Unexpectedly Home

Something I heard a lot about Chewonki was the amazing connections you can make here. I didn’t believe the extent of it until I got here. At first, I was worried about making friends because I was three days late and everyone had already had the chance to connect. However, after the first night with my cabin, I realized that I had nothing to worry about. When I got to the cabin, my cabin mates showed me everything and explained everything I missed. They were so welcoming and genuinely excited to see me. That first night we stayed up talking for hours. We talked about our lives at home, the universe, and everything in between. In my first few nights here, I got to know everyone on a very deep personal level. We definitely stayed up way too late, but it was worth it to get so close to everyone. I expected our cabin to be just a place where we slept and didn’t get very close to each other. Instead, it was this beautiful safe space filled with my friends. I really couldn’t have asked for a better cabin.

Another friendship I did not expect was one I made during work program. A fellow student and I were both already nursing injuries when we started our afternoon together. While moving wood and chatting, we bonded over our shared recovery, got to know each other, and became friends. Even though it was only my first week, I had already made many amazing friends who were all so kind and caring. Because this new friend lived in a cabin different than mine, I naturally got to know the rest of that group even better.

Later, on my next work program, I connected with someone new with whom I became really close. Suddenly, I had an amazing circle of friends that I felt I could tell anything to. I found myself looking forward to classes we had together and free time when we could hang out. With so many different kinds of people here, you are bound to find something in common. For example, when another student and I realized we both spoke Spanish, we were soon conversing and telling each other all about our families. That connection grew so quickly that we even ended up planning and cooking Saturday night dinner together.

Beyond my peers, one connection I definitely did not expect was the one with my teachers. Like, what do you mean my English teacher is in my cabin singing us a lullaby at check-in? It was so foreign to me, but I found myself asking my science teacher for advice and playing songs on my English teacher’s electric guitar. As weird as it seems, it is truly amazing that my teachers and I were also able to connect and become some of my favorite people. The connections I have made here in only a few weeks are truly irreplaceable, and I am so excited to visit my friends when I leave Chewonki.