My Americamp Adventure

Hello Lovelies!

I know you will all be excited and getting prepared for camp (I know I sure am!). I know and understand how daunting it is packing for camp if you have never been to camp before, so I thought let's write a packing list! There are some things I wish i'd have taken less/more of last year, and these mistakes I will (hopefully) learn from. I highly advise for anyone travelling prior or after camp to buy packing cubes to organise your clothing so you aren't rummaging around your case and messing up your nearly packed clothes every day!

This may mainly help females, but here goes...

Essentials:

• BRITISH TEA BAGS! PLENTY OF THEM!!!!!!!

• 14 x underwear

• 14 x pair of socks (they go missing)

• 1 or 2 appropriate bikinis/swimsuits (unless you're waterfront or a general counselor then PLEASE take more, I never went into the water! Only on 4th July when I was thrown in) 

• 1 or 2 warm hoodies/fleeces

• 1 pair of warm PJ's (It's really cold at the start of camp)

• Girls - take a few t-shirts and pairs of comfy shorts to sleep in

• 10 x Day tops

• 5 x Nice tops for days off and nights off

• 3 x pairs of jeans

• 3 x pair of jean shorts

• 3 x pair of fabric shorts

• 3 x active wear leggings

• A thin waterproof jacket with a hood

• 3 x sports bra's (you can always buy more active wear at Walmart or TJ Maxx!)

• 1 pair of good comfy trainers, 1 pair of sports/running trainers, 1 pair of nice sandals, 1 pair of dolly shoes/ballet pumps 

• A little bottle of sun cream and after sun - again, if you're waterfront or a general please just buy a big bottle at walmart. I took far too much sun cream for the summer and I only used it once on a day off!

• Straighteners (I took Remmington's and they were FAB, even with the voltage in the US)

• PEOPLE OF FRENCHWOODS: Pack a nice banquet outfit like a dress, or playsuit etc, last year I didn't pack anything half as nice as people had brought, so therefore I ran around Philadelphia in a mad panic to try and find a banquet outfit - I was not impressed with my outfit but hey ho!

• A toiletry bag with a hook (you can get these from Primark, my best purchase of 2017)

• Mini pack of makeup wipes

• Mini travel shampoo

• Mini travel conditioner

• Mini shaving foam

• Mini body wash

• 1 x disposable Razor

• Face cloth

• Body sponge

• Mini tooth paste

• Toothbrush (and a toothbrush cover, you can get them from the pound shop, I felt more hygienic with a cover over mine!)

• Hair grips

• Hair tie's

• Mini elastic bands - essential if you can french/dutch plait. I spent almost every morning french braiding my campers (or co-counselors hair). 

• Bring your own lightweight bath towel (so that your weight isn't taken up by a towel!) if staying in a hostel before camp, check to see if the hostel provides towels etc.

• Face cloth

• 2/3 x US plug adapters

• PORTABLE CHARGERS!

• Extension lead from your home country

• Photographs from home to pin up in your bunk, the kids love learning about your home life and seeing photographs of your family

• If you're a coffee lover, either bring the 3in1 or 2in1 coffee sachets (you can get so many from the pound shop etc) it may take up less weight that bringing along a jar of your fav coffee

• Revolut travel card, you can get these online and you get sent a physical card as well as being able to control your payments through the app. You can transfer money from your bank and transfer it into any currency. You get the best exchange rate at the time too, mine was a life saver!

• BUG SPRAY! I recommend Mosi Guard, it is not only insect repellent... but people repellent! But it does the job

• Extra piercings such as nose studs in case you lose them, clear piercing jewellery etc if your camp requires (Frenchwoods clan, we need clear piercing jewellery!)

• Bring along a few extra pairs of your fav false eyelashes and some stick on nails from Primark (best things ever!!), you might want to have a little pamper before banquet!

• A big bottle of shampoo and conditioner (I recommend the big Tresemme bottles)

• Big bottle of shaving foam and a packet of razors

• Toothpaste and extra toothbrushes

• Big bottle of body wash

• NEW BEDDING! Camp gives you basic bedding which is not great. I advise if you're travelling after camp, buy a sleeping bag. If not, buy proper fluffy bedding. It was the best decision I made and the best $30 I spent.

