Journal of  Camp2Kids  
Team #2
Summer 2002


Camp2Kids Stories

Schedule: July 3 - July 19, 2002

(Includes Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro)

July 3 (Wednesday) - Team departed from Washington Dulles Airport - late afternoon. We flew to Vienna Austria on Austrian Air. 

July 4 (Thursday) - We arrived about 9 AM in the morning at the Vienna Austria airport.  We sat in the airport (pretty jet-lagged as it was 1 AM our time at home) until our flight to Sarajevo left at 2 PM.  We arrived in Sarajevo at 3:30 PM and were amazed at the new airport in Sarajevo.  The airport was so new and modern - a far cry from the airport destroyed in 1995.  We were met by everyone from Vjeko to Vahid and a brand new VW van for our team. 

The afternoon was free for us to freshen up. We went to dinner as a group at the Pizza Magnum in Sarajevo. Most of the team members staid in the homes of our wonderful widows.  These families open their homes to our team members during our time in the Sarajevo area and graciously provide a 'bed and breakfast that gives our team an opportunity to experience life in a Bosnian home, a time get to know these wonderful people and their families and to cement friendships that last a lifetime. This part of our program has been a tremendous success to both the TWI team members and these lovely ladies.

 

July 5 (Friday) - Morning free to 'get acquainted' with Sarajevo. After lunch we held a team meeting with our VAHID 98.JPG (90540 bytes) Bosnian team members to work on details for the upcoming camp program. We spent the night in Sarajevo preparing out craft and sports bags for the camps at Rama and bags for Vahid (our transportation director) to take to Gorazde and pre-position for our camps there later in the month.

 

 

 

July 6 (Saturday) - Camp for Disable Children at Rama

Early in the morning we picked-up our disabled children and their families and boarded the bus for a two-hour drive to Rama where our "Camp2kids with Disabilities" was held. Rama is a small village located in Central Bosnia. This is2Rama blowup pool.jpg (133271 bytes) our third camp for these children and their brothers and sisters, but this summer is really special for them. Instead of a camp in the city of Sarajevo as we have done in the past, this is a 2-day overnight camp! We  stay in a Catholic Monastery called Rama. 

 

 

 

 Mountains, lakes and woods surround it. They brought bathing suits and walking shoes! For many of the children this was the first time they have gone swimming - or wading for that matter. We brought our "blow-up crocodiles" for them to use as floats and spades for those who don't want to get in the water. Camp began with lunch prepared by the nuns and after that we're in 'full gear'. Dinner, Huge Bon-Fire; music  and overnight.  What a great day!!!!!

 

 

July 7 (Sunday) - Breakfast. Morning free for those who  wanted to attend religious service in the Chapel that is attached to the Monastery or for a hike in the woods for those who don't attend Chapel. 

 

 

After noon the happy Campers and their families departed for Sarajevo. Such fun to wave at2Ramamonestary.jpg (109158 bytes) the bus filled with laughing and smiling kids and their families who have just had a great weekend away from their existence in the city.

The TWI team remained overnight for the July 8 Camp2Kids at the local school in Rama. Read more about the Camp at Rama for Disabled Children.

 

 

Return to Success 2002 Page

 

 Return to Disabled Children  page.

 

 

July 8 (Monday) - Camp at the Rama School

Great Camp2Kids for about 80 kids.  Lunch of Pizza for all the kids and stories, games and crafts were enjoyed by all. This was our first camp at a school and we learned a lot about what we need to do to make the kids learn and enjoy the day. 

After camp we traveled to Sarajevo. What a beautiful trip down through the towering mountains to Sarajevo. Evening free for sightseeing in the city and dinner. Overnight in Sarajevo.

