BY: John David, student July 2020
Arriving at Bushwise and meeting the staff, trainers and students were both exciting and terrifying. Upon arriving we were required to wear face masks and keep social distancing, the first question on my mind was; “would I fit in, and would I make friends?”
The first day was a bit weird as we all came from different places and backgrounds. The second day kicked off with plenty of paperwork and indemnity forms. Once I discovered I was the first camp manager, I was simultaneously shocked and excited, this was my chance to prove myself to the trainers and staff that I have the drive and determination to do my best, and that I am ready for the responsibility.
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Once we were split into respective groups, it was exciting to meet my new teammates and show them that I am a hard worker and that I will do my best to make our team the best in all aspects and duties that we as a team will have to face. Once I found out that Oom Jan was coming to teach us first aid, I was afraid and intimidated as I have no first aid experience and I was afraid of making mistakes. However, without mistakes, we will never make progress and may never truly have exciting experiences. As Oom Jan explained and demonstrated, I became more comfortable and started enjoying the lectures and the practicals. My roommate and I had to work on each other for the practical first aid tests, while still conforming to the Covid-19 camp rules, and it was a load of fun.
The next day we were expected to complete a practical assessment and a theoretical exam. Just knowing that we were all in this together gave me peace of mind, we finished the lecture and promptly wrote the exam. After which we were all waiting for our marks with bated breath, suddenly we all heard voices shouting out for help in the distance, and we genuinely thought something terrible had happened. As we all ran to their aid, we discovered that this was just a drill! Just like that all of Oom Jan’s training kicked in and we all assisted our “injured fellow student”. Once handling the situation, Oom Jan let us know that we handled the surprise assessment very well and had all passed with flying colours.
As my week as camp manager came to an end, I handed over my duties to the next camp manager. I have had so much fun with the responsibilities in my first week at Bushwise. All of us students are here with a common goal and purpose to rise to the occasion and to do our best, and I am honoured to be a Bushwise student.
