Posts Categorised by 'Green Group'
Green & Yellow Groups make a splash at the AquaParc!
8th July 2021
The Greens and Yellows had an amazing day out at the highly acclaimed Aqua Parc today! The Aqua Parc is an indoor waterpark, so despite the less than ideal weather outside, campers were lounging in lovely 30 degree heat inside. With 15 amazing slides was something for every level. The more adventurous campers timed themselves going down the Devil’s Run slide with the fastest time going to Nella, who managed to complete the 20m high slide in 4.3 seconds! We also had the intrepid Salvador and Hector brave the Booster Loop, an amazing experience that drops you four floors through a loop-de-loop and has a maximum speed of 80km/h! The Lazy River was also a camper favourite and Zorah particularly enjoyed navigating the rapid parts. All in all a great day was had by all and it was great to see all of the campers having such a fun time!
– Sam Kelly, Group Leader
The Green Group make a splash in Villeneuve!
6th July 2021
Today the green group descended to the valley for a lovely day on the shores of Lake Geneva; swimming in Villeneuve pool. After following the windy road down from Torgon they wasted no time, plunging straight into the pool. There were a couple of scattered showers throughout the afternoon, but that didn’t stop them! Reah, Noah and Matteo loved diving into the pool, and everyone enjoyed some fantastic pool-based games. The sun even began to shine at some points and we were able to enjoy the heat of the afternoon! Pablo, Miguel and Theodore also really enjoyed an intense table tennis tournament!
During the sunny intervals we had the opportunity to take some paddle boards out onto the Lake. Pietro particularly enjoyed this, managing to stand up straight away with ease!
Finally, we also enjoyed diving into the Lake from the diving platforms; 3m and 10m! Greta, Simon and Jeremy were particularly brave, jumping off the high platform!
– Hannah Parry, Group Leader
Green & Yellow Groups – Language Learning and Mountain Adventure
5th July 2021
The campers were greeted with a beautiful, bright and sunny morning here in Torgon as they made their way from the chalets to the centre for breakfast at 8:00 am. It was noticeable that the campers have been coming out of their shells at mealtimes; talking amongst themselves in the language that is understood by all at the table; being overall helpful to one another and taking on the role as team members. After breakfast, they displayed more skills of independence and responsibility at their morning meeting with their Group Leaders and when packing their backpacks with all the necessary materials for the exciting day ahead!
The first activity of the day were the language lessons from 9:00 am – 12:15 pm. In these classes, to which each student has been carefully allocated by our teachers based on language level, they were given the opportunity to mingle with new faces and cultures in the lesson’s target language. In the advanced English class, Pablo was off to a flying start, winning the round robin of naming the greatest number of countries in the class. Elena brought many wonderful song suggestions to the class for the Karaoke performance, which will take place later in the Session. Overall, our language teachers were thrilled by the campers’ enthusiasm and interest in the different tasks.
The afternoon was filled with activities such as fire building, ultimate frisbee, shelter building and team building games. The campers enjoyed the very best of the day’s weather at the football pitch, followed by the wonderful atmosphere in the woods. It seems there is no better way to spend the day than being at one with the beautiful nature that surrounds us here in Switzerland.
– Aisling, Group Leader
Green & Yellow Group – Swinging through the trees at Parc Aventure
4th July 2021
Today the Greens and Yellows went to Parc Aventure; an exciting high-wire, treetop experience. There was something for everyone, from fun but challenging green courses to the tough but rewarding red course! One activity that proved to be a favourite among campers was the 250m zipline! This gave panoramic views of the mountains, as well as great speed while dashing through the forest below. After that, there was the Leap Of Faith, where campers mustered their courage to jump off the tallest tower while clipped into the harness. We had many campers face their fears and try both exhilarating experiences, and a fantastic day was had by all!
– Sam Kelly, Group Leader
One Last Adventure for the Greens and Yellows!
17th August 2020
Today was our last full day of activities at Camp Suisse and what an action packed last day it was! We began our day with a trip to the chocolate factory Maison Cailler. After a tour through history from the Aztec Empire to how chocolate became famously associated with Switzerland, we got to go to the tasting room. Here, everyone got some samples of the kinds of chocolate made at Cailler. Most were good, except perhaps one which was some sort of treacle jelly concoction. I wish you could have seen India’s face as it turned from curiosity to disgust and confusion after biting into it. Her favourite is the white chocolate.
