I don't care about money, I just want to BE WONDERFUL- Marilyn Monroe: CAMP VALOR

Teen leadership camp for boys. Four days. Fifty male teenagers.

Agenda:

-College tour with 3 stops- 2 technical institutes and one state university

-Weekend long "World Cup" competition between groups

-Career panel with local professionals

-Vocational Exam

-Egg drop!

-P90X Kickboxing

-Obstacle course

-Soccer, of course

-Sex Ed Talk

-Campfire! With S'mores :)

I could ramble on about how awesome this was, but I think my photos will get that across better than my words. I will say, though, that it was great to be a part of this event and I'm really happy to have brought a few boys from Ascope to take part in the camp. I think it was a great thing for them and I'm glad they were able to participate. For some of them, this was one of their first and only trips or nights spent away from home.

When we first left Ascope last Thursday night and met with the group at our meting place in Trujillo, my boys told me they had to go to the bathroom, for the second time in 15 minutes. I let them, knowing they would probably go get snacks or something that did not involve the bathroom. The place we were in is safe and I thought I'd give them a few minutes to explore without me. I wanted them to warm up and feel comfortable, because they were acting way too shy for their normal personalities. So when they came back about 10 minutes later, I asked where they actually went. Turns out, on the way in, they saw an elevator. Having never been in an elevator EVER, they rode up to the top floor and back down a few times. They are 14, 15, and 17 years old. I can't imagine never having been in an elevator at that age. We talked about the elevator for a good 15 minutes. About the doors and the sensors and how they work. It's funny the things you think are normal, or the things you assume everyone is used to.

So yeah, the boys at this camp were from the rural areas of Peru where Peace Corps volunteers live. That means that a lot of the things we did were totally new to them, which is one of the reasons I say that it was fantastic to be involved in this event.

But, like I said, photos say it best, so here you are. I wish I could upload more, but my internet and morning schedule won't allow that for now. Here is a small pile of many photos from the weekend.