Culture Shock
When
you first arrive at your summer camp everything might
be a bit too much to take in, the drastic change in scenery
may take time to adjust to. This
even applies if you are going to work at a summer camp
in your native country because of the issolated areas
camps are usually in.
You
will meet a lot of new people, and remembering peoples
names at first could be a problem, but don't worry with
time you will pick them up. Camp
lifestyle is like nothing else in the world, even though
you may be exhausted from the flight and travel to camp
try to remain upbeat and enthusiastic.
Jet
Lag
Jetlag
is caused by a complex combination of circumstances. First,
there are the environmental deviations of traveling, shifts
in time, alterations in magnetic fields, modifications
in climate, and diversities in cultures.
As
if this weren't enough, flying in commercial jets we are
forced into a sickening environment where we are deprived
of air and humidity while exposed to radiation, pesticides,
and pollution, just like bad conditions on the ground,
only more so.
Jetlag
affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally. A physical
example is swollen feet. A mental example is disorientation.
An emotional one is anxiety. Swollen feet are caused by
the low air pressure on board and lack of circulation
from sitting for long periods without moving.
To
remedy this, Abstaining from alcoholic beverages in flight
(and drinking lots of water instead), is both a physical
and a mental remedy, it helps to offset dehydration, and
it promotes mental clarity.
·
When you first buckle up on your flight, set your watch
to the local time at your arrival destination as a mental
commitment to support the process of re-setting your biological
cycles.
·
Sleep on board if your flight lands in the morning. Avoid
sleeping on board if your flight lands in the evening.
The important thing to remember is that you want to be
able to sleep at night at your new destination.
·
To help speed up acclimatisation, go outside during daylight
hours. Even being in a room with windows helps to enlighten
our body clocks. Natural light automatically cues our
cells to the new local cosmology.
·
Flying west usually produces less jetlag than flying east.
This is because eastbound travel crunches the day to less
than 24 hours, so at bedtime we're not sleepy and then
it's hard to get up in the morning.
Staff
Visits
During
your summer, staff from the company you travelled with
may come and visit you. Do not worry, this is common and
is your chance to say how your summer is going and to
ask questions.
Early
Departure from Camp
Unfortunately
not all summer camp staff will compete the whole of the
summer. There are several reason for this:
·
You decide to leave early
·
You leave due to a family illness, death emergency
·
Employment is terminated by the camp due to violation
of the rules
·
Employment is terminated by camp due to poor work performance
If
you do have to leave your summer prematurely then do not
panic, stay clam and ask your camp directors or company
who sent you over for assistance in getting back to your
home country promptly and safely.
