Where is She Now: Rebecca Brindley Tiamalia 1982
“Every once in a while when I am on a morning walk in the woods with my dog I shout out “Little Sir Echoe…” to see if I get a response. You never know—my walks remind me of Nyoda!”
Came to Nyoda from: North Plainfield, NJ
Returning to Nyoda this summer from: Fredericksburg, VA, where I teach science to 9th graders
Memory of first summer at camp: Initially, I was homesick. Lee and Ginner comforted me and I jumped into activities. After the first week, I wrote home and asked if I could stay longer.
Returned because of: The friendships and activities. I especially liked canoeing and hiking. I was a camper for 5 years (started when I was 10). I was a counselor (hiking/rappelling) for a total of 4 years.
Favorite camp memory or things in life that bring out your Nyoda memories: Camp fires and certain musicals. Also going canoeing down the Delaware River, hiking, rappelling, and feeds upstairs with the counselors (just to name a few) were always unique to me because I think about them often and the friendships that were made (even though I may not keep in touch now). I was fortunate enough that after camp one year I was able to go hiking with the Curley’s to Mount Washington and beyond. We had so much fun. That trip created an even more lasting memory of Nyoda for me.
Nyoda traditions that you keep alive daily: Waking up early and getting in a morning of movement before the day strikes with whatever it may bring. Every once in a while when I am on a morning walk in the woods with my dog I shout out “Little Sir Echoe…” to see if I get a response. You never know—my walks remind me of Nyoda! Also laughing every day—after all it is contagious and if there is any disease worth having I would say that is the one.
Wo-He-Lo related goal:
Goals for work are to survive my ninth grade students and to hopefully reach my most challenging students and let them know there is more to life than negative outcomes.
Goals for health are to stay as healthy as my schedule allows.
Goals for love — that I will keep close to my heart.
Long-term impact of my time at Nyoda: Long term impact has been the confidence I gained to be me and to trust in others if help was/is needed. I latched onto (no exaggeration here) one counselor in particular who had a very strong impact on my outlook of life. I worshipped this person as a kid and watched how she did things. She influenced my life in a positive way by the awesome things she did at camp to make camp fun and to show by example how to treat other people. I thank her for that. I am positive I was a pain at times based on how relentless I probably was but she never once hinted that I was a pain.
WoHeLo to all