Salvī sitis, amicī!
I count myself extraordinarily lucky to have been selected as the 2024 recipient of the Amy High Fellowship. I have been a Latin teacher for many years, but it is only in the past three years that I have started using Latin actively in my life and in my classroom. I cannot say I very much understand where this incredible drive has come from in the past few years, but I have doggedly pursued any avenue in which I can work on my Latin speaking skills. For as many years as I have been learning spoken Latin, I have heard the name ‘Rusticatio’–about the fellowship, the haunted halls and the balcony. It was, however, with quite a measure of trepidation that I drove to the rolling hills of the Shenandoah Valley. I was very scared. I had told my family and friends that I was going off for a week to Latin Camp, the only way they could truly have any inkling of what the week would be like. I was worried about being completely overwhelmed, by having to speak Latin and also for being around people 24/7. I am an introvert and was daunted at the idea of socializing for every meal, in between, and sharing a bedroom at night. A funny thing happened, however. With a very generous staff, every need and concern was taken care of. The dux (leader) was incredibly welcoming, gracious, and warm and did their utmost to make every person feel seen and heard. The praeceptores (teachers) illustrated words spoken by the speaker on a big Post-It note and pasted them around the room. Lessons, which did not appear to be lessons, were actually meticulously planned by all the staff. The food was glorious, healthy and ample. Helping in the kitchen daily was also a welcome change of pace. In short, all our senses were engaged in learning the language. It was a masterclass not only in learning a language, but also how to teach language. Rusticatio will be an experience that will affect my teaching, language skills and my memories indelibly.
– Joanne (Ioanna) Fairhurst