When we got to Canada, we ran into a leedle trouble at the customs dept. Basically, the guy wanted to know what a 25-year-old girl and a 4o-year-old unrelated white man were taking 5 unrelated boys across the border.
We're taking them to a camp.
What camp?
A private camp. On a private island.
What's the camp's address?
Doesn't have one.
What's the camp's web address?
Doesn't have one.
What's the camp's web address?
Doesn't have one.
Why no web address? (i.e. is this a legitimate camp or a creepy island where you molest young children)
It's a family-owned island and this is the first trip we're taking campers.
Why only five boys?
That's all we wanted to take.
Do their parents know they're here?
Yes.
You sure?
Yes.
Promise?
Yes.
Prove it.
Um??
Anyways. After about 45 minutes of interrogation (where the boys were kept muttering, "Lemme make this clear to him with mah FIST!!"), we made it. Our first destination was Toronto, as the Monteith family wanted to give the boys a taste of big-city Canada. We went to a Blue Jays baseball game where I immediately regretted wearing a black 3/4 sleeved dress. I tried not to sweat my face off and/or fall asleep in my hot dog (remember, still no sleep). Next up, the boys enjoyed proving their courage by standing on the glass floor of the world's second tallest building, the CN Tower.
When we finally made it to the boat that was to take us to the island, the boys got on eagerly; most of them had never been on a boat before. They were silent as we bobbed across a lake so big it could be an ocean. Quabi and Stephon, best friends, kept exchanging excited little smiles.
Schreiber Island is about a mile in diameter with a main lodge, screened-in dining area, kitchen house, four cabins and two outhouses. The boys ran from building to building, lighting on their cabin at last. Their bunks had little packages with bait and tackle, whistles, compasses, flashlights, journals and canteens. They were ecstatic, and so was I, watching them whoop and holler and discover.
"There ain't no BATHroom! We takin' doo-doos in that little shack over there! And we gotta drink outta the same lake we bathe in! And there ain't no lights or TVs or telephones or NOTHIN'!!" They weren't disappointed with any of these things; just amused and curious. I think they felt like they were Bear Grylls. Though they were completely out of their element, having never seen or experienced anything like this, I watched them grow comfortable there within a matter of hours. When the rest of the Monteith family greeted them, the boys amused them with their questions and observations about the trip so far.
"Whatchu use for toilet paper if you go in the woods?"
"Does it rain in Canada?"
"They got wolves on this island??"
"Mann, they go McDonald's in Canada but the fries WAY better. Ms. M was beastin' them fries!!"
"The houses and roads look just like we in America!"
The Monteiths were quickly taken by the boys' big personalities. I felt proud of them, even though they weren't mine. Stephon chivalrously took my luggage from me and hauled it up the hill to my cabin. Dante held out his hand to help me on and off the boat. Quabi asked Diane if he could help her set the table. They all pitched in to get settled and set up for dinner. They were gracious and appreciative of everything that the Monteiths did for them.
Yup, I was proud.
The next few days were full of swim lessons, wakeboarding attempts (I was thrilled to finally be athletically superior to them in these two events, and challenged them often), fishing, canoeing (Quabi and Stephon's favorite), boating and competitive games. Every activity they did was foreign to them, but their curiosity and athleticism made up for lack of experience. At dinner, the Monteiths would quiz them on random trivia. They loved showing off, especially surprising me with how much science they actually retained from last year. In the entire year that I'd known them, I had never seen them as full of joy as they were on that island.
One day we took the boat over to a larger island and took a steep hike up a mountain overlooking Lake Huron as well as several other small lakes on the island. The boys bounded up with no problems, pausing occasionally to hold out their hand or check on their grandmaw teacher. When we got to the top, the view was incredible. Quietly, we looked down on dark green islands spotting the great glassy lake. We made out the outline of Schreiber Island, surrounded by tiny toy sailboats. The sun gleamed brilliantly off the big body of water, and turned the small island lakes into faceted sapphires. I could tell the boys were awed by the spectacular panorama; silence hung over them like an ill-fitting garment.
I knew they were struggling to describe it, and to describe how they felt when looking at it.
"Dis a BEAST!!" Quabi finally managed.
"It's the most beautiful thing I've seen in my life," a slightly more eloquent Stephon said.
I looked at their silhouettes against the backdrop. It was strange for us to be this removed from our usual setting. "Who would have thought back in the fall that one day we'd be hiking the Canadian mountains together?"
"I know, right!" Stephon said. "I wouldna believed you."
The kids learned more than how to tie a boat up that week. They learned how to figure out things...like their way around an airport. They learned how to interact with people completely unlike themselves. They learned what it looked like to sit down to a family meal, not eat until everyone was served and grace was said, and have good conversation over food. They learned to write thank you notes. They learned how to travel with others and make compromises to benefit the group.
The also "learned" their counselor Dave how to dougie.
The best part of the evening for me was reading their journals by the kerosene lamps. Listen to them:
My favorite part of today was when we surprised Ms. M at the airport. It was good to see my favorite teacher and hug her. I liked that.
Today we learned how to fish and skin a fish. It was slimy but we ate it and it tasted pretty good. I caught the most out of both boats!
No on in our boat would take the fish off the hook except for Ms. M. She girly but she not afraid of no fish!
We went camping in tents tonight just us boys and Dave and built fires and made a wolf pack. We defended our territory and made up symbols for our pack. Dave said it's always best to have a buddy when you're out in the wild.
It's weird not having TV or electricity. But I don't miss it. We busy havin too much fun! I could stay here a whole month!
Diane cooked a lot of spaghetti tonight and she said we could eat as much as we wanted. She cooked it on a fire, now that's a REAL cook. Whenever Dave says FREEZE we have to freeze and the first person to move clears the table and he caught me when I was sitting down so I have to clear tomorrow. BUT I get to yell FREEZE next time!!
Man that water is cold but it taste good when you drink it. Imma have me a bath in it after dinner.
This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. And this is the most fun I've had in my life.
