From Tuesday, March 10...later
Our group of JMU students make friends easily and have a good time where possible. The second night they became the talk of the site when four of them decided to sleep in the tipi in freezing cold temperatures. Yesterday was a group yoga session. "Work hard, play hard" is how you often hear them described back on campus, and today I was proud to see that four out of the six working volunteer clean-up duty at lunch were JMU. Compared to the other colleges represented here I can certainly see that our group tends toward extroverts, and even though that often means REALLY loud, inappropriate conversations, they are a fun bunch to be around. No different from being around my family, really. The aspects of communal living I was worried about before I arrived quickly became a non-issue.
I feel compelled to mention Uncle Will at this point, since I know he inspired many of our students when he came to speak during the after-dinner cultural program. He came in sporting bright blue feather earrings, a Bob Marley tee and a large turtle tattoo on his arm representing the Lakota origin myth. A motivational speaker and mentor to young men on the reservation, his obviously prepared speech was largely geared toward that particular audience. Not being an at-risk adolescent boy, I got little out of it from a personal perspective, but I could tell that many of our students were moved by his message of respecting women, rising above adversity and preserving tribal traditions. He's a man of great charisma and just enough machismo to make young men want to emulate him, and I truly wish him well in his endeavors.
All photos by Kristina Snader
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