I had an awesome time at camp; one of the best of my life. I really wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived and usually, I'm a rather shy person. Being at camp brought me out of my shell a little, and also helped me realize that regardless of where a person is from everyone is pretty much the same. I'm not saying that I thought international people were from another planet, but I had never had that kind of opportunity to become friends with so many people before. I think about camp a lot and some days really wish to be right back there. I have kept in touch with a few people and I hope that once everyone is back to their real life that they will be able to find the time to correspond. I'm really looking forward to seeing the web site. Thank you so much for taking the time to bring it all together. Feel free to use any of my responses on the site.

Shannon Gibson
Columbus, Ohio

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From: Karen Lewis (kjl@seas.upenn.edu)
Date: 09/13/1998; 02:47pm

Hey Stuart (and Anne and Nathan),

I just wanted to let you know I loved World Camp. Not only was it a lot of fun, but I learned so much from everyone there. I have more to say, and pictures, which I will scan in sometime soon and email to you....

Thanks,

Karen Lewis
kjl@seas.upenn.edu
http://www.seas.upenn.edu/~kjl

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What is your overall feeling about your World Camp experience?

U.S. Participants comments:

• Excellent!
• I thought it was rewarding and I am very glad that I was a part of it.
• It was awesome. A unique experience that I'll never forget.
• I loved it! I made really great friends that I'll keep forever. It is a wonderful tool in developing awareness and it will be of endless value in life experience.
• I'm glad I came but it could have been better.
• Exciting and fun.
• It was perfect! Most incredible week of my life!
• It was great. One of the best times of my life. I did things and made friends I'll never forget.
• Excellent!
• Very positive! I can't say enough good things.
• It could have been so much more.
• Wonderful! I feel honored to be a part of this experience!
• Almost unexplainable! Put all good words together and then some.
• Incredible! (
• I had a great time.
• It was very good I am glad I got the opportunity.
• It was wonderful, I can't wait for the next one.
• Good.
• I am so glad that I was able to be here this week. I had a great time, made a lot of new friends, and learned a lot about other's cultures.
• It was good.
• Excellent.
• Okay. Liked the theme - wish we'd have done more w/it. Good volunteer experiences. Like the free time to get to know one another.
• Good.
• It was great.
• I think it's a wonderful opportunity to network, form friendships, and learn about the YMCA.
• This week has been a real break and break through in my life.
• Was great!!
• Very positive!
• Fantastic-more time to work on action plan. Service project was great.
• Great!
• The best experience in my camping career. Will be hard to match in next 4 years!
• Very good.
• Incredible, it was an awesome experience that I was pleased to be a part of.
• I'm so glad I came, and am proud to have been a part of it. It brought so many awesome people together.
• Loved it.
• I am so lucky to have had an opportunity like this. It was wonderful!
• Hopeful, happy, educational.
• Very positive - it was neat to discover what others had to offer.

• Absolutely WONDERFUL!!
• It was very interesting and good. It is very important that young people from all world have possibility to be here.
• Excellent.
• Useful, FUN, powerful!
• Good. I did my best to introduce Korea to friends. I learned music, I made Korean food.
• It's a very nice feeling, was very interesting to share with people of other countries, countries that I had never listened.
• I like Camp Potawotami, the facilities and programs, and I have a vision on the camp facilities in my homeland in some years! This one is really good model.
• I am very glad to be one of the participants of the world camp. I am so excited to get back home and to tell the others about it.
• The idea of a world camp is awesome. I thank whoever came up with that idea.
• I'll never forget this week.
• Now I have friends around the world.
• It is a healthy activity that should be continued.
• Great and precious.
• Had a really great time. Met some great people and had a lot of fun. Felt we could have followed some more on theme of camp.
• Extremely worthwhile. A fantastic week.
• Excellent.
• I'm really glad and proud to have been part of this experience.
• Awesome!
• Satisfaction.
• This is something I'll remember my whole life!
• Fantastic.
• It is a very good experience to me. I got to learn a lot.
• It is probably enough to say that it is the first time in my life to do many things and hobbies that I only used to see in TV like high climbing and canoeing. So I feel as if I was changed 180 degrees.

U.S. Participants comments:

• Thought there would be more cultural exchange things!
• Thank you for one of the best weeks of my life.
• The age group (18 - 25) was great! With an older age group, as a camper I was able to get more out of the program, therefore taking more back with me.
• Thanks to all the staff, Camp Potawotami was an excellent choice!
• A job well done! Kudos to your excellent staff! Your program will be in my prayers.
• I hope it's at Sherman Lake in 2000!
• At Sherman Lake YMCA Outdoor Center in 2000!!!!!
• Thanks Kara and Angie - you rock!
• Thank you so much! This has been a great experience.
• Great job!!
• Have some people in mind for next WC committee.
• See you @ Sherman Lake in 2000.
• It was incredible.
• Excellent job!
• Great!!
• Thank you, God bless.
• Thank you!
• Great job Camp Potawotami! Thanks.

• You're doing a great job! Thank you for everything. This is the experience for the whole life!
• Thank you.
• Hope to see ya all in another four years!
• Big thank you to YMCA Camp Willson and the Columbus YMCA. I had a great time.
• I hope Latvian team will join the next World Camp in three years!
• I really enjoy myself.
• Thank you for the experience.
• Thank you and God bless!
• Enjoyed the week, and thought overall a really good job was done.
• Stay in touch.
• Staff members had good communication among themselves - it helped them to be more open towards the needs of participants.
• Keep up with that way.
• Dave, Angie, Kara, you are such wonderful persons, I hope the world would just feel as you feel and behave as you do, and be full of hope like you. Thanks.