Boot Camp Week 1

Saturday September 20, 2008

So I’m not exactly sure why they call it boot camp because the majority of the time we are sitting in a classroom reading out of a book and doing written “assessments.”

Get ready for a looooooong one folks!

Dan and I took off for Port Hacking at 6:15am Monday morning in Lil’ Bro, the smaller of Shoalhaven’s utes (pick-up trucks). We ended up going with Mel, who was heading up to help with a writing camp. Stopped at a Maccas (McDonald’s) on the way up to grab some breakky. The McDonalds down here all have these McCafe’s in them, which have all sorts of coffees and muffins and breads and stuff. I think I may have seen a couple back in the states but they are way more common here; Aussies are quite serious about their coffees and teas!

So we got up to Port Hacking and had a bit of time to get settled in to McConnells, a house with four rooms of bunk beds where the weekend staff live on the weekend and anyone up for a short amount of time can stay. We met some of the other guys who would be doing training with us: two from Teen Ranch, another Christian camp located some-what close by, and two from Trinity, a school who has their own outdoor education site where they send all of their ninth graders to spend three weeks by sending a group of kids at a time.

All the guys were really nice but, as it seems to be the way in outdoor education in Oz, they were all guys – lol. A girl from teen ranch did come up for Tuesday and spent Tuesday night and I was sharing a room with Mel the whole week but for the most part I was the minority – a girl and an American :-P One of the guys from teen ranch just couldn’t let it go that I was American and brought it up quite a bit. I enjoy conversations comparing cultures and words and stuff but it can get old when everything constantly goes back to – it’s because your American . . . :-P w/e.

Exploring Port Hacking after a day in the classroom.

One of our modules (mini courses) was on conflict resolution. We took a test to determine our style of dealing with conflict. Each style was associated with an animal: shark/bull (forcing), owl (collaborating), fox (compromise), teddy bear (accommodating), or turtle (avoiding). I score highest for Teddy bear but then had a close tie for second scoring two points lower on each turtle and fox.

So that was pretty interesting. We also did modules on weather, planning outdoor recreation activities, plan for minimal environmental impact, and effective workplace environments. Most of the stuff was common sense but it was good to be reading and learning in an academicish setting again.

All of these modules are working up to a certificate III in outdoor education. To my understanding they have certificate I, II, III, and IIII; each being a bit more intense but all being less then a bachelor’s degree.

So as part of earning this certificate III we have to complete all the modules (mini courses) as well as sessions on “hard skills,” which we will later be assessed on.

Port Hacking has lots of nice trails and trees and rocks to sit on!

Monday through Wednesday was all in the classroom doing different readings and assessments and activities. Then Thursday we had a session on abseiling (repelling). I would have to say this has been my favorite day of training so far. It was hands-on learning for something I will actually eventually be teaching. All of the modules were interesting but this was way more fun! Bronze medallion (like lifeguard) training and certification would have been fun had the water not been freezing!

Thursday’s abseil training was with Michelle, who also worked with us on our bronze. The morning was spent going over equipment and learning the knots that would be used. After morning tea (a piece of fruit and a biscuit (cookie)) we went and set up our abseil on the top of a 4m cliff. Not sure exactly how many feet 4m is but I’m guessing like 20 b/c this was a pretty small “cliff”! It was perfect for learning though.

The other three had all abseiled before but setting up the abseil was a bit new for all of us. We attached the abseil line to a pole and the belay line to a large tree at the top of the cliff using the knots we had just leaned. After lunch we took turns abseiling and belaying each other down the two lines we had set up. It was pretty cool! I’m really glad I had the chance to abseil myself before I spend 7 months belaying kids down cliffs!! That was just basic abseil training so before I actually do it myself we will have another training day plus a few sessions with a more experienced instructor watching and helping them set up and belay the group.

After abseil training we headed back down to Shoalhaven with Mel and Jeff; one of our bosses from Shoalhaven who had come up to be a part of an interview. Jeff is the programs director down at Shoalhaven but will be moving up to Port Hacking at the beginning of the year to begin the position of programs director in charge of all three sites: Shoalhaven, Port Hacking, and Blue Gum, which is located in the Blue Mountains.
Pretty awesome moon at Port Hacking, although the pic prob doesn't do it justice.

Friday was caving training with Pete (fondly called PG). I was a bit bummed because while at Port Hacking we went to an outdoor store called Paddy Pallin, where we get a 25% discount b/c we are youthworks staff. This sounds amazing but their prices are soooo high that 25% off brings most of their stuff into a reasonable range. I bought a can of water guard that you spray onto your shoes to make them waterproof (originally $10.95 but reduced to $8ish). Dan bought a nalgene water bottle, a head torch (head light / lamp), and a waterproof jacket (luckily I had just bought one at home before I left from REI for like $50 from the kid’s section!). I really debated about getting a head torch because I knew we were going caving the next day and that it would be very convenient but the cheapest one was $40 and the good ones were like $90. I looked at the labels and sure enough “made in the USA.” I was kicking myself for not getting more outdoor gear before I came over b/c I know it would be cheaper at home. So I’m in the market for a head torch and possibly some good outdoor hiking shoes. They make ones that are like sneakers but have thicker soles and good tread and are waterproof! I hate having wet feet, which is why I got the water-guard but I’m thinking my retired running shoes with very little tread on them might not cut it for 8 months of hiking and caving and abseiling . . . Michelle had a nice pair that she got on clearance for $80 so I might try to go to that outdoor store cause that is probably pretty comparable to what I could find a t home. Most of the nice shoes here run from $140 - $400 – crazy. For now the waterproofing will have to do!

