Camp is for adults too
Every summer growing up, my parents shipped my sister and me away to some camp. Canoe camp, film camp, swim camp, soccer came, camping camp. They were all fun! Each camp pushed my comfort zone, taught me valuable skills, and forced me to make new friends. By the end of the week, everyone was vibing and sometimes I even carried a few of the friendships beyond camp.
As adults, it's easy to dismiss these concentrated weeks of outdoor fun and focus on specific skills as a phase reserved for kids who need to be entertained while on summer break. But, I've found my recent camps (workshops, courses, or trainings) to be just as formative and enjoyable as those I cherished from when I was a kid.
Last year, I joined a one week Lithuanian sauna training, learning how to make whisks and use aromas in the sauna. This year, I attended a beginner travel memoir writing workshop in Paris, practicing my craft in creative non-fiction. I also spent six weeks at a programming retreat in Brooklyn, NY, tinkering on software projects with other curious coders. My old manager was quite confused why all my vacations included learning rather than just chilling on the beach. Simple, going to camp is fun!
Adult "camps" lead us to new places, teach us skills left out of our formal schooling, and introduce us to people from all over the world. If you are interested in learning something new, try finding a camp, workshop, training, or retreat to fuel your pursuit and create cherished memories with cool people in that community. Make your next trip a skill-cation.