{"id":1098,"date":"2010-07-10T10:00:34","date_gmt":"2010-07-10T10:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=1098"},"modified":"2014-07-17T13:22:39","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T13:22:39","slug":"once-a-summer-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/once-a-summer-camp\/","title":{"rendered":"Once, at Summer Camp…"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summer in Russia seems to be a theme for most of this week\u2019s posts. So it only makes sense to \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0438\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0434\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0436\u043a\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [express support] by writing about my summers growing up in Russia.<\/p>\n

For me, summers were like \u00ab<\/strong>\u0430\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [roller-coasters]. First, there was excitement of the last day of school, of returning textbooks to the school library and of not having to wake up early or spend time on \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u043e\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u043d\u044f\u044f <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [homework] for the next 3 months. I finally had a chance to goof off and spend days with friends or at a library without having to worry about my teachers tatter-telling on me for skipping classes.<\/p>\n

But the almost unlimited (be back home by 8pm) freedom of \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0443\u043b\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [summer break] was nothing compared to what was coming up next – a summer camp.<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0438\u043e\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u043b\u0430\u0433\u0435\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [Young Pioneers\u2019 summer camps] were something most of Soviet kids knew first-hand. Camps gave us, the city kids, a chance to get out of a sweltering city for 3-4 weeks and enjoy considerable independence and scarce adult oversight.<\/p>\n

Sure, there were \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044b\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [camp counselors, lit.: leaders], but they were outnumbered ten or fifteen to one and, in any case, were too concerned with their little summer romances or too tired from the late-night counselors-only parties to be bothered with us kids.<\/p>\n

Of course there was a set routine. At 8am sharp the camp\u2019s radio would play something rousing, usually performed on a \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0438\u043e\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> which was, misleadingly, not a horn at all, but rather a trumpet.<\/p>\n

Since it was common knowledge that \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0437\u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u043c <\/strong>\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0435 – <\/strong>\u0437\u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0434\u0443\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [healthy spirit is in a healthy body] the entire camp population would meet at a stadium for \u00ab<\/strong>\u0443<\/span><\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044f\u044f <\/strong>\u0433\u0438\u043c\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [morning exercise routine].<\/p>\n

At some point in the morning there was also a \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [here – formation] during which the entire camp\u2019s population would stand at attention, salute the flag, and listen to the announcements. After that, you were back with your \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> [troop] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [troop leaders] for the rest of the day.<\/p>\n

Each \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u00bb<\/strong> [troop] of 30 or so kids matched by age had to memorize two critical pieces of camp poetry – \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u00bb<\/strong> [slogan] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u0440\u0435\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [shouting song]. \u00ab<\/strong>\u0414\u0435\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u00bb<\/strong> was a short slogan that somehow reflected the name the group chose for itself. It was shouted from the top of one\u2019s lungs at each \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> when the group was mentioned and at every camp-wide event.<\/p>\n

For example, one of the troop\u2019s names was Disney-themed \u00ab<\/strong>\u0427\u0438\u043f <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0414\u0435\u0439\u043b\u00bb<\/strong> [Chip and Dale]. Their slogan – \u00ab<\/strong>\u0427\u0438\u043f <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0414\u0435\u0439\u043b <\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u0435\u0448\u0430<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u043e\u0449\u044c, <\/strong>\u043d\u043e <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043c\u044b <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0451<\/span>\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> [Chip and Dale are rescue rangers, but we aren\u2019t so bad ourselves].<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0420\u0435\u0447\u0451<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> was recited as the group marched to the chow, oops, the dining hall (no denying, there was a large paramilitary aspect to it all). For example,<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0420\u0430\u0437-\u0434\u0432\u0430-\u0442\u0440\u0438-\u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0435,<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0422\u0440\u0438-\u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0435, \u0440\u0430\u0437-\u0434\u0432\u0430.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041a\u0442\u043e \u0448\u0430\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u0434\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e \u0432 \u0440\u044f\u0434?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041f\u0438\u043e\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u043d\u0430\u0448 \u043e\u0442\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0434.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0421\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435, \u0441\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044b\u0435, \u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0438\u0435, \u0443\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044b\u0435!\u00bb<\/strong><\/p>\n

