Happy New Year from CampCaribe!

U.S. Forest Service Public Service Announcement

Tameeka's Girls

"I am the proud mother of two exceptional young ladies, TaMara (13) and Cydney (12). Without appearing biased, I must tell you that they are not your average tweens. TaMara has sustained a 3.9 GPA since elementary school. She is a competitive member of her middle school’s running team. She carries a demanding load of college-prep courses and has a compassionate spirit for humanity, in that she gives of her time to care for the pets of others. Cydney is truly a girlie-girl in every way. She is a vibrant and self-motivated student maintaining a “B” average and is always seeking ways to improve herself. She is a true fan of the arts. She writes and performs music with her older brother. Both girls are avid readers and sincerely love time with each other and their family. The exciting perspective of these two young ladies keeps me on my toes and assures me that as adults they will contribute greatness to our world. I am their number one cheerleader and anticipate the days ahead with them thriving to their successes."  -Tameeka, a California mom trying to give her girls the gift of a tropical sunset.

American Red Cross Training

Alley, Coco and I are all certified by the American Red Cross in First Aid as well as Adult, Child & Infant CPR.  (Alley even has the AED (difibrilator) certification!)  I just wanted to remind everyone of the importance of safety and preparedness and encourage parents to sign up for a class as well.  You never know when you might be called upon to help save a life!

With commitment, dedication & love,
Tracey, Camp Director
CampCaribe

My Angel Wears an Afro

Graphics by Ahmad Hassan

Several months ago, Shea Rose, a performer and student at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, sent me a heartfelt e-mail telling me that she came across OneBrownGirl.com® and CampCaribe and was excited about the brand and its mission.  She told me she wanted to be of service in some way and that her music needed to have meaning.  She then told me she wanted to collect donations for CampCaribe through performance and in addition, she would be donating her performance fee to CampCaribe.  Wow.

"As I continue on this journey, I know now that my calling is to serve the community around me and beyond...music and my voice are the tools that I've been given to do so. Altruism and philanthropy were missing in my recipe for a very long time! The "ME" obsession that the industry (music and entertainment) creates and requires was starting to become taxing and toxic to my soul.   So this is a CELEBRATION!!! A new chapter....I'm looking forward to exchanging and sharing this great adventure with all of you."  Shea Rose

On Friday, December 11, 2009, my angel, Shea Rose, will be performing at The Alchemist Lounge in the Boston (Massachusetts) area in an effort to raise funds for CampCaribe.  If you're in the area, please go.  If you aren't , please send her a shout-out to let her know how much of an angel she is.  It's the least we can do.

With commitment, love & genuine thanks,

Tracey, Camp Director

CampCaribe

Pre-Camp Bonding with The Princess & the Frog

On Monday, November 30, 2009, I took 4 Brown Girl princesses to Walt Disney Studios to see a pre-screening of The Princess & the Frog and to participate in The Ultimate Disney Experience afterwards.  As you can see by the photo above, we had a fantastic time!  (The girls even had a chance to mimic a Senior Animator on the film as he drew one of the main characters.  And to top it all off, he even signed their artwork!)

The purpose of the outing was to gather together confirmed Adventurers and prospective Adventurers before camp in April as a great way to break the ice and make the girls feel comfortable so that there is no pressure fitting in.  As you probably know, and according to the American Camp Association, "[e]xciting activities, quality staff, special events, meaningful rituals, and camp spirit are great features of camp, but they can never make up for the importance of fitting in."   

There are 8 openings for CampCaribe's nascent learning adventure program with two confirmed as of this date; I hope to have the remaining 6 slots filled by December 31 or January 15 at the latest, so that we can get some more bonding time in even if we have to Skype to do it!

With all of my heart and commitment,

Tracey, Camp Director

CampCaribe

Because of Camp

The Latest (and Greatest!)

Waving hello to everyone. I have been busy as a bee.

As you may or may not know, CampCaribe was graced with a fiscal sponsor. Simply put, that is great news for parents as registration fees are now tax deductible. (Paying for registration before the end of the year will be a fantastic tax deduction.)

For those children whose parents or guardians cannot afford to send their loved one to CampCaribe, having a fiscal sponsor creates an opportunity for me to fundraise for 4 lucky Adventurers. And while I have sent out fundraising letters to friends, colleagues and strangers, I am willing to go into my pocket to make this nascent program a reality. CampCaribe will happen.

