Isabelle Jandreau | OSI Intern

Driving into Millinocket is the epitome of rural Maine. There’s a 15 minute drive from the highway into town, Subway is one of two options for fast food, and Family Dollar carries everything you need. Locals wave to you as if they’ve seen you walking these streets for years. Everything that’s generally important is on one street and walking everywhere in town is feasible. To some, this may sound quite boring, I mean, the closest Walmart is an hour away.

To me, this sounds just like home. My name is Isabelle Jandreau and I grew up in Madawaska, Maine. It sits right on the Canadian border and is one of the four corners of the United States. Growing up in rural Maine has given me a huge appreciation for the perks of being so offset from the rest of the State. I spent my time in high school mountain biking the local ATV trails or Nordic skiing at the lodge in town. When I saw the opportunity for this internship with The Outdoor Sport Institute, I was stoked that it was based out of Millinocket; a small town with great outdoor resources. The thing I valued most about outdoor sport in my rural experience was the sense of community it brought. I strongly believe that having connections and building relationships in community gives us a sense of belonging and purpose. If we can get to a place of commitment in our communities, the amount of self growth that can result is boundless!

We’ve only been in Millinocket for a couple weeks but I already feel like I’ve become a part of the community. We’ve met community members and explored the area doing various activities. The other day we loaded the truck with whitewater boats and made our way up to a beach below Abol Falls on the West Branch of the Penobscot River. We spent the morning practicing wet exits and partner rescues. If you haven’t done this before, it consists of a lot of flipping upside down in your boat and just hanging out underwater until someone comes to flip you back up. Sounds nice, right? We definitely had to build some trust. I spent most of the afternoon finding myself in a state of panic the second I was hanging upside down in my boat. Once someone had grabbed my hand to flip me upright, I couldn’t remember the steps to getting back up. I took a few moments trying to figure it out before I “panic flopped” out of my boat and back to the surface. This happened multiple times and I got really good at emptying all the water out of my boat after my failed attempts.

Most people would read about my afternoon underwater and think about how terrible it sounds. I kept slightly drowning myself, for what? What was the purpose of struggling underwater for an afternoon? Since I’ve gotten here, purpose has been the biggest thing on my mind. What is the benefit to doing challenging things when we could be comfortable at home? The mental strength we gain from these challenging activities is what makes it all worth it. If I look back, I laughed a lot through the struggle and had fun anyways, but I gained a lot more than a good afternoon. To my surprise, I did actually end up successfully completing a partner rescue by the end of the afternoon. I overcame my panic and applied the skills I had learned to be successful. If I can work through not being able to see or breathe under a boat, I can probably start that new job that scares me. I will feel more confident when I have to take on tasks independently. I can also probably work through that dispute I had at work with a coworker.

Outdoor sport gives us a gateway to constantly challenge ourselves and push the limits of what we know. I credit my mental grit to Nordic skiing in zero degree temperatures. I attribute the wit I’ve gained to the characters I’ve met on different adventures. I don’t get discouraged in coursework because I’ve constantly been taught how to break down skills, and take things one step at a time. Character gets built by making ourselves a little uncomfortable once in a while. If we can take on challenges through outdoor sport, we give ourselves the skills to take on bigger challenges in life. This is why I love OSI’s mission and I’m so excited to be a part of it. They give equal opportunities to get people of all ages and backgrounds outdoors. This internship made me nervous but that’s how I knew it would be a great learning experience. So far it seems one thing that we are never too old for is learning. Whether it be riding a bike through a more technical trail, being upside down in a kayak, or spending a summer in a new small town, it’s good to get into a space that makes us feel slightly uncomfortable once in awhile.

The author feeling a little uncomfortable with the mystery contents in an impromptu backcountry waste water filter.

Small Towns & Things You Learn Underwater