Camp America

[Lbet]

Are there any parents whose kids have done camp America?

My daughter is currently taking a gap year before going off to uni next.
She is really interested in doing camp America next summer.
We have had a good chat with a student who has just been for his second summer in a row. We have had loads of useful tips and advice from him. He did say you don’t do camp America for the money because you actually end up being out of pocket and you do it for the experience.
That suits my daughter fine as she is definitely wants to do it for the great experience.

Just wanted to know if anyone’s child has been and if you can tell me about their experience.

Thanks in advance.

I can't believe we're already talking talking about the end of camp! It's going so fast. DS has three weeks left of camp, then will be travelling for a few weeks. He's been on Expedition this week and will be again next week. Apparently it's a bit like an extended version of DofE. I'm not sure what they're doing, although I think it involves a lot of hiking and white water rafting.
I'm going to miss this thread when they're all home. I'm loving hearing what everyone is up to. The good and not so good bits!

Yes I agree it has been a great thread and really lovely to hear about all our kids stories of their time at camp.

Maybe we can turn it into a return camp next year😀

We asked DS last week when he called if he thought he'd go next year. He said, if he does, he'd go to a different camp. However, he's undecided for now. Apparently he's waiting to see what any of his friends are doing.

Ds is having an absolute ball!
His room is now party central, he has a camp girlfriend, is just really really enjoying himself. He has five more weeks.

Good to hear all the positive experiences.
DS is loving it. He's made some lovely friends and says most of the kids are great.
I think he's still got another 7 weeks left. We are all missing him but glad he's having a good time.

Can I ask a question?
Are any of your DC being paid via CLIQ? (like a pre paid debit card I believe) and if so did your DC have to register for this card themselves or did the camp do it on their behalf?
DC was under the impression camp arranged that for her but it looks like that isn’t the case. She has been out there for a month already and has only just received her tax number and comes back in three weeks!

Yes mine is being paid by Cliq. Not totally sure how it works but she is being paid in instalments and has already been paid and used the card out there.
i dont think she has received her social security number yet so not sure how they’ve paid her but they definitely have.

The camp say that the card can be used internationally but can only transfer money off to a US bank account so we’re just hoping that she can spend the rest when she’s back home without losing too much on the exchange rate.

i believe the camp set up the card for her and then she had to log in / phone up and activate it - they physically gave her the card just as she was getting in a taxi to leave camp on her first day off so she couldn’t use it that day but has since sorted it - can she ask any other internationals whether they have got theirs sorted yet?
She only got the card when she’d been paid though.
Does your daughter know when she is due to be paid as there seems to be lots of variation across camps

Normally you officially get paid at the end but you can “draw down” any salary you have earned by request. For example using simple maths, you are getting $1,000 for ten weeks work. Once you’ve worked three weeks you can request up to $300.

It just saves on admin. Running payroll for everyone and making the transfers takes a lot of time. But you have obviously earned it so legally you can have it if you ask.

It has worked this way at most the camps I have experience of.

Not that I get a great deal of info from DD, but she appears to be getting cheques. Not entirely sure of the frequency or what she's doing with them, she's irritatingly vague in answering my endless questions, but she's mentioned several times that she's off to town with her pay cheque. She's not a shopper, so it will be going into an account somewhere!

Thank you @foxandhounds @RatherBeOnVacation and @JockyWilsonsaid

The camp say that the card can be used internationally but can only transfer money off to a US bank account so we’re just hoping that she can spend the rest when she’s back home without losing too much on the exchange rate.

It was for exactly this reason that DD opted for weekly payment (she was given a choice) the reason being she isn't going travelling in the US at the end but will be coming home. She has a Revolut USD account so had planned to either spend it weekly or transfer it over into her $ account. She is slightly concerned that by receiving one lump sum payment at the end of camp she won't have time to do anything with it or be able to move it out before she leaves the US. Worst case scenario she will have to leave it sitting in CLIQ for a rainy day back in the U.K.

She did say most internationals that she has spoken to are travelling after camp so are collecting a lump sum at the end.

She is going to try speak to someone in the office about still not having her CLIQ card set up and see what they suggest she do. Other than this issue, she is having a great time.

I hope everyone else's DC are enjoying their camp experience.

Mine’s getting lump sum at end and hasn’t taken any advances as she wants it to travel. Not sure exactly how she’ll be paid I’ve not asked.

Pleaee check about tax. The US government removed personal allowances for J1 visas. DD had to pay tax on her camp pay

Thanks @bruffin
yes, I said to DD before she went out to make sure she keeps every bit of paperwork and payslips as she will need them for the IRS tax return filing when she gets back.

Baby's first tax return! Reading DDs instructions from.camp makes me grateful for PAYE.

I’ve enjoyed catching up on the thread and hearing about the kids. My dd is still really enjoying her time at camp. I’m so glad she had the courage to go. She seems much more grown up already. This is her first extended time away from home. She’s not at uni yet, so we haven’t had that experience of her being away.

@imsosotired it’s is brilliant hearing about the experiences.

slightly jealous as DS2 has been driving in the US.

just over 3 weeks to go and he’s home 😊

What a wonderful experience they are all having, makes me so happy. I just know now my daughter will be absolutely fine starting uni. She will be a year older than most students and gained a lot of confidence. This time will only be 1 hr 45 mins from home🤣🤣

Meant to add lorn195 I can’t believe it’s only three weeks until your son is home. Will he be going travelling before coming home?

@Lbetsadly he won’t be travelling but he did ask about it a couple of weeks ago 🙄. Would love him to have the opportunity but circumstances meant he had already booked the hotel and flights home. He also has a trip to London planned to watch cricket at Lords a week after he is home.

We can’t believe it either buts it’s been lovely catching up when we can and seeing the photos of what he has been up to.

During his very chilled video call last week, he’s looking forward to a proper lie in and fish and chips.

I'm tempted also to ask DH to make homemade Cornish pasties that first weekend back 🤔.

@Lbeti agree. DS2 will be 62 miles from us when he’s at uni, much more preferable than a 700 mile round trip to London and 5,000 miles across the Atlantic.

the time difference isn’t so bad as he’s 5 hours behind. I managed to have a quick conversation with DS2 last night just as I was about to go to sleep. 😊.

My daughter text me every day around 3am out time, I love to wake up to her messages. Then the weekend she FaceTimes us, really looking forward to forward to that. ❤️

My daughter text today to say she can’t believe the last lot of kids are at the camp now, this is a big one where the kids stay for 18 days before camp ends.
She was saying how sad it is because she has made some amazing friends and will miss them.

Makes me so happy that she has made hopefully some lifelong friends.

Mine has FaceTimed tonight. She’s on a 3 day trip with the older children, been to Niagara Falls today. They get an allowance for meals on the trip. She’s home in just over a month. It’s gone quickly. She’s really enjoying it and talking about going back next year.

My DD is going to see Niagara this weekend and her last campers arrive on Sunday. Shes also loving it and keen to go back next year. She almost sounds American now too, really picked up the accent!

My DS is still loving it. I'm missing him...feels like he's been gone ages and still 6 weeks till he's home.