I have tons of decisions to make; I have to partner with an organization that advocates for multi-cultural girls and firm up 4-8 lucky Adventurers before the end of the year, not to mention all the admin, grant writing and continuous planning. Someone even suggested that I "fake it" and put up a bunch of fake pictures of children playing on the beach, etc. to entice people to register (as if camp has already occurred), but this program is what it is: A baby on the edge of birth. Anyone that can appreciate the beauty of this emerging learning adventure program will buy in. There will be no Faking the Funk here. Consider how fabulous a baby chickie is once it is hatched. What a joy! And then consider how different this Web site will look 7 months from now. There is something unique and wonderful about being first, not to mention being a part of an adventure like no other.

Let me know if you have any questions about anything. April will be here before you know it. And as usual, I am soooo excited! Chat soon.

Tracey

Camp Director, CampCaribe

Member, American Camp Association

Yep. Nature Rocks!

• Studies indicate that children who play and explore outdoors are less stressed and may further benefit by learning confidence and social skills.
• Nature has all sorts of patterns and parts. And all the parts somehow fit together. When children get to play in the outdoors from the earliest age, they learn - what is what, how things fit together, what they do.
• In nature, kids see, hear, smell and touch things all at the same time, getting them to observe, ask questions and figure out things that have a lot of parts to them. The richness in the outdoors is far more stimulating—and gets the mind working more—than only watching television or playing electronic games. There is a place for that stuff but they are no substitute for what experience in nature brings to kids' development.
• Research indicates that children feel respected and cared for when adults they respect spend time with them outdoors. Kids, in turn, learn how to behave with the family and adults. They also tend to talk and communicate more, engage in conversation. Beyond family, a sense of connection to community and place is nourished. Everyone benefits—from individuals, to families, to whole communities.

200x20 Campaign

The Kemet Foundation

presents

CampCaribe's

"200x20" Campaign

Here's the deal:

If 200 people each donated $20,

then each person would have a stake in the growth of two (2) girls

that would not otherwise have an opportunity to go to CampCaribe

and experience a learning adventure like no other.

200 people x $20 = 2 changed lives.

Please donate today.

Your donation is tax deductible.

Great news! All registration fees are now tax deductible!

Magnificent News!

CampCaribe now has a fiscal sponsor! And it's the Bay Area's own Kemet Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster African and African-American history, heritage and culture. And any organization that fosters history, heritage and culture is certainly in line with the mission and vision of OneBrownGirl.com & CampCaribe! This means that you, your church, your sorority, your club or your organization can sponsor a worthy 12 or 13 year old girl to camp this Spring (via fundraiser perhaps?) and it will be tax deductible! How cool is that?!?!?

And in case you weren't aware: The premiere Spring session of CampCaribe is now open to all residents of the United States. It just didn't seem fair to limit the selection to California. Wooo hooo!

Contact info@CampCaribe.com for more info. April will be here before you know it!

Flip ... Flop !

Get ready Adventurers: There's a competition brewing!

During the course of camp, Adventurers will be buddied up (for safety and accountability). And while some camp contests will be individual contests (see Passport Photo Contest), some contests will be for Buddies Only.

Do you know how to walk in flip flops without making a sound? Well, grab your flip flops and start practicing, because you and your Camp Buddy could be flip-flopping your way to a winnnn!

Ready? Set....flip floppppppppppppppp! (Shhhhh.)

Here We Goooo....

Waving hello!

It has been just under a month since I've been in touch with you all and I wanted to give you a heads up about a few things.

• I continue to work on the logistics for CampCaribe and I'm excited to tell you that everything is coming along smoothly. I am SO excited about this project...
• Fantastic news! I found out yesterday that Oprah's Angel Network published a story I wrote about the idea behind CampCaribe. Isn't that awesome?!?!? When you get a moment, take a look at the story (registration required) and feel free to leave any comments.
• A press release went out today on the Black newswire about the camp and I will send out another one to the Hispanic newswire next week. If you haven't registered your Brown Girl adventurer, doing it sooner (than later) might not be a bad idea.

Let me know if you have any questions about anything.

Bye for now...
Tracey ;-)

[Brown] Girls Just Wanna Have Fu-un!

Camp Caribe's very own Camp Counselor Coco

at Haitian Kanaval (Carnival) 2009 in San Francisco.

