Ineffable

Fun and exhausting, it is an experience. The location is beautiful, the faculty are amazing, and the food is really quite good. The cabins are fine. The program is very intense, and frequently leaves you winded. In the end there aren't many things I'd cut out of the itinerary. You find yourself piling into a van for a transformative experience every day.

The time spent, though only 70 days, feels a great deal longer. Yoga and hiking punctuate a schedule of day trips and open-ended class time. Community is a theme. You spend a lot of time talking to locals and developing a culture on campus.

The 'Good Food Facilitators' function as sous chefs and glance over your shoulder when you are mixing ingredients. If you are an inexperienced cook, it is very helpful. They are very accommodating and the atmosphere of the cookhouse is always warm and jovial.

Every faculty member feels like a master of their respective craft. It really is an impressive group of people. Occasionally the program would invite guest speakers, and they were invariably incredible. One I remember well was Bowdoin College CFO Michael Cato, who gave an illuminating talk on his struggles with identity as a Black man in the whitest state in the union.

Cabin life was quite lively and I felt it developed my skills with regards to self-sufficiency and coexistence. I deeply enjoyed late-night talks with my roommates and working on puzzles and meals together between classes, and the proximity of everyone's accommodations forges strong relationships. There was a give-and-take with regards to sleep and communal space.

Overall, I would recommend Seguinland to anyone who is intent on being pushed out of their comfort zone over the course of their gap semester. It is one of the most eventful 70-day periods of my life thus far, and if you are looking for adventure, it is likely your best option. The program is world-class, and as one of my roommates said, on move-out day I doubt anyone regretted their decision to attend.