By Taraneh Aminian,
IAAB
Camp Ayandeh
2009 is the fourth installment of IAAB's Iranian-American high
school leadership camp. 2009 camp is being held at Duquette Academy
in Western Massachusetts, June 28- July 5. |
Khosh Amadid! Today is the day that all staff and counselors have been
eagerly awaiting.
|
Campers pose for a picture during check-in |
Campers from all over the country - California,
Georgia, New York, and everywhere in between - arrived as the first day of Camp
Ayandeh commenced. At the airport, our staff ran from terminal to terminal,
warmly greeting campers who gave long awaited hugs to old friends and said hi to
new faces.
Sivon Paransun, 19, a fourth-time returning
camper has built a fond relationship with Camp Ayandeh: "I can't wait for camp
to start every year because at Camp Ayandeh you go into who you are-you form a
profoundly deep relationship with other campers and find role models, which
helps you figure out your own identity."
As more campers arrived, we filled the baggage
claim area of Logan Airport, sitting in circles playing card games, talking, and
laughing. Once all 70 arrived, we began the three-hour bus journey to western
Massachusetts, anxious to join the counselors and IAAB staff at the campsite.
After arriving at the lush grounds of Duquette
Sports Academy, we all ran out to start our first game of vasati
(Iranian dodgeball). Playing vasati has become a time-honored popular
tradition here at Camp Ayandeh. As we cheered one another and broke out into
dance in the middle of the game (another camp tradition!), the energy that Camp
Ayandeh is known for quickly spread.
We took that energy into Camp Café, where the
clapping and beshkans began as the most outgoing of our IAAB staff and
campers danced between the dinner tables, much to the surprise of the kitchen
staff who we are sure have never seen anything like it. Camp Ayandeh 2009 has
officially begun!
About Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB)
- IAAB is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan, non-profit volunteer organization
with a young, dedicated staff spread across the United States, Europe and Iran.
The mission of the organization is to address issues of the Iranian diaspora
community while raising awareness of the Iranian community, promoting
leadership, and connecting Iranians across borders. For more information about
IAAB, please visit
www.iranianalliances.org.
... Payvand News - 07/02/09 ... --