• Fairy lights to make your bunk feel homely

• A hairdryer

• Any extra makeup needed (Walmart sells Rimmel London products - my go to cheap foundation) Do NOT take expensive make-up, it may get lost or broken and it's not worth it - side note, a cleaner in San Fran stole my smashbox contour kit, I was NOT impressed.

• A box of plasters (or band aids as the Americans call them!)

• Any extra medication like Vitamins (my lifesavers), Sudafed (WILL BE NEEDED), Antihistamines (for those whom suffer with hayfever like me) *note* These will need 
• to be kept in your camps infirmary/wellness centre and NOT in the bunks!!

• An umbrella

• Wellies! Or gum boots... or whatever you like to call them!

• A hot water bottle

• A nice little cup for coffee/tea (or even a flask) so you don't have to drink out of polystyrene all summer

• Plenty of face masks!!! 

• An extra bath towel 

• A water bottle

• A US USB plug - This came in so handy for charging things so I did not have to carry a US adapter around

Hey Guys!

Basically spent most of the evening teaching myself how to edit all the codes and colours for my blog! As you can probably tell, I am by far the least technical person ever and now the whole of my blog seems to be one colour??? But shout out to Emma for helping my blog look pretty!

I had my visa appointment yesterday and I wanted to be pretty sharp on an upload as I know that a lot of people have their appointment tomorrow (9th) and also some people have their sometime late this month.

SO, where do I begin? Let's start with the coach journey down to London... Did I mention I was getting an OVERNIGHT coach to London Victoria?

At 11.30pm on the 6th March my friends walked me to the other side of Newcastle to catch my coach. All I wanted was a quiet coach journey with two seats to myself so I could at least try get some sleep. Needless to say, I did not get my desired coach journey. It was in fact quite the opposite. 

A foreign exchange student from Bangladesh sat next to me. He started by asking me if I was married because I was wearing a nose ring? Which I thought was very peculiar, however, in his culture, many women whom are married wear a nose ring! Interesting, but NO, I am not married? He was then very intrigued about Western views on arranged marriages and having children out of wedlock. The more the conversation developed, the closer he moved towards me, the more I moulded into the coach window.

The next 6 hours of my coach trip consisted of being squashed facing outside the window, sitting as still as I could, trying to dissolve in the seat and wishing I was in London already. I had a sore neck all day, it was traumatic let me tell you.

At 6.40am we arrived in London Victoria coach station. I sprinted off the confined coach, however, I managed to leave my phone on the coach... great stuff. Thank the Lord, it was still on my seat. After an already traumatic day, I prayed to God the rest of the day would run smoothly.

I have visited London countless times from being a young age, and I must say, I did pretty well finding my way to Victoria underground station and actually getting on the right tube to Green Park! I then proceeded to find Emma's hotel to meet her so we could walk to the embassy together.

The embassy is so easy to find. From Victoria, it is only one stop on the Victoria line to Green Park. From Green Park it is literally a 10 minute walk to the embassy!

We arrived at the embassy at around 7.15am, AmeriCamp hadn't arrived yet so we decided to have a walk to calm our nerves. When we got back, AmeriCamp still hadn't arrived and Emma's appointment was at 8am and mine was 8.30am. However, we were told that these times are only provisional times to ensure a big clump of people don't turn up all at once which will create delays.

Once two people from AmeriCamp arrived, we collected a form and signed and dated it. We then joined a queue together  outside to have our documents checked, then joined another queue to have our passports checked and made our way through airport style security.




I have previously heard that people couldn't take their bags in, however, we did.

On entering the building, a couple of barcodes were scanned and we were given a waiting number, and sat in the waiting room.

I was very shocked at the layout of the room, there was a massive screen at the front with various waiting numbers popping up. Rows of chairs were covering 3/4 of the room and on the right hand side were booths. Emma, a girl we met outside and I were only sat for around 10 minutes. They reminded me of a bank when you go to the counter, there's a piece of glass separating you from the person at the other side. The man was sat on a chair and I was stood on the other side, with two walls either side of me for privacy.

