Elizabeth Wang
“BSO at Tanglewood/ Berkshire Forest and Trails.” My first reaction? Maybe not. “YEAH, MAN, THIS IS GONNA BE GREAT! I’M GONNA WEED AND SPREAD WOOD CHIPS AND HELP THE WORLD!” It was more like, “Oh, nice. It’s in the middle of nowhere, but at least there’s music.”

By the end, I’d done a close-to-180°.

Why this program? Well, I’ve played piano and violin since I was young, and, considering that music has played such a noteworthy part in my life, the program seemed a meaningful way for me to give back.

Meeting the other Landmarkers was an interesting experience; our vain attempt at the human knot game consisted of us shouting directions and twisting into ridiculous, uncomfortable positions for half an hour. Thankfully, it wasn’t like this afterward.

Despite our differences (there were freshmen, juniors, people from California, NJ, and Florida, incredible cooks, and people who were confused by the terms “spatula” and “oven timer”), we came together well. We worked as efficiently and deliberately as rapid Mozart notes, undaunted by heat or torrents of rain.

We spent our first week building bridges and clearing paths for a trail. One pro to working outside is exercise. Yeah, real muscle-building experience. We hauled about logs that we’d debranched and debarked, and I swear, they were really metal bars disguised as wood. Imposters. It was satisfying to see our work progress, and although it seemed contradictory to cut down trees to help the environment, we were using them to help visitors appreciate nature.

The week after, we raked pinecones and weeded at Tanglewood. We appreciated the less strenuous work and discerned weeds from non-weeds (nonetheless, there was still the occasional uprooted fern). On the last day, we helped with campus maintenance at the school we’d stayed at.

Of course, everyone remembers friends and memories. Our motto most definitely was “Hey, how’s it going?” We went swimming, listened to concerts at Tanglewood, visited a cultural bazaar, watched a parade, conquered a peak, played basketball and cards, competed for best cooking group, sand, read, and ate Cheez-Its together. One night, we even accompanied an injured team member to the hospital, PJs, pillows, and all, stayed there into the bitter cold hours of night.

So maybe it rained half the time and I got sick, and the Journey show got cancelled and we went to the hospital. But everything else compensated for that, and the program was 200% better than I’d anticipated. I met some of the kindest, most interesting people ever. They made Landmark not just a volunteer program, but one that involved personal growth. And the Berkshires were not the middle of nowhere. Apparently, Julia Roberts and Mrs. Nat King Cole live around there. No, seriously, I recall a view the heavens must’ve conceived: a valley tucked between hills stretching to infinity with gently clouded skies just above. It was an ideal place to work with the greatest group for an unforgettable experience.

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