Coco will teach some Haitian dance moves at camp. Watch out now!

6 Spaces Left

Let's Get This Adventure Started!

Waving hello! This is Coco, CampCaribe's Camp Counselor & Education Assistant. As you can see, she's plenty excited about CampCaribe and all of the fun we're going to have this upcoming Spring! I don't blame her either. This is fun stuff. =)

The ad campaign - such as it is - is underway, so if you'd like to secure your child's space, all you need to get started is a completed registration form and the $250 deposit. Let me know if you have any questions about registration. There are 7 spots remaining.

Alley is already certified by the American Red Cross in CPR and Safety Training, and Coco and I will be certified within the next month or so.

There's a lot going on...only 9 months to goooo!

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

August 1

Hello Everyone!

Just wanted to let you know that I'm going out of town until the end of the month...

Beginning August 1, the real and hardcore promotion for CampCaribe will begin. I have 8 spaces to fill and hope to get them filled in August & September so I can arrange for our first local outing as a group. I will have a booth at the San Jose Jazz Festival as well as some local advertising starting and wanted you to know in the event you are ready to register your Brown Girl Adventurer!

The monthly payment plan should be of some real value for those who take advantage of it; it's nice not to have to come up with a large chunk of money all at once.

Let me know if you have any questions. Everything is moving along nicely. Spring 2010 will be here before you know it!

Chat soon...

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

The H1N1 Virus

As the Camp Director for CampCaribe, I make sure I stay current on ANYTHING going on related to the camp environment by staying connected to the American Camp Association (ACA), of which I am a member. Because CampCaribe is a learning adventure program and not a traditional camp, it cannot be accredited by ACA. Please know that I follow ACA standards as closely as possible so that in the future, when OBG Adventure Camps do have a permanent camp home, accreditation will be easier to achieve. And since ACA sets the standard, following their protocols simply makes sense for the safety of your children and the CampCaribe staff.

Here is a 4 minute video from the CEO of the American Camp Association about the H1N1 virus. It should alleviate any concerns you might have. Of course, if you have questions, please feel free to post them on this blog.

Have a great day!

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Parent Communication: Staff Stuff

Staff Background Checks. Now that the staffing has been finalized (yay!), staff Background Checks will be done on Aquatics Director Allyson Bailey, Counselor Coco Kelley, and Camp Director Tracey Friley ("CampCaribe Staff") within the next few months. Redacted copies of the results will be provided to parent(s) upon request.

Staff First Aid Training. CampCaribe Staff will be certified in CPR and BASIC First Aid Training.

Staff Skills. The CampCaribe Staff are all able to swim; with Alley being the strongest.

Staff Excitement! You have no idea! =)

Meet Coco!

I am pleased as punch to announce that Coco Kelley, a past contributor on OneBrownGirl.com's Brown Girl World, has accepted the position of Camp Counselor & Education Assistant at CampCaribe! Wooo hoooooo! (We'll get a current photo of her on the blog real soon.) Coco, who works for the Oakland Unified School District (as a teaching assistant while she completes her Master's in Education) is a California native who learned to swim at an early age. A natural athlete, Coco played volleyball starting at 12 years old and earned a college volleyball scholarship at California State University, Sacramento. As a young girl, Coco went to horseback riding camp, science camp and, of course, volleyball camp. For the last 7 years, Coco has been part of an all women's Sabar drum group and spends most of her spare time in a West African, Congolese, Haitian, and/or Cuban dance or drum class. Coco will facilitate danciing, volleyball and be in charge of any homework at CampCaribe. And now that CampCaribe has its staff in place, we can really get this party started! Welcome, Coco...

The Campground

We need to make a deal. The deal is that you cannot laugh at my attempt to create my first video with my new Flip video camera. (Smiling.) When I was in the Virgin Islands a few months ago, I took tons of footage (well, I thought I did anyway) and this is all I was able to get. I promise I'll get better!

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Water Camps

Sometimes I think I know something and sometimes I just know. I was talking to a Jack & Jill mom and she confirmed what I do know about the lack of diversity in camps that specialize in water activities. She sent her daughter - who had an interest in marine biology - to a program where she spent an entire 2 weeks (?) on a boat in the interest of searching out the patterns of whale migration. Very cool. The boat/camp made a U.S. land stop and participated in a 4th of July parade where her daughter was stared at by the locals. Not because she smelled like fish; and not because had on a funny hat. She was - yet again - the only Brown Girl in the program.

