reclusive
From Camper to Tutor
16 November 2021
We are so proud to be able post Tom’s Story. Tom first attended one of our camps in 2012 as a shy 13 year old. In the Summer he completed his training as an L&E Summer Camp Tutor. He is wonderful example to all children (and parents) of how an L&E Summer Camp can change your life for the better. Tom embraced everything that was offered and the rest, as they say, is history. We’re very proud of you Tom. L&E
MY L&E STORY
By Tom Day
“Before my first day at L&E, I was a reclusive, shy teenager who never really socialised with people outside of the internet”
I was obsessed and addicted with playing computer games and had no motivation to work at school or spend time with friends at home. My parents were desperately looking for something to get me away from computers and stumbled upon L&E’s website.
Initially they booked a week in Easter 2012 for me and I was very reluctant to go as I would not have access to computer games and would be put in a dormitory with people I did not know from different countries.
“my life had been changed forever”
It’s fair to say I was extremely nervous arriving on the first day, but after some activities with the staff and other children the whole idea of summer camp was starting to grow on me. After my first night, my life had been changed forever, I had made new friends, attempted to sneak out of the dorms against the instruction of the tutors, and was just having a great time. By the end of the week I had no desire to go back to sitting on my computer playing Minecraft, I had learned so much from the other children and tutors about different cultures and sports, and so I begged my parents to let me stay for another week, and they eventually caved.
“L&E truly holds a special place in my heart”
After Easter was over and I was back home, I immediately demanded that my parents book me more weeks in the summer, much to their delight as they were happy to see me socialising with children from so many different cultures and backgrounds.
I actually started becoming more active with friends from school and my grades genuinely picked up as I was not constantly obsessing over video games, and had time to focus on other things.
L&E truly holds a special place in my heart, as well as the hearts of my parents, as it had such a massive affect on the way I viewed life, and genuinely made me who I am today, and so it was such an honour to gain the opportunity to work there over summer 2017 because I knew I would have the same great time as I did as a child (but with more responsibility), whilst also providing children there with the same thrilling and brilliant time that I experienced. TD