Posts Categorised by 'Green Group'
Hike to Taney
14th August 2019
Egg Drop & Climbing
12th August 2019
Today was a great day at Camp Suisse. Kickstarted with breakfast followed by language classes, the campers were then set the ‘egg drop’ challenge: an competition where each team has to design a shield to protect their egg – the team(s) with an egg still in one piece were the winner!
After lunch, the campers went to the climbing wall and spent the rest of the afternoon climbing and having fun. After refuelling with a nutritious and delicious dinner in the dining hall, they played capture the flag before going to bed and rest before the next day.
Manuel Garcia
Trip to the Glacier & Villeneuve Pool
11th August 2019
On our first day we had the chance to enjoy the variety of activities and landscapes that Switzerland has to offer. We have had breakfast at 6.30 so that we could arrive to the glacier around 9am. The glacier can only be accessed by taking a gondola, which provides a panoramic view of the surrounding mountain ranges. The first thing we did in the glacier was taking a ride on the highest Alpine Roller coaster in the world (the pictures are now available on Smugmug!). We then walked to the bottom of the hill and spent some time with the huskies. We also had the chance to do some sledging on the snow. We then took the chairlift to come back and had lunch in the sun. After that, we drove to Villeneuve swimming pool, which has access to lake Geneva. We lay in the sun, dived in the water, ate ice cream… It was a lovely day full of contrasts!
Alba Cuendias
Session Four Arrivals Day
10th August 2019
Arrivals day is always special. For the kids that were already in camp, they left at 9am for an awesome excursion to the Olympics Museum in Lausanne. This museum is very interactive and we could get to know everything we wanted about the Olympics. After the museum, we had lunch next to Lake Geneva before heading back to Camp. Meanwhile, the new kids arriving at camp experienced a climbing session and had a chance to get to know each other. Just before dinner, reds and blues had some time to enjoy fresh air and play on the playground just outside of camp. After a hearty dinner the campers launched in to playing some ice-breaker and team building games.
Lise Kreg
Tuesday 6th August 2019 – Rain, rain, go away!
6th August 2019
The Reds and Blues started their day with preparation for the upcoming talent show! After having lots of giggles during their rehearsals, the children got ready for their camping trip! Once full of energy after a tasty lunch, the Reds and Blues started the hike from the centre up to Torgon’s best camping spot.
The hike was challenging, but all the campers did very well. The campers proved their strength when they were caught in a rainstorm during the hike, and preserved to make it to the Ski Club. Luckily, the brave campers were able to change into nice warm clothes as soon as they arrived.
The campers enjoyed a classic camping dinner, before celebrating their successful day of hiking with an indoor campfire! The Reds and Blues loved telling stories and singing songs, and had one of the best days of camp yet.
The Greens and Yellows went on their own camping trip, this one to the beautiful Lac du Taney. The day began with a big breakfast and an extensive kit check to make sure all campers were prepared for the day and weather to come. They then set off on a scenic hike through the Alps stopping for a picnic lunch at the foot of the last big incline.
Upon arriving at Lac de Taney, the weather took a turn and the Greens and Yellows were caught in the same rainstorm as the Reds and Blues! They also conquered the weather, and after a mad dash up the final stretch, they were dry in the Hostel where they would overnight.
The weather cleared enough for the campers to enjoy a swim in Lac de Taney, and then joined together for a delicious pasta dinner. Before bed, the Greens and Yellows played indoor games like Werewolf and Tellestrations. After a long, tiring day the Greens and Yellows were happy to go to bed and rest up for another, shorter hike the next day!
Monday 5th August 2019 – Fondue and Fun
5th August 2019
Today was an exciting day at camp, as all the campers got ready to go on a whole-camp excursion together! And not just any excursion either, but a trip to Cailler Chocolate Factory and Gruyère Old Town! The home of Swiss Chocolate and Fondue Cheese.
The magical Cailler trip started with a visit to the Chocolate Factory’s cinema, which made all the campers hungry before they were even near the chocolate! The children were then taken on a tour through the ages, learning about the origins of chocolate as it made its way from the Aztec Empire to Europe. The highlight of the trip came at the end, where the campers learned to be expert chocolate tasters at a special tasting session. Everybody got involved in this, and tried all sorts Cailler chocolates. During the afternoon, and after the ‘absolute-must’ trip to the chocolate shop, the group made their way to Gruyere Old town.
A lovely lunch in the park gave the campers some down-time, before splitting up to see all that Gruyere had to offer. They made their way around the shops and cafes, buying postcards and souvenirs for their families. There was even more to do for those who didn’t feel like shopping, as they took in the history of the old walled town and the views in the heart of the Swiss alps.