What I don't know is why parents from diverse backgrounds don't necessarily expose their children to sea camps. Even if a child doesn't have the best swimming skills, a life vest becomes the necessary support and any Adventurers best friend. After all, nothing can compare to the delight in a child's eyes when she sees a school of dolphins right off the edge of a boat. It beats Sea World, that's for sure.

Tracey

Camp Director

CampCaribe

Parent Communication: Camp Safety & Security

Other than having a fantastic time at camp, safety for your children is of primary concern at CampCaribe. This learning adventure program was intentionally set to take place in a United States territory in a U.S. National Park (Virgin Islands National Park), where regulations are strictly enforced and emergency services are the same as in any other area of the U.S.

Here is what you need to know about safety and security at CampCaribe. Please feel free to post any questions or comments:

1. Water and Food on St. John: The water and the food are safe on the island.
2. Critters. Mosquitoes can be pesky after a spate of rain, but insect repellent helps to keep them at bay. There are no dangerous animals, but it's not a good idea to pet the donkeys that roam the island—you could get kicked. When snorkeling, watch out for the mustard-colored fire coral and the black, spiny sea urchins. The coral can burn, and if you step on a sea urchin, it's hard to get the spines out.
3. Staff Screening: All staff members, including the Camp Director, are thoroughly screened. Copies of staff background checks (with personal information redacted) will be provided to parents upon request. All CampCaribe counselors are or will be trained in First Aid and CPR.
4. Emergency Plan: Although there is a First Aid Kit at the campground main office, we will have a First Aid Kid of our own for any minor injuries. All water activities are supervised by qualified and certified instructors. (The U.S. National Park service has STRICT guidelines.) Upon registration, all parents will be provided with a list of island Emergency Telephone Numbers in each Parent Packet.
5. Local Law & Park Enforcement: In addition to the U.S. Park Rangers, the local Police Department will be notified of our arrival and departure dates. Cinnamon Bay has its own dedicated Ranger.
6. Hospital Care. The Myrah Keating Smith Community Health Center is located on St. John. It handles all emergencies. If necessary, transportation to St. Thomas is via the Star of Life ambulance boat and then on to Roy L. Schneider Hospital in an ambulance. (See http://www.rlshospital.org/.)
7. Adventurer Orientation. CampCaribe will assign each Adventurer with a Buddy at the airport. Buddies are responsible for one another for the duration of the learning adventure experience. They must go to the restroom together, to the beach together, etc. Upon arrival at camp, Adventurers will be oriented to the environment (by staff and a U.S. Park Ranger) and given all Camp rules. Cottages are attached to one another with 4 campers in each cottage. Counselors will sleep in the middle cottage. Locks to cottage doors will be retained by Counselors.
8. Hurricanes & Tropical Storms. According to the National Hurricane Center, "hurricane season" is June 1 - November 30. Whew.
9. The Glorious Sun: Sunscreen is mandatory (SPF 45) and will be used daily.
10. The Glorious Sea. Adventurers will be required to wear life vests for sailing, snorkeling & kayaking activities. Before anyone gets in the glorious sea to frolick, Camp Counselor Alley will perform a swimming evaluation so as to determine Swimmer Level. (To see Alley's swimming credentials, please see 5/20/09 blog post "About Alley.")
11. Cinnamon Bay Security/Rules and Regulations: There is a Security Desk at the Front Desk of the campground that operates from 6pm to 7am. Quiet hours are from 10pm - 7am and no unregistered guests are allowed on the campground after 7pm.
12. Medication. Any medication required by parents will be locked in the Counselor cottage and dispensed as needed.

Safety is number 1! With that all taken care of, the only thing left is to have a great time! I look forward to your questions and/or comments.

Tracey

CampDirector

CampCaribe

Alley is Excited!

Alley - the Assistant Camp Director and Aquatics Director for CampCaribe - is a special Brown Girl Adventurer with lots of exciting global travel under her belt. She respects the environment and is affectionately referred to as a "tree hugger" by some of her friends. She has been hiking and whitewater rafting in Russia; she's hiked the Inca Trail in Peru; she's lived in the jungle, explored caves and gone horseback riding in Belize; and she's been mountain biking and rafting in Canada. She is a perfect fit for CampCaribe!

