Back to our Roots - Colorado and the High Mountain Institute

When Dave and I think about the defining periods in our lives that helped create the people we are today, we invariably start with HMI.  HMI—the High Mountain Institute—is a semester school in Leadville, Colorado for high school juniors.  I spent the fall of 2005 there, Dave the fall of 2007.  How did this place change us?  Both of us returned home more confident, independent and willing to try new things.  We learned to eschew materialism, instead emphasizing the value of community, nature, and a sense of place.  We became expert outdoorsmen and backpacked all throughout the Rocky Mountains and the canyons of Utah.  And most importantly we made dear friends we are proud to still be close with today.  

Ray at HMI with Keller and Sam in 2005...the three of us were reunited this June!

Dave and Coby in the backcountry in 2007...these two friends were reunited as well.

When we found out there would be a huge reunion for all HMI alumni, Dave and I knew we couldn’t miss it.  And since no sojourn to Colorado is complete without a visit to our oldest family friends Lindsey, Jesse, Nate and Mac, we extended out trip to include a few days in the mile-high city.

Our crew tours the Celestial Seasoning factory in Boulder--hairnets and beardnets mandatory!

Nate orders a masculine mid-day beverage

Gotta get our boardgames in.  This time around, I was Carcassonne master.

After 2 days packed with trivia, craft beer and Cards Against Humanity, Nate was gracious enough to drive us deep into the mountains….to Leadville!  

Epic weather on I-70

Ray and Mt. Elbert--Colorado's tallest peak. 

HMI was packed….over 300 alumni, parents, spouses and children showed up to celebrate the school’s first 15 years and the departure of its two founders.  My semester was represented by a core group of 7, meanwhile Dave’s semester boasted a staggering 17 attendees.   

Alumni ages 17-33 swarm the campus

Ray and the Rocky Mountain Semester XV - 8 years out!

Dave and the Rocky Mountain Semester XIX - 6 years out!

The weekend was such a welcome change of pace.  The opposite of city life, we spent each day and night appreciating the amazing outdoor opportunities around us.  I ran a thin-air 5K (Leadville’s elevation is a commanding 10,000 ft!), spent the afternoon rock climbing and joined other alumni in sharing memories, reflections and laughter around a campfire.  

Rock climbing up above Turquoise Lake

It was difficult to leave, but unbelievable to confirm the connection to these people and this place from our past.  Dave and I know, we'll be back to HMI soon.  

Brothers Unite!  At HMI

Dave's Graduation

I feel that for my entire life I have had a constant point to look forward to. I am extremely grateful to my parents for burning this destination into my psyche, starting practically from when I came out of the womb. Dave, they insisted, do whatever you want in life so long as you graduate from college. 

Heeding their advice I have thus had an end point for most of my journey through life. Work hard in middle school to be prepared for high school. Work hard throughout high school to be a competitive applicant for college. Work hard in college make the most of the experience. 

Graduate. 

Here we go.

The class of 2013.

In the early afternoon on May 19th I stepped across the stage constructed on the steps of Memorial Building at Whitman College and, leather-bound degree clasped in left hand, extended my right to shake hands with President Bridges.

The night before Ray and I had stayed up reflecting until 5:30am. We spent both of our senior weeks together, offering support and admiration as the other prepared to cross the stage and enter the liminal space of post-college ambiguity.

Despite my three hours of sleep, as I walked across the platform, I couldn't have felt more vividly awake and incredibly alive. As I reached the walkway I heard a loud yell from the grandstands-- my mom and dad, my aunt Marget and uncle Doug, my cousin Kerstin, my boss Joe and Ray, whose yell I heard above all the others-- "that's my brother!!!"

That's my brother!!!

As the ceremony came to a close our commencement speaker, Monty Python's Eric Idle, spontaneously approached the microphone, guitar in hand, and proceeded to end graduation with a live rendition of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life."

Thanks for the advice, Mr. Idle.

It's been a few weeks since graduation. I waited for the dust of packing up and moving out to settle before writing this. The image of walking back down the aisle, tassel turned, and seeing the almost palpable love and pride in my parents eyes, will stay in my memory forever.

I did it, mom! 

I am so, so grateful to come from such a wonderful family. College was never a question. We always knew we would make it work. I always knew they would make sure I worked. And, in my four years at Whitman, with Semester in the West, The Philadelphia Center, and an honors thesis, I've never worked so hard. I left Whitman with a deep sense of exhaustion and pride-- one that can only come from teachers and mentors who pushed me to be brilliant, despite the many times I just wanted to be mundane.

Melissa--my advisor, mentor and friend.

After a whirlwind end to the most transformative four years of my life, I left Whitman eager to find my next adventure. This time, for the first time in my 22 years, I have the complete freedom to fashion my own endpoint.

Onward : )

Photos from graduation and senior week: 

Uncle Doug, aunt Margit and cousin Kerstin arrive for graduation from Salem, OR

Look at these handsome gentlemen!

Brothers unite with Nehali, my dear friend and housemate.

