Campers and staff at Adirondack come from all over the world. Take a look at the countries they all come from!
France
Belgium
Spain
Russia
The Netherlands
China
Italy
Costa Rica
Korea
Germany
England
Switzerland
Mexico
El salvador
Poland
Australia
Indonesia
Venezuela
Scotland
New Zealand
Canada
United States of America
“I was 11 years old when I first set foot on the peninsula that would forever change my life. For a month, I was to live in a foreign world that I was soon going to call home.
In the beginning, before I was able to make friends because of the language barrier, I fell in love with the activities that were offered at ADK. Because no matter the language, swimming is swimming, tennis is tennis. I was very excited to take part in all these wonderful sports and activities that I wouldn’t normally have access to at home. I developed interests for creative arts and basketball and learned to water ski and kayak. Soon, campers in my cabin were teaching simple but Oh! so important things to say like “Please pass the salt!” By the end of the 4 weeks session, I was able to understand English a bit more, speak a few words and make friends.
Now, 18 years later, ADK is part of who I am. It has made me bilingual, has given me skills in many different sports and has brought friends into my life that I consider family. It is richness that I cherish and will without a doubt pass on to my son Charles.
Adirondack Camp est un endroit unique et apporte une expérience de vie des plus enrichissante aux voyageurs qui y déposent leur valise. Attention, vous pourriez y prendre racines!!"
Evelyne Brouillard
Camper 1994-1998
Staff 1999-2001/2005
CIT Program director 2007-2009
My name is Charles Belanger and this summer will be my fourth year at ADK. First as a staff. I was born in Canada and lived there for 15 years of my life. The reason why I started to go to ADK was because my family was moving to the United States the following year. My parents decided to send me there to introduce me to the American culture before we moved and so I could practice my English abilities. I am French-Canadian and going through camp 24/7 in English was challenging at first, but my bunk mates, counselors, and all the other kids did not judge me for it. Everyone was there to help me go through the day and have, in my opinion, the best summers of my life.
If anyone reading this message is considering going to ADK, listen to my advice and DO IT!!! You will soon realize that you are not the only person coming from outside the US and speaking a different language. In fact, many people on the staff team as well as campers come from all around the world! You will soon realize that after the first day, no one is from anywhere; everyone is just there enjoying each other’s company. Only a few times in your life do you have the occasion to bond with people from all around the world in a place that you will learn to love as if it was your own house. Trust my advice and join the ADK family. It is a decision that you will forever remember as one of your best decision in your life!
- Charles Belanger
A great camp for kids offers a truly great fencing program, and Adirondack does just that. When a terrific fencing applicant surfaced who lives in Madrid, a light bulb went off! Martin Evans, Senior Boys’ Line Head from the UK, is currently working in Madrid. We connected the dots, and Martin and Esteban Garcia Miralles met and talked camp. Following a formal interview and reference checks, Esteban is joining us for the summer! Campers get ready; Esteban is a national award winning fencer. En garde!
While I’ve been on my semester in Spain, I keep running into Adirondackees! Beth Shurtleff (Staff 2010 & 2011) and I have been hanging out in Granada a lot—hiking mostly, but also going out at night for tapas and dancing. I’m so glad I got to know her at camp because she’s introduced me to so many people I otherwise wouldn’t have met and vice versa. We’re meeting different people while becoming even better friends.
Tash Wiseman (Staff 2011 and 2009), Chris Seedhouse (Staff 2011) and I hung out in London! It was great going around London with the natives. They took me to places I wouldn’t otherwise have found and Chris and I spent the next day exploring and watching rugby games—very British.
Having ADK friends when you’re traveling is amazing. They’re always so welcoming and willing to take you in. It’s also great to reminisce; there aren’t many people who are willing to listen to us ramble about Camp, so when we got together, we all actually understood how much of an impact our summers there have had on us.
By Katelyn Wellnitz
