This week’s audio blog is all about food! Join us as we talk about our favorite dishes we’ve made so far this year, as well as our current ‘go-to’ meals. As the volunteers have discovered, groceries in Western Alaska are more expensive, and sometimes, the availability of foods common in the Lower 48 are sparse here. Nonetheless, we’ve been able to create some amazing dishes: homemade pierogies, shepherd’s pie, tundra blueberry scones, and more!
But what is food without company? More or less every Sunday, we host a family-style dinner at the volunteer community house. This is our chance to get together over a good meal and debrief about our week. I had the idea of introducing a game I knew of called “Rose and Thorn” while Lauren suggested we add the “Bud,” a variation she had heard of before.
Ready to start yourself? It’s easy. Each word, “Rose, Thorn, Bud” refers to a type of experience within the week. Rose refers to something good that happened, while Thorn refers to something that was relatively unpleasant or hard to get through. Bud, as Lauren explained to us, is something we are looking forward to next week. I remember playing this game as a child, and it’s still fun today. But then again, I’m a sucker for exercises that encourage a fun way to reflect on time passed!
What was your rose, thorn, and bud for this week?
