Where do I begin?

Since the last time I wrote to you all I have killed two rattlesnakes, broken up a fight, made it through two weeks of camp, been to three pow wows, broken another strap on my Chacos, have probs. only showered an amount of times I can count on my hands, been the victim of egg roulette, cried, laughed, seen campers that I've known since Jan. grow in a week, broken in my new pair of cowgirl boots, and have bonded with some amazing camp staff.

Rattlesnakes. The first one was thankfully not during a week of camp so when all of us camp staff freaked out, no campers were around. This guy was HUGE! He was at least 10 years old. It was scary, but not too bad because I didn't actually step in to kill it until after we had time to process what was really going on. The second one though, that was scary. It was also during camp and while we had our guest presenters for culture night. Ali (Camp Director before me who is now our cook) was up there with me and a couple of guys from the Rez and then a couple girls from the Chimney Corners Camp who were volunteering and who found it. It slithered it's way into the bathroom and stayed there super upset just a rattling away. I had to go into the bathroom and try to kill it, but it was behind the vault toilet so it created some very interesting intense moments for me. It was crazy, but amazing. I'm pretty sure I won some respect from the locals that night. Ali and I worked together after I pinned it down to kill it completely. Joys of camp life on the prairie.

This weekend is Pioneer Days in Dupree and we had a parade, street games, rodeo and pow wow. While at the pow wow, I was talking with Amanda who is my new roommate/volunteer at the Y for the next year and she pointed out a fight between two teen girls. I walked over and helped pull one of the other. It was one of the girls we have had some problems with before and an elder walked over and asked who she was and who was fighting her and she said the name of one of our regular kids that go to the Y and one I happen to know every well. I was like "no. you were not fighting her. I know her and she wasn't anywhere around here". The girl didn't like that too much. One of our LITs  (Leader's in Training) from the past week out at camp was sitting right there. He said "Courtney you aren't at camp anymore!". I went over and started talking with him. I explained that it wasn't right to fight your problems and blah blah blah and how it didn't matter if it was at camp or not, you should live the core values throughout your life and he didn't know what to say. I also said that if they continued to fight, the elder was going to call the police to take them to jail. Another teen sitting there said "Too late, I've already been there for doing exactly that". I explained that I was trying to have the kids be able to stay at the pow wow and not get into trouble. It amazes me sometimes at how these kids are brought up to fight out their problems. That is just another reason why camp and the Y is so important for these kids.

Camp has been insane and fun and tiring and exhausting and motivating and a very emotional train ride. Starting about 70 some days before camp, one of our regulars at the Y was so excited he got to go to camp that he started a daily countdown. He walked into my office, looked at the year long calendar and would tell me how many days it was until camp. He went to camp the first week and LOVED it. He also go very homesick because he was able to talk to his dad on the phone one day. He swam the whole week and when he wasn't swimming he had his life jacket on. I asked him to take it off and go change for campfire and he came back with a shirt and sweatshirt over the life jacket. It was adorable. I've known him for the whole time I've been out here and he's the oldest kid in his family and has three younger siblings. This past week he stood in front of the whole camp and sang a song and it made me tear up. He has opened up so much it makes me truly believe in the things I have been doing out here. It's awesome. This past week I had my staff focus on the little moments that they have with campers or each other or have seen other counselors have with campers and hearing them has truly brightened up their days. At the end of the week on Fridays when we arrive back to Dupree, everyone is tired and crazy, but I hope they know that they have changed more than one kid's life that past week. I love my staff.

This weekend was great because while at the pow wow, I have had campers and community members come up to me to hug me, talk to me and just say hello and it feels amazing. Even while driving back from Pierre on Friday night after getting equipment for our dock and camp, I took that hour and half car ride (alone) to really think about the past 6 months that I have been out here and it's been life changing. This community feels like my community. I walk into the grocery store and see smiling faces of people who genuinely am happy I live here. Even going to Walmart an hour and a half away I see people from the Rez and they say hello. People ask me how long I'm staying out here and I have no clue. All I can honestly say is that I'm loving it right now and am happy with where my life has taken me.