After a long drive from the Tohono O’odahm Reservation in Arizona, Proctor Academy's Mountain Classroom arrived on the planet known as Joshua Tree National Park. The yuccas here sprout from the ground like Truffula trees, and the plutons are forced up from subduction of continental plates. It’s a land known for its climbs and scrambles, and we were led through its bounties by our talented guide, Nate Pakula from Naturalists At Large.
At the beginning of this term we came into this thinking that it would be an amazing experience but we had no idea just how truly incredible it would end up being.
February 9th marked the first day of our much anticipated solos. Our journey consisted of a four day and three night experience spent alone in a confined section of the Cascabel Hermitage in the San Pedro River watershed of Arizona. The Cascabel Conservation Association is the caretaker and protector of this land, preserving it to provide hermitage for a meditative retreat to the anyone who wants. These solos can last from two days up to 60 days. The land there is under significant threat from development and the reflections and testimonies of past Mountain Classroom students are important in justifying the conservation easements.
“The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.” ― Jean-Paul Sartre.
As our time continues here in Aix-en-Provence, we all begin to feel less like tourists and more like locals. When we first arrived to Aix some 5 weeks ago, the city felt quite large and confusing. Jen and Dave reassured us that after a few weeks we would have the city memorized, and it would start to feel smaller and smaller.
After a rainy adjunct weekend with Ross in Tucson, Arizona, we left the enormous cacti behind and headed back to New Mexico for a three night backpacking trip in the Gila National Forest. After a day’s drive, we were welcomed by a much chillier camp ground in Silver City, NM.
We may be preparing for another 2-4 inches of snow today, giving us well over two feet of the white stuff since last Tuesday, but let us briefly allow our minds to wander to warmer thoughts. Thoughts that involve summer vacation and Proctor’s Summer Service Trips!
When we started this 8 week journey Dave gave us an analysis of the feelings we might encounter throughout our weeks here in France.
