The joys of Grade 5 Camp

Last week I took my Grade 5 class to camp. Unlike the USA culture of sending children to summer camps en masse, in South Africa very few children ever get to go to camp. In the particular school (a private one) where I teach, some of the children go on a one week to three week camp run by a youth movement. But many of the children do not sleep away from home all that often. The increased crime in our cities partly has caused a culture of over-protecting children; but partly it is caused too by a culture of comfort which means camp, with somewhat less than luxurious surroundings is not always that attractive. However, once a year we take the children on a two or three day camp and, as teachers, we work really hard to organise and run a programme that is worthwhile, while at the same time we run the kitchen, organise the meals, supervise chores, do the first aid, etc.

However, despite the hard work involved, I love taking the children to camp. I love the vibe there. I love seeing them outside of the classroom. I love them seeing me outside of the classroom. I think it is probably one of the most worthwhile opportunities I have during the year to relate to the children in such a way that enables us all to grow. The purpose of my camp is to build relationships, give them opportunities to work cooperatively in groups, develop leadership and to have fun, fun, fun! We are blessed in South Africa with a wonderful climate and we live on the spectacularly beautiful Cape Peninsula. So we set off for Simonstown and settled into a far more luxurious campsite than the camps I remember as a child - brick buildings, flushing toilets, hot water showers, bunk beds with mattrasses - a far cry from the tents, with ground sheets and sleeping bags, and latrines dug in the back of beyond!

The kids loved the varied programme and we all enjoyed our visit to the beach across the road. The view of the sea was spectacular and we all had a lot of fun. But this year there was an extra dimension, an unusual one, an encounter that had unexpected results! We were visited by a troop of baboons. They are big, ugly animals and tourists give them food which has made them bold and greedy. We had no intention of feeding them and were all very pleased when they finally passed through and left us alone. That night, for the first time ever at camp, no-one knocked on my door. I was astonished, but the next morning the children explained that they were too scared to open their dormitory doors in case baboons walked in. I had to laugh. Later that day one of the boys set off for the toilet and came back white and shaken. On opening the toilet door, he startled a baboon on the toilet! He literally shot out of his shoes and ran back to us in his socks. He asked me to fetch his shoes ..... wishful thinking on his part - I felt strongly that if the baboon wanted his shoes, far be it for me to stand in his path! The story has a happy ending as the baboon left his shoes behind and we were able to retrieve them later. But the baboons made discipline at the camp a cinch! Bless the baboons.