My Life Story (Part 3): The Later Years of Jersey

So my time in Westfield during school was rocky at first, but over the years, things started getting better.  "So Christopher, you've only talked about life at school.  What did you do in your summers?"  Excellent question, friend!  (What, I can't be friends with myself? :P)  From what I can remember, I didn't do much in the summer.  However, every year towards the end of my summer breaks there was this Summer Camp I would attend as a counselor called the Chinese American Cultural Association (CACA ) Summer Camp.

The Chinese Yo-Yo, or Diabolo

This camp had campers ranging from ages 6 through 15 and the camp itself lasted for only a week at the Rutgers Community Christian Church (RCCC).  At the camp, the kids were able to experience Chinese cultural classes, which included Chinese Arts, dancing, and the Chinese Yo Yo.  Besides attending these classes, the children also went on field trips for bowling, ice skating, and laser tagging.  In total, I attended this camp for 6 years.  I was a camp counselor my first 3 years of high school, the head counselor my senior year, a class parent my freshman year of college, and I just helped out my sophomore year.

My Class Parent Year (At Laser Tag)

Over the years I met and befriended many counselors and campers alike.  These people became my best friends, friends I would prefer to hang out with over the ones from school.  It was at this camp I began slowly changing back to my open, friendly self from my Catholic school days.  It was also through this camp where I discovered my love for children.  On the surface, you would think it was because they were so cute, little, and adorable, which they were.  Something about seeing the smiles of children and witnessing their happiness just gives me a warm feeling inside.  But upon further analysis, I was thinking that

Summer After Junior Year
(At Ice Skating)

maybe it is the innocence of little children and their carefree nature that makes them so lovable.  They don't have to worry about the burdens of working for money, or the evils of the outside world because they are still too young and are sheltered and protected by their parents.  This of course reminds me of my elementary school days again.  Being with little kids and around them allows me to be carefree and worry free just like them.  In a sense, I get to share and experience the pureness of their hearts.




My first year as counselor I was assigned to the "A Group", which was the youngest group.  The group consisted mainly of 5-7 year olds, and this was in the summer of 2004.  2004!  That was 7 years ago!  (my Asian math skills coming into play there :D)  I'm still friends with some of my campers today, and it's been so fun watching them grow up, and interesting as well watching them change from their innocent little kid stage from so long ago.  It also reminds me of how old I'm getting, since some of the campers from my first year are old enough to be counselors now >.<

Sorry to have to do this, but I must switch gears now and talk about something that's not as happy in nature.  I must confess that as friendly of a person I am (well, it depends on the friend I'm with LOL, [jk]), I'm also the type of person that let's go very easily and therefore, fails to keep in touch.  This holds true to almost ALL of my friends in New Jersey.  After leaving New Jersey to attend college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, it was


basically as if I cut off all connections with my Jersey peeps.  Of course, this affected the people I was closer to much more than the others.  My friends that I made from this camp were the unfortunate victims of my inability to stay in touch, and believe me, we were REALLY close friends too.  I considered my friends from CACA as my bestest friends ever, ones I can share anything and do anything with.  People often say that in college, you either stay close to your

high school friends, or stick close to your college ones.  Having moved out into the Midwest, my hand was kind of forced.  Another confession I have is also related to this.  My second girlfriend ever was one of the close friends I had from this summer camp as well.  This "distancing" that occurred indirectly or directly affected our relationship, depending on how you look at it.  There wasn't a fair/realistic chance given to her and ultimately, had no idea what was coming.  I never got a chance

to apologize to her, to the many friends I am no longer close to, or even to the greater amount of friends that I have lost.  I have actually been told by some of these people that they were upset with me.  Clearly I never grasped the extent of my actions, or lack of, to keep in touch.  Attempting to reconnect has not been an easy task either, seeing how it's been many years already and people have either moved on and are caught up in their own lives, or are simply still upset/bitter over the disconnect.  In one conversation, I was rebuked in a harsh, but deserving manner while trying to reconnect... "yeah, and you stopped talking to us" ... "the friendship isnt going to be super close over night."

I am sorry to whoever was affected by one of my many character flaws.  I truly regret losing my friends who have been nothing but good to me over the years, and I wish there was a way for me to show it or make up for it.  I know this may come across as a lame attempt, but it is honestly all that I can do if you don't give me a chance.  If you see this and don't accept my apology, I can understand.  But if you do accept it, please feel free to hit me up, because I am more than willing to try to patch things up.  My screen name, email, and phone number are still the same from back then :P



Okay, enough of the confessions, sadness, whatever feelings I just brought up, for now.  Gonna add more random pictures from my CACA days for your entertainment at the bottom of today's post.  Thanks to everyone for following my post(s).  I hope you guys come back again very soon! =)  If you don't, I'mma hunt you all down, one by one...
JK xD
Or am I?
(<------ I'm watching you...)
Haha, :P ace