"We're Camp ABC and we're all girls and we're all here.
Singing songs and having fun we have no fear.
We're not afraid to sit on the ground
'Cause when the buggies crawl up we just knock 'em all down.
'Cause we're all campers now, we left the city lights
And when we do it we stick to it and we do it right!"

About Camp ABC
23 Favourite Camp Phrases
The Weekends: Manhattan & Long Island

Our cabins, our homesCounselors at PawneeCrazy facesDouble dutch time!

Camp ABC, Sharpe Reservation, Fishkill, New York.

My first stop and a BIG learning experience. The job description didn't sound all that bad - take care of some girls aged 11 to 12 from lower socio-economic families (to be politically correct) in New York City. Okay, I might have been a little naive at the beginning of camp but I certainly wasn't by the end!

Some of those girls were really tough. Defensive like you would never believe. They pushed and pushed and I had never been so stressed out in my life.

Despite all this, I believe it was a great life experience. I learned more about New York and American culture through those kids, spent 2 months in the outdoors, and certainly learned where my limitations lie.

Besides, it wasn't all bad. Despite their attitudes the kids where also extremely intelligent, talented, funny, even sweet. I also made some great friends from all over the place and did some zany things. I can honestly say that there was never a dull moment.

Trail's End counsellors dress up!Campers at PawneePhilisa on the waterslide4 little trolls

23 Favourite Camp Phrases
(as voted for by campers & counselors)

  1. Dumb mad bootie (that's stupid)
  2. Oh snap/shoot (oh shit!)
  3. Can't do nuthin' 'bout dat (you're on your own)
  4. Whodat? (who's that?)
  5. "We've got big behinds and we shake 'em all the time. We shake 'em in your face and we shake 'em in your eyes, so don't mess with us." (typical song)
  6. "My back is aching, my bra's too tight, my bootie's shaking from left to right. Left, left, left, right, left." (another typical song)
  7. "Hey Sandra!" "What?" "Shake your bootie." "No way." (yet another song)
  8. I'm taking a poop/I'm doing a number two. (I'm going really use the toilet)
  9. Mad bootleg/tight bootleg (that's really stupid)
  10. Why are you all up in my grill? (why are you hassling me?)
  11. Don't you feel mad crunchy? (isn't it good?)
  12. Dem's fightin' words (so you want a challenge, eh?)
  13. Pigeons (women who think they're all dat but who are nothing)
  14. Scrubs (men who think they're all dat but who are nothing)
  15. Dat ain't right (that's not fair)
  16. Dat's nasty (that's disgusting)
  17. Yo, whassup? (greeting)
  18. Bust a cap in your ass (I'm going to shoot you)
  19. Same ol' same ol' (it's boring)
  20. Daggone (damn it)
  21. Woo chil' (exclamation)
  22. Ai (alright)
  23. "My momma's gonna sue you!" (self-explanatory)

Face painting3rd encampment girlsWe're going home!On the waterfront

The Weekends: Manhattan & Long Island

Every two weeks when the kids head back home (and the counselors celebrate), my Scottish friend Joan and I would explore the Manhattan wilderness for the weekend. Along the way we did some interesting things.

Like walking half the length of Manhattan Island from the World Trade Center to Central Park.

Like going camping on Long Island with no idea where we were heading but eventually finding a wonderful family who not only let us stay on their site but also showed us the length and breadth of Long Island.

Interesting stuff, indeed!

Manhattan streetsKids at Montauk Beach