Driving eight hours away from home by yourself sounds awful, right? Well, at least I thought it would be long and boring, and my mind would be anxious thinking about what my life will be like for the next ten months. Instead, I was at peace and fully content listening to various music genres and driving through and around cities like New York, Boston, and Manchester. My excitement grew as I watched the forests change in tree composition and color and the road progress from flat and straight to winding and hilly.
When I arrived at Squam Lakes, I was amazed by the beauty of the fall colors and the water. I thought to myself, “I can’t believe I am going to live right here on the lake!” Once I found the office, my supervisor greeted me and I met my fellow crewmates (who are also my housemates.) The interactions were warm and humorous. I was terrified to move so far away from my family, but within minutes I felt nothing but peace, excitement, and a sense of home.
I have no conception of time because my day of arrival feels like yesterday, but it also feels like months ago. I have only been at Squam Lakes for two weeks, and the time was exploding with training and getting to know my fellow AmeriCorps members and SLA senior staff. On the first day, we hiked the steep Old Bridle Path trail to the West Rattlesnake Overlook. You can see the whole lake and the surrounding hills reflecting off the water. Among the hemlocks, you could see the deciduous trees and their last few moments of color change. Sitting next to my new friends, we ate our sandwiches, talked, and admired where we are living for the next ten months.
My third day of service and training was game-changing. I spent the day on Mt. Morgan Trail conducting trail work with my crew. I could not stop laughing and joking around with my crew as we threw off our packs, raked away leaves, dug our tools into the dirt to remove leaf duff, and picked up our packs again to carry on to the next obstacle. The task is rewarding because for one, my whole body is exhausted (and you know your work is hard when all you want to do is eat and sleep) and two, all the labor we do on the trail is creating access and helping more people get outside and enjoy the medicine and beauty nature has to offer.
I fell behind the group because I was not about to trip and fall and get a tool stuck inside my leg, so Katri, a member of senior staff, slowed to walk with me. She asked me what I thought of New Hampshire. “Well, it’s not what I was expecting.” She laughed, “what were you expecting?” I thought about it, “actually, I don’t think I had any expectations. I had no idea what to expect!”
After our trail work day, my crewmates and I loaded the boat with our supervisor and another member of senior staff to sail to Bowman Island to camp for the evening. My jaw was on the floor, probably catching millions of little bugs, because it was the most beautiful night. The sun was setting, the colors bouncing past the hills and reflecting off the lake. The temperature was cool against my skin. The whole lake, sky, and everything looked like a painting.
Once we docked the boat, we unloaded, built a fire, and made some bomb burrito bowls. We spent the rest of the night laughing and sharing stories and memories with my teammates. After stuffing our faces with s’mores, we traveled through the dark and cold to sit on a rock by the lake called Sunset Rock. We looked at the stars, continuing to chat. The moon lit up the night. The dark sky was clear, and the stars were so bright. I cannot recall another time when I saw so many radiating stars. Several shooting stars and a meteor surprised us that night. I went to bed freezing, but with so much joy in my soul from laughing and experiencing such beauty with not just my crew, but my friends.
My Dad quotes Alexander Pope to me often, “Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.” When I think about this quote, I realize that agreeing to serve AmeriCorps and moving to a state I have never visited without any expectations is the greatest gift I could have granted myself. This is to say, every experience, good or bad, is a bonus. There is only room to grow, learn, and serve for the next ten months of my life at Squam Lakes.
Shannon is a full-year member who will be here at the Squam Lakes Association through August. She got her degree in Environmental Science from Lebanon Valley College. Learn more about Shannon here!