Be Prepared

Vera returns to her tent, where the Sashas are getting ready for dinner. They tell Vera that she must wear her uniform to dinner, and she asks them to wait for her while she gets ready. They help her put her bandana on properly, and Vera admires all of the badges on their uniforms. They explain that campers earn badges for different achievements while at camp, such as passing the Third Rank exam. Vera notes that she will not have to take the exam, since she is only attending camp for two weeks instead of the full four weeks.

At dinner, Vera runs into her camp counselor Natasha, who speaks to her in Russian. She explains to Vera that she found the girl who snuck in her guinea pig, but that the guinea pig got away in the woods. Natasha tells Vera to speak Russian as often as she can while at camp. She also encourages Vera to ask her tent mates, the Sashas, for help if she ever needs it, since they’ve been attending camp for many years.

Vera notices that the other campers have a lot more knowledge of the camp customs and traditions than she does, which often makes her feel unsure and left out.