My American Adventure

I was surprised and very excited when my brother and I received applications for Ambassador Youth Camp 2011. As I read it, I was undecided as to whether I should fill it out. I had many fears: How long would the flight to America take? How would I be able to get a whole two weeks off from school?

Then there was the big fear of not fitting in. Since I did not know anyone at camp, I was not sure how I would make friends or start a conversation. There also was the culture shock I would surely feel upon arriving to the United States.

But then I saw the AYC 2010 edition of the Ambassador Youth magazine. It was filled with pictures of smiling faces, exhilarating activities, and wonderful fellowship. It filled me with so much joy to see teenagers wearing decent clothing and actually enjoying one another’s company. Suddenly, all my fears vanished. I immediately filled out the forms, and before I knew it, I was on a plane to the United States and AYC 2011.

Due to weather conditions in America, one of my flights was delayed. I did not know what to do and felt afraid. Then, I almost missed my connecting flight to Cleveland, which also made me nervous. After 20 hours of flying, and five hours of sitting at the airport, I was so exhausted that as soon as I reached Wadsworth, I fell into a deep sleep.

While driving to camp, I was surprised to see how big and wide the roads were. The cars were really large and drove at an average speed of 60 mph, which would definitely warrant a speeding ticket in India! Back home, speed is calculated in kilometers per hour. The maximum speed you can go is 65 kph, or about 40 mph. Additionally, roads in India are always crowded and almost half of the people use public transportation, scooters and motorbikes, which I found was not the case in the United States.

Upon arriving at AYC, I was unsure how campers would react when they heard I was from India. But as I was introduced to the girls, I realized that all my uncertainty was for nothing! They were so warm, inviting and genuinely interested in learning more about my country. They even appreciated the differences that existed between the two countries.

America is a country where everything is found in abundance—be it tasty food, rich greenery and forests, modern and spacious cars, and even wide-open spaces. India, on the other hand, is a smaller country—with about one and a half billion people living in it! Since I was born and brought up in India, I have grown to accept these things as natural. Therefore, seeing America came as quite a surprise, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

AYC 2012 is a year away, but I have already made up my mind about coming to camp again. Unlike before, I am not afraid and do not have any apprehensions about how receptive people will be. I have so many friends to come back and see.

I know one thing for sure: upon my return, I will be as kind and warm to the new people I befriend as my friends at camp were to me.