This will be my final visit to my spot. We are going home in two days. Today I am sitting on my familiar driftwood with two classmates, Avery and Angel, because my program is staying at the hotel directly behind us. Which is somewhat of a crazy coincidence, that our last group spot is where I have been coming all semester for my sit spot. As usual, the airport is in front of me, which is odd to look at. To think how I will have left from here in a couple days. Angel is playing guitar. There’s the sounds of seagulls and songbirds, happy with early summertime. Of course there’s still snow in the mountains, but it’s been warmer and sunny. The days are long and it only is dark for a few hours at night, something I absolutely love. A few of us turned over rocks looking for starfish, we found two little ones. I feel gratitude for the people I have come to know here, with a blank slate between us. People who know the person I have come to be. An opportunity I feel that we don’t get too often in life.

I am grateful for the work I did at the science center all month. It helps me feel connected to the life here that I would have been able to see otherwise, underwater. I’m grateful to the mountains and ground which have held me, to the glacier water I’ve been drinking. To my host family despite the difficulties. This semester I have been making a short film of my time here (although without any experience I’m not sure it classifies as a film). I think it captures some moments of life that are slow, deliberate. Human and non-human. I hope to bring home the sense of relaxation I had here, always finding time to spend with people, celebrating little things. Still working a lot, but work as the secondary priority.

This semester has been really special. I have cried a lot recently knowing I am leaving. Although just a month ago I was excited to come home, now I want to stay. But home and Wellesley will be beautiful too and filled with special moments. I am so grateful to have met another Wellesley student in my program who I love and respect very much, and who I always have a great time with. Even during difficult moments of this semester she was my best friend. I think I am leaving this experience better prepared to handle many challenges and more willing to find good balance. And I’m feeling even more excited about continuing to do environmental work in and out of my academic life. That’s another thing the people here have inspired me to do. Now that I’m finished typing, I’m at the airport heading home. Even though I’m still sad, I’m excited too, knowing that the next semester awaits me.