Alley wanted me to send along this note when I asked her to say a few words. She is as excited as I am...and hopefully...as excited as you are too!

From Alley:

How could I possibly pass up this exciting opportunity with a group of Brown Girl adventurers?!! When Tracey first asked me to be involved, I immediately said yes. I wasn't really sure what my role would be, but it didn't matter because I was so excited to do whatever was needed!

My first camp experience was in the 6th grade for a one week stay in the mountains. My second was in junior high school (again in the mountains); this time for three weeks. Just to give you an idea of how much I enjoyed myself: I still have the souvenirs from both camps!

My camp experiences opened my eyes to a world beyond city life. I learned how to respect nature in all its glory. If you mess it up, clean it up.

I am happy to have been chosen to be one of the camp counselors, and I'm looking forward to meeting all of you. This is going to be so much fun!

See you soon!

Alley

Parent Communication

Over the next several weeks, I plan to discuss several areas surrounding camp that will likely be of interest to parents: Camp security & safety, crisis management, staff recruitment & screening, self-esteem, diversity, healthy eating and physical activity. If there is anything else you'd like to see discussed, please post your comment on this blog and I'll be sure to discuss it as well.

In the meantime, take a look (click here) at a nice public service announcement about camp from some celebrities you might recognize.

Bye for now...

Tracey

Camp Director

CampCaribe

U.S. Passport

My passport expires in March 2010 (a month before camp) so I went to Kinko's the other day to have a new photo taken. The photo I took looks so bad that I'm going to take another one! (Laughing.) At first I didn't care; but I thought about it and since a passport is good for 10 years, I figure I might as well like the way I look. I think I'll have a Passport Photo Contest at camp...for the Adventurer with the Most Winning Smile. (Everyone at camp will vote.) Don't forget to smile for the cameraaaaaaaaaaaaa....

Click here to see how to apply for your first U.S. Passport. There are special requirements for those under 16.

Tracey =)
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Registration is Now Open!

Registration is now open for the Spring Session of CampCaribe 2010!

Please feel free to visit the new CampCaribe site and download the OBG Adventurer Registration form or - to make things simpler - you can click here. There's an affordable payment plan in place and you can even see a little bit of the itinerary on the new site. We're almost there...

Meet Camp Director Tracey Friley

My superfantastic Web guy (Aaron) is updating the CampCaribe Web site today and it dawned on me that I haven't introduced myself properly. And while this isn't the best photo I have of myself (the sun was in my eyes), I hope that it'll do for now. =) (It's on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands a few months ago.)

I am Tracey Friley, the Camp Director and creator of OBG Adventure Camps. I have been planning this learning adventure program for over 10 years now and I can hardly believe that it is actually coming to fruition. It is soooo near and dear to my heart that I get very emotional about it sometimes. My experiences at camp helped shape me into the person I am today.

My plan is to grow OBG Adventure Camps into a premiere learning adventure program in several locations. My goal is to create a program where girls from diverse backgrounds will have the same opportunity and similar experience that I did. I also want to add an element of diversity that I did not experience as a young girl. If you learn anything about me at all, it's that I find culture - all culture - absolutely fascinating. I want to celebrate that.

In my humble opinion, no girl should miss this awesome opportunity. Please trust that I will do everything I can to care for your children by showing them what it is like in other parts of the world so as to expand their world view. It's what I am here for.

With genuine sincerity,

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Getting There

Group travel can be fun. There will be lots of giggling and excitement in anticipation of what is to come. It makes me smile thinking about it.

Getting to the U.S. Virgin Islands will involve an overnight stay on both sides of the trip. We will travel together to Ft. Lauderdale where we will stay overnight and then fly to St. Thomas on Spirit Airlines the following day. From there, we will all take the ferry to St. John.

If you haven't already done so, now might be a good time to get your Adventurer's passport. Minors must apply in person and all pertinent information can be found at the U.S. State Department Web site. It's a pretty painless and easy process, but one that you don't want to wait until the last minute to take care of.

I probably sound like a broken record, but I'm excited!

Tracey

Camp Director

CampCaribe

Meet Allyson "Alley" Bailey

OBG Adventure Camps is pleased to announce that Allyson Bailey - fondly referred to as Alley - is CampCaribe's new Aquatics Director & Assistant Camp Director! Woo hooooo!

