summertime!
So. My summer plans. They are completely unclear.
For a few months, I'd been planning to do the Santiago pilgrimage with myalexandria. As of new year's, that's been off. I would have really loved to have that experience, but whatever. It's not like there's a lack of other ways to spend my summer!
I do firmly think, however, that I would like to spend at least part of the summer in a similar way -- i.e., to have a chance for quiet contemplation, perhaps supplemented with physical labor.
Here are some options, in non-significant order. Do any of you have other ideas? :)
1. Pinewoods, a camp in the woods of MA where there is dancing all summer. My first choice for alternate plans was actually to work for CDSS; that would have involved a few hours per day in a woodcabin-office, with dances every evening, for 7 weeks. As I suspected, that won't be happening.
I could work for PCI, which would be a whole summer of kitchen/grounds work, still with the dances every evening. I don't think I want to be in MA for literally the whole summer, though. I think I'd miss other places. I could volunteer (basically same daily routine) for about a month -- if I did that in June, I could attend the FAC session(s) and get all the international dancing my little heart could desire. If I did that in August, I could attend the CDSS E&A session again.
2. Pendle Hill, 'a Quaker center for spiritual growth, study and service' outside of Philadelphia. This would certainly provide a peaceful space and time for thought. There is a 'summer term', but the dates (22 June - 4 August) conflict with all the dance camp sessions I would want to attend. There are weekend retreats or short courses that I could consider, although nothing seems particularly appropriate. (There *is* a weekend introduction to Quakers, but that is not til the end of July and I think I would prefer it sooner.)
However, you can just go stay there for a few days or weeks. It's not cheap, but it might be less expensive/more practical than their summer term. Perhaps I could spend some time there during June (if I don't volunteer at Pinewoods) or early July. I should discuss this with some of my SCD friends who are more familiar with the place.
3. WWOOF, an opportunity to volunteer on organic farms around the world. For obvious reasons, this chance to travel AND work on a farm might be perfect. :) As with option #1, I'm not sure I'd like to be away for the whole summer this particular year, but it might be possible to make arrangements to work for only part of the summer. At the very least, I think I would like to participate for a period of time before I make the transition into the next major phase of life (grad school, important job, etc.).
4. Travel. I want chlomar to take me to Morocco, and no, I'm not kidding at all. Or I'd like to find a way to bum around on Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia, Canada) or in Bretagne (France) and learn clogging. I'm also not kidding at all about that. I just need ideas on how to make it work.
This is not a plan for the whole summer, but amid my other plans, I am particularly interested in squeezing in this thing -- Scandinavian dance camp!! (30 June - 7 July) I just...I'm fascinated with Scandinavian dancing, and that's that. I wish I could try attending ESS at Pinewoods (2-6 July), but I think Scandi camp ever-so-slightly trumps the unbelievably awesome staff at ESS.
ETA: Another dance event possibility. The Known World Dance Symposium, 28 June - 1 July in Seattle. Elegant dances, lots of coffee and chocolate, and visiting ursule. What temptations!
For a few months, I'd been planning to do the Santiago pilgrimage with myalexandria. As of new year's, that's been off. I would have really loved to have that experience, but whatever. It's not like there's a lack of other ways to spend my summer!
I do firmly think, however, that I would like to spend at least part of the summer in a similar way -- i.e., to have a chance for quiet contemplation, perhaps supplemented with physical labor.
Here are some options, in non-significant order. Do any of you have other ideas? :)
1. Pinewoods, a camp in the woods of MA where there is dancing all summer. My first choice for alternate plans was actually to work for CDSS; that would have involved a few hours per day in a woodcabin-office, with dances every evening, for 7 weeks. As I suspected, that won't be happening.
I could work for PCI, which would be a whole summer of kitchen/grounds work, still with the dances every evening. I don't think I want to be in MA for literally the whole summer, though. I think I'd miss other places. I could volunteer (basically same daily routine) for about a month -- if I did that in June, I could attend the FAC session(s) and get all the international dancing my little heart could desire. If I did that in August, I could attend the CDSS E&A session again.
2. Pendle Hill, 'a Quaker center for spiritual growth, study and service' outside of Philadelphia. This would certainly provide a peaceful space and time for thought. There is a 'summer term', but the dates (22 June - 4 August) conflict with all the dance camp sessions I would want to attend. There are weekend retreats or short courses that I could consider, although nothing seems particularly appropriate. (There *is* a weekend introduction to Quakers, but that is not til the end of July and I think I would prefer it sooner.)
However, you can just go stay there for a few days or weeks. It's not cheap, but it might be less expensive/more practical than their summer term. Perhaps I could spend some time there during June (if I don't volunteer at Pinewoods) or early July. I should discuss this with some of my SCD friends who are more familiar with the place.
3. WWOOF, an opportunity to volunteer on organic farms around the world. For obvious reasons, this chance to travel AND work on a farm might be perfect. :) As with option #1, I'm not sure I'd like to be away for the whole summer this particular year, but it might be possible to make arrangements to work for only part of the summer. At the very least, I think I would like to participate for a period of time before I make the transition into the next major phase of life (grad school, important job, etc.).
4. Travel. I want chlomar to take me to Morocco, and no, I'm not kidding at all. Or I'd like to find a way to bum around on Cape Breton Island (Nova Scotia, Canada) or in Bretagne (France) and learn clogging. I'm also not kidding at all about that. I just need ideas on how to make it work.
This is not a plan for the whole summer, but amid my other plans, I am particularly interested in squeezing in this thing -- Scandinavian dance camp!! (30 June - 7 July) I just...I'm fascinated with Scandinavian dancing, and that's that. I wish I could try attending ESS at Pinewoods (2-6 July), but I think Scandi camp ever-so-slightly trumps the unbelievably awesome staff at ESS.
ETA: Another dance event possibility. The Known World Dance Symposium, 28 June - 1 July in Seattle. Elegant dances, lots of coffee and chocolate, and visiting ursule. What temptations!