This being my third year, it feels like nothing new. It feels like I was here yesterday when in fact, sitting in the UNBC computer lab in Quesnel, my memories take me back to 3 years ago.
It’s been a weird mixture of emotions going in. On one hand I feel extremely homesick. I know what i’m in for this year. It’s going to rain, it’s going to get hot and my hands and body will hurt. At the very same time, 1 week in, I don’t want this to end. I will have some amazing times with people I only see once a year and who I may never get to see again. There will be trips to the lake, random moments in trucks, wildlife that beats Montreal’s by a long shot.
Things are different this year. My first year was hard yet everything was new. My second year was hard emotionally and was always being compared to the first. Now this year things feel a lot more settled. I am in no way the worlds best tree planter but I don’t feel so awful. The rain sucks but it’ll pass, the bugs aren’t out yet and if i’m cold, I know to just move. Yet the days seem to be passing by much slower.
This has been a weird first week. It’s been nice seeing everyone again and my crew has lucked out and gotten great land.
The greatest part of the week has got be the snow. It has snowed almost everyday our first shift. While it snowed on our third day I was beside the treeline thinking to myself that this felt very much like being in New York on a brisk christmas day…while being chased by a mugger.
On a final note about the snow, this morning we woke up to about 5-7cm on fresh snow! Some of our tents caved in and we had to cancel planting for the day because you just can’t see the tree’s you’re putting into the ground! So i’m in a warm building about to go into a warm pool and i’m going to forget about where I am for an afternoon. Well…i’ll still be worrying about money.
Take care!
Most listened to artists of the week:
The Get Up Kids,
Trash Talk,
This American Life Podcasts