Alley earned her water wings at the early age of 5 with a local YMCA in Los Angeles as a member of an all-Black Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) swim team called the Los Angeles Marlins. She swam with the Marlins through junior high school and at the age of 14 became a junior lifeguard with the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation. In high school, Alley made "All City" in her senior year and was on the swim team at Santa Monica Community College, where she participated in an entirely new level of training and competition. In Alley's second year on the team, she made "All American" in both an individual event and team relay. Alley was the first Black female beach lifeguard in Los Angeles County and worked as a lifeguard for 9 rigorous, demanding and awe inspiring years. Currently, Alley is a certified water aerobics instructor with the Aquatic Exercise Association and is the 9 year owner and operator of Aqua Fit, an aquatics fitness program based in Los Angeles.

CampCaribe is privileged and proud to have Alley as a member of its team!

Back on the Mainland

I'm back at home and even though the beach isn't far, there's no tropical beach right outside my door; no exotic birds are chirping loudly; no iguana are slithering by (which is okay); and no mosquitos are bugging (ha ha) me (that's okay too). I am not wearing a swimsuit and it's not very hot outside. I want to go back...right now. =)

I just went through the pictures that my husband and I took and loaded them on to this blog. I can only imagine the pictures this time next year.

Guess I'll go put on a turtleneck and continue to plan. LOL.

Chat soon...

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Almost Home (in Miami)

I arrived back on the mainland (Miami) last night and will spend the day in South Beach. My flight leaves late tonight...and then I'm back to reality. How time flies.

I have scribbled tons of notes in the past 10 days and will continue to scribble notes for the next 12 months...right up until the day we leave for The Big Adventure. My last entry is confirmation that there is citronella at Cost U Less on St. Thomas and a reminder that Adventurers will need a passport to travel. The U.S. Customs Official that I spoke to said that although a birth certificate is usually okay, a passport is necessary for ease of travel. I think I'll go with that.

I have lots to do when I get back and I continue to be excited; probably more now than ever.

Chat soon...

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Days Five & Six on St. Thomas

Yesterday was my day to relax. I lounged around on the beach and read a book. In between my naps and my reading, I took a bunch of notes and gave some more thought to the camp. Resting definitely revitalized me, but I have a sunburn and that's annoying since I really should know better.

Today I visited Coral World (on St. Thomas) where I will take the girls on a day trip. Coral World is similar to Sea World, only with a tropical twist. It's a small but interesting place with iguana, ducks and a resident pelican roaming around freely amongst the tanks, aquariums and open ponds with sharks, stingray, sea turtles and a variety of other sealife.

My favorite sea animal is the sea turtle. They're an endangered species and signage was posted reminding everyone that the use of plastic bags poses an enormous threat not only to the environment but to the sea turtles as well. Swallowing non-biodegradable plastic - as you can imagine - is dangerous to all sea (and land) life. Using canvas totes at the grocery store was suggested. If you've seen the OBG tote on the Product Page on OneBrownGirl.com, you know that OBG is behind this initiative 100%.

During the camp session next year, I've decided to offer the girls rewards/prizes for answering questions about what they learned about sea life on their day trip to Coral World. One of CampCaribe's goals is to make learning fun and this is a perfect opportunity.

I have a few errands to run tomorrow, one of which is to go to Cost U Less to see if they have citronella candles so I can try to minimize the mosquitos and no-see-ums (aka sand fleas). I have way too many bug bites and the candles along with the citronella should help. I'll probably also go back to the beach. You know...for research.

Chat soon...

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Day Four (continued)

I just left Plaza Extra, the local supermarket where I am pleased to say the cost of groceries is far more reasonable than on St. John (although charcoal was still unreasonably expensive). Nevertheless, at least now I know we won't be eating out everyday. I think cooking together will be a great group activity and will bond the girls even more.

I also went to KMart and it was the same as any KMart on the mainland except there was more beach gear. Besides the plethora of accented English I've been hearing on St. John (British, Australian, New Englanders, etc.), I've been hearing a lot of languages here on St. Thomas besides the local patois -- Portugese, French, Spanish, Haitian Creole...oh yeah...and California accented English...LOL).

