East Coast Summer Camp 2005

By James O. Shell (Baltimore Aikikai)
jshell@harford.edu

Here is a question for you:

How far would you travel for a day's practice with some of the best aikido instructors there are? Instructors from Canada to Florida and one from half way around the globe, showing up to work with and help you?

You might want to consider one of the problems you would face: which classes to attend with a choice of six each day. There is also the problem of fitting in the 3 meals a day of very good, abundant foods and drinks. I have no idea what you would do if you decided to use the really nice, large, swimming pool and/or the well-equipped glass walled work-out gym. I guess you can allow yourself some latitude for not using the very impressive university library...I guess.

That is part of what the East Coast Summer Camp had to offer for eight days. Well, you also might want to add in the baseball game, the outdoor bar-b-que and the party.

If for some strange reason you decided to go off campus, you did not have to look too far or too hard for something to do. This area has enough of the "regular vacation" activities to keep even the "normal" vacationers happy.

I was highly impressed and enjoyed my stay at camp. The practice and the people who kept throwing me down on the floor were just outstanding. (Does something about that not sound quite right to you?) The university staff, the security and maintenance crew, and the cafeteria workers were all friendly and helpful. Yes, I did have occasion to meet with both the maintenance and security crews, thank you very much.

I have been trying to come up with a good description of the people who put all this together. I do not know many big or fancy words but I do know the two that I think will work and those are "thank you."

Show some kindness and generosity to yourself and make sure to go to the 2006 East Coast Summer Camp. I am as sure as I can be about anything that you will be very happy and have a great time.

A postscript: if you ever have the chance to introduce yourself to Sharon Kanai do so. She is a very nice lady.