Skillz

I have come to the realization that I have a very unique set of skills now that my time at Cho-Yeh is over. Some are highly useful and some not so much, but I’ll let you do the deciding on that.

An inventory of skills and talents:

1. Navigating muddy trails and/or roads: Cho-Yeh has many pockets of swamp land and when it rains it seems like this is what the entire camp is made up of. Mud-sliding becomes the fastest way to get anywhere and I have gotten the truck (and my shoes!) stuck more than once. So, I've become much better at working my way around giant mud pits.
2. Tying knots: I got Level One Ropes Certified which means I can tie some pretty bad-ass knots. Ok, just two. But, STILL.
3. Building Campfires: I mean, I knew before camp how to build and light a fire but now I know how to do it with flint and steel, so yeah.
4. Fletching arrows: This means essentially gluing plastic feathers to arrows but it sounded cool.
5.  Knowing exactly where/how people need to land/sit on the blob for best trajectory: I frequently facilitate the blob, meaning I tell people how they need to land and then where to sit in order to get premium height and awesomeness.
6. Making up games or game rules on the spot: Because sometimes a game doesn't go how you planned.  Someone breaks a collarbone playing a night game with glowsticks (true story) and while they are running off to the hospital the other 50 kids still need something fun to do.
7. Throwing tomahawks: Ok, so I'm not great at it, but I've hit that stump a few times so it’s worth mentioning.
8. Eating an entire meal in under 5 minutes: Most weekends were packed with activity and we'd hardly have time to eat before heading back out to set up the next event. So, we all eat like we haven't seen food in a week. I'm also pretty sure it’s really attractive that I can eat a taco in two bites. 
9. Having a Plan B: As the aforementioned night game that didn't go as planned, we have a lot of events that don't work out like we think they will. The weather is unpredictable, groups are late to activities, staff forget where they are supposed to be, and a back-up plan is important. Otherwise you end up standing around awkwardly wondering what to do with your hands. Ok, I do that a lot anyway.
10. Naming trees: I now can point out the sweet gum, magnolia and walnut trees. It’s the little things.
11. Launching things with a 3-man sling: You see, we have this giant water balloon launcher that we use for all kinds of fun and games and I'm getting particularly good at launching eggs at people.
12. Spotting: More Level One Ropes stuff. I am even authorized to teach others to spot. Fancy, eh?
13. Hitching up AND Driving a truck/trailer: I am probably the most proud of this. Before working at camp I couldn't hitch up a trailer let alone drive one and forget about backing it up! Now, I’m a pro. Except for when I hit a tree because I'm being a show-off for the work crew kids. Don’t tell my boss.
14. Telling Cho-jokes: Cho-Yeh is notorious for adding or substituting “cho” for EVERYTHING. We even have a whole section on our website about “Cho-Lingo.” Now I constantly find myself holding back saying things like, "Cho me the money!" or "I was cho-happy, I could have died."  
15. Making a fool of myself and not even flinching: See this post. Daily life, y’all.

Missing you, Camp Cho-Yeh 

(Photo creds to Morgan Maddox, Marketing & Communications Coordinator)