I saw a big fat iguana on Sapphire Beach (not my favorite animal in the world) and a teeeny tiny lizard in the bathroom where I'm staying. I feel like I am invading their space a little, but they do NOT have to worry about me being in their way, that's for sure! I don't care for reptiles too much.

All in all, life is good and brown is beautiful. Chat soon.

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Day Four - Leaving St. John & on to St. Thomas

Well, I just left the campsite and besides the itchy mosquito bites (I should have used insect repellant), everything was beautiful. Cinnamon Bay is a part of the Virgin Islands National Park and boasts a natural beauty that is hard to describe. The history of the islands is filled with stories about pirates and their bounty and the pace is nice...and...slowww.

When I was growing up, the last night at camp was full of tears. No one wanted to go home; the friends we made, the experiences we all shared, and the things we learned were all very hard to leave behind. I hope I am able to offer the same experience to the Adventurers of CampCaribe.

Chat soon,

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Day Three on St. John and the BVIs

I don't really have too much to report today because it was a play day for me. I did make the decision not to take next year's Adventurers to the British Virgin Islands on an excursion, but they will most definitely go on a local sailing excursion. I considered renting a boat myself and shuttling them around, but I think my insurance premium would skyrocket. I'm sure there won't be any complaints about the sailing excursion, so I'll stick to my original plan. =)

Tomorrow I finish up here in St. John and then I'm off to St. Thomas to visit the local college and meet up with a friend to get some questions answered. I am considering hiring a local college student that has experience with kids as one of the counselors. We'll see.

So far I think I've accomplished quite a bit, but I'll have to get back here before the end of the year if I hire locally. Poor me.

It's time to relax. Chat soon.

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Day Two (continued...)

Although this is my third day here, the first day was a travel day, so I'm still on Day 2. I just felt a need to clarify. Smiling.

The good news of the day is that the dates for CampCaribe's first session have been secured! OMG. The camp experience will take place from 4/4/10 to 4/11/10 with 1 day of travel on each side. The price of $1500 per camper includes accomodations, all meals, snacks, excursions, activities, and a load of extras that will be discussed in detail at the Information Meetings (to be scheduled). (Group airfare rates will be worked out later and it's likely we'll fly on American Airlines from SFO to Miami and then on to the USVI unless I can work out something else.) This is fantastic.

I'm off to dinner and then to rest. I'm taking the day off tomorrow to go sailing to the British Virgin Islands.

Chat soon...

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Day Two on St. John

I'll be meeting with the campground manager later today to secure cottages for next year and to cement the meal plan. It's clear - after a little research - that I'm going to have to bring food over from St. Thomas on the ferry for the meals we prepare ourselves. The cost of groceries at the supermarket in St. John is astronomical. $11 for a small bag of charcoal. Even though I will be personally subsidizing a small portion of this Pilot Program, throwing money away isn't a part of the program. Idon'tthinkso.

I'm getting a little anxious again...wondering what gives me the nerve to embark on something like this. What keeps me going are the memories I have of the island camp I went to when I was growing up and how the experience helped shape me into the person I am today. I was always the only little Brown Girl at camp and that just doesn't seem right. I hope I don't sound redundant...but this is so important.

Chat soon...

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Day One on St. John

I woke up this morning to the sound of ocean waves and exotic birds (oh yeah...and my husband's snoring). What a great way to start the day.

Arrangements are coming along nicely for the camp...from the meal plan to the kayaking lessons to the sailing trip. Sea life and eco-tours will be provided by the Park Rangers here. I'm going to sneak in a sailing trip to the British Virgin Islands while I'm here. Hehehe.

I get more excited every minute I'm here. I can't wait to expose children to a life and experiences outside of the norm. Chat soon.

Tracey
Camp Director
CampCaribe

Just Arrived in the Virgin Islands

I'm sitting in a rental car on the ferry that goes from Red Hook (in St. Thomas) to Cruz Bay in St. John and the sea is mildly choppy. St. John is the island where CampCaribe will launch its pilot program in April 2010. The weather is beautiful (naturally) at 83 degrees Farenheit. It doesn't seem that hot because of the tradewinds. Absolutely awesome.

The trip has been extremely smooth so far and plans are underway. I'm genuinely excited for the girls that will come to camp next year. It will be...like the marketing materials point out...an adventure no girl should miss.

Catcha later!

Tracey,
Camp Director
CampCaribe