Working in the office!

My first two months here at the Grünewald Guild have flown by. As the hospitality intern for summer programming, I have been busy getting the campus ready for guests and creating a welcoming and comfortable environment during their stay. I order supplies, assign weekly responsibilities to staff, and oversee the turnover of guest housing each weekend. Since programming is at half capacity for the summer, the groups have been smaller, allowing us to form close connections during shared meals, classes, and free time. The biggest change over the past two weeks has been switching from almost completely unstructured days without guests, to having a daily schedule with meals and activities. This has shifted my daily work routine and my timeline for getting things done. Instead of being able to plan out my day according to my most productive times and the specific tasks for the day, I am guided by mealtimes and morning and evening services. While I enjoy having guests here, this shift has highlighted the importance of work-life balance.

My morning commute to the Centrum is a two-minute walk across campus (even shorter if I’m late for breakfast). The Centrum is the main building on campus and houses the office, community living room, kitchen, and dining area of the Guild. Living at my workplace has had major benefits. For one, my coworkers are also my friends and neighbors. The six other staff members are the only people that I see on a regular basis, so we spend lots of time together outside of our daily work obligations. When temperatures reached 115 degrees here a few weeks ago, we drove an hour to Wenatchee to see the

A staff outing to the 59er Diner with Gray, Judy, and Lucy

new Fast and Furious movie together which was a great way to beat the heat. We’ve made many trips to the nearby diner for milkshakes and gone on quite a few hikes. Living here has also allowed me to be completely immersed in my work and see how my projects impact guest experience and daily functioning on campus. The seeds we planted in June are now the plants in the garden that I walk by each day and enjoy in my meals. And I benefit from the organizing and cleaning work I do by having more enjoyable spaces to be in.

Despite the many perks of staying on campus, there are some challenges when it comes to navigating the balance of work and rest. Since I rarely leave the campus for more than an hour, it is easy for me to keep adding on projects to my day and find things that need to be done. My day starts at 7:30-8am with breakfast set up and ends at 8pm after evening service. Instead of a contained eight-hour workday, I end up working somewhat sporadically throughout the day which can lead to me feeling both overworked, and underproductive. I really enjoy what I do, so it is easy for me to see things that need to be done around campus and jump in without considering if I have the time and energy to do so. However, this challenge has given me the opportunity to practice setting boundaries and prioritizing my personal time as well as my projects.

Painting on the porch in my free time!

Understanding what needs to be done and what can wait or be delegated to others’ is one of the most important things I have learned. During the 24-hour period between guests leaving on Saturday and arriving on Sunday, there are a lot of tasks to complete, but by assigning clear roles to each staff member, I feel confident resting on Saturday nights after my responsibilities are done. I also have more time during the week for the activities I enjoy such as hiking, art projects, and spending time with the staff.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home became the new normal, with the utilization of virtual meetings, projects, and collaboration. For some, working remotely increased productivity and flexibility, but it is likely that others struggled to set boundaries between work and rest. This summer, I have realized that no matter if I work from home or commute to the office in the future, I have the tools I need to distinguish between my professional and personal life and will be better equipped to set boundaries on my work. There is always more I could be doing, but being present in the moment, preserving my mental and physical well-being, and enjoying the time I have here are important too. When I find balance in my work, I am a better employee, neighbor, and friend. As guests continue to come and go this month, I am excited to hear their stories and make connections, as well as extend hospitality and kindness to welcome them into our community.

On a hike at Icicle Gorge

My CAPS Placement at the Grunewald Guild is a bit unconventional, which is exactly what drew me to it. Nestled along the Wenatchee River, the Guild is surrounded by the snowy peaks of the Cascade Mountains, and the vibrant Wenatchee National Forest. When I arrived at the Guild at 11pm my first night, my supervisor took me out to the walking bridge over the river to listen to its roar and watch the stars. He told me that the river was the highest and fastest he had ever seen it, after recent warm temperatures led to a massive snow melt on the mountains. That first night I fell asleep in my loft to the sound of the river rushing right outside my window, imagining the new experiences it would bring with it. 

The Wenatchee River

Now three weeks later, the water levels have gone down a bit and I have adjusted to the constant sound of the river. I also have adjusted to the pace of life here in Washington. The Guild’s larger art classes will be starting in July, so for now, my daily tasks include preparing campus housing for guests, gardening, coordinating volunteers, and getting to know the other staff members and artists. When I met the other staff the first Thursday I was here, we had a short orientation meeting and then they told me the next item on the schedule was a Monday morning meeting. I spent that first weekend exploring the campus, hiking along the river, and bonding with my team. This relaxed pace has given me the opportunity to settle into a new environment and reflect on each day as it passes. 

As a college student whose biggest accomplishment is balancing 800 classes, clubs, and committees, it feels unusual to have time to just be still. My mind is always moving on to the next item on the to-do list, the next time block on my Google Calendar, before I even finish the task at hand. However, during my time here, I have been reflecting on how I can best use my time to meaningfully serve others and myself. I have the unique opportunity to spend a whole summer in a totally new place, learning about myself and taking time to think through my interests, passions, and commitments. As the hospitality coordinator for the summer, I have been assured I will be plenty busy helping guests in July and August. But in this time of preparation, I have not only been resetting guest rooms, but also my mindset in how I measure productivity and success.

I constantly feel the pressure to make progress and check things off my personal and professional to-do lists. Why am I rushing to have my whole life figured out? Even if I woke up tomorrow knowing my future education and career path, I would still be here at the Guild until August. There is no rush. Although it has been difficult at times to not compare my summer experience to my peers who might be making professional strides in more traditional ways, I know that serving at the Guild is where I am meant to be. In my three weeks here, I have already grown in my independence, ability to advocate for the things I need, and responsibility to delegate tasks to others. These along with many other developing skills and experiences are my new measure of success. While I might not include my new capacity for spider removal or my dishwashing talents on my resume, the personal growth I have experienced this summer is an accomplishment in itself. 

So why is the river rushing? Maybe it is because someone told it that it needs to have its entire career planned out by the age of 20. Maybe it’s because its peers recently posted about their new high-profile job opportunity. Maybe it is scared of not living up to the definition of success created by society. Or maybe it is just because recent warm temperatures led to a massive snow melt in the mountains. Whatever the reason, I have learned that life is not a race. I can learn and grow at my own pace, without fear of the future. After all, the river and I have different destinations and I am content right where I am.