17 January, 2009

Beach Mission '09

Here we go: Beach Mission '09. I can't sum it up quickly; it was probably the best and most bittersweet, longest yet quickest, and most different mission I've ever done.

Section 12:
So it all started post-mission 2008, when Craig was talking to me about section 12 and I knew where the conversation headed, what he was going to ask me, and what I was going to reply. He asked me to be on the section 12 core team, and though I didn't much want to leave section 6, the thought of helping to start something new was exciting, and it was one of those things that you just know you are meant to do.
I still did wrestle a lot with the idea. I had done seven beach missions at section 6; I know the people, I know the team, I have spent nearly half of my summers there.


Hub:
This year I was part of the core team, or 'hub' as some call it. The area that I looked after was team life, and I like to think that I was successful. Because our team life was pretty swell.
Being a hub member involved pre-mission meetings, getting up earlier on mission for more meetings, delegating tasks (the best bit), trying to be role-model-ishly responsible, making announcements, and crazy dancing.
I only had really one day with a full siesta while on section 12, just because there were always things to do and organise. Next year though I plan on being more prepared and having my siesta thankyouverymuch.


Highlights:
Going on both sections:
I definitely loved getting the best of both worlds. I hadn't been planning on joining section 6, but I'm glad things worked out the way they did because I had much fun and got to see the section 6 program.

Matt Waters Owns Josh:
A group of us are standing around one night and Josh makes a comment about 'guy' who likes 'girl', and 'girl' has boyfriend, so 'guy' should back off.
Matt says:
"Josh, last year you were trying to pick up my sister and she had a boyfriend. You're a tool."
Oh, it was pure gold.

Section 12's team life:
I don't think I've ever worked with such a unified team. There were next to no conflicts, and everyone got along with everyone else, it was brilliant.

Section 6 Beach Party:
I danced to the Backstreet Boys, whilst wearing socks with my sandals, what more can I say?

Dave B gets his gansta on:
On section 12 one day it was Dave Burt, Boots, and me on the Memory Verse, and we did a gangster rap. Oh the hilarity, becausewearethethreemostganstapeopleonmission. Not.

Lowlights:
Failing:
Going home to fail my license test was a bummer. But I'm still a pretty wicked driver. But I think it may be the very first thing I've failed in my life that I actually tried at. Short of trying and failing to catch a ball, which hardly counts.
I had been planning on not telling anyone when my test was, in case I failed it, so I was going to change the day to not-the-day-after-mission. But people were all 'no do your test!' so that worked out well after not driving for two weeks and being super tired. Not.

Section 12 Cooks:
Probably the only low point from section 12. It wasn't really the cooks that were the lowlight, more the fact that I'm used to my mum being the cook and the kitchen tent being like a second home. Our cooks were not only not my mother but also very strict and uptight compared to what I was used to, which was just weird.


Comparison - Section 6 & 12:
I lurved getting to go on both sections; they were both awesome but in totally different ways.
Section 12 was fantastic, we had a really great team and the atmosphere was always fun and relaxed. The program, though, was lacking and scattered. It was good, but there were a lot of new people, plus the mission has only been running again for two years now so we don't have as much resources or materials that a lot of us are used to. (aka section 6 doesn't share. OUCH. kidding)

Section 6 had a schmrilliant program I thought! It was very very good and there were soooo many people who came along. The quality of what I saw was just great. The atmosphere was different to section 12 though. It wasn't bad or negative, it was just such a massive contrast to go from a team on such a high to one that was not as high. On drugs. (N).
People seemed more tired at section 6, which is understandable because of the length, and it may just be my way of adding drama to everything, but the atmosphere sometimes even felt a little tense. Although I did hear about quite a lot of tension between different team members.

It looks like I'm on for section 12 in 2010 again, which is still bittersweet. But I'm looking forward to gettin' some meetin'*s on.

*that apostrophe is not misplaced.

1 comments:

B.C. said...

I think it's great how willing you were to jump to the unknown and do mission with the 12ers. I love that you guys were so united, and you should take some credit for that, Team Life Captain. You all definitely seemed close and like you were having fun together.

I guess we were a bit more tired, maybe. There was definitely some tension, but that usually happens in most teams. That you guys had none is just testimony to your team. It was an interesting team this year, with a massive shift in dynamic, and that's always bound to take some getting used to. I'm pretty sure B&G and rest of team learnt some stuff for the future of the mission.

Look forward to speaking to you more in person. Better. Also look forward to visiting or working in different capacity in mission. I think I'll see everything a little bit different.