Differences Between India and AYC

The morning wake-up call sounds at 7:00 a.m. We jump out of bed and head straight to the showers so we can be on time for the 8:00 a.m. breakfast.

Next, we line up in front of the dining hall to sing camp songs and have a blessing on the meal. The boys chant a song after the girls. If ours is louder—and we outdo them—we can go to breakfast first.

This description of a typical morning at Ambassador Youth Camp is quite different from a regular day in my native country of India. At home, I do not follow such a rigorous schedule. I usually get up around 9:00 a.m. on days that I do not have school. But at camp, nine o’clock was lecture time.

The biggest difference between home and AYC was the opportunity to meet God’s youth. In India, we live in an isolated place with no brethren aside from my parents, sister and me.

At AYC, I met many youths my age, with whom I could talk and share experiences. Differences were removed and campers from all over the world made lasting friendships founded on right principles. This made me feel very excited and relieved.

In addition, no one was bothered by my accent or way of speaking. In the world, people would have laughed at me.

Where I come from, all the niceties of life are presented to you. Yet at camp, we had to come out of our comfort zones. Many times we would lay awake at night and listen to the bugs buzzing in the woods and even hear some in our cabin. Almost every insect you could possibly imagine came in—and seemed to bring their friends with them!

The beauty and serenity of the forest compared to the noisy, smoke-filled cities in India was another thing that surprised me. Before coming to camp, I had never imagined living for two weeks in a relatively pollution-free setting, surrounded by green woods. Only when you actually spend time here can you enjoy the beauty and calm of your surroundings.

Back home, one would never be without technology and the Internet. Yet at AYC we lived a full two weeks without technology of any sort—and still survived! This is because there are so many activities. In India, no one has heard of the activities we do at camp other than volleyball and soccer. Having a bonfire, going whitewater rafting, paddling a canoe, playing softball, and climbing the high and low ropes courses are all activities with which no one in my country is familiar.

A good comparison between India and AYC would not be complete without remarks about the food. At camp, the best food one could ever eat was served every day! Dishes I had never heard of before, such as “Sloppy Joe,” ground beef flavored with sweet tomato sauce served on a hamburger bun, and “Tater Tot Casserole,” a meat and potato dish served with creamy white sauce, were among my favorites. At home, we usually eat something such as aloo ke paranthe, bread filled with potatoes, onions, hot sauce and green chili peppers.

In all, home life is very different from camp life—even though the latter is most enjoyable! I will take away from camp the discipline that I learned, new friends, and everything AYC has taught me: love, affection, and God’s standards of quality, which are now very dear to my heart.

I look forward to AYC 2012!