QuEST Community Top Ten — What I love about life with my Fellows
1- Nature Walks & Urban Excursions
Whether we were headed right out the front door of Q House along the Burke Gilman trail to Lake Union or exploring the soaring views of Rattlesnake Ledge, relaxing time spent in nature with my QuEST Fellows has been not only enriching but cornerstone to my self-care.
2- Group Singing
From inside Quaker House to the shores of Bainbridge Island, our cohort has come together over song since our first days together. Sharing peaceful tunes during QuEST Time or belting Stevie Nicks all together on our retreat, nothing brings us together quite like the joy of music.
3- Crafts
A knitting craze struck the house midwinter and we have baked together from the start, but my personal favorite of our group’s more domestic forays has been our excursion into soap making! Regardless of what we were doing, small hands-on activities such as these are great opportunities to connect, share, and reflect with one another.
4- Retreats
Throughout the year we have taken many amazing trips to locations near and far for intentional times of spiritual growth, rest, and recovery spent together away from our busy schedules. Quaker Quarterly Meeting gave us a chance to explore the beautiful views of Ellensburg and our QuEST Fall Retreat brought us to the windswept shores of the Puget Sound. Less formally, we have made simple day trips together to places like Whidbey Island and Olympia. Whatever the reason that brought us there, the unfettered time together in places of natural beauty and peace has been one of my favorite ways of bonding with my Fellows.
5- Farmers’ Markets
Our orientation week trip to the University District farmers’ market with QuEST Director Promise turned into an awesome year-long tradition! A great reason to get outside and get active on weekend mornings. While the UD on Saturdays is always sure to have fresh local ingredients we can use to throw a twist into one of our house meals, my personal favorite is the Fremont Sunday Market just a mile or two down the road.
6- Cooking and Shared Meals
After a challenging day at our respective service sites, few things have proved a more welcome respite than a fresh homemade meal from one of our Fellows awaiting us back at Q House. Whether it be our frequent informal gatherings or our weekly dinner and group bonding activities, taking the time to share food and discuss what has been going on in our lives has been key to our growth as a group.
7- Washington DC Lobbying Trip
Each year the QuEST cohort is given the amazing opportunity to travel to Washington, DC, and take part in the Friends Committee on National Legislation Spring Lobby Weekend. This year’s trip stands out as one of my favorite parts of my QuEST experience so far. We got the chance to meet hundreds of incredible young people from across the nation and learn through workshops and hands on engagement about direct action and lobbying on this years topic of the crisis of inhumane migrant detention occuring at our southern border. A high point for me was having a chance to meet Representative Ilhan Omar after hearing her speak on the Floor of the House!
8- Movie Marathons
When chilly December winds or unexpected February snow days saw us losing our drive to venture out into the greater Seattle community, one of our house’s favorite ways to pass the time and be together has proven to be exploring films and documentaries. High points so far include our full viewing of the Harry Potter series and a riveting group analysis of Ten Things I Hate About You.
9- The Enneagram
We came into the program with different levels of knowledge about and interest in the Enneagram. I for one, had never even heard of it. Thanks to concerted group exploration and an incredible workshop put on by a professional from the Enneagram Institute for us at QuEST House, however, this tool for self-exploration has become a big part of our cohort’s interpersonal learning and communication.
10- Self-Care
The reality of the lived experience of community, service, and simplicity is not always sunshine and butterflies, so to speak. Over our year in QuEST, each of us has experienced periods of trial and hardship. Whether it be from the intensity of the work we do, adapting to post-graduate life, or personal hardships, sometimes life gets difficult and we begin to feel worn down. Perhaps our greatest accomplishment as a house so far lies in our unwavering commitment to empowering one another during these periods, whether through active assistance or simply creating the space for people to meet their own needs. Face masks, tea, long walks, an open ear, a shoulder to cry on — creating community means lifting each other up when we are down. The greatest success is thriving in the face of these struggles, especially when we do it together.
Henry Kauth
& the 2018-2019 Cohort