Greetings all,
As everyone has mentioned, camp was so much fun this year. There are so many great memories (Dutch Blitz, the stick game, chicken ducks, to name a few), but one of my favorite moments was just sitting and watching old memories play on the TV and to see how much everyone has grown, but how some things stay the same. As Uncle Mark has mentioned, Camp is all digital now, but that has not always been the case. Many of you have seen some of the footage that my dad has been digitizing from our old tapes. One moment in particular, though, was sorely missed. The wait is over! Here, at long last, is the teen skit from 2005! Complete with Amish costumes and the Napoleon Dynamite dance. The teens foresaw a move to Amish Acres way in in '05!
~Elysa
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
2009 Camp in Review by Mark C.
Now that everyone is back in the sturm und drang of home life and Camp is a pleasant memory, I wanted to see if I could list some of the high points of Camp for me.
I think all the kids this year made a concerted effort to grow a lot so that we adults would be stunned by their maturity and size. There is a lot of the younger us in them and all their personalities are emerging strongly. The older teens and YAs are starting to feel the crush of responsibility and adult life as they face college and work just like we did in those old black and white days (Warning! Teens planning a reunion this year! Warning!). The adults continue to be swept away by their work and home responsibilities, not to emerge until their senior years, and the Grandparents observe everything with knowing smiles, but without the urge to direct anyone anymore.
We did pretty well with the transition to Amish Acres, with only a few hitches, and were fortunate not to completely alienate all the Amish with our loud boisterous Chinese behavior, and the staying up late every night. Where did we learn that from? I have to say the food was unusual, and Amish people do eat a lot of carbohydrates, but all was nourishing. We were incredibly lucky with the weather, being very temperate and only one rain day. No super hot humid Hong Kong-like weather this year!
The pool was a big hit, as was Toviska, which shot to the top of the Hit Parade along with Flea. We might have missed the motorboats and the lake, but we saved a ton of money! Maybe next year for the boating. All the organized activities went well and everyone stepped up to make them organized and enjoyable. The teen/adult volleyball game at the water park was just as wild as the ones we used to have against the Oakwood staff, without the pressure to uphold racial pride.
Joan and Jeff made a great opening video for Festival, and the preteens were all precious in their skits, as were the music players. Allen's Second City experience is also contributing to the Camp milieu. We had martial arts (and crafts), and we had the electric Nappanee blues, and more. The teen skit was again brilliant, rivaling some of the best ones we did as teens, perhaps surpassing them in media-savvy humor. Every year Festival manages to surprise and delight with all the creativity.
This was the first year Camp had a real White House staff press conference and debriefing, as opposed to the mock White House visitors we had back when President Carter, looking a lot like Clarence, visited Family Camp. Tina told us all the great stories, but alas, all off the record ("deep background"). But we can say we are in good hands, and more of them are Asian than in the last administration. Also, if you want to get from Washington to Elkhart really fast, it's good to own a helicopter and a jet.
This year's Camp was documented in a lot of ways, all of them digital. No more chemicals, except for all the ones used in making the electronics. We got your blog (this page):
http://cfcblogs.blogspot.com/
We got your digital pictures here (click on the pictures for more underneath):
http://picasaweb.google.com/CFCblogs/
We even got a lot of videos
http://www.youtube.com/user/cfcblogs#play/uploads.
And if that wasn't enough, here is the original Family Camp web page with the group picture on it: http://giantbrain.com/fc/
If you have pictures or videos or things you want to say, it's possible to share with all, just let me know and I will help.
Thanks to all for another great Camp,
-- Mark C.
I think all the kids this year made a concerted effort to grow a lot so that we adults would be stunned by their maturity and size. There is a lot of the younger us in them and all their personalities are emerging strongly. The older teens and YAs are starting to feel the crush of responsibility and adult life as they face college and work just like we did in those old black and white days (Warning! Teens planning a reunion this year! Warning!). The adults continue to be swept away by their work and home responsibilities, not to emerge until their senior years, and the Grandparents observe everything with knowing smiles, but without the urge to direct anyone anymore.
We did pretty well with the transition to Amish Acres, with only a few hitches, and were fortunate not to completely alienate all the Amish with our loud boisterous Chinese behavior, and the staying up late every night. Where did we learn that from? I have to say the food was unusual, and Amish people do eat a lot of carbohydrates, but all was nourishing. We were incredibly lucky with the weather, being very temperate and only one rain day. No super hot humid Hong Kong-like weather this year!
