so i thought that i was pretty lucky getting asked to be a facilitator on RYLA 08, as i hadnt applied, and wasn't sure that i was good enough to be in the role of fac in 08, but i was insane enough to say yes with less than 2 weeks notice, and thinking that it would be my only chance to be a fac on RYLA (as i was heading off to avondale for the next 3 years) i had the best time with my co-fac edy, and learned alot, despite being sick and loosing my voice for almost the entire week!
but luck struck me again. i recieved a call from Chris while over east at college still, asking if i would again be a facilitator- this time with my 'big/little brother' jase. (big coz hes bigger than me. little coz hes younger..but he treats me like a little sister!) i ummed and ahhhed for a few weeks- as i had also had been asked by jess if i would come to summer camps at Logue Brook Dam and be photographer/videographer. so it took me awhile to choose between the too great offers where i knew i would learn alot from both- and also had something to give to both. in the end Loz told me she would never speak to me again if i didnt do RYLA. so i couldnt have that. (i also wanted the chance to learn more and to work with jase and the rest of the fac team). so for the second year in a row i was a RYLA facilitator...and i have never applied to be one!! :)
it was the right decision. i had the week of a life time. learning so much about myself and others and how to deal with certain situations. so many valuable lessons! RYLA 09 saw the best group come through ever- even breaking the standard that my RYLA (07) had set. from the word go, they all got on and saw each other through many challenges with their support and encouragement. which grew into a love for each other that you only ever see from a RYLA friendship/family. despite character and personality differences everyone formed a bond of some sort- even if it was just simply- we survived the tunnels together, or you helped me get over my fear of heights on the ropes course.
my small group was fabulous and i wouldnt change it for the world. i learned so much from them! we were what i called the biggest group of mixed nuts you would ever find. we were all so different and from so many different walks of life, and from learning about each other and trying to understand where each other had come from and why each was the way they were- we all came to care and love each other for who each was- all helping to created the highly-effective working team that yellow team "Ramrod" became. i was even luckier to have one of my best friends as my co-fac (co-facilitators, a girl/guy team runs a small group together, 5 small groups all up) Jason and i had been in the same small group when we were participants "we are blue! who are you?" and he was always there for me and made me able to keep going when things got difficult and i didnt think it was possible to keep going, with a hug, a smile and 'dont stress, it'll be fine' always there for me, i came to realise that i could do this!
some things i realised from the week- you can amazingly survive on 20 hours sleep for one whole week (albeit everything is that much more funny!) you can become the best of friends with someone that you never thought that you would. you learn why you have the morals that you do and why others have different and where they are coming from without any debate. you learn how to communicate more effectively, the different leadership styles and who are some great leaders in our community. . goal setting, time-management, public speaking and small group dynamics all lead to working effectively as a team. combined with self awareness, emotional intelligence, and the values walk gives you a greater understanding of yourself and also of others, helping you to better relate better to others in all areas of you life.
through many different activites created and modified by the facilitator team- all designed to test each participant in ways they never dreamed possible- the participants began to learn and develop each skill evident in a great leader, stepping up and rising to the challenge or stepping back and giving others the opportunity to step up and become the leaders they were born to be. throughout many trials and harships they became not only friends but a highly effective team. from braving crawling through the hot and (at times) smelly tunnels, to dangling feet above the ground on high ropes, flying fox and leap of faith, to challenging to fac team in building and racing rafts, to seeing how effective their small groups work as a team in the adventure journey. RYLA is a wild emotional journey through many extreme highs and lows, creating many amazing experiences and best friends and becoming- the best week of your life.
