Flashback Friday: Summers

What were summers like when you were a kid? Did your family have any particular traditions? Did you sleep 'til noon or get up early? Did you attend camps? Spend lots of time at the pool? Was it a neighborhood pool or in your backyard? Did you take swimming lessons? Did you live near a beach? (And do you call it the beach or the coast?!) Did you attend VBS (Vacation Bible School)? Did your library have a reading program that you participated in? What types of prizes were available? Did you get to buy treats from the ice cream truck? Did your family go on vacations? If so, what is a memorable one? Do you associate any particular songs with summer?

This is Mocha With Linda's weekly prompt. Others may have linked up by now, and I am just beginning my response. We have little time as we are very focused on getting ready for our trip to Spain. But I didn't want to miss the opportunity to once again delve into the old photos and memories. I will be brief.

My parents were Grace Brethren missionaries in Argentina, so as a family we were involved in the summer activities of the mission or denomination: summer camps for different age groups and the general conference.

The camp grounds in the sierras of Córdoba, always near a stream or river, el arroyo o arroyito,  provided delightful afternoons of swimming and playing in the water. If I remember correctly, boys and girls, or men and women, were assigned separate swimming areas.

The following photos prove that  I was taken to camp from a very early age.

Looks like I had plenty of lovely young women to keep an eye on me.

This area holds the most memorable summer memories. I own a painting by my late friend, artist and pastor  Juan Colle to remind me of those happy times all the years I was growing up into a young adult.

Official swimming lessons? Not till I took a course in college.
No pools or beaches nearby.
No reading programs or special traditions. I do not remember going on family vacations either.
We did have VBS programs. No special memory stands out.

So, I will leave it at this. I will probably not be able to join you all for the next couple weeks. We will be visiting friends in Spain near a beach and a pool! More water fun awaits!