junior program summer site : conversations : first session



	talia from massachusetts (7/18) Talia is a sixth grade residential student here at Explo for her first summer. She enjoys her "Summer Spa" mini-course, where she created a medley of soaps and lotions (that she plans on smelling, but not using). Her most valuable experience of the summer: learning how to become more independent. How do you like Explo? It’s been really fun. At the end of the first week I got a little homesick, but my hall has been so nice. They were helping me and they gave me hugs. They’ve been really helpful. My RA’s were really helpful, too, so this past week has been really fun for me. I really enjoy weekend trips and mini-courses. What were your favorite trips? I really enjoyed the whale watch and IMAX trip, and I actually went back a second time. It’s a hard choice because I also went to Boulder Morty’s and the “Manners + Etiquette” trip. Boulder Morty’s was really fun, even if I did feel a little sore the next day. “Manners + Etiquette” was really fun. So what did you do on that trip? Basically, we started on campus. One of my RA’s was leading the trip. We spent the morning doing skits about different rules, like chewing with your mouth closed or how to RSVP. Then we made maps -- well, placemats -- to show where the different plates were, and the spoons and forks and knives. In the afternoon, we took a bus to the Taj and we got to choose tea and some different desserts. They gave us plates of different desserts . . . like, we got a giant chocolate covered strawberry and a giant chocolate chip cookie. The only downer for me was that I don’t like chocolate. . . You don’t like it at all?! No, but Kara gave me one of her little desserts, which was a little tart with a raspberry on top. It was really good. Do you feel prepared to go to a formal function now? Yeah, it was really interesting to find out all this stuff. How many different spoons and forks did you have? I think there were probably about two spoons, three knives, and three forks. I wouldn’t have any idea what to do with all of those. Which mini-courses did you take? I took “Summer Spa” and “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Stained Glass”. In “Summer Spa” we made body lotion, glitter gel, soap bags, three different kinds of soap, and lip balm. We labeled all of our stuff and wrapped it in a basket yesterday in class. They gave us lotion, and Rose bought all these different scents and some of them were flavors, too. Like, we had butter cream, watermelon, caramel, lilac, lavender, one called “tropical vacation,” passion fruit rose, garden. . . we had a lot of good ones. They were really fun. For the soaps, we used glycerin and put in drops of coloring and scent. We mixed it all up. One of our soaps was watermelon scented and it was actually a layered soap. We put it in Dixie cups and we had one layer that was green, one layer that was clear, and one layer that was pink. Do you think you’re going to use them, or just keep them? I’ll probably just keep them and smell them. And your other mini-course was “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Stained Glass”? Yeah. So if it wasn’t stained glass, what was it? Well, in our first week we shaved crayons with scissors and stuff. Then we dropped the shavings around on pieces of wax paper, and then we put another piece of wax paper on top. Then we brought the wax paper over to our instructor and she took an iron and she went over them so that the crayon shavings melted. It made a really cool effect. Then, we framed them with black construction paper. We also painted candleholders for the second class, and yesterday we. . . I forget now. This is your first summer at Explo. What was something that you found cool about Explo that you weren’t expecting before you came? A lot of people were really nice. The staff is really fun. Like, today I went to an activity, and one of the staff members decided to let us shave his head, so we gave him, like, a horizontal mohawk that was on a zigzag. Then we got to paint his hair and give him face paint and stuff. It was really, really fun. The activity was called “make Jon a pirate,” although we didn’t really make him a pirate. How is Explo different than other summer programs? In the mornings, the Voyagers have activities. They give you a whole bunch of different activities, and then you get to choose which one you want to do. And then the courses -- you choose them ahead of time. I once went to a camp where it was all outdoors. They had the scheduled all planned. Here, you don’t have to go swimming, you don’t have to take an art class if you don’t want to. You can do whichever courses you choose. It’s really nice to have some choice; you’re not forced into doing anything. Have you learned anything new this summer? I learned some stuff in “Manners + Etiquette, I learned how to live with another person through having a roommate. I’ve learned a lot in general. What is the most valuable thing you’re going to take away from this summer? I think probably being independent, ‘cause I had to make my own. I’ve only made my bed with my parents helping, so that was quite an experience. I’ve learned how to put on sunscreen, because before I really depended on my parents to put on sunscreen. I haven’t gotten sunburned yet, which is really good because I have really fair skin. Have your RA’s been there to help you and remind you about things like sunscreen and brushing your teeth? Yeah. My RA, Kara, sings a funny song about brushing your teeth: [To the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat] “Brush, brush, brush your teeth, make your teeth feel clean! Bubble and spit, bubble and spit. . .” and then it ends with something about periodontal disease. Would you give any advice to someone coming to Explo next year? You have to know that the people are always there for you, especially the people on your hall. You grow really close to them. You become really independent, and it’s a really great place to learn and play and have fun. If Explo were an animal, what would it be? It would be something that was wild and exotic. Maybe a monkey? Hmm. . . it would definitely be something that was really floppy and crazy and a really weird animal. I think it would be an ostrich. They’re pretty crazy. How is Explo like an ostrich? The staff does crazy things, they dance on the stage, they use funny voices, they do crazy things. . . it’s just crazy, in a good way. more conversations > first session \| second session