Anyway! Caving . . . Luckily Mel let me borrow her head torch, which was awesome because it just slipped onto the helmet and I had both of my hands free – def. a necessity. We hiked up a trail with Pete leading. It took about 20min-30min to get up there. It was weird hiking up to go down into a cave :-P He showed us the abseil cliff and the trailer with all the gear – new harnesses! There is a 4m, 8m, and 20m drop if I remember correctly. It was good to see that to get an idea for where it was and what our sites abseil looks like since we had been trained at Port Hacking.

We reached the mouth of the cave and went through how we would introduce the activity to the kids. Luckily we have little key ring things that have an acronym for every activity to help us remember the things we need to cover in our introduction – just another way youthworks is way organized and on top of things! The acronym for caving is WHAT’S UNDER? With the W standing for weather check, the H – how caves are formed, and the R – rules for safety.

The cave was only about 15m long (maybe about 60 feet???) but it was definatley more involved than walking through Lurray caverns with a guide or even Mammoth cave in Kentucky where we had to squeeze around some tight spots and carry a flash light. This was some serious “don’t let your foot slip down that hole,” “you’ll have to slide through here on your stomach,” “check out the bat above your head” caving!!! Pretty awesome. It’s kind of a huge responsibility to take a group of kids through though. Luckily we will be breaking our usual 15ish kid group in half to take them through, leaving a teacher outside with the other half. But still, I’ll have to be very careful in my instruction and make sure I am at certain places to spot. And the kids will all most-likely be having handheld torches (flashlights) which will be an added challenge! Should be cool though.

After that cave we walked a short ways to another one that looks deep from the outside but once you go in a few meters you see the sun streaming in the other end and realize it is quite short. Wish I had had my camera for the abseil and the cave but will have plenty of opportunity for that once I get going. Although every group that comes gets to choose what they do so I won’t necessarily be doing caving or abseil every week.

Starting the hands-on activities training has made me really excited to be here and get started with groups! The stuff I’m going to be doing is definitely a bit more “intense” than the stuff we do at the Marsh but it is going to be great and lots of fun!

Had Thursday night dinner on Friday so that was a nice way to end the week – 15 people showed up last night so it was a pretty full house! Luckily Naomi was making spaghetti so she was able to throw some more on really quick! They are such a nice couple to have us all over. We were just told yesterday that they will actually be moving up to Port Hacking as well as Tim has been appointed as Jeff’s assistant. They won’t be moving for another year though so I’ll be gone by then but it is kind of sad because he is a really great boss!

Alright I’m pretty sure I’ve written enough to cover the week! Congratulations if you are still reading! Home alone for most of the day as Mel had a Drs. Appointment in Sydney and Julie is home for her brother’s birthday. But that is okay: did some vacuuming, some laundry, went for a run, and now I’m headed up to the office to post this for you all to read :)

Hope all is well with everyone. It is quite warm here now – hurray but I bet the weather is really nice at home with fall almost in full swing!
I’ll try to throw some pics in here to make it more exciting!
3 pages- phewww – but it is a weeks worth!

Man, so a few things I forgot to mention:

*ALLISON is coming!!!! She bought an Aussie air pass which allows her several stops in

Aus – one is going to be Sydney from October 3 -11th!! I will be in training and my first week of work but I do have a three day weekend October 4th – 6th so I am def. gonna go visit her than and maybe for my birthday as well!

*I am now the owner of a Leatherman pocket knife! I meant to mention this way sooner but yeah as a welcome gift youthworks got Dan and I each a Leatherman Surge knife engraved with our initials, YW SH program (standing for Youthworks Shoalhaven), and the year – pretty awesome!

*I opened a bank account here and should have received my first paycheck but haven’t checked yet! Did get my "handy card" in the mail though so I can use the ATM. They had me set up a savings account, which has good interest, and another account to use with the ATM and where my pay checks will go.

*I am studying to take the test for my boat license on Friday – that should be cool! Wonder if that is good at home too? Probably not :-P

*I received my first letter in the mail the other day! Left the US postmarked Sep 8th and got postmarked again in AU on Sep 15. Yay for mail and thanks Mom!! :)
Which reminds me, here is my mailing address:

Laura Messerly
PO Box 3149
North Nowra, NSW 2541
Australia