Reflections

International Day of Woman and Girls in Science
Leader of Village Delegation to Mexico in 2017
by Vivian Sabla

“Camp Truly Changed My Life”
A Mosaic Participant’s Perspective
by Sofia Lewis, age 10

This was my first year at CISV. My mom liked what the camp was about and knew it would fit my interests since I like learning about different cultures and meeting people from different backgrounds. At camp, I felt like everyone respected each other. We all got along well and had fun together. We made lasting friendships in a matter of a few days. Mosaic was a different kind of camp. It was about getting to know other people and bonding with them. We did many team-building activities that helped us learn more about each other. Everyone showed willingness to participate and because of that we had a great time. Everyone was enthusiastic and had a smile on their face. One moment in particular that was really special was the first night at camp. We were all eating dinner. I didn’t know anyone and randomly decided to sit with a group of people. I started talking with them and found that they had interests similar to mine. They all had different cultures and religions and were talking about their families and their cultural customs. It was a special moment because everyone felt that they fit. As the days progressed, I made more and more friends. This camp was way better than I had expected! On the last day of camp, we all sat around a bonfire and shared our experiences during that week together. We shared about how much we loved all the campers, the counselors, and the activities we did. By the end, everyone was crying. We were so sad that we had to leave but at the same time so happy that we got to have this amazing experience. Camp truly changed my life and gave me an understanding of the world that I did not have before. I gained knowledge about different cultures, human rights, and being kind to others. Mosaic was a truly amazing and unique experience. I am planning on staying in CISV. I hope to go to Village next year and meet even more people from all over the world. I cannot wait for what lies ahead.

“I Miss My Campers All the Time”
by Maya Kahn, age 16

This past summer, CISVer Maya Kahn was a Junior Counselor at a CISV camp in Kansai, Japan. I never used to be a huge fan of kids. I babysat sometimes for a little extra cash, but I found a lot of kids to be irritating and loud. Yet somehow I still knew I needed to be a Junior Counselor (JC). In preparation, I got a job at a day camp for a month and in the end, I knew I made the right choice. Being a JC at my Kansai Village completely changed my entire perspective. I created close personal bonds with my campers and got to watch them grow as people and CISV participants. I miss my campers all the time. There’s a very special relationship that forms between an 11-year-old and a teenager—we aren’t old enough yet to be annoying, controlling authority figures, but not too young to seem wildly cool and give some pretty wise advice as well. This summer made me realize I’m really good with kids, and whatever career I pursue needs to involve them. Being a JC helped me realize how much I value being a mentor, role model, and friend. Japan is an incredibly scenic country and it was really interesting to travel within it, all while listening to the different perspectives kids had on what they were seeing based on where they’re from. I saw some amazing sights and ate really good food. But the most interesting part of traveling, as with CISV in general, is observing all the ways our cultures are different and all the ways they are similar. Overall ,going to a village in Kansai was a really amazing experience.

“OMG! We Had So Much Fun”
A Dutch Participant’s Take on Interchange
by Noëlle Meij, age 13

I would definitely do it again because the experience of travelling alone and being in a country where I have not been without my parents is really so much fun and to experience that with my new friends from my own country but also with my new friends from New York. It was just amazing! So many new things we have seen, we’ve met so many new people, friends and families and most of all you see everything through a whole other culture which is really interesting and a life-changing experience. One of the main things CISV is standing for is “making global friendships” and I think that this was very well accomplished; I have still a lot of contact with all my interchange buddies. Over the summer I was with my new friends for almost five weeks, and it was truly a wonderful, lifetime experience that I will never forget.

Amy, mother of Gwenyth & Madelyne, who participated in Mosaic, Faces of NY Camp