I deeply love Rusticatio and what it has given me as a person. If I could, I would attend every single year for the rest of my life. For me, it is a yearly goal, a reason to grow as a Latinist, and a place to unwind amongst friends: the ultimate otium cum dignitate. I get as much out of that one week as I do preparing for it throughout the year.
When I return each summer, I strive to come back improved with more phrases and better Latin to add to the experience. So I devote time throughout the rest of the year to preparation. I prioritize immersing myself in the language as much as possible by reading, listening to podcasts, watching videos, and taking classes. Throughout the year, I keep a running list of new words and phrases to use when speaking at home with my kiddos, or with sodales in online colloquia, or at cenae Latinae.
Then after each wonderful week at Claymont, Rusticatio sends me home a better teacher, with a renewed momentum in Latin, and new friends. SALVI taught me that full Latin immersion was possible in the classroom. It has helped me turn my lessons into language-rich, immersive environments in which my students can grow. The reading groups at Rusticatio even showed me how to better scaffold materials to the point that I began teaching Latin poetry in the target language. What I learn and acquire every year benefits me, my students, my family, and my friends. The scope of these new skills is wide: I teach with it, I use it with my family, and in speaking circles in the community. In the same way that I prepare throughout each year for Rusticatio, the experience itself prepares me for the next year of individual study in my everyday life and supports me in reaching new heights in my Latin, and returning even better prepared the next year.
I have truly enjoyed this annual cycle for over a decade. Rusticatio has helped me so much as an individual, and I recently realized how strongly I want to give back. I am dedicated to being an active part of this program to ensure that it will last as long as it can in order to inspire many new Latinists as it has inspired me over the years. Every Latinist deserves the opportunity to have their life influenced by the unique experience that is Rusticatio. I have always wanted to be a part of the volunteer staff at Rusticatio, but never had the confidence in my own abilities to step into such a role, up until this last year when I served as a sub-coquus. It was a great experience. I really enjoyed my time in the kitchen. I got to help provide delicious food and I got to act as a mini-praeceptor with participants as they came through the kitchen every day, teaching them and learning along with them new food preparation and serving vocabulary. It was so much fun that I decided to volunteer as an instructor.
Reflecting on everything that Rusticatio has cultivated within my life, I am dedicated to taking what I learn each year, improving upon it, using it in my day-to-day life with my family and students, and returning to Claymont every year with stronger knowledge and skills to help this community grow, which I hope to do as an instructor.