The latest news about Maine lakes and ponds.

Camp Tracy in Oakland, YMCA Camp in Winthrop Seeing More International Campers

July 23, 2008 - WINTHROP -- In his second year at a summer camp in Maine, Chen Shipeng faced native fauna.

"I think here is many spiders and snakes," said the 14-year-old camper who goes by the nickname "Pooh."

"The first time I saw spiders, I scream," Pooh said. "It's really big and scary. Now it's better. I saw them many times. It's normal now."

He and 15 others from the southwest China municipality of Chongqing are ending several weeks of summer camp, English lessons and visiting sights around Maine.

"I think the activities here is very interesting and the environment is nature," Pooh said, shortly before boarding a bus heading to Portland and maybe Freeport. He said he studied English at his primary and middle schools.

"I think our cabin is very fun because there are many foreign campers, from Spain and France and a counselor from England," Pooh said. "We can communicate with other cultures."

He said the campers communicate in English.

Last year Pooh stayed at Camp Tracy, the YMCA summer camp at McGrath Pond in Oakland.

Twenty children from China, ages 9 to 13, are at Camp Tracy this year.

At the state YMCA camp in East Winthrop, the coed group of 13 to 15-year-olds from China have mixed with campers from Spain, France , Canada and Mexico as well as the United States, said Barry Costa, camp director.

"It's unique for us to have this many kids from other countries," Costa said. "Eighty percent of our campers are from in state."

Costa said the Chinese students who have had English lessons along with the regular camp activities are on a series of day trips now before leaving on Tuesday. He said six school superintendents from China have come as well.

"One superintendent has 10,000 students," Costa said.

Liya Zhu, who attends UMass Boston, has been serving as international counselor at the camp and translating between Mandarin and English.

Costa said there's talk about bringing as many as 100 campers from China to Maine next summer.

BY BETTY ADAMS, Staff Writer, Kennebec Journal, 07/23/2008.


Lakes:
Regions: Belgrade


Print this story

Email this story

return to Lake News