Tiluck and Nehali, my two wonderful housemates.

John "Tarzan" Mighell, my first friend from Whitman. We made it!

Joe Jacobs, my boss at the Small Business Development Center-- a mentor and friend!

The McGaughey clan raises a kombucha toast!

On to the next adventure. 

The final chapter...Germany and the Netherlands

The last hurrah of my travels was a whirlwind of friends and northern European cities. From Spain I made my way towards Germany where I was greeted in Munich by snow, freezing temperatures, and Karl Gajan--the same Karl I traveled with in Egypt.  Even despite the cold, Munich is an enchanting place. 

Marienplatz - Mary's Square

Munich remains solidly Catholic--here this cherub slays a serpent representing Martin Luther and protestantism

We were sure to find time for German beer and pretzels.

Next I headed to the west, to the university town of Tübingen where my cousin Hanna lives.  A recent transplant to Germany, Hanna spent most of my adult life in Japan, so I hadn't seen her since I was very young.

Here's to red-haired McGaugheys!

Tübingen's Neckar River.  Every resident will proudly point out the yellow tower in the background as the place where Romantic poet Friedrich Hölderlin went crazy.

A weekend wasn't enough time to get caught up on the last 10 years of each others' lives but I had to head north to the Netherlands for a rendezvous with my old Packer friend Tim Klasson.  Tim is a PhD student in molecular biology at Utrecht University.  We spent 2.5 days exploring Amsterdam, which is a wild place.  Here are some of the tamer photos. 

Amsterdam, with its many canals, is called the Venice of the North.  But unlike Venice where the canals are far superior to the streets, these canals serve mainly as tourist thoroughfares and homes for houseboats. 

So Dutch!

The Old Church (Oude Kerk), right in the center of the Red Light District

I returned to Germany for a few final days with the Gajan family.  They live in Oberbillig, just across the Mosel River from Luxembourg.  My family has actually been to Oberbillig once before...15 years ago!

Ray and Dave unite on the River Mosel, 1998.

I found time for a day trip to Luxembourg, one of the smallest and richest countries in the world.  It serves as one of the three headquarter cities of the European Union. 

Sophia took me to nearby Trier, Germany's oldest city.  Founded by the Romans, it still has roman ruins scattered around the city, like the Porta Nigra in the background. 

I got to end my trip in the same awesome way it began, 10 weeks ago in Egypt--hanging out with Sophia! Now she has cooler headgear. 

Well that's it!  It's been grand.  Next and last stop....Brooklyn.

Madrid is about THE PEOPLE

After Barcelona, Laurika and I took a night bus to our final destination as a traveling duo—Madrid.  There, Laurika spent a mere 2.5 days before heading home to the US.  I can’t believe she’s gone after 6 weeks of traveling together!  

What set Madrid apart from the other cities we’ve visited, is the people we know there.  Laurika and I each have 3 friends in the Spanish capital and it was such a pleasure visiting them. 

We stayed with Berta, who I met on my first trip to Spain a year-and-a-half ago.  Since then, we’ve taken a road trip up to Montreal together and now hung out in Spain once again.  The red and yellow alien in sunglasses is my favorite French-Columbian, Mafe, Berta’s roommate. 

I got to spend a TON of time with my old friend Jen who I studied abroad with in Mexico with 4 years ago.  I also had the pleasure of meeting her Scottish boyfriend Oli.

Aside from our newfound social lives, we also explored Madrid.  Highlights included an excursion to the castle of Manzaneras with Berta and Mafe, an anti-austerity protest, and an open-mic night of fabulous guitar music.  Next up for me is…Germany!

Castle of Manzanares...let's do a jig.

Charlies Angles...?

Man-date with Oli at Madrid's Temple of Debod

Anti-austerity, anti-corruption, anti-privatization of public services, anti-Angela Merkel--you get the idea--demonstration. 

Naturally we took part. Here Laurika met up with her friend Amy from Yale.

"Hunger, Ignorance, Sickness...Three Huge Businesses."  Spain has a staggering unemployment rate of 26% with an astronomical rate of over 50% for young people like us. 

When I wasn't protesting, I did get to take a bike tour...to see what it's like as a customer instead of a guide.  Here we dodge mounted police in Plaza Mayor.

Madrid's royal chapel: San Jerónimo el Real

Thanks to Mafe, I ended up playing a quick song at a local open mic night, Musica Por la Voluntad.  Everyone was supportive of this virgen extranjero.

We went out to dinner with Catalina.  Okay the connection here is difficult to explain.  15 years ago, Catalina used to babysit Laurika’s best friend!  So therefore she would often babysit Laurika as well.  Amazing to see someone after that long.

 

I also got to see someone from my childhood—Javier Martin.  Javier lived with my family for 2 years in the mid 90s when he was a student at Brooklyn College.  I saw him a year-and-a-half ago in Madrid but I didn’t get to meet Karen, his amazing 9-year old daughter, until this time around!

ANDDDD finally, Laurika spent her final hours in Spain with family friends: Wade, Carmen and Jon. Yay for friends!