Alyssum Pohl: Writing & Professional Training Portfolio
  • Resumé
  • Paddle On!
  • Writing Samples
    • Policy Writing and Environmental Case Studies
    • Science Writing
    • Escritos Españoles
    • Creative Writing
    • Thesis: Girning and its Cultural Relevance
  • Professional Training
    • Conservation Leadership Practicum
    • Ocean Policy Short Course
    • Development Program Management Institute
    • Udall Certificate in Environmental Collaboration
  • Presentations
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • Contact & Links

How to be a good River Rat

8/31/2016

1 Comment

 
If you have never been a River Rat before, and are in the position of being offered a River Angel’s generosity, please keep our reputation alive:  that of being amazing strangers to host.  What your River Angel wants: to know that their offer means something to you (THANK THEM!  You can’t thank people enough.)
​

Ways to be excellent guests:  it should go without saying, but leave a house better than you found it.  You may bring in sandy piles of gear, but when you leave, make sure you take everything with you, and that you clean your space up.  Offer to do dishes or sweep/vacuum the floor or whatever chore you like best. River Rats should not be thought of by River Angels as  free maids, but a good guest is one that people would be delighted to have back again sometime in the future.  The most you can offer, though, is to tell your stories. What you’re doing is, to a River Angel, usually either unthinkable and exotic (they want to hear all the nitty gritty to hear what it’s like to live on a river), or something that they’re very familiar with themselves (they want to commiserate/connect with you about the experience).  It can be really exhausting to tell the same stories over and over, but I promise it’s totally worth it.  River Angels are people you have the opportunity to stay in contact with for the rest of your lives if you treat the relationship with dignity and gratitude.  Carving some of your precious rest time out for conversation, you will find, is WELL worth the sacrifice of a bit of sleep!

1 Comment
Chris Dedrickson
8/31/2016 05:08:16 pm

I totally agree. Generally, all these angels want is to hear your stories and to feel that they were able to be a part of your journey. I constantly am grateful for the countless angels that enriched my solo 2013 adventure! There is no way I could have done it without them. They made it a pleasure to be in their midst and made it easy to continue on, even through the most undesirable of conditions.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Alyssum Pohl is paddling the Mississippi River and documenting water quality and plastic waste along the way.

    Archives

    October 2017
    August 2016
    January 2016
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015

    Categories

    All
    Interviews
    Journal Entry
    Kayaking With EDS
    Kickstarter
    People Along The Way
    Planning
    Plastic
    Press
    Science
    Water Quality

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.