Can you tell me how it went for you, what activities did you try ?
I did not get to have "rumspringa" (running around) in the same way as you would find on documentaries like Devil's Playground, but I did have some elements of that. As a very strict group of Amish, the Swartzentrubers would not outright let you go buy a car, but they do not hold you accountable to the rules of the church till you are baptized, but they can come to the parents if you do something that they do not like. So if you have a hat that is shaped wrong, they will talk to your parents. In my case, I was like most rebellious teens, when I snuck out to go watch TV at my siblings and cousins' house, a former chicken coop. Don't worry, the chickens had been removed. But that was about as bad as it got. Yes, there was a big party at my house when I was 9 and the parents were away, but it only served to make me say no to beer ever since. When I was at Shreve Ohio I remember my siblings take me to my cousin's house in town, where we would watch TV, and while I was underage, I do recall porn on that TV. I am not sure how much that messed up my perfect upbringing, but it is a fact that that happened.
What were your first impressions of the modern world ?
Well, I got to experience more of it before I actually left, but it still took me 3 years to really get a full-time job in the real world. It was also by that time that I had my twins, Shannon and Cheyenne. Laura and Desperado are the younger kids. I think a lot of people when they get out into a new world, like the Amish in the outside world, and Mexicans in a non-Spanish speaking country like America, for examples, they take a while to get used to that world. But to answer your question about first impressions, it was exciting once i had left to not feel guilty for watching TV, and talking on the phone, but it also made me sad not seeing Mom and Dad on a daily basis. They are now in their early 80s, but I have not seen them since I started my online college course in 2015. That was about 3 and a half year ago that I have seen them...
Was it a hard decision to make (staying / leaving) after that period ?
As I said in my book, once I had made up my mind that I was not going to be able to stay, it was a matter of when, not if I would leave. And that happened when I was 13. I left once at 13, stayed at my cousins and a couple of siblings' house for 3 days, and returned home, not to stay at home, but rather due to the fact that I could not get a job at that age, and my family there did not want to support me till I was 18. And there was no way my parents were going to sign to allow me to get a job. It was easier to just return home. At 16, I had a 3 months stretch where I lived at another, more distant family member's home and washed dishes at a local restaurant, and later I also did work for a home decorating center. I had a crush on a girl from the church at that time and actually talked to her for a bit on the phone. She was so sweet, but her family would not let me talk to her so I am not sure what happened to her.
How do you explain 9/10 Amish teenagers chose to remain in their community after Rumspringa ends?
Family. It is a strong bond in the Amish as well as some other religious groups. They also make it sound like you are going to hell if you do not return, and in some cases, they come right out and say it. It all depends on the sect.
Do certain Amish put themselves in danger during Rumspringa ?
I would say so. They are young and want to experience the world and all it can offer, but dangers include getting into car wrecks after drinking. My one cousin tore the engine right out of his car after a night of drinking at the pub and hitting the curve on a road near Shreve Ohio.
Does Rumspringa sometimes "degenerate" like the rumour machine says ?
I am sure it does, I mean teenagers are young and can act rather reckless. I never did that, the worst of my teenage time included a ticket for a moped without a license. It is comical looking back at that now, but the 3 days I spend in jail for that was not what I had in mind when I borrowed my brother's bike for a few months. As for my experience at parties, well, yes, there were some big ones when the parents were not around.
http://brain-magazine.fr/article/brainorama/46835-Paroles-Amish
Google translate butchers the words...
Buy the book at http://www.amishmemoirs.com/
