Lights
Out at Ten! Childhood
in the East
Childhood
is the best time of our lives, and, this truth was even more so in
the country where Maria Michael grew up. She grew up in
Czechoslovakia.
Czechoslovakia
(now the Czech Republic and Slovakia) was a communist country in
those days, and it was a paradise on earth for all children. And
summers even more so.
They
were the time for the camps. And these camps for young people, as
Mrs. Michael explained, were the perfect place for a perfect holiday.
They were places of welcoming feelings and belonging, and provided
a wonderful change
from everyday life. Every child was treated
like a king or a queen and they wanted
for nothing! They got 5 very good
meals every day and a programme they loved.
Because
the camps were all set in the depths of the country, the day
time activities all centred around sport and exercise. There
was hiking, gymnastics and athletics. And, everything
that was done was done together. This was not only good for physical
fitness, but for the fun of being together as well. But, what about
the mind?
It
was the evenings that were for the mind. The end of each day was for
music, literature and discussion. And, it was during these evenings
that deep and lasting friendships were forged. Points of view
and opinions were always much stronger than sport. But, of course,
no camp is a camp without rules.
It
was up with the sun everyday, and, at the end of the day it was
lights out and no more talking at ten! But, no one minded. It was
always great to get up in the morning, and going to bed was for
dreaming. And, it was the same great fun every year. And, the end
of the summer holidays were no problem at all! Next summer was
coming, and with it the camps, the fun and the friends!
Vocabulary
change
– Abwechseln
depths
of the country – tief am Land
despite
– trotzdem
exercise
– Bewegung
forged
(to forge/forged/forged) - schmieden
grew
up (to grow up/grew up/grown up) – aufwachsen
gymnastics
– Turnen
hiking
– Wandern
led
(to lead/led/led) – führen
mind
– Geist
provided
(to provide/provided/provided) – beschaffen/liefern
treated
(to treat/treated/treated) – behandelt
wanted
for nothing (to want for nothing/wanted for nothing) – es hat
nichts gefehlt
