Philosophy Camp
After a really busy, fun weekend at home filled with parties, friends, walks with husband, and packing, I left this morning for southern Minnesota.
I have arrived at the long awaited, long thought-about, "philosophy camp". What is this strange sounding thing and why am I here, you ask? Well I hope to answer that question through a few blog posts about what I am doing and learning while living here for a week.
I am at the Shalom Hill Farm on the plains of Minnesota. This is an all-sustainable 'retreat facility' that is non-demoninational, but spiritual in nature. The class, Leading Lives Worth Living is a class offered through the University of Minnesota and is a four week course that is centered around questions of community, vocation, lifestyle, and self. It is a philosophy/humanities course for undergraduates. So I am what they call a 'visiting fellow' for a week, meaning that I am somewhat of an instructor, somewhat of a student.
Overall, along with learning about the sustainability and community development that goes on here, I am focused on the experiential education this class represents. It is truly a unique approach to education and I am here to see how it works, how it feels, and what I can take with me into my own life. I am hoping to be a human sponge. I just want to soak up everything that goes on here.
Beyond, wanting to learn a lot, I am also so excited to be in such a beautiful place for a week. The lodge we are staying in is built into the side of a hill for maximum energy conservation, so each level of the bedrooms are on the ground floor. The windows of the great rooms look out over the large hill and toward the breath taking prairie. It is a truly inspiring place to be.
Today when I had some free time, I walked around the farm. I visited the chicken coop where we will get fresh eggs every day, the roosters, the goats and sheep. It is fun to be on a farm and to be around all the barn kitties that are so darn cute! (gray tabbies and all black kitties with long hair- pictures to come). The sun was very hot, but the wind across the prairie was constant. Tonight, there was a lightening storm that I watched roll across the land for miles. It was absolutely gorgeous. Tomorrow, I am planning a long hike into the prairie with some of the students.
For now, I am going to head down to bed. I am going to sleep with the windows wide open and listen to the beautiful silence mixed with sounds of nature.
I have arrived at the long awaited, long thought-about, "philosophy camp". What is this strange sounding thing and why am I here, you ask? Well I hope to answer that question through a few blog posts about what I am doing and learning while living here for a week.
I am at the Shalom Hill Farm on the plains of Minnesota. This is an all-sustainable 'retreat facility' that is non-demoninational, but spiritual in nature. The class, Leading Lives Worth Living is a class offered through the University of Minnesota and is a four week course that is centered around questions of community, vocation, lifestyle, and self. It is a philosophy/humanities course for undergraduates. So I am what they call a 'visiting fellow' for a week, meaning that I am somewhat of an instructor, somewhat of a student.
Overall, along with learning about the sustainability and community development that goes on here, I am focused on the experiential education this class represents. It is truly a unique approach to education and I am here to see how it works, how it feels, and what I can take with me into my own life. I am hoping to be a human sponge. I just want to soak up everything that goes on here.
Beyond, wanting to learn a lot, I am also so excited to be in such a beautiful place for a week. The lodge we are staying in is built into the side of a hill for maximum energy conservation, so each level of the bedrooms are on the ground floor. The windows of the great rooms look out over the large hill and toward the breath taking prairie. It is a truly inspiring place to be.
Today when I had some free time, I walked around the farm. I visited the chicken coop where we will get fresh eggs every day, the roosters, the goats and sheep. It is fun to be on a farm and to be around all the barn kitties that are so darn cute! (gray tabbies and all black kitties with long hair- pictures to come). The sun was very hot, but the wind across the prairie was constant. Tonight, there was a lightening storm that I watched roll across the land for miles. It was absolutely gorgeous. Tomorrow, I am planning a long hike into the prairie with some of the students.
For now, I am going to head down to bed. I am going to sleep with the windows wide open and listen to the beautiful silence mixed with sounds of nature.
posted by KLOU | 1:34 PM
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