When I first arrived at Philmont, the fact that I was going
to be there for three months freaked me out. Three months in this new place
with no one I knew doing new things.
Now I can confidently say that three months is just enough
time to make a place a home. Philmont taught me more than I ever expected.
There were times towards the end of the summer when I thought that I was ready
to go home. I saw the parking lot thin out, staff members packing up their
things, and the scout numbers dwindle. It seemed that summer was coming to an
end and I foolishly thought that I was ready for my time at Philmont to come to
an end too. So I wrapped up my work and started thinking about packing. Before
I knew it, it was my last working day. My dad arrived at the ranch to pick me
up and it was time to leave. I went through the checkout process, an exact
replica of the check-in process that I nervously stumbled through in May. It
was a breeze to complete and by 6pm I was all packed up and ready to go. John
and I left the ranch and that was that. That night I had to say goodbye to several
of my key Philmont friends who really made my summer.
Luckily, the next day, Sarah, my dad, and I hiked Mt.
Wheeler, the tallest peak in New Mexico. It was an amazing hike and we spent
the rest of the day in Taos shopping and enjoy each other’s company. It was a
really great day enjoyed by all. The only caveat of the great day was that I
had to say goodbye to Sarah at the end of it. Sarah and I have been inseparable
this summer. As soon as we bonded over coffee and our dislike of spicy food, we
knew we were the perfect match. Without exaggeration, I can say that we’ve
spent practically every day of the last three months at each other’s side. We
eat together, work together, and spend our times off together. The best way to describe
us is pair bonded. We first heard two goats being described as pair bonded. It
pretty much means that they are best friends. If one were to break free of its tether,
it won’t run away because it will stay with the other one. That describes us,
we don’t function well without the other. Sarah has taught me so much this
summer and I don’t think that there is any way that I could every repay her. If
you ever have the pleasure of seeing us together, you can see that me mimic
each other in our words and actions, and finish each other’s sentences, even
with the same intonation. It’s weird and awesome.
So without my pair bond and without Philmont, I’m realizing
quickly that I was not ready for the summer to be over. I’m zooming back to
Indiana, I’m over the moon excited to see my friends and family. But I feel severely
underprepared to head back to the real world. I would love to go back to Philmont
where I’m with my Phil Fam all day, waking up in a tent, and not having “real
world” worries.
I have no idea what next summer will bring, but I do know
that when the time comes, IWGBTP (I Wanna go Back to Philmont).
