Paradise of Little Angels !! " Summer Camp Days in Naturschutzzentrum"

Personally working at Naturschutzzentrum in summer camp was one of the best Thing i ever did. My Co-workers become my Family, my Campers become my children and my camp become my home.

"Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it happened " was my Mantra throughout my summer camp days Season 2017 in Naturschutzzentrum. My summer camp days was great but until the Kids have gone through it. It's impossible to know how truly amazing it will be.... I am sure that with each summer the friendships deepen, the fun and experiences are beyond imaginations and the camp truly becomes a second home for all children and for workers too. The summer camp is widely considered as one of the best summer Options for children and Teenagers in Germany.

It's an amazing and happiest thing is to work in the summer camp with children. Honestly my Job description in summer camp is basically to provide fun and spread happiness among children through different Kind of activities.

The summer camp of Naturschutzzentrum started on 03 July 2017 and ended on 11 August 2017. Six weeks of pride Moments. Summer camp of Naturschutzzentrum are designed to provide environmental education and fun for the children all day Long, but as a volunteer i also get to enjoy it too !! The hours may be Long and i may not make Millions but i did one of the most incredible and satisfied work that you cannot imagine.

A drizzly start for the summer camp. Each week different Group of angels.....

Picture a lot of children together in the Campus of Naturschutzzentrum in a camp Setting where they are suppose to do many activities. Everyday i can see the craziest, wackiest and most entertaining versions of children. All of this in the beautiful German sunshine. Each day we engaged the children with variety of theme activities.

We, team members of Naturschutzzentrum had our hands to help the children stand by their side in all struggles. Really i felt Naturschuttzentrum slowly became a paradise where the children are exposing their awesome talents and creativity.

In a week lot of boats were built by the children. I observed that two boys showcased their everlasting interest to built boats and they don't have time for anything else. After seeing their beautiful boat other children also started to built. They together floated all boat into the lake.  A lot of hard work of children made this beautiful scene.

Always a group of children showed their interest towards catching frogs from the small pond of Naturschutzzentrum. The whole weeks of summer camp, different groups  engaged in the same activity. I always feel that one of the children..."MIYA" had a great love on frogs...Whenever she was in the pond she caught some frogs and pamper it like a mother. MIYA is always satisfied when she discovers frogs and if so, she will shows a great love on them every time.

All children worked as an environmentalists, they liberated the pond. They caught frogs and other creatures from pond and brought them back to the pond. They also respected the rights of animals they let them to live free.

Some group of children always spent their time in the water. This quiet serenity passed over to the others. They took off their shoes and wears their swimming suits and lied down in to the mesmerizing cool lake to escape from the hot sun. I always be there and enjoy the beauty of swimming in the lake. I really admired the children's ability of swimming at the same time i felt very bad about that i cannot swim.  Here in Germany even the small children knows swimming.

One day i heard an open statement from one of the parent that " INDIA is very dirty country, Everywhere you only have slums". That time i felt very bad and hard but didn't respond to her comment i just smiled at her and walked away. But only i knows how it feels as an INDIAN.  I decided to show a real India to every parents and children of Naturschutzzentrum.  I approached my mentor Veronika Lindmayer to seek permission from her. I am really thankful to her without any hesitation she said you have full freedom to do whatever you want. I spent my time to make a beautiful movie to show a better India to them. On the last day of summer camp Veronika invited all parents and children for this special session. I displayed my movie on the screen to everyone. After 20 minutes of amazing silence i got a great Applause from everyone. The same parent who said"India is a dirty country" , she apologized to me and she said thank you for showing the other aspects of India, Next holidays i will be coming there !! That moment i felt very proud to be a Volunteer and an Indian Ambassador. Many hearty thanks to my mentor Veronika Lindmayer.

Except these i also organised so many other activities for children like, I organised session for Indian Dance, Indian Cooking, Indian Mehandi, Face Painting and Pookalam Making for the children. But I think the special highlight in my action with the children is " Making a Pookalam" (Flower Mandala). All the children actively participated in this action. As a volunteer from India i also shared the traditional thing behind this "Pookkalam" with the all team of Naturschutzzentrum.

The children also actively participated the other activities like Kies Work, Making of Apple Juice, Knife making out of wood, Water games, Foot Ball, craft items making and Cooking.

Some sad moments also took place in the camp days...My co-volunteer in Naturschutzzentrum "Hussein" from Colombia had to end his service at an early stage.  For the last three months we worked together. Our friendship much more deep by breaking all boundaries of country. Our country, tradition, language and way of living style is entirely different. Still we both talked with the language of heart. We worked together with children and organised different programs. He helped me to learn German. But unfortunately this is the time to say Good Bye to him. Very hard thing for me. Here i am thanking you for all the support and love which you showed to me and i wish you all the best for your future.

And, other hard time is Our LISA (BAT) took her last breath. It was a shock for everyone. Children had a great love on LISA, they mourned this a lot. They dug a pit in the beautiful campus, and there was long mourning process goes on. Finally they carried LISA to her grave with hard tears and with the beautiful flowers they bestowed their condolence to the LISA. Children let our LISA to REST IN PEACE. 

A Tomb for "LISA" Rest in Peace

Everyday all their adventures and
joyful moments will came to an end at the Fire station of Naturschutzzentrum.  There we faculties will be waiting for the children , then the time starts for reflection of the whole day activities. Personally i like this meeting point because this is the only place where Veronika gave me a platform to speak my own mother tongue for sharing my experiences. Its really great honor for me. Thank you Veronika to made me comfort. 

Sometimes there were also problems to be resolved. I still remember a conflict between two siblings. One day the two fought while playing and it become serious one. One hurts other by beating. I really admired how Veronika solved their problem. She patiently heard view points of both. Pin drop silence around us. Only weeping of brothers rises up. The mood was depressed. All of sudden, Veronika asked the elder brother, "Do you love your brother?", He reacted by crying then said "YES". She continued " What do you like most in him?". He gave a crazy answer. Then she asked the same question to younger one also. He also answered "YES". She said "Good!! then everything is is perfect nothing to worry, go near to him and give a hug". 

The moment can't explain through my words. They slowly walk towards each other,  gave a warm and tight hug each other. Their tears stopped a great smile took place in their face. Everyone clapped, at the same time everyone started to laugh... a hearty laugh...Everything gone well. Love...LOVE..., Love is Everywhere !!!

I could see the whole days of summer camp, the children in peace and was happy to see how much they enjoyed this time together. I am sure that all children forgot the computers or mobile phones, it was the time of researching and experimenting something new talents and creativity from them. There were cheerful voices i heard throughout summer camp.

I am sure that we, the team of Naturschutzzentrum touched our goal that to give children as much freedom as possible for their own interests.

Every week the last day of summer camp i got a lovable tight hugs and kisses from the children with a drop of tears. Through that i realized my place and how i influenced  in their little heart. Eagerly waiting for the Autumn Camp !!!