Next we went the the town of Gruyère which is famous for the cheese by the same name. Zach wondered why the town smelled strange and was told it was due to the volume of cheese being made and consumed there! After lunch we all got to wander around the town looking at the souvenir shops and picking up presents for our friends and family. Some of the girls even got Swiss friendship bracelets to remember their time at Camp Suisse.
Back to camp we went to pack our bags and get ready for prom which will be held in the picnic area in the forest, how exciting! We arrived up on the bus and made our way to our seats. The place was decorated beautifully with bunting and natural materials. We devoured our food and then danced the night away. All that time on Tiktok payed off as our dance moves were just perfect.
An over night adventure!
12th August 2020
With the sun shining and some happy campers, it was a recipe for a wonderful day at Camp Suisse. After gently incorporating some language classes into our day, the campers packed up their bags ready for a hike to Torgon’s finest ski lodge. With a dash of kit check and a sprinkle of enthusiasm- we were off! The first half of the hike was the steepest and the most challenging, but the juniors fared well with the rocky terrain and soon made it up to the halfway point- Plan de Crois. We left the kids to rest in the shade as we took a break for afternoon tea. We soon set off for the second half, and although a little tired, the group was eager to make it to the top- with a scattering of hiking songs throughout (particularly well sang by Bjorn and Meg). At long last – the junior campers reached the ski lodge and took a well deserved drawing and colouring break as we waited for the seniors.
Following a delicious camping BBQ, some of the very courageous campers decided to hike to the French border, and the others stayed at camp to learn firelighting and prepare the campfire for our marshmallow dessert. We found that Bjorn, Andrea and Dillan had a particular knack for firelighting, as they managed to light the large campfire after everyone had helped to collect the right kinds of sticks. Krisha proved to be an avid hiker as he lead the way across the border into France last night.
When the hiking group had returned from france – we sat down for some marshmallows around the fire. Indie and Neve not only managed to eat theirs, but get them all over their hands and faces! Some stories were told and jokes shared- then the juniors headed to bed.
The following morning, we enjoyed and alfresco breakfast- then hiked back down to camp (with a break and story time at the House of Beards). Back at the centre, we packed our swimming kit and headed to Villeneuve pool. The campers swam and waited excitedly for their turn on the banana boat! Up first was Indie, Meg, Neve and Gary (who watched the others from the boat). The three girls held on to the banana valiantly as they faced brutal twists and turns – and even when the banana flipped and they ended up in the lake- all 3 emerged from the water with huge smiles on their faces! It was then Alexie, Gleb, Maisy and Leo’s turn. After a nervous start- the group soon gained some confidence to give the ‘thumbs up’ to the boat driver to take it up a notch. For some, this was an immediate regret as no less than 3 seconds later- we found ourselves in the lake having been thrown off the banana! Though Alexi then chose to stay in the boat, Maisy and Gleb laughed in the face of danger- and got straight back on for more banana fun.
We spent some more time in the lake – jumping and flipping into the water, before packing up to go home.
After a busy couple of days – staff and campers alike were looking forward to one of the favourite evening activities at Camp Suisse- dinner at Caprins Pizzeria! The kids waited patiently for their stone baked, hand crafted slice of italian delight. With full and satisfied stomachs, the campers slept soundly before their final day at Camp Suisse.
A Jam Packed Day at Camp!
9th August 2020
With the rise of the morning sun, the campers awoke to the call of Hannah. Following breakfast, the reds and blues embarked on their language or sport classes, all of the campers joining together for some time on the climbing wall at the end. After some tense competition of both climbing and drawing combined it was Bjorn, Neve and Gleb who came out on top, as the winners with their jigsaw mountain portrait.
After lunch, the campers migrated through the ancient forest to the archery range, where we were about to witness the greatest shooting spectacle Torgon had ever seen. We set up a tarp to create shade and we were very grateful to have help from some of the taller Yellows like Krisha and India. Quickly, it became apparent that Alexi was no stranger to the bow and arrow as he shot bulls eye after bulls eye. After a precarious start, Indi soon found her feet and too began to shoot with precision. It was Gary, however, who posed the biggest threat to the pack as the most juvenile member of the group – but soon learnt to follow in the footsteps of his elders. Zara in particular was very good at hitting the bulls eye.
