The Good Life Gap Semester in Maine

It’s been years since I first took this class. So many things in my life has changed, but the things I got out of this class are stable. It is more than just a class. Life lessons, experiences, and friends. I still talk about this class to almost everyone I know, and try to get people to read the books we studied. I still go back to what I learned here when I’m in distress. The professor and his family are some of the greatest people I’ve ever met, and the lessons that you learn here are ones that they all live by. It’s one thing to learn about something by reading it, but seeing how it can actually be applied to life really helped it sink in. Do yourself a favor and take part in this.

Taking the Maine Course with the Francis family was one of the most unforgettable experiences. As someone who is well-traveled, I would easily say Maine beat any other location I have gone. From stepping foot in Georgetown I became one of the newest members of the Francis family. Staying in the cabins (or even a YURT) with strangers (who became family) was the first thing to push me from my comfort zone. Throughout the two weeks following, I was constantly encouraged to go out of my comfort zone, explore new places, and expand on thoughts I never had. My favorites memories range from: kayaking to group meetings on abandoned islands, ZIPLINGIN to yoga class, swimming in FREEZING water, clamming, and of course the famous lobster bake. Also, not to mention that everywhere you go you will be blown away by the BEAUTY that Maine has to offer!!

I attended the Good Life in 2015, during its debut year. The experience I gained there made a great impact on me, and I continue to learn from the lessons I gained there. If you are looking for a great time to enjoy the outdoors and to enjoy learning about philosophy, I recommend this program. As for the food, there is nothing as satisfying as having a lobster from Maine, in Maine. As part of the program in 2015, our group got to try the lobsters that had been caught the same day. In addition to eating great food, we explored the waters and visited various islands around Bath, Maine. Again, I would recommend anyone to take this course.

This program is life-changing. I've participated in the Good Life course for two summers, truly some of the best experiences I've ever had. The first time I was there, I learned to reflect on the beauty of the good life. Two years later, I returned to learn what it means to shower the world with gifts of beauty in the good life.
This will be a trip where you will have the opportunity to explore the wild, the beauty, the wonder, the solitude, the silence, the self-reliance, and the simplicity in the Good Life. To read wonderful works by Henry David Thoreau and Annie Dillard, sitting in the garden, by the sea, on a tree. Doing all that, while bonding with a beautiful group of classmates and friends. Grateful for all the life-long friends that I have met over this trip, grateful for the Good Life.

Doing the Good Life Gap Term was such an amazing experience and something I will never forget. During my time in Maine, I made so many friends that I still keep in touch with today and we will forever have a bond of sharing great memories from our time in Maine. I learned so many life lessons while also learning a lot about myself. This trip not only impacted my life while I was in Maine, but it impacted my life once I came home as well. I carry all of the things that I learned with me throughout my day to day life. I came home having a new outlook on life and am forever grateful for my time spent here.

My experience was unique because going to Maine and truly enjoying nature wasn’t something I could ever imagine myself doing until I arrived. But when I got there, it was clear that the program was going to be very memorable, and it was going to bring us very close to each other. Not only did the Francises show us many ways to appreciate nature, but they taught us how to expand our minds and how to look at the big picture when life gets tough. My time in Maine brought me clarity and peace of mind, and thinking of Maine and the Francises helps me find that clarity in my daily life at college. I have no doubt that the lessons I learned, as well as the friendships I formed, will stay with me forever. While everyone’s experience in Maine will be different, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t remember theirs as fondly as I remember mine.