Sunday 4th August 2019 – Languages and lakes
4th August 2019
The Reds and Blues showed off their dare-devil side today, and were braver than most in scaling the climbing wall over and over! Once they showed themselves to be absolute naturals on the wall, the instructors were able to introduce fun challenges and games to keep things interesting. The campers’ favourite was definitely the obstacle course that saw two teams compete to score points on the wall.
A tasty lunch set the children up nicely for their language lessons in the afternoon. Every class works on different subjects that are tailored to the children’s needs and abilities. This means the children are engaged and the learning is really effective.
The older campers, meanwhile, did their language lessons early in the day so that they could fully devote themselves to relaxing at the beach! The Greens and Yellows took a trip to the beautiful Bouveret Beach, where they swam in the lake, in the pool, and took a leap of faith down the massive slides. There was also plenty of time to chill out, and the campers could also be seen haunting the café and the ping pong area. The beach was exactly what was needed after such a busy week of adventuring at camp.
Saturday 3rd August 2019 – Magical Montreux
3rd August 2019
This morning, the mighty Reds and Blues spent a wonderful but chilly morning facing their greatest challenge yet- ghyll scrambling! The children were very committed, and went as far as getting fully submerged in the river’s cold water. The campers were glad to come back to camp and be greeted by lunch ready on the table. They then spent an adventurous afternoon mountain biking, and everyone showed their nerves of steel, trying every trail the instructors had to offer!
Meanwhile, the Greens and Yellows spent the day developing their cultural awareness and practise their hiking skills in preparation for their hike later in the week. The Greens and Yellows went on a special excursion to the Château de Chillon, a magnificent castle situated between Villeneuve and Montreux on Lake Geneva. A guided tour saw the campers learn a lot about Swiss culture and heritage, medieval customs, and the logistics of castle toilets! They enjoyed lunch by the lake, before a lovely leisurely walk to Montreux. Here, they were able to shop, eat ice-cream, and gaze at all the stalls had to offer. In the evening, the campers developed their detective skills in an intense game of Murder Mystery!
Friday 2nd August 2019 – Who’s got the Golden Ticket?
2nd August 2019
The Reds and Blues went back to nature today, and walked into the woods to learn to be true survivalists. The small but mighty campers showed how adaptable they are, and were quick to react when it began to rain on their mini-camp! They came back to the centre, and instead of building fires and shelters in the woods, made caramel popcorn on Trangia cookers, and put hammocks up around camp.
In the afternoon, the campers went to their language classes, which they spent in part brainstorming ideas for their talent show next week. After languages, the Reds and Blues got their creative side out, creating pieces of art around the theme of ‘space’, which will take pride of place as decorations during Prom! This evening, a really special treat was in store for the campers, who headed up to the pizzeria for dinner. Afterwards, they were able to play in the playground before heading back to camp for a good night of sleep.
The Greens and Yellows started their day with a delicious breakfast, and their languages classes. In Margaux’s class, the campers prepared for their trip to the Cailler Chocolate Factory by watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in French (whilst eating delicious chocolate!). This helped to really engage the children in their language learning, while also giving them key vocabulary for the trip on Monday.
The campers then headed to the beautiful Villeneueve, for one of the favourite activities- banana boating! Luckily, the weather had cleared up since the rainy morning, and the campers were able to relax in the sun for the afternoon. Everyone had a ‘splashing’ time there, enjoying not just the banana boating, but also swimming in the lake, diving off the board, and playing ping-pong on shore.
Thursday 1st August 2019 – Happy Swiss Day!
1st August 2019
Today Blues and Reds woke up at 6:00 AM, excited to be going to Glacier 3000! This very special place is in Les Diablerets mountains, and an astounding 3000m. After a sleepy bus journey and a short gondola, the campers had a busy morning sledding, on toboggans and even on husky dog sleds! The campers had a great time taking turns on the Alpine roller-coaster, which is on the peak and has breath-taking views of the Glacier. Finally, the Reds and Blues walked up to the lookout point, where they gazed over astonishing views, as far as Mont Blanc!
All campers and staff came back to Camp Suisse quite tired but certainly very happy, having had one of the best days here at camp yet! After dinner, the campers were treated to hot chocolate and a movie night to recover energy and relax.
Meanwhile, the Yellows and Greens had a great day in-camp. After breakfast, the campers enjoyed getting creative while taking their group photos. This was followed by their language lesson, which many of the language teachers chose to hold in the warm morning sun. This relaxed setting makes the children’s learning both enjoyable and meaningful.
Hot lunch and a quick ping-pong break later, the Greens and Yellows walked into the woods with their counsellors to learn about building fires and constructing basic shelters. The Greens and Yellows finished the day with dinner and a competitive uni-hoc tournament.
All the campers were happy to be in Switzerland for the 1st August, the Swiss Fete National. The children were able to enjoy the many fireworks displays in the valley from Camp Suisse’s excellent location in the mountains.
