Session 3 Day 1: A New Adventure

It was good to meet all of you at the drop-off this morning. Everything went reasonably smoothly and the buses left right on time. The ride to camp was uneventful, and we arrived with 5 buses full of energetic, excited kids ready to jump into the week. It didn’t take long for campers to start chatting and making early connections. The weather has been almost ideal so far. It hasn't been sunny, but it has been cool with a nice wind. We couldn't ask for anything better. Let's just hope the rain holds off.

Once we got to camp, we took some time to settle in and unpack. The rest of the morning was spent getting to know one another through icebreakers and name games within the color teams. For those who are new to Camp Taiwan, we organize campers into teams—usually 12 to 13 kids grouped roughly by age. These teams stick together for meals and activities throughout the week and are led by two or three dedicated counselors. This week, we have a small red team and small pink team, so we have combined them. You will see them together in the photos.

The first day is all about helping everyone feel comfortable and building that team spirit early on. By the time the campers go to bed this evening, they will be pretty familiar with their teammates and tentmates.

After a hearty lunch, we had a scheduled rest period. This doesn’t mean campers have to nap, but they do take some quiet time in or near their tents. Some chose to read or draw, while others played quiet games with their tentmates. This time helps campers recharge, stay out of the midday sun, and strengthen connections in a more relaxed setting. Camp isn’t just about the scheduled activities—it’s also about forming lasting friendships and learning how to share space and time with others.

In the afternoon, we kicked off our first round of regular activities. Each session is 90 minutes long, and campers go through two in the morning and two in the afternoon during a regular day. Today, we started with two rounds after lunch. While one team might be climbing, another could be doing archery or crafts—then they switch. Here's what the teams were up to this afternoon:

• Red and Pink Team: Sports and Crafts

• Blue Team: Crafts and River Tracing

• Green Team: River Tracing and Ecology

• Orange Team: Ecology and Giant Swing

• Gray Team (Teens): Climbing and Cooperative Games

If you're curious about what each of these activities involves, you can find detailed descriptions of some of the activities on our Camp Taiwan Activities page.

After our final activity period, campers had a chance to clean up, take a break, and prepare for dinner. Following the meal, we gave them some quiet time to reflect on the day and write in their journals.

Tonight, we will have our opening campfire program. The counselors will lead the group in some traditional songs, play some games, and finish the evening by roasting marshmallows and making s'mores.

That wraps up day one! You can follow the link below to view photos from today’s adventures. Hopefully, you remember which team your child is on from this morning. If not, the boys are the red, orange, and green teams, from youngest to oldest. The girls are on the pink and blue teams, again, from youngest to oldest. Teen campers are all together on the gray team.

Dropbox link