Getting to the AR camp was already a huge act of overcoming for me: since I stopped walking on my own (15 years ago) I had never left my home town. A volunteer met me at the railway station and we took the Paralympic bus to the camp. We were housed in the farthest building, «Shtormovyi»; there were five of us in the room: two participants, two people from the service team and an instructor. After lunch everyone gathered in the hall to get acquainted — each of us introduced ourselves to the whole team. In the evening I was given an active-type wheelchair, as I had arrived in an indoor one; not knowing how to handle it, I accidentally went up into a «balance». Tipping over, I saw for the first time what the service team is for…

Practising falls during wheelchair skills training

The next day the «routine» began. Wake-up was at 07:00, to the Ukrainian anthem carrying from the hall across the whole floor. Rested and cheerful, we set off for the canteen. Covering the distance from our building to the canteen for the first time, I thought: «That’s it, I’m done» — I had only sat in an active-type wheelchair the day before, and those 800 metres or so felt almost impossible. Recharged by breakfast, we headed to the first discipline, «Wheelchair skills» (another 600 metres). In my opinion, it is the most necessary discipline of all. There you learn how to get over obstacles on your own — or with help, if you cannot manage alone; how to hold a balance; how to transfer from the chair into a car, and so on. We travelled to the sessions in groups of three. Every session started with a warm-up, and only then — full speed ahead. The weather was already autumnal, so during the break we were given hot tea with a bar of chocolate. Each session ended with a compulsory stretch, so that the next day we would remember our instructors with a smile (we were «chasing out» the lactic acid). Then we went to table tennis. Quite an engaging game, very good for coordination and reaction. The instructor told us the history of the game and the rules, then a warm-up — and we got down to training. My sincere sympathies to the volunteers who tirelessly chased after the falling balls…

Playing boccia

I want to say a separate word about the service team. They are very responsive, smiling young people, ready to come to your aid, with boundless patience and kindness.

After table tennis it was time for lunch (+500 metres). Then came the quiet hour — a rest for the backside (+800 metres). After that «relaxation» my group had general physical training (+1100 metres). After such a «warm-up» we were taught how to exercise properly, working on particular muscle groups, using an interesting method — by stopwatch, with set times for effort and for rest. After the session we returned to our building, where there was time for a shower and a rest. By seven we set off for dinner (+800 metres). Tired, content and, most importantly, well fed, we came back for the evening lectures, which were genuinely useful: law, the active-type wheelchair, contractures, pressure sores… After the lecture there was a little time to talk before lights out at 23:00. In that unfamiliar, super-active rhythm all nine days flew by, each with its own adventures and stories. There were three disciplines a day, only in a different order. There was also swimming and archery — five disciplines in all. On top of that we had boccia and rugby tournaments, a marathon and a team entertainment game…

On the seventh morning, on the timetable poster, instead of the first three disciplines we saw a word written in large letters: «MAYHEM». Rumours spread among the participants that the organisers had decided to give us a day off — everyone to themselves. Ha! Nothing of the sort! After breakfast we were divided into groups and asked to tidy up our colleagues’ rooms. When our group walked in, our jaws dropped: kefir spilled over the floor, toilet paper stretched around the whole room, and everything that could be turned upside down had been turned upside down… This time our service team had «let us down» — it was their handiwork. Shocked, with mixed feelings — laughter and bewilderment — we rolled up our sleeves and got to work… That «cleaning day» turned out to be an unexpected holiday for our cleaning lady.

Archery

On the last evening at the camp there was a disco with dancing and the presentation of well-earned certificates, and the next day all the participants left by bus in groups — with grazes, calluses and bruises, and not only under the eyes. But this is the tempering that everyone who finds themselves in a situation like ours should go through! I am sure that everyone left more confident in themselves and in their own strength, with new hopes — and at the same time with sadness at leaving the new friends they had grown fond of.

P.S.

The camp changed me a great deal: I became more active, more sociable, more independent, more at ease (that is what people around me say), and my complexes about the wheelchair went away. I advise everyone who is still hesitating to gather the courage and go through this school. I am convinced your life will change for the better. You will see new opportunities and new horizons opening up before you.

By my calculations, camp participants covered about 6–8 kilometres a day. In the first days your arms get unbelievably tired, but by the fourth day the distances pass unnoticed.

The «Mayhem» discipline was held at an AR camp in Ukraine for the first time

I want to express my enormous gratitude to the instructors, the organisers, the service team… to everyone, for your work and your patience!

With enormous gratitude, Lena from Odesa!