The man checked over my paperwork and registered my finger prints. I was then sent to another booth around the corner. This man was American, he checked my fingerprints and documents, I was never asked for any proof that I was returning home. The man only asked me how long I was planning to stay in the states for, then told me he hoped I had a good time in America and that my visa was approved!

What was I even worried about?

By this time, it was only 8.40am, we had been in the embassy a mere 15/20 minutes! We caught Fran and Robbie outside the embassy waiting to collect their forms (Robbie's interview was meant to be at 11am and Fran's at 9am, however they were both done by 9.30am too!






Whilst Fran and Robbie were waiting for their appointments, Emma and I took a walk to Buckingham palace to visit Queen Lizzy for a cuppa and bumped into her parents on the way. We then got the call that Fran and Robbie's visa had been approved and they were in Starbucks near the embassy. By the time we reached Starbucks, it wasn't even 10am and i had already hit my 10,000 step goal for the day.

Emma then ventured out to meet her fellow camp friends, and we met a bunch of people whom are returning to camp this year, and also people in the same situation as me and it's their first year too!

We then all took a 12 mile trek to the "nearest" Weatherspoon's, Fran nearly collapsed from malnutrition and Robbie nearly passed out from being delirious with his little trolley dolly case by his side. We had a lovely time in 'spoons and had such a laugh. I must have been laughing for 3/4 of the day.

It may also be worthy to mention that I am in fact going to camp with a Wizard (FACT). Ben, whom has been to Frenchwoods for a couple of summers is a genuine magician, I swear! He was showing us some card tricks, and I'm not sure whether I witnessed some kind of sorcery? But Ben definitely received his Hogwarts letter. 

P.S BEN, I will check for that tattoo under your watch.





All in all, it was an amazing day. I met some lovely people and couldn't be happier to be spending my summer with them. It was also so great to see Fran and Emma again! I cannot believe it's been almost a year since we met!

I have met the most incredible people over the last year, I can't believe how fast it is all going! Only 82 days to go!

AND, if your visa appointment is tomorrow or late this month GOOD LUCK! Do not worry, it is not scary at all!

*FUN FACT* After walking 10 miles yesterday around London on 0 sleep, Miss Brain Box here thought it would be a fab idea to walk 6.5 miles today. My friends and I had a pleasant long walk to Jesmond Dene. I felt like I was walking on my genuine bones. Jesmond Dene is a beautiful place, so close to the city too. There were also animals kept there which were so cute! My poor little feet are paying for it now though and I am in pain.

Now I am hopefully going to catch up on my sleep and catch up on 10000 hours of lost sleep!

NIGHT!

Jade♥ xoxo

P.s - If anyone wants to take 5 mins out of their time to complete my Psychology study for my final first year lab report that would be FAB! Thank you https://nupsych.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ePOUxIyQkacKqNL?Q_CHL=social&Q_SocialSource=facebook

Pp.s - If anybody cares, here are some pictures from Jesmond Dene today and the cute animals! MUM I WANT A RABBIT!

Hi Guys,

I haven't posted anything in a while! I moved house in June and in the end we haven't had WiFi for over a month (which has been traumatic) and I have been on holiday in Kavos!





 I also started my AmeriCamp scrapbook! I figured, rather than losing everything in my VIP pack, I stuck them in to a scrapbook. I will add various little bits to the scrapbook as I go!

I had my interview on July 14th too! With a lovely woman called Donna. If you haven't had your interview yet, do not even stress. It is literally as informal as an interview can get. It's like having a casual chat. You just get asked to go in to more depth about your skills and get given a few scenarios - which are quite simple, especially if you've had a lot of work experience with children! 

Your interviewer will also give you advice on how to improve your application. At first on my application, my 3 top skills were, Performing Arts, Dance and Acting. However, after speaking to Donna, she advised me to put textiles as my third skill as I have had quite a lot of experience doing textiles work. This was just to give my application more variety!

I found that the interview was very similar to my last interview which was a great help as I knew kind of what to expect! Although there was a technical issue with skype so we had to facetime instead haha! I also had to go to my Aunties for WiFi. First world problems! Thanks Aunty Di ♥