Camp USA summer programme

[Timetogetup0630]

My DD 19 is thinking about doing this, this summer. Has had her preliminary interviews. Has anyone any experience of it ?
Personally I think it's a rip off..... very hard work for pocket money and basic accommodation.

I did this for 2 summers and loved it (a few years ago now of course). It is hard work but lots of fun too. I made great friends and got to travel the US. I would recommend it! Happy to answer any questions.

I did a UK version but had friends that did Camp America and loved it. They said it was a brilliant experience and went back for several years. Whilst that type of work is hard and very full on it is also a lot of fun and she will make friends and memories to last a lifetime.

I did it in 1995 and loved it. One of the best experiences of my life. You should encourage her to go!

I think it depends why she wants to do it. Personally I think it’s a hideous rip off and wouldn’t encourage it but some people really enjoy the experience

I did 3 summers of Camp America, one summer of camp in Canada and one summer of camp in Europe.

Amazing experiences. You don't do it for the money (though you earn more each year you go), the costs outweighed the pay for the first couple of years.

However if you like children and travelling, it's a great way to spend your summer. I encourage people I meet to give what it a try.

America and Canada were much better experiences for me than Europe. You earn fair more in Europe, and the hours are far less. But I wasn't interested in the drinking or partying rep culture and struggled more. America and Canada were more about having a great summer working with kids.

I've also done seven summers of summer camp in the UK. Doesn't compare at all. Good fun, but far harder (more intense for 10 hours with no break), pays peanuts and you don't even get the good weather or to travel. However as I work term time only in my main job, it helps to pay the bills.

Trump is trying to put a stop to the visas that allow camps in the USA to hire foreign students.

If she is interested now is the time to do it.

I have worked on a Camp and truly it was the best thing I ever did and is it about the money but the experience.

I did it many years ago. The camp i was at was more Kamp Krusty than the ones with pools / helipads that are on the brochures but had a great time and made lifelong friends - so have been all over the world to visit and they have travelled to visit me.

DD did this last summer and considered doing it again this. (You earn more if hired directly by a camp, as Camp America just provide the Visa and travel support.)

Had a great time in quite a trad camp with 50 or so different activities. It was not about the money. She was only a couple of years older than some of the campers who were paying an awful lot to be there. Staff were from everywhere though lots of Scots and Antipodeans. So a summer outdoors, supervising activities she knew, and trying new ones. An insight into a different culture. A ready made group to explore with on days off, and travel with after. And quite probably, some friends for life.

Overall I think she broke even. As did those who stacked shelves in their local supermarket in order to fund a holiday.

Also the absence of alcohol and very limited access to WiFi made it a curiously old fashioned experience. Not necessarily a bad thing. The food, even in quite an upmarket camp catering largely for Manhattan kids, was very beige. DD wondered whether Americans eat any vegetables.

My DSs both looked at US camps - DS1 2 years ago and DS2 this year. Both concluded that they could make more money working in the UK. DS2 has worked 8 weeks over the Christmas period (living wage shelf stacking job) and mad enough to pay for a holiday in May/June after his exams. He'll then work at the same job through July/August to have enough money to tide him over until Christmas. DS1s GF did a US girl guide camp and loved it but I think she was actually out of pocket by quite a bit. One of DS1s friend did a soccer camp however he played football nationally at U18s and has a raft of coaching badges. He got a job directly and did make some money. He did day camps only so he had his evenings free (and was in a good location California).

I did Camp America twice and it’s more of an experience than about making any money.

I was lucky to teach art so had less responsibility for the campers in the evening. Greatest plus was having a month afterwards to travel around the US. Gave me lots of confidence.

Ah. DD did Camp America not Camp USA. Don't know what the difference is. The application and visa admin would have been near impossible without CA support.

My son did a variant of this in his 1st and 2nd year uni summer holds. The first year his fees to the agency/ visa/ flights used up nearly all the money he earned, but he enjoyed himself, made friends, gained skills to put on his CV and wasn't spending money over the summer.
The second year he asked for more money as he realised his sporting and other skills were in demand so made more. He'd have gone back in his 3rd year but it didn't fit with his Erasmus dates.

I did it (quite a while ago now!) and it was the best summer by far of all my student summers. Every other year I earned money, so that was my one summer to do something for the travel/experience. I still sing songs I learned on camp with my Brownies and still keep in touch with some of the people I met.