i thank Hashem a million times that i’m from OOT and don’t have to deal with bungalows. For one summer i worked as a full time mothers helper in a yeshivish bungalow colony. (at least i think its considered yeshivish) I couldn’t get over it. For a few months after i couldn’t stop talking about my experience. Forget about the inappropriate gender mixing, which b”h wasn’t too bad. (on shabbos it was at its worst when the women would have a shiur together, husbands come from shul to get their wives… and you know the rest, shmoozing casually with…) A very elementary basic concept in yiddishkeit was missing – PRIVACY. I could tell you the shalom bayis of each bungalow on either side and even a few bungalows down. If you have any shidduchim inqueries, i could tell you which mother never ever screamed and which kids ALWAYS fought… This was the hardest for me to get over. Isn’t that what Bilaam unwillingly praised klal yisroel for “?? ???? ????? ????” ? what is going on?
Second complaint also really major. When i went down to the pool, i was really in for a shock. Women WITH THEIR LITTLE KIDS SOMETIMES INCLUDING BOYS would lay out totally in bathing suits and sometimes very very low cut untznius ones basically naked (a bathing suit itself is untznius, but you know what i mean) this was way beyond my comprehension. Now if you want to go swimming, get into a bathing suit and GO SWIMMING. if you want to tan and relax GET DRESSED!!!!! i couldn’t believe that their was such a level of un-sensitivity, (excuse the grammar) how can we expect our little boys to grow up to be gedolay olam if this is how they grow up?
in short i really don’t know waht i would do if i lived in NY where the whether is scorching – (i pitty you all in the city now!)i would somehow find a solution to make it work. and im sure there are bungalow colonies that are more private and hopefully have better rules (if there’s such a thing) on how to come dressed to the pool.
i once heard that years ago, in a bungalow colony they caught boys who climbed onto trees to look into the pool area when it was woman’s hours. After that they built it better so that you cant see in even from such a position. I’m sure today they’re more careful with that too.