By: Jacob Male
Living and serving outdoors has proven to be very rewarding in its own way. Of course there are several challenges that go along with it. Over the course of conservation season, I have learned that the bugs are relentless, the barred owls love screaming in the middle of the night at you, and you’re never going to learn to sleep with it. However, serving outdoors has been one of the most rewarding experiences. Being able to transform the ground into something beautiful such as a rock staircase is one of the most satisfying things that we have done. This past hitch, we built a backcountry privy, its nice to know that our work directly impacts the people who use those trails every single day. Like I said, serving and living outdoors has proven to be very challenging, but its totally worth the rewards of having this experience. It’s something that cannot be lost in time or forgotten with age, it will always be with me no matter where I go, and so will the people I served and lived with.