If any week is kid quote week it's always the week where inner city students come. As people who don't spend hardly any time in the woods they have some great descriptions of what they see. The students who I worked with last week were all inner city students from Milwaukee. They came here during one of the coldest times in December, and with only just enough snow to do the activities we had planned for them. They were definitely out of their element (it should be noted that if I were visiting their neck of the woods their knowledge would be invaluable). Their time was to replace a gym credit and they were snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and debris shelter building. All week long they kept us busy. We taught them how to snowshoe by playing kickball, taught them about animal and traditional shelters by building their own, and took them cross country skiing to experience a new way to travel.
Seeing the woods from their eyes was very refreshing for me. I can't think of a time where I have looked at the Northwoods and seen is as new. Growing up in Vermont this type of woods are home, and while there is a great connection then with this place there are very few and far between memories I can think of where I thought of my home woods as new woods. Looking around and having the things that happen often be magical is something that I forget. The last place I remember seeing and finding the newness magical was during my time in Skagway, Alaska living on the Denver Glacier. Waking up to 15 in more snow on top of an already white landscape was amazing. I remember the first time I saw an avalanche how amazing the snow looked liked a brief and wonderful waterfall cascading down boulders on the cliff side. I also remember beginning to listen for them, they kind of groan as the snow descends. I also remember how quickly the glacier could go from 80 degree and sunny to 25 and snowing. I also remember when things stopped being so magical, when the sun never setting was routine, and when the dogs howling became annoying.
Its very nice to remember what it was like to be surprised by everything. This is the exact reason why people go places different on vacation. I know I love going to camp for vacation where things are the same, but I also enjoy traveling to places that are new, and feeling the magic of wonder. Trying to describe thing later on to friends and family who weren't there I must sound like our students this week. We try to connect our past experiences to our new ones in order to better connect ourselves to these new and exciting events, thus making the new more relatable.
Thank you students for helping me see this place from your eyes.
