24 Aug Reflections

It has been a little bit more than a week since I left my site, and I am taking this opportunity to reflect on my experience with you. Maybe some of these things will resonate with some of you. My favorite time spent at my site was when I was stationed at the North Bridge! I enjoyed making small conversation with visitors, and retelling the history of our nation in a more relaxed manner. It was like talking to friends about something new and exciting that I felt passionate about, and it helped me to think of them as such. I learned several things during my stay here: 1. Expect the unexpected because everyone is in their own world. 2. Repetition is key because people don’t always listen the first time. 3. Know your sources, and be ready to state them. 4. Not everyone cares about the history and that’s okay. 5. Breaking popular history is hard… “No, Paul Revere was not the only rider.” “People were not THAT shorter back then.” 6. Most of all, everyday is better than the last. Now where does this leave me? I am considering looking for another internship next summer at another National Park, and looking into specializing in Public History since I am a history major at my University. Maybe one day I might be a season park ranger when I am not working at a school district or museum or wherever life takes me. I hope all of you enjoyed your site. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR POSTS AND EXPERIENCES! Karla