Whether in Spain or a couple of hours away from D.C., Presidential Fellows Dor Hirsh Bar Gai and Emily Somberg both had incredibly rewarding experiences this summer. They reflect on their individual experiences below:
Hiking the Camino de Santiago
By Dor Hirsh Bar Gai
This past summer I had the time of my life hiking Spain’s Camino de Santiago, walking from the north-east corner on the border with France, to the tip of the north-west corner on the coast. The trail passes through mountains, forests, grassy hills and farmland, mostly along the northern coastline, and traverses through small villages and towns.
A few of my favorite aspects from the journey were the beautiful landscape colors, from dark green forests to light grassy hills, as well the multiple shades of blue, sunrises on the oceans and sunset on the hills and mountains.
Though I intended to walk alone, from early in the hike I’ve met several people and deep friendship formed quickly. Walking was an amazing experience of connecting with nature, people and myself, and I plan to continue doing long distance trails whenever I have the opportunity!
Camp Kesem GW: A Magical Mess
By Emily Somberg
This past August I served as a lead counselor for GW’s chapter of Camp Kesem, a national organization that provides free sleep-away summer camp for children whose parents have or have had cancer. I have been involved with Camp for two years and I am constantly amazed by the close-knit community of support it provides for its campers and camper families. Camp Kesem is a second home outside the stressors of life, school, and sickness for campers and counselors alike. Everyone at camp chooses a “camp name,” a new identity to take on, emphasizing the escape and magic of Kesem. Names range from favorite foods (Cheetoh, Quesadilla) to animals (Hippo, Tiger, Sloth), to some more unique selections (Couch, Snowball, Jefe).
In a way, volunteering with Camp Kesem is like speaking a different language, and feels like the shortest longest week of the year. As a lead counselor, my job is to be the most ridiculous yet responsible person for my campers and counselors, tie-dying one minute and problem-solving the next. There are raucous dance parties, lip-sync battles, hours of zip-lining while listening to the soundtrack of High School Musical, crazy camp songs (like the Llama Song), and countless candid and hilarious moments.
However, Messy Games is the ultimate (and in my opinion, the best) Camp Kesem event. It entails all campers and counselors (roughly 100 total) gathering in the soccer field to have a free-for-all of sorts, complete with paint, shaving cream, sparkles, whipped cream, chocolate pudding, and sprinkles. It’s an absolute mess and yet everyone leaves feeling lighter and happier even if a little crustier. I may still be finding the occasional sparkle or sprinkle in my clothing, but it’s all worth it. Where else would you be able to dump a can of pudding on your team members? Thanks to Camp Kesem, giving back to my GW community has never been more fulfilling, heartwarming, side-splitting, or beautifully messy.
