Page 13 - C.A.L.L. #29 - Winter 2007

KALEIDOSCOPE

Darin Fenger, on the other hand looks at the flip side of the problem in his "What Interns
and Work Exchangers have to say about Us":

I absolutely loved my stay at Lost Valley, recalls Polly Robinson, who served as an intern and later a
live-in course participant at Lost Valley Educational Center in Oregon. "I loved being surrounded by
people of all ages who genuinely cared for me, and the generally relaxed atmosphere of the place, I
felt like I was a community member the whole time I was there."

Nathaniel Nordin-Tuininga, who also lived at Lost Valley, first as a work trader, then an intern, and
lastly as a residential student, is equally enthusiastic about his time there. "Interacting with Lost
Valley and participating in both their permaculture and personal growth workshops taught me so
much about myself, my relationship to the surrounding environment, and my connection with
others. I learned a great deal about my own capacity to grow and develop into the person I most
want to be, while cultivating a harmonious relationship to the rest of the natural world. I was
introduced to new ways of interacting with plants and animals in order to meet my basic needs. I
received personal instruction and hands-on training in land and garden projects. I participated in
yoga, dance, mediation, saunas, hot tubs, stargazing, sports, games, group outings and other
events - and always had an amazing group of people to share these experiences with. And
emotional well-being was better attended to at Lost Valley than in any other community I have
visited or been involved with."

Get some useful free advice from the same D.F. in "What community hosts should know" and
what guests should take into account in "Planning your own Community Adventure" -
although it pays to keep in mind (possible) discrepancies between planning and REALITY!

If you're planning your own short-term stay in community, consider the advice of these
experienced community visitors.

• Get comfortable with the community members. I was hesitant to open up at the beginning, but
when I saw community members speaking from their hearts, it made me comfortable enough to
follow suit. Do your research. I read about La'akea first, and went there with some confidence that
I would fit in. It's important to know what you're getting into. -Ron Laverdiere
• Don't be shy or embarrassed to ask questions or ask for what you need. Strive to be emotionally
honest - even if what you have to say is not the 'easy' or 'pretty' answer. Don't be afraid to share
affection or appreciation. Be confident that you can handle
anything that comes your way. -Travis Fowler
• If you have a good sense of what you want to learn and
experience while at a community, make sure you
communicate what you want clearly and have an
agreement about how this is going to happen. Go into the
situation with an open mind and heart to see if you can
learn and experience things you'd never have imagined. -
Molly Morgan
• Discover and establish boundaries between your personal
time and community time. If you don't take the time for personal space, it may become difficult to
engage fully with the community. Keep an open mind, actively seek out projects that engage you,
and cultivate kindness. –Michael “Mojohito" Tchudi
• Live it fully. Plunge in with abandon and trust those around you to respond to your zeal. Act as a
community member to the extent that you can, contributing to making the community one that
you would like to live in. -Ted Sterling
• Even if you already know a lot about community or the subject of focus in its course or
program, really learn to be a student; stay in a proactive observer space. Take what you need from
the experience. And if things aren't quite what you expected, know that you can change your
experience; it's only temporary! -Jodie Emmett

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