Camp Bereg: Day 2

Hello hello! I'm backkkk with another blog update...I'm itching to write about the environmental conference I just went to (and today's first bell ceremony!) but I refuse to blog out of order right now...which means I have to finish my Camp Bereg posts! So, without further ado, Camp Bereg: Day 2 (Aug. 17)

For day number of 2 of camp, we had a lovely game of capture the flag for our morning activity. We didn't get to go to the beach because it was too windy, or too cold, or some other random reason (sometimes the kids didn't want to go to the beach, so the camp doctor makes up a reason why we can't). We split up into two teams and started trying to explain the game. The kids at this English camp have a wide range of English skills, but overall they were pretty impressive. I had not played Capture the Flag since elementary school I'm pretty sure, so it was funny to try to remember the rules. In case you've forgotten:

1. There are two teams

2. Each team makes a flag (at least at our camp!)

3. The "field" (aka boundaries for the game) is split up into 3 chunks: 1 for each team and then a middle neutral ground.

4. Each team's flag is hidden on their side and surrounded by a spray painted circle. This is the "zone"--if a member from one team makes it to the other team's flag, they are safe inside the circle.

5. If members of a team go onto the other team's territory, they are in a position to be tagged and taken to jail.

6. Getting out of jail requires having a teammate run to the opposite team's jail and tagging one of the players who is currently in jail. Then, they are free to go back to their side.

I think that is all of the important rules. My team took themselves very seriously...putting on pink paint on their faces like football players :) We had 3 older boys (all conveniently named Dima) who fully understood the object. One of them guarded our flag, and the other two went to try to capture the other teams flag.

One of the Dima's--this one's job was to guard the flag.  Hence the greenery for camo :)

The other 2 Dima's

At one point, the pair of Dima's decided to play a little trick on the other team. They walked up the big ramp on the front of the camp building and then waited until 2 ladies walked out heading down the other side. They awkwardly squatted behind the two ladies and walked down the longggg ramp to appear on the other team's territory. It was a surprise attack and was hysterical. I definitely wish I could have gotten it on video.

Team 2 getting some plans underway...

Artiom, Karim, Maksim--3 of the boys who were part of the Pink Elephants team with me!  Not sure of the girl in the background...

One of my little jewels--Uliana.  Isn't she beautiful? 

English shirt.  Enough said.

Some of my team in jail... :(

All tuckered out after the game!

Adam, one of the PCVs at camp, was trying to capture my team's flag when he tripped (or maybe a kid pushed him lol I don't remember..) and got a pretty awesome scrape/cut on his leg.  In Ukraine, they put this green stuff (maybe iodine like? for disinfectant?) on minor cuts and scraps that stays on for a few days.  Adam was lucky enough to receive some. It literally looks like someone took a green magic marker and scribbled it all over his legs.  

It was a hot morning playing capture the flag, but my team eventually won :) victory! We then had a break before lunch and got to cool down a little. After lunch, we had an excursion to a GIANT, old castle. Super, dooper cool.  There were so many picture opportunities it was a little overwhelming...so I decided to compile a little video of the pictures.  It was a beautiful day with very little cloud coverage, making it perfect for some photo shoot sessions.  The Ukrainians thought so as well.  Here in Ukraine, Ukrainians take lots of "glamour shots" that PCVs have dubbed as Ukrainian poses.  We may or may not have mimicked some of them...hope it makes you laugh.  The fortress/castle is over 600 years old and pretty amazing to look at in person.