Camp Jeune Air is a fairly large camp on the edge of Lac au Quenouilles, right in the Laurentian mountains. It has a big chalet type building, and a smaller cottage style building. Right beside it is a forest with a ton of hiking trails (which Franco and I got a little lost on when we went running), and a ways into the forest there is an old Indian set-up with teepees and such (these we also discovered while running). Overall it is very quiet, and a peaceful break from Saint-Jerome!
When we arrived at the camp all of the doors to all the buildings were locked, and there was no one around.. we were locked out and it was COLD. The people that were supposed to meet us to let us in and show us around apparently forgot. So Lili and Eliana (our supervisors) walked down the road until they found a neighbor. The neighbor called an old employee, who called a current employee, who sent her husband to open the door because she was breastfeeding. So when we finally got inside about two hours had passed (we spent the time playing road hockey and exploring).
We were staying in the small cottage-like building. It had a loft with beds that overlooked the main room, and the boys slept up there (or some slept in the main room because there weren't enough beds). Then there were three rooms in the basement for the girls to share. The kitchen was attached to the main room. The main room had a stone fireplace, and big windows looking out onto the lake and the mountains in the distance. It was really pretty!
The mi-projet camp is for everyone to have a chance to reconnect and relax, and for the group to evaluate and solve any problems. So that afternoon we did out first group activity called "Linge Sale" (dirty laundry). We all wrote down any problems that we were having in the group on pieces of paper cut out like clothing, and then we went through them all and talked about them, and found solutions. It felt very productive, and a lot of things that needed to be said were said! I was really glad to see that a lot of people were on the same page regarding many things, but because of small misunderstandings they didn't realize they were. It also gave us the opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings, especially ones that were caused because of language barriers. I felt that it helped the group a lot!
That night we had time to just hang out as a group, have a fire, and relax.
Monday morning (day two) Franco and I decided to run before the day started. So we found our way onto the hiking trails and, obviously, got lost. Somehow we finally found the road (not sure how we even ended up where we did), and we returned to camp with just enough time for.. A SWIM :)
Yes; it was freezing cold, and yes; I was the only one who went.
Day two passed quickly, filled with the same kind of group/counterpart activities! That night we had a bonfire outside, and a fire in the fireplace inside, and everyone just relaxed again. This was the night that the hurricane Sandy storm hit Quebec. Luckily it didn't hit us too hard; we only lost power for a bit, it rained lightly, and the wind was the worst part of it. The only (almost) accident we had was when a tree fell right beside the bonfire, and some people had to jump out of the way! No one was hurt though, and after that we all stayed inside until the storm was over.
The camp ended Tuesday evening, and we all returned home relaxed and renewed!
Overall, I found it to be a really good, and productive thing for the group. It felt like everyone re-connected. Sometimes when we are all so busy in Saint-Jerome its hard to keep a tight group bond, and I think this gave us the opportunity to re-bond!
:)
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