Adi Goldberg10/7/10 English-Autobiography Cherry Hill Road Take Me Home I had been waiting all summer for the day I finally left home to spend two weeks at a summer camp. At the time, I did not know much about Habonim Dror Camp Moshava, besides that it was a Labor Zionist camp and I would be in one of the youngest age groups. Knowing that I would be young without my older brother’s guidance was very worrisome to my 10 year-old self, but I wanted to finally venture away from my family and have my own identity. My mom and I had arrived early at Beth Israel Congregation and I waited anxiously for the bus. It was sweltering hot that day and I had packed away my water bottle deep inside my duffel bag. Leah, my older brother’s friend from middle school, could tell I was thirsty and took me inside to find the water fountain. Everything after that is a blur. I just remember waking up about 20 minutes later being told that I was dehydrated and had passed out. This experience had worried me and I thought I was already starting the summer off badly and should just go home. There was a little part of me that said that if I gave up then I would never end up going and I would forever regret it, which overpowered the worrying and I decided to stay. I went outside and the bus had just arrived and they were loading the luggage. I took a deep breath and got onto the bus. One of the much older girls, Rachel, offered for me to sit next to her and she explained everything I needed to know about camp the whole ride there; of course I did not absorb very much of it. We finally arrived at 615 Cherry Hill Road and all the campers were singing some ridiculous song, that I thought I would never know the words to. As I get off there is a line of Counselors-In-Training waiting right outside the bus in crazy costumes to get us excited for the summer ahead. I remembered Rachel telling me that we were all going to the big pavilion that they call the MLC to get our bunk assignments. As we walked the very short distance to the MLC I was getting anxious all over again. I could see everyone in there hugging and running around joyously seeing their friends for the first time since last summer. As I got in Rachel quickly took me over to a big group of people and introduced me, telling them it was my first summer. Her friend Brian came up to me, one of the scariest-looking people I had ever met, his 6 feet body and big hair had cast a shadow over my barely 5 feet self. He told me he’d take care of me and we would sit together. As all the counselors were quieting everyone down Brian grabbed my hand and showed me where to sit. Being one of the youngest age groups, my bunk was one of the first called. My counselor’s name was Lea and the huge smile that never left her face matched her flannel smiley-face shorts. We started walking towards our bunk as Lea explained to us that our luggage was waiting there for us. My bunk-mate, Mira, explained how this was the first summer that they were bringing our luggage for us, her being all-knowing because it was her third summer. We finally got to the bunk and we all went around introducing ourselves, saying our name and how many summers we had been going to camp. Mira offered to start explaining that this was her third summer, in case there was anyone she hadn't told yet. Next, was a very skinny and shy girl named Deborah who told us it was her third summer as well. Then was Talia, who looked like she belonged on a Cheerio's commercial. It was her first summer too. I could not believe how comfortable people automatically felt around me; they instantly considered me a personal friend. After, Lea turned to me and I told them my name was Adi and it was my first summer but definitely not my last. Once we were situated we went to the dining hall for lunch. It was pasta day, which was the most popular food of the camp. Lea told us that since it was the first day of the session we would all sit together to bond even more. Mira did not find this acceptable because she had so many friends she wanted to catch up with; eventually she compromised to sit with us for lunch, and maybe dinner. Lea taught us everything we would need to know about camp and about growing up in this movement. After lunch was sports time. Not being the most athletic, I was concerned about which sports I would sign up for. We ran to the MLC in fear we would miss out. The more that people talked about sports I realized I was not the only non-athlete there. Mira explained to me that the only sport she had ever played was cards, opposed to the intense gaga games that were held. I spent the next two hours being taught every card game imaginable, from Texas Hold ‘Em to James Bond; which bonded my whole age group together. I haven't missed a summer since. I may have not known it then, but that was the day that changed me for the rest of my life.
