This summer I truly feel like I’m the lucky one – I get to go to camp all summer long!After a very isolating past year filled with many uncertainties, I feel very grateful to be constantly surrounded and supported by a cohort of fantastic co-educators and campers. Getting to temporarily call Trout Lake, Washington my home has felt like such a privilege. Its breathtaking natural beauty has been the perfect backdrop for facilitating and strengthening children’s and my own connection to the natural world. For many attending camp, going away to summer camp has been their first experience out of their homes and not surrounded by their immediate family. It has been so healing to get to grow, learn, and play collectively together at the base of Mount Adams.
Entering this internship position, I never knew that I would walk away with so many new skills and knowledge like how to track animals or tie dye using dried flower petals or how to identify and forage for wild mountain huckleberries. With each camp that passes, I gain a greater understanding of my role here and am able to narrow down what my next steps will be after my time here is done. I’m so thankful for all the campers’ enthusiasm and willingness to show up and learn as it has inspired me to re-awaken my childlike curiosity.
A highlight for me from this summer is from Mountain Chef camp when all fourteen of us campers and educators sat down and enjoyed a meal together. After the campers planned and prepared a multi-course lunch in teams, we worked collaboratively to set a communal table with plates and utensils, nature bouquets, and name cards so we could all sit and share our hard work together. Seeing everyone so proud of the fruits their hard work produced and wanting to share it with one another was so impactful to me. The table was filled with lots of laughter, sharing stories from the week, and creating impactful connections to one another.
