Alicia+Chaung's+Memoir

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//Camp// //Koinonia//. When I first heard the name, I shuddered. With rumors of having to kiss a frog and walk on a rickety bridge across a river in October, what sane person wouldn’t? My middle school used to have an annual trip to Camp Koinonia for the upperclassmen where we would stay overnight for three days. It was my first year at Koinonia. Along with my fifth-grade teacher (who also taught sixth grade), the seventh and eighth grade teacher accompanied us students with several chaperones, including my mom. The thing that I looked forward to the most was canoeing. My friends and I already decided that we would canoe together. We had never canoed before, but it looked fun. I think, however, that the fact that we were so badly coordinated never crossed through our minds. On the three hour bus ride to Koinonia, my friends, Ashley and Lyanne, and I decided what we were going to do about canoeing. We knew that if the adults were going to pick groups, we would stand no chance of being in the same canoe together, and we would be stuck in groups with people who we didn’t particularly get along with. The only choice was to basically run to the canoes once we got there and jump in. Forget “Ready, Set, Go.” Make way for “//Run, Jump, Row//.” As we walked towards the shore, we saw a shed filled with canoes and lifejackets. The river shore was surrounded with lily pads. Once we got to the riverside, we ran and stood in front of our canoe, which turned out to be tinted deep red. After some arguing, whining, and a little bit of tears, we got our own canoe, while the rest of the class selected each their own. The camp counselor instructed us how to put the life vests on and told us that if the canoe tipped over, we wouldn’t drown because the water wasn’t that deep. Or so he said. Everyone began to put their life vests on with the chaperones helping. Always having the luck of the draw, I wasn’t able to put the life vest on correctly and fumbled with the buckles like an idiot. My mom, being the over-concerned mother she is, obviously had to make a big deal about it. “You should have been paying attention,” she scolded me, as she helped me with the buckles. //Blah, blah, blah//. That’s all I heard. Ever hear the expression “In one ear, out the other?” That’s me, practically all the time. As she was helping me, I looked around nervously, afraid that I was the only one that needed help. //Phew//. I gave a sigh of relief and looked over to where my canoe-mates were. They seemed to be arguing over something. I walked over to them and asked them what was wrong. “We’re fighting on who’s going to sit where,” Ashley said. “I want to sit in the middle,” Lyanne whined, with her ten-year-old chirpy voice, appropriate for her small and thin frame. “Well, //I// want to sit in the middle, too,” Ashley replied. “You //both// can’t sit in the middle,” I said exasperatingly. “Who’s going to row?” I looked at Ashley expectantly. She sighed, “Fine. I’ll row.” Lyanne beamed, “Let’s go then!” We all looked at the canoe bobbing on the water. “So who’s going to go first?” We looked at each other. “I’ll go,” Ashley said. She cautiously climbed into the canoe as Lyanne and I held it steady for her. “Lyanne, you want to sit in the middle right? Then you’re next,” I said, as I held the canoe steady for her. “Wait, where am I supposed to sit?” Lyanne asked. I looked into the canoe and all that was there was a big empty space in the middle of it. “I won’t be able to see anything,” she complained. “Hey, you’re the one who wanted to sit in the middle,” I laughed. “In you go.” Lyanne climbed in reluctantly. I climbed into the canoe while one of the counselors held the boat for me. “So are you guys ready?” I took the paddles in my hands. My friends chuckled nervously, “Sure.” Ashley took the paddles, and we began to row. We rowed deeper and deeper into the river and all of a sudden, Lyanne started to panic. “Guys,” she said, frightened, “Can we go back to shore now?" “Why?” I said. “We just got out here.” As I rowed, the paddles splashed some water into the middle of the canoe. Now you know, normally, there are supposed to be two people in canoes. However, there are special circumstances, like this one. “AHHH!” Lyanne cried. “I’m all wet. Look at what you did.” “Sorry,” I said guiltily. “Wait. Are you crying?” I peered at Lyanne’s face while trying to row at the same time. “Guys, I don’t think we’re doing this right,” Ashley said. “We keep going around and around in circles. Alicia, you're supposed to row backwards, not forwards.” I ignored Ashley. “I want to go back to shore!” Lyanne whined. “Excuse me,” Ashley coughed. “Oh, stop whining, Lyanne,” I groaned. “HEY,” Ashley shouted. “What?” I said impatiently. “We’re stuck. We’ve rowed into these lily pads.” I stood up and turned to my side to look over at the water as the boat shook menacingly. “WHOA!” I shouted as I lost my balance and fell into the river. I start to flail my arms, splashing water everywhere, and yelled for help, even though I knew I was wearing a life jacket. I heard my friends yelling at me. “Stand up! Stand up, Alicia!” my friends yell. For once in my life, I listen. I stopped yelling and flailing my arms and slowly got up, the water only reaching my stomach. //Oh my God//. All the yelling and hollering that we did attracted the attention of everyone else in the river and out. My cheeks turned redder than they had ever before. One of the counselors appeared in his canoe and asked what had happened. Flustered, I said, “We’re just a little uncoordinated, that’s all.” Lyanne piped, “Yeah, just a little bit,” as the three of us burst into hysterical laughter.   