I recently returned from California where I spent mostly a week with friends. I enjoyed the natural surroundings while geocaching, stayed in lovely accommodations, and, of course, there was a lot of improv involved!
I was there for Camp Improv Utopia West in Cambria, California. Yes, another camp. My last visit to CIU West was in 2019, and I missed the atmosphere of Camp Ocean Pines. This time, I was a camp counselor for the Mozart cabin, which I enjoyed due to the presence of several musicians. Serendipitously, we were also able to perform a music-related set during the cabin shows on the final night.
I also had the valuable opportunity to facilitate “El Workshopo” once again. This workshop was developed to practice a second language through improv and drama games. After conducting it in Catalan in London, I brought the Spanish counterpart to CIU Spain retreats, where it was very well received.
Given that Spanish is heard all over California, I thought this activity would be particularly useful there. This was the first time I facilitated a workshop in the USA, and I was very pleased with the turnout. Attendees were so engaged that I even added an additional 30 minutes. I cannot thank the CIU staff enough for providing the time and space for me to facilitate this workshop.
Although I’m always cautious, I love visiting the USA because of the warmth of its people (as long as you’re likeminded) and its gorgeous nature.
I’ll be back there pretty soon.