Embracing my inner child

The first week at Carson Beach was kind of an interesting one. Carson Beach differs from many of the sites due to the fact that there are no specific camps or groups that come to the site every day, or even every week. In many ways, the week seemed to operate in the opposite direction than I had expected, but not in a bad way. The first day, it down poured for the first two hours of work. All of a sudden, the rain cleared, and within about an hour, we had 167 children on the beach! The harbor explorers got to work bringing out materials and fun for our new friends to experience! It was actually a great first day, because it allowed us to get to know our site, get our bearings, and get a handle on how the summer might pan out. It was the perfect day for "land fun," and we had an absolute blast interacting with all of the kids on the beach! (Below, Preston engaging in a soccer game with a few children from the Boys and Girls Club, making the best of a not so great weather day)

So this was how our week and our summer began - 167 children to play with, educate, interact with and learn with. And yet, the week did not end the same way. Thursday and Friday were relatively chilly days on the beach, and the water was pretty choppy. So instead of twiddling our thumbs all day, we decided to use the games and materials at our disposal and get to know each other at the same time. There were six of us at carson on Thursday. Six harbor explorers, no children for a long chunk of time. That means it was time for us to be the children. I cannot remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did when I'd see a frisbee fly overhead and hear my team members yell "GET UP!" or hear the phrase "Bridget, HANDS!" only to turn and see a football headed straight for me (I swear my life flashed before my eyes!). I appreciate that we got the opportunity to interact and hang out with each other, because I learned more about what each of my team members can offer to the children we will continue to serve throughout the rest of the summer. (Below, one of the many times I was taken by surprise, and probably did not "get up" high enough to catch the tricky little thing!)

See you at Carson! - Bridget