The High Desert Center

Let me tell you about the mountains that we wake up to every morning, surrounded by sun-kissed peaks that offered weeks of back country exploration. Let me tell you about the delicious smell of bacon calling me from my bed just before the breakfast bell rings, bacon from a small organic farm down the road where we visited and worked with our hands in the dirt. Let me tell you about how I learned to thrive with less, how to live simply and cheaply, and minimize my impact on this environment. Let me tell you about the triumphs and tribulations of living in close community as I learned how to communicate and navigate conflicts. Let me tell you how I became empowered to notice and shift inner patterns and habits that didn't serve me, learning tools to liberate myself from myself. Let me tell you how I was guided by staff that supported me and made space to truly hear and see me. This gap year changed my life. If it calls to you, I encourage you to take the leap.

The directors, Dev and Marian, are both incredibly intelligent, caring and skillful leaders. They created an open, safe space for individuals to create community and share their stories. The program's combination of adventure, challenge, and support made for an amazing year with strong friendships and connections between other participants and staff members alike. The group was able to bond over things like hiking in the back country or cooking food in the outdoor kitchen. I wouldn't have traded this experience for any other.

Let's just say I felt STUCK! But that literally changed overnight when my friend received an email spreading the word about this wild opportunity. We clicked the link to The High Desert Center's website advertising the 2016-2017 gap year program, and I was blown away. We read about the previous gap year and all the experiences they offered in the program. I felt like I found the way out of feeling so stuck. I applied the next day! When I found out I was accepted, I was ridiculously excited.
Meeting the directors Dev and Marian for the first time was a breath of fresh air. They were so welcoming, and I could tell they would take such good care of everyone. Over the course of the year, they proved to be incredible mentors! I had so many first time experiences, like climbing a mountain, backpacking, traveling the southwest in a van, and going to Mexico!
Of course there were were challenges, and I was often encouraged to step a little outside of my comfort zone (like being a total city boy and then told that I would be using a composting toilet for the majority of the time), but I always felt really supported and listened to when I had any concerns. I felt very safe with Dev and Marian and the rest of their staff. They taught us a lot about open and honest communication, and I think that learning those skills with them in such a safe space changed my life!

This program strengthened and developed my passions! I fell in love with dancing every day, community meals, late night conversations, sleeping under the stars, and the adrenaline rush of exploring and backpacking the gorgeous backcountry of Colorado! I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to dive deep into the next step of life in an off the beaten path kind of way. Community is a very important part of this program and you will learn not only about yourself, but also how your role and compassion plays such an important part of the group throughout the year. This program creates a family where communication, food, mud fights and adventure are the foundation for love.

Although my time at the High Desert Center (HDC) ended well over a year ago, my experiences there impact me to this day. I enjoyed growth as a writer through both expert-led workshops and opportunities to share our work in intimate groups. Perhaps even more memorably, I transformed as a person. The small, tight-knit group felt like a family, and we shared the knowledge that we were in a space safe for vulnerability — not just through our writing, but through any stories, ideas, or questions. Through this communication, participants were able to form close bonds with other participants and with staff. Two of the program staff also taught partner dance lessons, which provided engaging yet relaxing community-oriented environments where we learned and laughed.

In addition to the mental and emotional growth I experienced, I became more independent; this program was the first time that I had been away from my family and hometown for so long. Participants experienced significant freedom in our daily lives — from walking through the woods or into town, to making consequential decisions about work and food, to grabbing our sleeping bags and sleeping outside beneath the twinkling stars. We also were encouraged to develop grit and appreciation for nature through hikes, survival trips, and group activities. Because it was such a distinct and powerful experience, I don't think I will ever forget how truly at home I felt at the HDC and how meaningfully it shaped my outlook on life.