Christina Welmaker: Experience with Bryan and Lexi

My team of five. I am on the far left.

There are many things one must take into consideration when choosing the right Breakaway. Whether you want to learn a new language, expand your skills, or experience new opportunities there is always a Breakaway that is meant just for you. I knew for a while that studying abroad was not for me, so I decided to be creative with my Breakaway. I chose to do an internship with Uncharted Waters Sports Ministry. Doing this internship allowed me to travel all over the east coast of the United States of America and teach cheerleading to elementary age students. As an exercise science major, I was able to take what I was learning in the classroom and see the material in real life. I worked with a team of five other coaches, and we all taught different sports. We were able to work with children on the proper techniques, injury prevention, and strength and conditioning.

Teaching other coaches to cheer.

Every week seemed to be a new adventure as I was in a different location each week; however, our schedule felt monotonous. Every day was the same schedule: wake up, go to camp, come home, nap, chill out, then go to bed. It was not until the seventh week that I realized instead of having fun, I was focused on the work aspect and lacking a balance between free time and work. Also, being away from my parents for such a long time was extremely hard for me and I was beginning to become homesick. By this point in the summer, we were all extremely tired and annoyed with each other; however, we tried to stay positive and persevere as if it was week one. Our boss always said, “treat every camp as week one. No matter how tired you are, because this is the kids first time at sports camp.” We had a “come to Jesus meeting” where the whole team came together and tried to come up with a way to get pass the fact that we were annoyed with each other and be energized for a great week of sports camp. With my religious background, I prayed daily for the energy and courage to get through the last two weeks of camps with fresh eyes and a new vision.

As we arrived in Uncasville, Connecticut, we were placed in our host homes. Lillie and I, the two girls, were placed in a host home about thirty minutes from the camp location. We were disappointed in our location because it separated the team. I remember thinking this was going to be the hardest week of camp, but we were going to learn to adapt. Since the boys had to sleep at the church that was hosting the camp, the distance was an inconvenience to the team as they were the only ones allowed to drive the van. When we were told the boys were sleeping at the church on couches, Lillie and I had a change of heart and were grateful we at least got beds for the week.

Connecticut Beaches

The next day we met the youth minister at the church. His name was Bryan, and he was engaged to Lexi. We learned that Lexi was our age and Bryan was not much older, and they both went to the University of Connecticut. They were both filled with energy and so excited to show us around Connecticut. We did so many activities from visiting Mohegan Sun, the second largest casino in the United States, to the beach, playing putt-putt, movie night, the pool, and game night. My favorite memory was the beach day. This was a bit of a shock to me, as I am not a fan of the coast. However, I have only been to extreme tourist areas and assumed all beaches were this way. Personally, I would prefer to be relaxing in a hammock at the lake, but I decided to go in with an open mind.  The beaches in Connecticut are nothing like the beaches in South Carolina. In Connecticut, the beaches are rockier with less sand, and there are more people walking on the boardwalk area than playing in the sand. This beach was one of the prettiest beaches I had ever seen. It was clean and had a boardwalk that ran parallel to the small town and railroad tracks. It was awesome just to go out and relax that day. It reminded me of being home at the lake with my family, but this time it was with new friends! Lexi and Bryan decided to take us to one of the local restaurants on the beach where they made us try a Connecticut special: sea salt caramel ice cream. Bryan warned us that it was the worst tasting ice cream he had ever eaten, but he was surprised to see how much we enjoyed it. It was surprisingly not bad, especially compared to how Bryan was describing it. The ice cream tasted just like any salted caramel candy we would have in the south. This is when I realized the north was slightly different form the south, because Bryan and Lexi thought it was weird that we ate salted caramel candies.

Team picture with Lexi and Bryan

Though this is a small glimpse of the impact Bryan and Lexi left on us, it wasn’t until the end of the week that we realized they had made a significant impact on us. We were talking about how we did not want to leave Bryan and Lexi and wished we could have them in our lives forever. They truly showed us the meaning of fun, and that the summer did not have to be all about work. They reminded us it’s okay to be spontaneous and break the repetitive schedule. It was amazing, and something our team needed. We may have only been in Uncasville, Connecticut for a week, but Lexi and Bryan have impacted our lives forever. I felt like this was the week that really turned my summer around. Looking back, I am so grateful for Lexi and Bryan. Even though they were not, our host parents they showed us unconditional love. Honestly, I really wish I would have tried to connect with more people each week the way I connected with them. It showed me that even in just a small amount of time you can impact others’ lives. I am currently still in contact with them today. 

Christina is a junior exercise science major with a minor in psychology. She is from Greenville, South Carolina. As a member of the Honors College, she did her breakaway with Uncharted Waters Sports Ministry. Christina plans to graduate in May of 2021 and pursue a master’s in athletic training.