The summer camp experience is one of the most sought after activities in Slovakia during the months of june, july and august. Kids enjoy sport camps however the adults want a camp where they can relax and learn something new. These campers are all working with children in some capacity (schools, social services...)and have come to learn more about how they can impact young peoples lives.

During the morning hours they received teaching about building working relationships with kids and creating community with groups. After lunch it was my responsibility to lead the campers through a series of team building exercises which are designed to enhance what they are learning during the teaching phase.

The object here is for everyone to occupy the same small space for a certain period of time. Cooperation, communication and team work are the keys.

Success!

"Hmm, how can we get everyone organized according to birthday without stepping off the log?"

"Lets try this, not too much laughing though."

Another success! The Slovaks love to be out in the beauty of their nature which is plentiful in Slovakia.

Some of the activities attempt to get people out of their comfort zones and learn to rely on others to reach their goal. Trust is a crucial element in this endeavor.

What could be more difficult than trying to cross an acid river with small 'safe squares' and friends who cannot help themselves? As a famous group of insects once sang, "we get by with a little help from our friends."

I'm happy to report that everyone made it safely across the river.

A few weeks ago I enjoyed a 3 day stint at a camp sponsored by my church. We went to another beautiful area, as you can see, where we listened to our pastor and some guest speakers, hiked around the hills and relaxed in the sun. This is a great opportunity to get to know people better. During the normal course of attending church services the fellowship is limited to coffee and tea, as it was in my American church, which makes it difficult to expand and deepen friendships.

There are many little treasures in these forests, some of which are delectable delights. But one of these treasures is a very popular national tradition in Slovakia. Can you guess what it is?

If you guessed mushrooms you are correct. This is our handsome young model (and mushroom hunter) Jonathan. Almost everytime I am in a forest anywhere in Sk I see people looking for mushrooms. It seems to be more a tradition with the 40 and older generations, with some exceptions of course. When you discover a nice catch like this, how can you not get hooked on the hunt? After tasting the catch in a meal it becomes even more ingrained as a hobby.

One of the treasure hunters demonstrated how you can know if a mushroom such as this is safe to eat. He took a knife and cut off a small peice of the stock. The color inside was a dull yellow but then within 3 seconds it turned blue as it was exposed to air. This was the sign to go ahead and enjoy it in a meal.

As we were exploring and discovering mushrooms we found this communist made memorial. I wondered what it stood for so we had a closer look.

We walked around to the other side and found this plaque. Thankfully I had someone with me who could translate it and explain it to me. Interesting to me was my translators reaction to what the plaque said. She was quite annoyed with the inscription and said it was typical of the political system of that time. Essentially the plaque was heralding the Czechoslovakian people who resisted the Nazis by fighting and sabotaging the Germans anyway they could during WWII. Many died in the process. The reason my translator was annoyed is because the people who erected this monument basically became the oppressors of the Czechoslovakian people after the Nazis were defeated.

Recently I was invited to facilitate another round of team building exercises, this time for a group of teachers from the high school where I am involved in after-school activities. They are trying to gear up for another long and demanding school year and building a sense of community and team is very important. C.S. Lewis is the name of the school which was started by the people at my church about 5 years ago with around 40 or 50 students. They have grown by leaps and bounds, adding about 50 new students each year. There is also Narnia which is the elementary section of the school. They like to say that its not a Christian school but rather a school run by Christians.

The first order of business after pulling into our remote get-a-way is to build a fire so we can get dinner started.

The menu tonight is Swine on the Vine. This also is a favorite tradition in Sk, cooking klobasa (sausage) over an open fire on a tree branch. Being the ferocious carnivore that I am I am a happy camper.

Another beautiful slice of Slovakia. The peace and serenity here was soothing. We had ideal weather for all the fun that was planned.

There were many deer sighted around these woods as well as the usual cast of birds, rabbits, squirrels and...

...you guessed it, mushrooms. We also tasted various types of apples and berries from the forest like blackberries.

We sauteed the mushrooms in butter and garlic and put them into a pasta dish which was fantastic. We also deepfried the mushrooms and put them on a slice of bread as you can see here. Not only delicious but the price is right too.

This is one way to avoid a family of snakes passing by. Its usually best if everyone has brushed their teeth recently. Good job team!

Some of the activities are less about a physical challenge and more geared toward the intellectual, real head scratchers. The goal is to maintain effective communication and cooperation when the stress and frustration levels increase. Whether we succeed or not there is much to learn as we process the experience.

The trick here is getting through the mine field without your sight. The solution is listening for the friendly voices of those who seek to guide us safely to our destination. The 3 most important features here are trust, trust and trust.

"Hello? Is anybody there?"
This is what happens when the dinner bell rings and everyone is really hungry. Poor Jana.

Most of our meals were enjoyed out in this barn turned cafeteria. Each small group was responsible to plan and prepare a meal for the rest of the group. All the groups did a great job. Nobody lost any weight on this trip.