Forest camp Marina Gorka…

Forest camp Marina Gorka

Summer camp for children from SOS Children's Village Marina Gorka, Belarus, means sleeping in a tent, fishing and making fresh fish-soup.

18 children from the village ventured to a near forest where they spent almost a whole month in tents, and they adored it.

"We lived in the tents and it's really interesting to camp," says one eight-year-old adventurer. "We made almost everything together there - cleaned the camp territory and ran together in the morning. I also loved to sunbathe, and sometimes to go fishing."

Fishing and fish-soup were the main attractions for another child. "I liked the fish-soup. I have never tried it before," says the eight-year-old.

"We also celebrated the party of "Ivana Kupala" - the boys jumped over the camp-fire and the girls threw the wreaths to the water. I would love to go the summer camp next year again."

The party of "Ivana Kupala" is the day of summer solstice celebrated in Russia and Ukraine on 7 July. Many rites of this holiday are connected with water and fertility. The girls, for example, would float their flower wreaths on the water and tell their fortunes from its movement.

The forest camp is one of the many summer activities organised by SOS Children's Villages Belarus. The other activities include for example bike trips, summer camps and rafting on Belarusian rivers.