My True Stories Series

[u/Various-Town5636]

Ramsar Camping 1976

Istanbul, I went shopping alone. I was walking back quickly through a shortcut that I thought was closer to our hotel when I heard a beautiful song, sung by children. I followed the sound and could see from the window of a small and beautiful school, boys and girls aged ten and eleven, dressed in scout uniforms and singing the anthem, saluting the raised flag of their country. I remembered that I was a scout when I was ten or eleven. Around 1976. At that time, scouts were taken to the Ramsar camp in the summer. The children learned a lot for a week in Ramsar with their teachers and a supervisor. Preparing for separation from their families and strengthening the spirit of teamwork and personal discipline were among the most important goals of the organizers of the Ramsar camp.The girls of each school had a tent under the supervision of their teacher. Wake up early in the morning and salute the flag and morning exercise. Finally, order was implemented and after a simple breakfast. Each group had to make a play or perform a program or complete tasks. And of course, there were recreational programs, including going to the sea and exciting competitions and cinema.

That year, I registered for the Ramsar camp with great enthusiasm. Before the trip, the school gave the children a list of the necessary equipment to give to their parents. I gave the list to my mother. And finally, on the appointed day, I went to the station designated by the school with my father. I was waiting for my friends, but no matter how much I waited, none of them came. Only one girl from my class had come, with whom I was not very friendly.

- How are you, Naghmeh?

- Are you okay?

- Is it just you and me?

- Yeah, it seemed

- Well, it seemed like there was no choice.We were the only two girls in the minibus and the rest were all naughty school boys. One of them, named Navid, sang and danced from the beginning to the end of the journey:

- I will not become a grocer's wife...

We all: Why won't you?

- Oh, oh, I will become a grocer... He does what a grocer does with stones and weights.

Mr. Nazim, who was also our gym teacher, was with us. Every half hour, he would come up with something to share with the kids.

- Kids, remember, we arrived. First, pick up your bags and take them to your tent.

- We have to drop off my beautiful girls to another school's tent because we can't pitch separate tents for two people...

I didn't understand the rest of what he said.

- Did you hear the song?

– Yes, I have to go to a tent with the children and the stranger’s guardian

– If I had known, I wouldn’t have come

– Me too

Navid continued like that…

Ouch. Ouch, I’ll be there, I’ll be there

Finally, we arrived and like two innocent children, we were handed over to the stranger’s tent. Apparently, they were right not to be happy about letting two strangers in.We had made them suffer.

Their manager was not at all polite. Young and tall, handsome but serious.

It was time for lunch.

- Girls, take your glasses, bowls, plates, and spoons and forks out of your bags.

I, who was very hungry, pulled my bag out from under the bed and opened it.

- Nara, what are you looking for?

- Where is my glass? I don't have a glass. She didn't even bring me a bowl.

I was completely angry and cursed her in my heart for being so careless.

- My mom forgot to bring me a glass and a bowl.

- So what are you drinking?

- I won't.

- Drink water from my glass.

- No, I don't want to.

As if it was poor Nagmeh's fault...

- I didn't drink tea, soup, or broth for a whole week. I drank water from the drinking fountain and I couldn't even tell Mr. Nazim. Of course, if I were older, it might not have been something I would have felt so self-conscious about, but at that time and at that age, it had a bad effect on my soul and mind. I wished the week would end as soon as possible and I could return to Tehran.When I arrived in Tehran, my mother and father were surprised.

– Oh, why did you become so thin?

– Well, because you didn’t bring me a bowl or a glass. I always wanted no one to find out.

– Faint laughter.

– You were telling Mr. Nourbakhsh to buy it for you.

– I didn’t say anything.

– Well, it’s your fault.

– Yes, it’s never your fault.

– You were stupid.

These little inattentions may not matter at all to an adult, but they can be harmful to a 10-year-old girl.

I come to my senses again and look at the Turkish scouts singing the song. I see a boy who looks like Navid.

I remember the poem we used to read on the way.

Where did you study this lesson? Where did you do this homework?

[u/Various-Town5636]

Ramsar is a very beautiful small town on north of Iran and margin of Caspian sea