Thursday, September 30, 2010

9/9

Half Way There

After a couple of gloomy days on our island, we have reached our half-way point of days on the river. Unless nature calls in a monsoon, the days of being in the tent getting things done at a leisurely pace are over for now. The time has come for lessons, and although none of us feel truly prepared, we are learning more than we think from each other. As Jeff assures us that we certainly aren’t doing the worst job he has seen, we all look forward to having our lessons taught with some stress taken off our backs.
Soon we finally enter the river, which is what we all came for. Rapids couldn’t come soon enough. As our famous ‘storming phase’ rolls in closer and closer, it is my prediction that things won’t really blow up until we run out of food.
No matter how many different emotions each of us have flying through our heads and our hearts, it seems that things are starting to balance out. We all have our good days and our bad days, but pushing on regardless of those feelings is part of the reason we’re out here. There’s no doubt that this is tough. To be in class 24-7, to be this busy all the time, to live in such close quarters, and to do it without a break. But I still laugh out loud when I think about the kids right now punching in excel sheets and regurgitating information they will never remember. It feels strange to know that this is literally a once in a lifetime experience, and to put yourself years ahead of now thinking of where we’ll all be at. Not all of us will become outdoor leaders after this. It’s a life that’s not for everybody. But we are all soaking in this experience in our own separate ways. Whether we are process, product, people, or idea on the IP-3 scale, we all are continuously understanding what we want out of this experience and this chapter of our lives.
No matter what, I am so thankful to be here right now with everybody in this circle. Thankful for Jeff and Kim, thankful for ECOEE, thankful for RPTA, and thankful that a unique set of circumstances has brought me to be where I am now. Cheers.


-Sal

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