From Camper to Camp Director: My Journey with YMCA and Camp Europe

How YMCA Camp Europe Shaped My Path to Lead Camp Harmony 3.0, Fostering Peace and Unity Across Borders.

My history with camps started many years ago and I want to tell you how it ended up with me as a camp director of Camp Harmony 3.0

I was sent to camps by my parents when I was a little kid. As a kid, I was a camper and then I grew up and step by step I became a young leader. Still, these camps had nothing to do with YMCA camps. In 2018 Alina, the Secretary general of YMCA Romania asked me if I can be a facilitator in a camp training held by YMCA Romania, and I said yes.

Here I met Patrick, Dragos, Laura and many other young leaders who came to learn how to lead camps. One year before, Alina asked me as well, but I decided to send other volunteers from Arad, so Stef and Didi had this opportunity.

After these experiences, these kinds of camps went deep down into my heart and my mind. A seed was planted. In 2023, Alina called me again and said the magic words “Ruben, can you do your magic with games and sports in our Camp Harmony 2.0?”. So I had to say “wait a minute to ask my wife if she is coming too”. So we both accepted the challenge.

Here I meet again Laura, as a Head of camp counselors. I met Nikolia who went to the first Campacity, and Ana as well. We had a dream team and after a week full of support and challenge so well balanced, Camp Harmony 2.0 was a real success.

In October Alina called me again and she said “Ruben, you did a great job this summer, and we have a proposal for you: would you go to MACC this year?” And I said again “wait a sec to ask my wife” she said yes, again. Long story short, after MACC I was motivated enough to participate at Capacity where I set my goal: to become a camp director.

Here I met my new friends from MACC and I made new ones as well. I was looking further to create relations and collaborations for Camp Harmony 3.0 and I told this to Maryna from Ukraine but not only.

So after Campacity, I settled up the team and started to prepare the program, the activities and everything. I asked for camp professionals and they said yes. So I had Didi, Tudor, Patrick and Stef who went to camp training held by YMCA Romania, and Sandra who was 6 months pregnant.

Also From Ukraine I invited Maryna and she brought Anastasia and Kate. From Moldova I invited Lidia and she came with Viorica. Also I was so glad to hear that Peggy and Bobby would come from The YMCA of the USA.

Together we made Camp Harmony 3.0 a safe space for 55 participants, young campers and international leaders from 4 countries (Moldova, Romania, Ukraine and USA). Because this year we wanted to build in the present and in the future at the same time. So the activities involved building peace and creating harmony for a world where we do no harm.

And about this, i just found out that the fact i was involved in this camp was not a random invitation. My great grandfather died in the first world war. Then my grandfather was declared a hero after world war II. During the pandemic, I applied to become a professional soldier in the Romanian army, but they called me after I asked my wife to marry me, so I decided to refuse. This made me realize that fighting is not the answer. Love is the answer and that’s why I chose Camp Harmony and YMCA.

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“Camp Europe” is a YMCA Europe signature programme aiming at resilience building amongst people affected by the violent conflicts ongoing in and around Europe, Ukraine especially considered.

Help us create unforgettable summer experiences for war-affected children and youth by donating to Camp Europe at the link below. Thank you!