After mastering the way of the bow, energy ran high, and the campers were needing to cool off. Preparations were made and helmets were donned as campers faced their greatest challenge yet: The Ghyll. We assessed the raging waters before plunging into the icy depths. All was calm venturing down the river until we reached… The Designated Splash Zone. Without warning, Bjorn and Meg sprang into action and drenched their fellow scramblers, even the leaders were not spared their wrath. We visited Ant’s Ghyll Spa and took turns in the bubble bath and jacuzzi and now all soaking wet warmed up during our sunny walk back to camp!
After shower hour, the campers await their well earned feast, and look forward to Louis’ Junk Yard Band and a spot of mountain biking around Torgon!
Camp goes Camping!
6th August 2020
We woke up bright and early expecting to see the sun splitting the rocks and instead were greeted with a gloomy grey cloud. The greens and yellows set off on their adventure into the mist, while the reds and blues went to their language classes. The younger campers were a little relieved to hear they would be getting the bus the majority of the way to the camp site and from there it was just a hop, skip and a jump to the lake, or so the staff lead the kids to believe.
We finally arrived at the lake to be greeted by scenic views and even some sun shine just in time for a quick dip in the lake. Following our escapades in the water we changed our clothes and went for dinner. It was a delicious 3 course meal and all of us helped ourselves to plate after plate of the generous mains. Dessert was apricot pannacotta, a specialty of the region!
The evening was spent by the campfire playing games and singing songs to our hearts content. Bedtime came and we all slept soundly, some of us even noisily as there were a few snorers!
Dawn broke and we began to stir. Breakfast was had after our rooms were made spic and span. Then the walk back to camp began and with the thought of a day by the lake ahead wemflew down the mountain and soon we we’re on the road to Bouveret Beach!
The weather difference between the hike to Tanay and the beach was incredible with highs of 26°C. We relaxed and bathed for the rest of the afternoon. Once all the rain from the day before was wiped from memory, and new ones were made of sun and sand, then we left and headed back along the winding road to camp.
It was the perfect evening in Caprins restaurant where we feasted on pizzas of every sort from Margaritas to the more exotic pizza Mafiosa. Soon it was time for bed again and a sound night sleep after two brilliant days at camp!
The Camp Suisse Olympics!
1st August 2020
Olympics Day. The most anticipated day at camp has arrived. The cluster of campers awoke to another dazzling day in the Swiss mountains. After a pyramid of brioche at breakfast, Olympic qualifying was underway. The anticipation was growing as the chorus of contenders undertook heats in throwing, catching and running. The final athletes were then introduced from 3 countries- Nigeria, Argentina and Turkey. Intense preparation for the big event then began as the flock of finalists painted themselves in their country colours, with Joachim going the extra mile to represent Turkey.
Next was the Olympic opening ceremony with each country showcasimg their performance, including an incredible effort from Samuel from Nigeria.
The first event was then underway- the egg and spoon extreme which was a breeze for Lei Lei, successfully followed by a very competitive tennis golf competition.
A hearty lunch to fuel the convoy of challengers was needed as they went into the target throwing, a particular success for Charles. In a first for Camp Suisse, this event was followed by an intense limbo contest. Tug of war came next which brought out a strong sense of competition in all the campers. Matches of three-legged football were very fun and involved a lot of team work and cooperation.
The Camp Suisse relay extreme, incorporating skills developed throughout campers time in Switzerland, brought the exciting day to an end with a well deserved win to Turkey.
Survival Skills for the Greens and Yellows
31st July 2020
Today was adventure day at camp suisse, the greens and yellows ventured into the Torgon alpine forest to fine tune there survival skills.
First was shelter building. Jakob, Shyrine & Ben went for a structure that showen the best of modern Danish architecture, while Kat, Daniel & Simon opted for a more traditional, and some would say more stable A frame shelter.
Next was fire lighting, where Emily and Nella shone the brightest, lighting the cotton wool 1st and 2nd attempt. Eleanor and Nicole got off to a slow start but in the end there fire was chosen to cook the popcorn, rounding off another great day at Camp Sussie.