The pool was a big hit, as was Toviska, which shot to the top of the Hit Parade along with Flea. We might have missed the motorboats and the lake, but we saved a ton of money! Maybe next year for the boating. All the organized activities went well and everyone stepped up to make them organized and enjoyable. The teen/adult volleyball game at the water park was just as wild as the ones we used to have against the Oakwood staff, without the pressure to uphold racial pride.
Joan and Jeff made a great opening video for Festival, and the preteens were all precious in their skits, as were the music players. Allen's Second City experience is also contributing to the Camp milieu. We had martial arts (and crafts), and we had the electric Nappanee blues, and more. The teen skit was again brilliant, rivaling some of the best ones we did as teens, perhaps surpassing them in media-savvy humor. Every year Festival manages to surprise and delight with all the creativity.
This was the first year Camp had a real White House staff press conference and debriefing, as opposed to the mock White House visitors we had back when President Carter, looking a lot like Clarence, visited Family Camp. Tina told us all the great stories, but alas, all off the record ("deep background"). But we can say we are in good hands, and more of them are Asian than in the last administration. Also, if you want to get from Washington to Elkhart really fast, it's good to own a helicopter and a jet.
This year's Camp was documented in a lot of ways, all of them digital. No more chemicals, except for all the ones used in making the electronics. We got your blog (this page):
http://cfcblogs.blogspot.com/
We got your digital pictures here (click on the pictures for more underneath):
http://picasaweb.google.com/CFCblogs/
We even got a lot of videos
http://www.youtube.com/user/cfcblogs#play/uploads.
And if that wasn't enough, here is the original Family Camp web page with the group picture on it: http://giantbrain.com/fc/
If you have pictures or videos or things you want to say, it's possible to share with all, just let me know and I will help.
Thanks to all for another great Camp,
-- Mark C.
Monday, July 27, 2009
And Home Again . . .
How did camp go so fast??
I loved reconnecting - with growing children, with families who share the some of the same values I hold dear (family and friends, honoring our past, trying to be a positive force in the world) and who can give my girls a view of being asian in America that I can't give them.
Watching the children grow is a joy and overwhelming at the same time. How can Jennifer be starting college? How did Mark go from boy to young man in 12 months? I loved watching my Abby love little Christina, the way the big kids loved her when she came to camp.
We have thousands of pictures to look through (and I'm sure a few more will show up this week as people have time to do that last uploading). http://picasaweb.google.com/CFCblogs
And we have video: http://www.youtube.com/user/cfcblogs#play/uploads
I can't wait to look at the pictures and vids, since I was too busy at camp to get through much. Take time to comment here about what you see. And if you want to blog and don't have the username and password, email Mark Chow or me (or go through the chinesefamilycamp yahoo list) and ask - we'll set you up.
Set aside the same week for next year: July 18-25. We'll be back at Asian, er, Amish Acres.
Lynn
I loved reconnecting - with growing children, with families who share the some of the same values I hold dear (family and friends, honoring our past, trying to be a positive force in the world) and who can give my girls a view of being asian in America that I can't give them.
Watching the children grow is a joy and overwhelming at the same time. How can Jennifer be starting college? How did Mark go from boy to young man in 12 months? I loved watching my Abby love little Christina, the way the big kids loved her when she came to camp.
We have thousands of pictures to look through (and I'm sure a few more will show up this week as people have time to do that last uploading). http://picasaweb.google.com/CFCblogs
And we have video: http://www.youtube.com/user/cfcblogs#play/uploads
I can't wait to look at the pictures and vids, since I was too busy at camp to get through much. Take time to comment here about what you see. And if you want to blog and don't have the username and password, email Mark Chow or me (or go through the chinesefamilycamp yahoo list) and ask - we'll set you up.
Set aside the same week for next year: July 18-25. We'll be back at Asian, er, Amish Acres.
Lynn
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Aspiring Actors
It appears that most of the up-and-coming young artists for Second City are of Chinese descent; a few of their works of art were captured on stage tonight at the 51st annual Chinese Family Camp (now being held in Nappanee, Indiana).
A chicken, a duck, a chicken-duck, all were presented in the teen skit. Not only very entertaining, but also extremely educational and informative in regard to the local Amish ways; did you know that you are not allowed to swim in the local pools if you have had diarrhea within the last 2-weeks? Jim will be able to swim 2-day, for me --- its only a 24 hour wait (we are extremely excited to hit the local waves)!