[One-two-three-four,<\/p>\n

Three-four, one-two,<\/p>\n

Who is marching in this group?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s our Pioneers troop.<\/p>\n

Strong, brave, clever, skilled!<\/p>\n

After breakfast of \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [porridge], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0445\u043b\u0435\u0431\u00bb <\/strong>[bread], \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [butter], and \u00ab<\/strong>\u0447\u0430\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [tea], it was time for \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0440\u0443\u0436\u043a\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [here – hobby groups, lit: small circles]. The most popular groups were \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0446\u0435\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [drama], \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [hiking and wilderness training], \u00ab<\/strong>\u0443\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [craftsman] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043b\u0443\u0431 <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0441\u0451<\/span>\u043b\u044b\u0445 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0447\u0438\u0432\u044b\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> [improve comedy; lit. – club for fun and resourceful people].<\/p>\n

Lunch was followed by a mandatory \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0445\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0447\u0430\u0441\u00bb<\/strong> [quiet hour] when even older children were required to stay in beds and remain quiet. But the best time was between the quiet hour and dinner. Those were a few hours of free play, roaming around the camp, going for a swim, attempting to hack nightstands into comfortable yet inconspicuous houses for garden snakes, lizards, beetles and any other wildlife we managed to catch.<\/p>\n

It was late 80ies when I went to these camps and so, to keep up with the times, we had weekly dances where girls mostly danced to the music of \u00ab<\/strong>\u041b\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u041c\u0430\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [Russia\u2019s first boy-band] while boys stood quietly in the shadows dreading the inevitable \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u0446\u00bb<\/strong> [the slow dance].<\/p>\n

There were a few events during each \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [3-4 week camp; lit: shift] that brought all the camp\u2019s groups together. Between the boring and formal opening ceremony and a wildly fun closing festivities (with a bonfire and a concert), there were a water-themed \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u043d\u044c <\/strong>\u041d\u0435\u043f\u0442\u0443\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [Neptune\u2019s Day], a talent show and best of all, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0417\u0430\u0440\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0446\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Summer Lightning<\/a>] – a day-long war game between the reds and the blues.<\/p>\n

Of course, the quality of camp accommodations and activities varied. The golden standard was \u00ab<\/strong>\u0410\u0440\u0442\u0435\u043a<\/a>\u00bb,<\/strong> a famed, fabled and most-prestigious camp in the Crimea. Rumors had it that at \u00ab<\/strong>\u0410\u0440\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> kids ate bananas and drank Coke for \u00ab\u043f\u043e\u043b\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a\u00bb [mid-afternoon snack] – delicacies most of the Soviet children knew only from books about \u00ab<\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u0433\u043d\u0438\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043f\u0438\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> [rotting capitalism].<\/p>\n

The only thing I didn\u2019t like about camps was that parents weren\u2019t allowed to visit except on a special visiting day when they would show up carrying \u00ab<\/strong>\u0430\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [string bags] loaded with fruits and home-baked pastries. They\u2019d look well-rested and even relaxed and smelled of home and I always wanted to go with them back to the city, my house and my normal non-camp life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Summer in Russia seems to be a theme for most of this week\u2019s posts. So it only makes sense to \u00ab\u0432\u044b\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0438\u0442\u044c \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0434\u0435\u0440\u0436\u043a\u0443\u00bb [express support] by writing about my summers growing up in Russia. For me, summers were like \u00ab\u0430\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043a\u0430\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043a\u0438\u00bb [roller-coasters]. First, there was excitement of the last day of school, of returning textbooks to…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":1107,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,995],"tags":[8889,1284,1316,9973,9974],"class_list":["post-1098","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-soviet-union","tag-russian-children","tag-russian-summer","tag-soviet-nostalgia","tag-summer-camp","tag-young-pioneers"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t