Camp G.L.O.W.

Camp G.L.O.W. (Girls Leading Our World) is a 5-day, all-girl camp. And it was intense, for both the volunteers and the girls. All of the other Peace Corps-run camps are only 3 days, and we sleep in comfortable dorm rooms. But at this camp, we all slept on the ground in tents with our girls.

I brought 4 girls- Marlene (19-years-old), Maria (17), Leidi (16) and Valeria (12). And they were all great. They participated in all of the activities and had positive attitudes throughout the stressful week. I was so protective over all of them, especially when traveling. I really just felt like a mom with my 4 daughters. I'm just going to skip over the charlas and lectures and presentations that they all learned and tell the interesting parts of the camp.

These girls are all used to sleeping in beds with pillows, and for all of them it was their first time sleeping outside and camping out. Also, there were only 4 bathrooms/showers or 60+ girls, so that was a difficult experience as well. Especially for Dominican girls who like to bathe at least twice a day.

And the rain started. And didn't stop. Our tent was the only tent didn't flood. During the storm, the other girls slept in a roofed shelter (although it didn't have walls, so the girls still ended up getting soaked), but we stayed mostly dry. However due to the intense thunder, lightning and wind no one slept that night. The next day, nearly all of the girls wanted to pack up and go home. But not my girls. They were troopers and wanted to stay to finish out the week.

On the last day, there was a little drama. Regina had brought three girls from Matancitas, and Regina and I thought that our girls all got along. They've met each other at Escojo conferences and various trips between Matancitas and Baoba. But apparently that was not the case. My girls came to me upset that the girls from Matancitas were spreading gossip about them and telling people not to clap for them when it was time for them to get their certificates or when their pictures came up on the last day's slideshow.

During the last night, we had a bonfire. One of the Matancitas girls had to be removed because she started fighting with another girl (not from Baoba, thank goodness). During the bonfire, a few girls stood up to thank the volunteers and tell what part of the camp they liked best. My girls stood up and thanked me for bringing them there, and then added "We liked the presentation on how to resolve conflicts because in Baoba we want to resolve conflicts and not cause them," which I think was a deliberate stab at the Matancitas group. I have no idea what really happened between the two groups, but it is safe to say that they will not be going to Matancitas anytime soon.

On returning home, we ended up waiting at the bus stop in Santo Domingo or two hours. Buses kept coming, but Dominicans don't believe in lines, so there would be a mad rush and the bus would fill up before I could get all of my girls on. At this point, we were all sick (thanks to sleeping outside in the rain), and Marlene had a fever. So I went up to the bus driver and told him in my bossiest tone that I am in charge of bringing these 4 girls home and one of them has a fever and he better let us go home. And TADA! The next bus came and the driver escorted us all to our seats before he let any of the other people on.