Lights
Out at Ten!
Childhood
in the East
Childhood
is the best time of our lives, and, this truth was even more so 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 for children. And summers even more
so.
Summer
time was camp time. And these camps for young people, as Maria
Michael explained, were the perfect place for a wonderful holiday.
They were places of welcome, 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.
And,
because the camps were all set in the depths of the country,
the day time activities 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 team work as well. But,
life was not only movement.
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 each day it was
lights out at ten! No one minded. Going to bed was for dreaming;
and, days were for action. It was the same great fun every day. But,
then the holidays came to an end.
No
problem! Next summer was coming, and with it the camps, the fun and
the friends! And, so it went on, year after year. Winter for
learning and summer for fun.
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
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
