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| The 2014 Vermont Semester group! |
Days, weeks, months and even years of anticipation and preparation have gone into the 2014 Vermont-New Hampshire semester and now the first week has already passed. It is amazing to reflect back upon these past few days and look at all that we have accomplished so far.
On Monday, the first day that we arrived, the air was abuzz with excitement. Upon arrival each one of us went through a gear check to make sure that we have all of the equipment that we need for the entire expedition ahead of us. After that everyone enjoyed a delicious potluck meal provided by all of the families. Once our tummies were full, several Kroka semester program alumni presented us with an axe and welcomed us into the semester community. The rest of the afternoon we spent catching up with friends and getting to know people we had never seen before. Before the sun set in soft yellows, oranges and reds, we took a tour of Kroka’s beautiful basecamp. Meeting and getting to know the people with whom I am going to be spending the next five months with was definitely my favorite part of the day.
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| Looking over towards base camp for the semester group |
Working on developing a social contract by which we will all live, sewing anoraks, mounting ski bindings onto skis, dehydrating foodstuffs, cutting hemlock poles for the construction of a lodge in the spring, and splitting firewood are just some of the activities that make up our day to day life.
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| Intricate ice crystals formed in this cold, crisp weather |
We rise with the sun each morning and rub the sleep from our eyes in order to appreciate the intricate beauty of the ice crystals formed in the sub-zero temperatures. After the farm animals have been taken care of and the firewood has been chopped for the day we eat a hot breakfast and then we have morning main lesson. This time is allotted for guest teachers to come and share their passion and wisdom. We may also learn from the wealth of knowledge and experience harbored by Kroka’s year round staff. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday’s main lesson was devoted to big jobs.
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| Becky, Rosa, Maja, Molly, and Meg sharing a song |
A big job is a key responsibility that each student takes on for the half the semester. These jobs range from managing gear or packing out all of the food for the expedition, to tending the fire or tending to people’s injuries and illnesses. On Tuesday, Misha first presented the topic and we compiled a list of all of the things that need to be done in order for our expedition to run smoothly and our home to be tidy and warm wherever we may be. On Wednesday, we got our big jobs. I, Maja, am the scribe (pretty self-explanatory) and the van and trailer manager. This means doing a routine check of the van every time we use it, and building more shelving for the trailer before we head out on expedition. On Thursday, after having already met with our big job advisors, each one of us presented to the group what our responsibilities are and what we have to do to meet them. These are everyone’s big jobs:
Molly: Logistics
Cassandra: Navigation
Forest: Ski Manager
Kevin: Gear Manager
Finn: Medic & Hygiene Manager
Maja: Scribe & Van and Trailer Manager
Rosa: Kitchen Manager
Jasmine: Water & Bathroom Manager
Per: Energy Manager
John: Farm & Lodge Construction Manager
Meg: Expedition Food Manager
Sofia: Base Camp and Layover Food Manager
Adrian: Sewing Manager
Zac: Photographer & Camp Manager
Big jobs are a perfect opportunity for us to really take responsibility and carry not only our own weight, but that of the group as well.
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| Forest getting ready to drill some holes for the binding |
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| Kevin and Meg adjusting the bindings |
After the daily lesson, we then have our first session of the day, either exercise and big job meetings or exercise and mounting ski bindings, and sewing anoraks.
Before the precise and tedious process of mounting bindings was complete, we took our skates out onto the Kroka pond, played ice hockey and practiced balancing and making good turns, all skills that we then employed on Friday when we finally strapped our skis on.
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| Kevin taking a spin around the beaver pond |
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| Oliver making tracks |
I really enjoyed playing hockey and I know a lot of other people did too. The feeling that flows through your body when all of the passes between your teammates connect beautifully before the puck skitters into the goal is exhilarating and definitely worth all of the bruises to my knees!
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| Toby about to make a pass to the photographer |
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| Kevin bringing the puck up ice |
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| Per getting started |
Sewing the anoraks was and is a very taxing activity. You have to concentrate every second so as not to sew the whole thing into a giant, tangled ball, something that happened more than once. An anorak is a rugged over coat to wear while bush wacking, splitting firewood, tending the fire, and around camp in general. It also protects your down jacket from tears and/or spark holes. The first four days we made all of the individual pieces of the anorak (hoods, sleeves, pockets, etc.); not for ourselves but for everyone. In this way the work of each person comes together to protect you. On Saturday, while half of our group took a day trip to get the first real taste of what skiing through unmarked woods with just a map and compass is like, the other half put together their anoraks. The anorak construction was a very strenuous task and I was very appreciative when we stopped for dinner. On Sunday the whole schedule was flipped and I went skiing. It truly was an adventure. We skied all the way from Kroka to Lisl’s house because she had invited us to dinner along with Katie and Bill, the founders of Badger Balm company. The skiing group arrived in the dark and it was wonderful to come inside, eat a hot meal and ooh and ah over Lisl’s gorgeous house. After dinner, Katie and Bill shared a little bit about their story and their connection to Kroka. Bill the told us the story of The Samurai and the Tea Master. It was about living completely in the moment and the simple beauty of the story awakened in me a sadness that that is not the way in which we live as a large global community.
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| Adrian sewing a sleeve |
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| Helen and Finn sharing a laugh |
We are enjoying the fresh layer of snow immensely and are eagerly awaiting Jazmine’s arrival on the 30th!
I look forward to writing to everyone again next week!
-Maja
