Moving to the Island: A lesson in East Coast Hospitality

Here is a shot of my awesome house. This was taken just recently during a snow storm

This internship I have been blessed to be living in a house that has ruined everyday life for me. Before arriving, I didn’t have a clear picture of where I would be staying. I knew that it is the summer home of a couple who summer in the Pastoral Charge. Out of the goodness of their heart, they offered to let the intern stay at their place while they returned to Massachusetts to teach for the year. And that was about all that I knew.


So there I sat in my supervisor’s car, about two hours after arriving on the Island. My mom and I had piled into Joy’s car and had just finished a tour of the pastoral charge. As we began the trek out to Brackley Beach, I could feel my stomach tightening up. I knew that I would cope with whatever they had arranged for me for the following eight months, but given the beauty I had seen so far, I really hoped that it would be great.

We pulled into the driveway and both my Mom’s and my own jaw dropped. Here sat the house, looking over the Brackley Bay, literally a minute’s drive outside of the National Park. Situated just right, I am able to catch both the sunrise and sunsets from my deck. Nervously, I entered in the front door, waiting to meet the people whose home I was going in. Claudia and David. What embodiments of East Coast Hospitality. Claudia, the fire cracker of the pair, quickly pulled me into a hug and welcomed me to my new home, tears shining in her eyes. David, the laid back one, held back, watching and providing helpful information as we went.

When I think about that moment, I get choked up. Here I was standing at the beginning of a new chapter and had found two new cheerleaders in my journey. They had known me for just a short while, but I knew they were genuine in their excitement for me. I can only imagine how differently I would have felt if I hadn’t felt their East Coast hospitality envelop me as they welcomed me home.