we are way too plugged in and attached to our gadgets. In order to get out of my car at kamp I had to unplug and turn off a cell phone (that is basically a computer), a GPS, and an I Pod. It is just crazy how I feel that I need all of those things and wouldnt dare go anywhere without them. While at kamp I don't have any of them, I am perfectly happy, and get my just fine. It really does make me wish we could all just live life a little simpler, without being plugged into 1, 2, or 3 electronic devices all day everyday.
Now for the boy named Jake. Jake has been the highlight of kamp so far. Yesterday we started Term 8 at K-Seven. At the pool party Jake decided that he wanted to go down the Zimmy Shimmy. The Zimmy Shimmy is a talk, steep, white water slide like the ones you find in a water park. I was working the flag at the bottom of the slide while another counselor, McKayla, was sending kids down at the top. When Jake got to the top of the slide he got scared and didn't want to go. To make a long story short. After nearly 45 minutes, 2 other counselors, and watching about 30 other kids go down the slide Jake closed is eyes and let the counselors put him on the slide and send him down. When Jake got to the bottom he came out of the water with a giant smile on his face and couldn't stop telling is counselor how great it was. It is kid like Jake that make my job fun.
For the Kingdom! For the Kids!
Now for the boy named Jake. Jake has been the highlight of kamp so far. Yesterday we started Term 8 at K-Seven. At the pool party Jake decided that he wanted to go down the Zimmy Shimmy. The Zimmy Shimmy is a talk, steep, white water slide like the ones you find in a water park. I was working the flag at the bottom of the slide while another counselor, McKayla, was sending kids down at the top. When Jake got to the top of the slide he got scared and didn't want to go. To make a long story short. After nearly 45 minutes, 2 other counselors, and watching about 30 other kids go down the slide Jake closed is eyes and let the counselors put him on the slide and send him down. When Jake got to the bottom he came out of the water with a giant smile on his face and couldn't stop telling is counselor how great it was. It is kid like Jake that make my job fun.
For the Kingdom! For the Kids!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
OOO-EEE I live in a Tee-Pee
Yes, you are reading that right I live a Tee-Pee. For those of you who don't know one of the things that makes Kanakuk K-Seven Unique is that instead of cabins we live in Tee-Pees. They are about 40 tall and are perched a top large wooden decks with fans in the floor and the top to help fight the southern Missouri heat. They sleep about 14 people in bunk beds, and if you have never slept in a tee-pee then you are missing out. I have been doing it for about 11years now and it is a blast!
I know that many of you have been wondering what ago group I am working with, and up until now my answer to you have been I don't know. Well now I know. When I got to kamp a few days ago they asked me to be a UC (Unit Coordinator) instead of a tradition counselor. I UC works with the counselors in 3-4 tee-pees. Building relationships with the counselors is as important as building relationships with the kids. My main job is to support and help to counselors to develop whatever skills they need to minister to there girls. I am the UC for tee-pees 8,9,10. There are 6 counselors in these 3 tee-pees and there girl range in age from 10-15 with most of them being between the age of 11-13.
As a UC I get to be a boat driver as well. I am very excited about this because it means that I get to be on the lake a lot! I have spent the last several days learning to drive boats, wake board, and pull people around the lake on knee boards, skis, wake boards, and of course tubes. I will be able to drive kids around as soon as I finish my MO boaters license test.
I know that many of you have been wondering what ago group I am working with, and up until now my answer to you have been I don't know. Well now I know. When I got to kamp a few days ago they asked me to be a UC (Unit Coordinator) instead of a tradition counselor. I UC works with the counselors in 3-4 tee-pees. Building relationships with the counselors is as important as building relationships with the kids. My main job is to support and help to counselors to develop whatever skills they need to minister to there girls. I am the UC for tee-pees 8,9,10. There are 6 counselors in these 3 tee-pees and there girl range in age from 10-15 with most of them being between the age of 11-13.
As a UC I get to be a boat driver as well. I am very excited about this because it means that I get to be on the lake a lot! I have spent the last several days learning to drive boats, wake board, and pull people around the lake on knee boards, skis, wake boards, and of course tubes. I will be able to drive kids around as soon as I finish my MO boaters license test.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Kamp Address
Hi Friends,
As most of you know I will be at kamp starting July 6th- Aug. 12th. I will have 5 days off while at kamp but the best way to get in touch with me is through good old fashion snail mail. I fyou would like to come to Branson and visit me on a day off let me know I because I would love to see you. My address at kamp is...
Megan Francis
118 K-Seven Drive
Lampe, MO 65681
I would love to here from you and get mail, so please send mail often as often as you can. Mail always brightens my day and I promise to write you back! Packages are great too! If the message is urgent you can call and leave me a message with the office at 417-266-3570 and I will call you back on my next day off.
I am going to try to update my blog from time to time while between now and the end of kamp so that you can here about my many fun adventures at Kamp. I might even post a few pictures here and there as well.
Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July,
Megan
As most of you know I will be at kamp starting July 6th- Aug. 12th. I will have 5 days off while at kamp but the best way to get in touch with me is through good old fashion snail mail. I fyou would like to come to Branson and visit me on a day off let me know I because I would love to see you. My address at kamp is...
Megan Francis
118 K-Seven Drive
Lampe, MO 65681
I would love to here from you and get mail, so please send mail often as often as you can. Mail always brightens my day and I promise to write you back! Packages are great too! If the message is urgent you can call and leave me a message with the office at 417-266-3570 and I will call you back on my next day off.
I am going to try to update my blog from time to time while between now and the end of kamp so that you can here about my many fun adventures at Kamp. I might even post a few pictures here and there as well.
Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July,
Megan
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