What I did this week (Week 51)

A Radical Alternative to College

What I did this week (Week 51)

07/28/2024

Writing to you from Boise, Idaho.

I ended up finishing my first wildland fire assignment two days early. So, I headed out to Boise for a day of rest, but I’ll be back in Burns, Oregon to start working again on the 29th.

If you didn’t see my last post, I’ve been working as an EMT on a wildland fire over the past two weeks. To be more specific, I’ve been on the Falls fire in Oregon working the night shift on an ambulance.

All of this has been a very strange experience. Living in a trailer full of bunks, attending daily briefings, and going off to work 16 hours a day is all new to me.

Yet, it isn’t strange in a bad way. Actually, a lot of good has come from this work that extends far beyond any material gain.

Camaraderie

Everything starts off a little awkward out here. You’re dropped into a place where (if you’re new) you don’t know anyone.

For at least 14 days, you are sleeping around strangers, eating with them, and working long hours with them.

By the …