Also, were you aware that Mrs O'Leary (made famous as a result of the Chicago fire that followed from the actions of one dastardly cow named Bessie), although she had a heart of gold, her naivete was great, and she was blinded by the charms of a local martial artist who performed therapeutic enemas on animals?
OOX
Eric
A chicken, a duck, a chicken-duck, all were presented in the teen skit. Not only very entertaining, but also extremely educational and informative in regard to the local Amish ways; did you know that you are not allowed to swim in the local pools if you have had diarrhea within the last 2-weeks? Jim will be able to swim 2-day, for me --- its only a 24 hour wait (we are extremely excited to hit the local waves)!
Also, were you aware that Mrs O'Leary (made famous as a result of the Chicago fire that followed from the actions of one dastardly cow named Bessie), although she had a heart of gold, her naivete was great, and she was blinded by the charms of a local martial artist who performed therapeutic enemas on animals?
OOX
Eric
THE END:(
The night started off with an Amish dinner which was DELICIOUS! Hannah and Isaac had their cute little Chinese outfits on! Kevin and Eric are fantastic piano players. The teens plan to first got to Dairy Queen and then stay up all night for this final night (accept those who are driving home at midnight...MADIE AND DIANA!) now we are all hanging out in the Geranium Room eating greasy lo mein and wonderful fried rice and funky chinese rice krispy treats! We will miss all of our friends and hope to see everyone again next year!! :D
Lizzy and Meredith!!
Lizzy and Meredith!!
Friday, July 24, 2009
I've been here for 28 hours and I'm already exhausted!
I arrived here last night and jumped into the deep end of the pool (figuratively) here at Amish Acres. The school of fish of cute little kids, the sea of familiar faces - friends I've known for decades, and even some snacks!
(Editorial note: Mark wants me to capture the milieu of Chinese Family Camp - I didn't know we were allowed to have a milieu...hmmmm)
Anyway, today Frank, Jim, and David Chao and I went to play golf. A rather uninspired front 9 was brought to life on the back nine when I challenged the Chao boys to a small wager, pitting the 3 of them against me. $1 per hole. I lost the 10th, 11th, tied the 12th, lost the 13th, and on and on it went. So, I lost $15, altho Frank paid for the round and my club rental...Elizabeth says "Money is a great motivator" how true...
I can't keep track of who I've connected with over the last 24 hours vs. last year or the year before. Camp has turned into a multi-year blur of Toviska, skit practice, the camp IT department, cute kids, thousands of photo's (thanks Frank), food, tai chi, sleep deprivation, Trivial Pursuit, trying to remember everyone's name, and continually thinking that I'm still one of the kids instead of one of the grown ups. How can it be that be? Me? an Adult?
I remember when we created a Family Camp Newsletter using wrapping paper on the wall. I remember bringing my tuba to camp and jamming with Eugene Yang.
I remember sleeping above the kitchen in the old lodge.
I remember Hubie, our stuffed lion mascot.
I remember "Someday, my prints will come!" as the final and only punchline of a rather long skit starring Carole Wong as the princess, and Dean Li as the prints/prince.
I remember square dancing practice for the parents who, besides not having any idea what an "Allemande Left" was, also did not have a Western sense of rhythm, movement, dance, or square dance. Why did we spend so much time on that? It is the equivalent of having a group of Lithuanian grandparents hanging out in Tianjin while their kids tried to teach them basic Peking opera arias.
How many skits did we write over the years? How many times and years will xi-fan and pi-dan continue to be somehow included as a skit joke? Wish we'd kept them...
and now I'm REALLY tired, so I will end this before you start seeing random letterlskowio saoiasjlklsssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Friday night, 10:20 pm, Geranium Room, Inn at Amish Acres
Sitting here with a plate of Beef Lo Mein and fruit, enjoying the company and chaos that is Chinese Family Camp! So far, we've learned about the evolution of Chinese characters, the Battle of China, Chinese games, making paper, Ming vases, printing scrolls, and the abacus. We've also learned a great deal about the Amish way of life, which is appropriate for our new "home". Evening activities have been a big hit as well, including an Amish/Bluegrass band, Campfire and s'mores, going to the musical "Oklahoma"/watching "Kung Fu Panda", and Bingo. More campers are joining our ranks each day, and we are all gearing up for the big banquet and Festival tomorrow night! Anyone out there who is thinking about coming to Camp, give it a try! We'd love to have you join us!!
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