In the two weeks that I have been here at the Grunewald Guild, I have done so much and meet many wonderful people. The Guild is a faith-based non-profit that facilitates summer art programs. There is quite a lot of work that goes into the Guild, like preparing for the guests to arrive, setting up studio spaces, communications, etc. My fellow intern and I have done everything from washing windows and cleaning floors to creating class spotlights that can be posted on various social media. I have already had so many new experiences that I was not expecting. Similar to Katie Endres, who is a CAPS fellow at the Guild as well, I had a few hiccups in getting to the guild at the planned time. I missed the shuttle that would take me from Seattle to Leavenworth, due to a slightly late arrival, resulting in me having to spend the night in Seattle. In hindsight this wasn’t too big of a deal, but this was my first time flying alone and across the country from my friends and family. This experience was certainly an exercise in learning to go with the flow and handle what life can throw at me, which is the first of many that I’m sure I will deal with over the course of the summer.

The constant flow of work is a bit exhausting, but the result is always worth every bit of energy. At the end of everyday, I am proud of the work that I did and am excited for people to arrive at the guild to really see the reason behind the work. It can sometimes be hard, while doing mundane tasks or physical labor, to understand what it is that we are working toward. Cleaning is not my favorite task in the world, but there are days when that is what needs doing, while I am in the thick of it, I often become very tired and frustrated, losing sight of the bigger picture. However, I am lucky enough to be working with people at a place that encourages us to look at the bigger picture, remember the reason that we are here and to remember what we are working towards. I am really looking forward to seeing how I grow through my time here at the guild. It is a place that values personal growth through community and already I have begun to feel how true that is. Working with my fellow intern, other volunteers, and my supervisor, I have learned valuable ways to effectively communicate and support each other not only in our work but in our personal lives. While the summer ahead feels a little daunting, I know that our little team here at the guild will be able to handle everything that is thrown at us and make this summer a happy and wonderful time for all of the people that visit. I am so happy that I get to be a little part of the guild’s long and full history and help it to continue on in the future.

– Natalie Gut, Grunewald Guild