Ariane "Aree" Metz Age: 20
Class Year: Junior
Major: English and Evolutionary Anthropology
Years in Camp Adventure: 1 (returning for another)
Program Sites: Tokyo American Club, Tokyo, Japan
How did you hear about Camp A? I have a very good friend who did the program through San Diego State University, her positive experience inspired me to join the Camp Adventure program here at U.C. Davis. Fall of 2008 I attended an info meeting and heard similarly incredible stories from other Camp Adventure Veterans. After attending the L.A.C. and experiencing some Camp Adventure programming for myself, I decided that this was the program for me!
How did the Camp A experience help you develop professionally? At the Tokyo American Club, I was one of two Camp A staff who planned and managed a camp program serving over 20 school-aged children. During my experience I improved my time management and planning skills. I was able to apply the skills I learned from Professional Development everyday, and learned even more about working with children in a recreational setting. I have already begun applying what I learned over the summer to my work in the classroom as a Catechism teacher.
Tell us about the highlights of your summer. Over the summer I met some of the most amazing children in the world, and they were tons of fun as well! My children came from internationally diverse backgrounds—many spoke two or three languages and had lived in other countries as well! I learned a lot from my kids and had a phenomenal camp experience. Japan was an amazing country to explore! My housing was right in the middle of Tokyo, Japan, one of the biggest and most exciting cities in the world! After work my Director and I often explored the city with our Tokyo American Club staff member, who was bilingual. My favorite experience from the summer was visiting Nikko—a beautiful national park area with ancient shrines and relaxing onsens. Also, if you happen to go to Japan definitely climb Mt. Fuji! Climbing to the top was one of the most rewarding experiences of the summer—and the sunrise was spectacular!
For returners, why did you decide to come back and do Camp A again? I had a wonderful experience in Japan—I learned a lot about the culture and the people of Japan, developed close relationships with the children and families I worked with, and established relationships with people who are now all over the world. After experiencing such a life-changing summer, I was anxious to don my Camp uniform again for another summer! This summer I hope to have a positive impact on a new set of children and explore a whole new country!
Why would you recommend camp A to others? If you are interested in working with children, there is no program that will offer you the same preparatory training and hands-on experience as Camp Adventure. The Professional Development program helps prepare you for anything you would ever experience in the field—I felt 100% confident on Day 1 of Camp! Also, Camp Adventure offers students the great opportunity to live and work in another country at very little personal cost. Overall it is a great program with a long-standing tradition of excellence—I am proud to be associated with Camp Adventure!
Memorable quote/statement about your experience: "In the summer of 2009 I spent 10 amazing weeks working with international children at a world class recreation facility, learning about the Japanese culture and language, seeing all the sights and making wonderful memories that will last a lifetime--what more could anyone want?"