Welcome to my blog! I will start to share stories for insights, inspirations, preserving my memories, and sharing what my travel adventures have done for me. I wanted to kick off the story of my first time on a plane. Also my first solo travel.
Picture it: College. Spring 2006.
I spent a few months trying to figure out what to do with my summer. I really didn’t want to go home after having my taste of college freedom. A classmate had mentioned that she was hired as a camp counselor to a camp out of state. This piqued my interest – hmmm, summer camp? I’ve camped ALL my life in the Wisconsin Northwoods, plus wrangled children at my mom’s in-home daycare for years. Plus babysat my brood of younger cousins and what seemed like half my hometown. Plus I was a certified lifeguard…. sounds like I could be a good candidate to work at this summer camp….
I sat cross-legged at my desk in my dorm and started googling about summer camp jobs on my Windows ME with that monitor that weighed 20 lbs. You know what I’m talking about. Started writing down possible summer camps and googled their locations. That day, I applied to 3 jobs. The first one in Maine never called me back. I *really* wanted to go to Maine. I applied to a job in Virginia but the description was a little deceiving. It was actually held at a college campus rather than outdoors. The day of the interview had come, and I accidently missed the call. Totally forgot they were an hour ahead of us [oops]. The interview was kind of awkward and didn’t feel like a good fit. I didn’t want to work in a dorm when I lived in one all school year. It was a blessing in disguise that I didn’t get hired.
My third application was to this rando place in an area in Maryland (IKYK). I had never really knew much about Maryland or where it was even…. somewhere east was all I knew. I had an interview scheduled with a guy named Julian from some place called Camp Pecometh. No idea how to pronounce that, but hey, let’s see what this is all about. I MADE SURE not to miss this call with the time difference, otherwise I’d be back to applying for more jobs. The end of the semester was drawing near and I still didn’t have a plan. My dorm phone rung right on time, since I didn’t have enough minutes on my cell [lol in 2024]. Some guy with accent was on the other end. We had a pleasant conversation about my experience with kid management, outdoor skills, and church involvement. He complimented my extensive resume for a 19-something y/o and I’m almost positive that I got hired within the next few days. We went over details on what to pack and the timeline. He had added, “just send me your flight information and I’ll meet you at the airport. Baltimore is the best option”.
Airport? Dang. Never been on a plane before! We drove everywhere. It’s a midwestern joke that people would rather drive hours and hours to a place than take a plane. My next task was to search for flights. My parents weren’t going to pay for it, so I had to search for the cheapest option possible. Lo and behold! A flight on Airtran Airways from Milwaukee to Baltimore for $65!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Again, lol in 2024. Gone are those days!]. This had to be on my debit card since I didn’t have a credit card at the time. It gave me so much anxiety to book this on my own, but onward with booking a one-way ticket to B-more. I kept checking the flight, my bank account, my ticket, over and over and over again to make sure everything was done correctly and I had no further charges. That flight purchase lead to one of many thereafter….
Mid-May came and it was time for me to move home from my dorm. I dropped my stuff in my room and repacked my life into 2 huge duffle bags. The next few weeks of waiting were stressful and exciting. I had *no idea* what I was getting myself into. The weekend before departure, I was a bridesmaid in my aunt and uncle’s wedding. They were kind enough to take me to the airport on that Monday, in the very wee hours of the morning. We went over all details of what happens on a flight what check-in looks like. etc. [huge gratitude to Uncle K and Aunt T]. I remember thinking how *big* Milwaukee airport was [it’s actually not]. Quite simply – follow the signs and the screens in the airport. That’s the secret to getting around to where you need to go [and now you know how to navigate the airport labyrinth. You’re welcome! :)].
We had boarded this tiny plane, I think 2 seats on each side and 20 rows deep. I was pretty much seated all the way in the back. A class of kids were also on board. This one girl was my row-mate and we ended up chatting for awhile. She was with her 8th grade class on their way to Washington DC. I thought, wow, your school could afford flights? We took an overnight bus and were miserably cramped.
She quite literally COACHED ME through most of the flight! We took off and she even explained the noises and shakes of a plane. The plane had some shutters while in air and I had a death grip on the armrests. The young lady just smiled kindly and said, “oh that’s just turbulence. It’s totally normal”, as if it were nothing. Crazy to think this 13/14 year-old girl was being my guide and voice of reason through my inaugural travel milestone. I never forgot her.
Less than 2 hours later, I landed in Baltimore. Said goodbye to my row-mate as she joined her class. I found my way to the baggage carousel [following the signs!] and stood next to, who I swore was, a professional athlete. Other than the fact he was the only person wearing sunglasses indoors, he a dripping in debonair clothes and jewelry. He was wearing a HUGE ring, something that would look like a championship ring. I didn’t recognize him because my knowledge of #sportsball is virtually nil, but I knew he was someone famous. You don’t get celeb sightings in northern Wisconsin.
I located my suitcases and found my ride to Camp Pecometh. Those core memories are for another day, but it was literally the best and most impactful decision of my life. This naïve college student from a tiny farm town in northcentral Wisconsin made her way to the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I had met *THE BEST* people in my life, some continue to be lifelong friendships. I kept coming back year after year to those Pecometh skies. It was my safe place away from the stress of college and other things going on in my life. It was some of the hardest work I’ve ever done (7am – 10pm the majority of the week, days full of activities in the hot sun and managing the schedule for multiple children, plus overnight care). And I *LOVED* every minute of it. The growth and maturity from a teenager to a woman, how it aided me through grief, surrounded me with the best love and friendship a girl could ever ask for – it’s indescribable and irrevocable.
All this to say, that first flight opened a new door in my life. I was comfortable staying away from home for long periods of time. I could make friends pretty easily and have meaningful conversations with complete strangers. My problem solving skills and conflict management had developed so quickly. I met people from all over the world each summer, which singlehandedly blossomed my curiosity of cultures around the world. During the school year, I lost myself in the hustle and bustle of school and work. And each summer, I came back to myself.
I hope you find adventure and your own Pecometh skies.