 

 

July 9 (Tuesday) - Half-day camp in Mostar at Orphanage

We drove to Mostar and held a  Camp2 Kids of the Mostar Orphanage . There are about 35 children in this  orphanage. We have worked with these children for the past 5 years, so we know them well. Many of the children have emotional disorders that led to learning problems. They are definitely filled with lots of energy and they really love being with our TWI groups. Later that Afternoon we walked around the city and had a terrific dinner. Overnight at the orphanage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 10 (Wednesday) - Camp in Potoci School

This city is located near Mostar. The entire area was destroyed during the war and many of the people who fled and are now returning to rebuild their homes. The day was hot and there were about 120 kids.  They were all lined up at the door to the school when we arrived.  The Gym was like a sauna, but the kids and our team didn't seem to mind. Crafts were in separate rooms and the songs and dance were in the entrance-way.  We were quickly underway and everyone had a great time. After lunch, we held a last round of circle group activities and by 2:30 PM we had our closing ceremonies.  Both the children and the team were soaked with sweat.  We hated to see the day end, but it was just too hot to play too many strenuous games.  The kids went home singing and thrilled with their inflatable pillows or the world and their newly decorated tote bags for their mothers. 

We were off to a beautiful B&B back in the mountains where the team enjoyed swimming and the most delicious dinner of our trip. The overnight was at B&B "Theatro". 

 

July 11 (Thursday) - Camp in Bugaj School

This city is located near Mostar and most of the homes were destroyed or badly damaged. The same things happened here during the war that happened in Potoci. We were up early and loaded out in time to make the 30 minute drive to Bugaj.  This school is south of Mostar and back in the mountains.  It is a favorite of ours and the kids are lined up much in advance of our arrival. We had a great time, but again the heat made it necessary to consolidate some of our activities.  Flexibility was the name of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After camp we drove to Mlini, Croatia having supper at Mali Ston, a fishing village on the Adriatic.  Food was great. Overnight at our B&B in Mlini.

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 12 (Friday) - Cultural time in Mlini

This is a special time for the TWI American and Bosnian team, because we share the fun and excitement of being together in this historical area of the former Yugoslavia. We did things in groups, according to what we enjoy doing. The day is free to visit Dubrovnik, boat excursions, swimming. The members of our Bosnian team stayed in the country during the war and this is our opportunity to help them get some rest and to build leadership and team building skills. The rooms in the B&B are doubles or triples, so we all have partners. We meet up after the day for dinner as a group. Overnight in Mlini.

 

 

 

July 13 (Saturday) - Mlini:  We separated and after a great breakfast were catching boats to the islands for swimming and sight-seeing.  Some went to Dubrovnik to explore that beautiful city.  Others simply stayed in Mlini to rest and soak in the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 14 (Sunday) - Mlini  Again another great breakfast and the groups were off for another day of exploring the area and swimming and getting ready for the next week. What a beautiful area on the Adriatic Sea. 

 

 

July 15 (Monday) - Mlini - Podgorica, Montenegro & Gorazde, Bosnia

Traveled to the Orphanage in Montenegro to spend a few hours with these kids.  We hope to be able to return in 2003 for a more extended stay.  We then drove to Stevi Stephan on the coast to see this beautiful tourist spot.  Then on  to Podgorica, Montenegro. We are working with an American friend, Shep, who works in Podgorica with the Ministry of Education. A group of us me with a representative from the Ministry of education to determine if we could schedule a camp there next summer. The remainder of the team swam and followed us by van to Gorazde.  Overnight in Gorazde, BiH.

 

 

 

 

July 16 (Tuesday) - Foca

This city suffered a lot during the war and is having difficulty rebuilding its economy. Children have vivid memories of the atrocities that happened during the war. Dinner. When we showed up at the Gorazde School for the Camp, no one was there.  After a frantic few minutes we discovered that we were supposed to be in Foca. Quickly, we drove to Foca where we were met by about 150 children who had been waiting for at least two hours.  We had a great camp in Foca and then returned to Gorazde.

 

 

Some of our team were not as tired as others and took a raft trip to Gorazde -- arriving at 11:00 PM. Our hotel is super and we enjoy being able to walk the streets of this village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 17 (Wednesday) - Gorazde

Our Camp2kids in Gorazde was fabulous and we had about 90 kids.  The day went very quickly as always and the kids were wonderful.  We had a great time and will always remember the children of Foca and Gorazde. 

 

After the camp we traveled back to Sarajevo and overnight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 18 (Thursday) - Sarajevo

  • Team had a day off to learn more about the beautiful city of Sarajevo.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 19 (Friday) - The team departed Sarajevo for Washington and Paris.

 
Updated: 06/27/2008

 

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