I have learned many new things and made many friends, thanks to the Lions International Youth Exchange.  When summer came I thought that it was going to be just like every other summer of hanging around the house with friends and working.  But I was wrong.  I heard about a youth camp on my lunch break one day, and thought yeah that sounds fun. So I filled out an application, and I became an Iowa Youth Host at the 2005 Lions Youth Exchange Camp. 

            This was an experience that I will never forget, and I doubt that any of the other kids at the camp will either.  I arrived at camp on Saturday for orientation, and a couple of the campers were already there, though most would not show until the next morning.  That night we all hung around the cabins and talked with each other.  Though we all may have been a little nervous about how the others would think of us as individuals from other countries, we all got along pretty well. 

            When the rest of the campers showed up on Sunday morning we helped them to the cabins and showed them where some of the stuff was. We sat for a couple of hours talking with one another and getting to know who was from where.  For most of us our favorite part of the day was the time when we all got to sit and talk with one another.  We all really enjoyed all of the fun things that we did such as: swimming at the water park, canoeing, bowling, our trips to Des Moines, Adventureland Park, Iowa State University, archery, rock climbing, the mall, and tie-dyeing.

            Another fun thing that we did was the country talks.  This was fun for most of us because we got to learn a lot about each person’s country.  We got to see how there customs are different from ours.  We got to see how much different the landscape is, and how much different the buildings and structures are from country to country.  We also got to see how some of the laws are different from place to place.  There were some things that people did not agree on, but no matter what we stayed polite with one another, because we knew that there were differences.

            One of the coolest things that we did was the talent show.  Everyone had to take part in it in some way.  Some of the host families came to see the show.  Some danced, some sang, some danced and sang, some put on skits, and then one of them put on a Miss Iowa Pageant.  The only thing was that the misses were actually the nine guys in the camp.  I am sure that was quiet shocking for some to see nine guys walking around in dresses. 

            During the one week of camp most of us became close with another camp member.  In the case of the guys all of us became real close.  On Friday night one of the male campers had to leave and it was hard on the rest of us.  We keep in contact with each other still, even though it is hard sometimes because of the time difference.  This was an experience that has created new friends, and made a change in all of us.  This is a summer that I will never forget.  Thank you Lions International

                                                                        Lions Youth Host 2005,

                                                                        Ryan

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