Summer Approaches!

Hey there,

Today marks 27 days until I return to my home–Yellowstone National Park. I am so excited that I can hardly breathe. I worked there last summer, and a few of my friends, including four of my favourite people in the whole entire world, are coming back and I’m so overjoyed to be able to see them again. I’ll also be working in the gift shop this summer, and since I love talking to people, I think I’m going to have a great experience.

These are the friends you make in Yellowstone.

I work a mile away from this beauty!

This may be my last summer in Yellowstone for a long while, however. There are a lot of really strong summer programs for students studying political science that I looked at vaguely. This summer, my heart was set on going back to Yellowstone (and I had put my application in the day after I got home last summer) but in the future, I’ll take advantage of other opportunities I’ll have.

I’m really, really thankful for Skype, because I’m not sure how else I’ll survive without my McDaniel friends. It’s incredible how close you can grow to people so fast. I found that over summer, living away from home, and the experience was only intensified by sharing the struggles of homework, the love of learning, and all experiences for nine months of school here.

I’m a little obsessed with sunsets.

One thing I’m considering doing in the future is WWOOFing. WWOOF stands for Worldwide Workers On Organic Farms, and basically, you can spend a period of time volunteering for a family that feeds and houses you on their organic farm. Theoretically, one would work 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, and have the rest of the time to explore the location they live in. It’s for volunteers, so participants don’t get paid, but the value of having a house and food would be more than worth the work. I’m planning on studying abroad in Morocco my junior year, so I think either the summer before or after would be a great time to go to Europe for a summer and work and play.

Though I’m sad to be leaving my friends and teachers, I’m so excited for summer and the experience it’ll offer me.

Ema