RYLA 09

Hello world,

Wow! What can I say? I had no expectations when I came to RYLA. I was nervous arriving at the camp - but luckily I was met straight away with smiling faces and 40 other nervous RYLArians.

As everyone began to get to know each other we realised just how diverse we all are - there are people here from a variety of backgrounds and experiences and everyone is at very different stages of their lives, all with differing goals. The presenters here have challenged us in every aspect of our thinking. We are invited to delve into our somewhat subconscious thoughts and analyse our life purpose, our values and the way we see, and work with, the world around us. It has been deceptively challenging and I have loved every minute of it. I never imagined this week could be so beneficial as I already knew exactly what I want to do with my life before I came here. The presenters relate easily to people of our age and our days have been filled with fun and excitement! We have been presented with a variety of different perspectives - causing us all to think, evaluate and challenge ourselves and more importantly the status quo. I have learnt how to be a become a better leader, how to get the most out of teamwork and the amazing things life has to offer us! It has been an incredibly motivating experience.

The people you meet are so much fun to be with! The week has been non-stop laughter! Late nights, dance parties, sneaky cabin parties and lollie feasts! We've had karaoke nights, newspaper fashion shows, and I discovered possibly the best pictionary players on the planet! We had a great leader in Damo - he is so much fun! And...to top it all off we created our very own casino! It is sad to think the week is over but no doubt we will stay in contact and we are already planning the reunion! I will never forget the people I have met, the jokes we have shared, and the fun times we've had. I have had one of the best weeks of my life and I feel truly grateful to have been given this opportunity. I strongly recommend this to anyone anywhere - its an awesome opportunity not to be missed! We had nothing to lose and have gained an invaluable amount. It has been so exciting!!

I loved RYLA 09!!!!!!


Laura!