Issy Hull

My name is Issy Hull, I’m from Wagga Wagga, Australia. I am currently 21 and living in Scotland. This will be my 4th summer at Camp Chen-A-Wanda and I’ll Co-Waterfront Director with the one and only, Hugh Griffiths.

Ever since I was young, my dream was to go to America. We don’t have anything in Australia like a summer camp, so as soon as I found out what they involved, I jumped straight on it. Working with children was always a passion of mine and felt this was the perfect opportunity.

To get to camp, I had to go through an agency. The first and only camp I heard from was CAW. As soon as I saw the website, I knew it was for me and any other camp that came along, wouldn’t have compared.

Before I went to Chenny, I only ever heard great things. I was told by most people I knew, summer camp is a one-time thing and that’s what I went in thinking. I’ll go to camp and surely it will help me figure out what I can do with my life; when I get home, I’ll study or get a full-time job. Oh, boy was I wrong, three summers later and camp helped me discover so many things about myself and got me to where I am today.

I still remember Dan Godshall picking Mark Resendez and I up and them both telling me how great the summer will be. As soon as I stepped foot on camp, I knew I’d be having the best summer. I was lucky enough to be a boat driver my first two summers and was residing in the bunk with Collegiate girls who are now GCs! I have absolutely loved watching them grow up over the past few years and share the summers with them. From watching them kill Girls Sing every summer and stepping outside their comfort zone each day is such an amazing feeling, and knowing that I have contributed to their growth puts a smile on my face.

Being a specialist at Camp Chen-A-Wanda has given me the chance to hang out with all the kids at camp and really get to know them. From taking the Freshmen boys tubing or jumping in the lake with the Middle girls, or watching the GC boys jump in the lake after winning a championship, I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather spend my summers.

After my second summer, I was lucky enough to start a job at Wild Packs Summer Camps in Scotland to work in the camp industry full time. Never for one second did I think I would have the chance to move from Australia, to work in Scotland full time, and still get the chance to go back to camp every summer. Working in the office every day with people who go to camp every summer is amazing, as all we do is talk about Color War and how many days there are until camp starts again.

I have met some of my best friends at camp who live all over the world and to think I would have never known them is crazy! Who would have thought that I would run into Neill Hogg in the middle of Edinburgh whilst both at sperate Christmas parties at the same place – that’s what camp does for you; you meet people from all around the world and have a possibility of running into them on the streets or at a local spot.

No matter how many times I try to explain to my parents, family, and friends what camp is, they just don’t understand what’s so special and I guess until you’ve done it, you won’t know the feeling.

Chenny will always be my happy place and my second home. No matter how far I am away from camp or if living 10 for 2 is forever, I’m down.

Always remember…Life is great at Camp Chen-A-Wanda.