September 18, 2018 (Staff Arrival Day, Vermont Session at Tamarack Farm)
Written by staffer Babette (Advisor)
I couldn’t sleep the night before I left for camp. In the midst of rechecking my packing list, I collapsed at 3am and arose at 5:30am to leave for the airport.
This is a year of firsts for me:
-
first year back to camp in over two years
-
first year at Vermont in four years
-
first year flying to camp, ever
-
first year as an advisor
- first year as POC Papabear
In the Newark airport, I had to take a shuttle bus to get my gate. I passed duty-free luxury stores, “fusion” restaurants, and high-end makeup vending machines. I barely had time to gawk while I tried to make my connecting flight. In Burlington, there was one gift shop and one coffee shop/bar combo, so I bought a soy latte.
After my flights, I still had to make closer to camp. On the Greyhound bus to White River Junction, I met a girl who had been travelling all over Canada for the last four weeks. She was finally on the way home to Maine. I was half-flattered, half-grateful she saw me as an approachable person in a sea of strangers. She got off one stop later and I remained for the rest of the two hour ride.
Finally, on the last leg of the trip, a staff person met me at the bus station. As I carried my 45lb suitcase to Christian’s car (my first familiar face in 12 hours), I settled into that gnawing feeling in my stomach. Would it be like I remembered it?
We arrived to a long line of staff sprawled across the front deck of the farmhouse, as if they had always been standing there, waiting.
“You’ll be late in, exactly, two minutes.” Matt called. I exaggerated slowing down my stride and they laugh.
We settled in on a couple of picnic tables outside because the weather is almost perfect (full sun, slight chill). We played speed dating, ate dinner, and reconvened for more check-ins.
By the end of the night, I was more giddy than exhausted. I found the dreamiest cabin with a wooden desk and a reading lamp. I rolled out my exercise mat by my bed and smoothed out my sleeping bag. It’s a lot better than I remembered.