Dear work family,

I have never felt more welcomed and loved by a group of strangers than I do with all of you. I've only been here for a few months, but it feels like I've known you all forever. Normally in a work setting it takes a while to be welcomed as one of their own, but from the first day it felt like home. When I first came aboard i'll admit I was a little nervous. I wasn't sure what to expect, because nobody really noticed my presence. It wasn't long until I was welcomed with open arms, and treated like a member of the family.

It's amazing how we all connect in one way or another, even if our ages are 50 years apart (which two of my favorite people are about 50 years older than me.) Just being able to spend time with new people really gives you an opportunity to learn about who they are as a person, and not just a colleague. You wouldn't expect to hear some of the adventures they have been on, like being a photographer after being in the navy, owning their own pizzeria, having an extensive background in science and mathematics, going to school to be an engineer, growing up in the same town as you, and so on.

When you spend a large amount of time with strangers, they aren't really strangers anymore. You laugh with them, talk about life, help each other - and really build an unbreakable bond that you never would expect from a group of colleagues. You learn to empathize with them and see life from their perspective. It's not just going to work, doing your job, and leaving. There is so much more to it, and I am starting to realize that. I have never worked in a job setting where everyone is so easy to get along with and truly cares about your well-being. And I've worked over 10 jobs in the last six years.

I am truly grateful to be able to say I have a home away from home; a place where I can go and be accepted for who I am, and not ridiculed for it (like some places I've worked.) It's crazy to say that just a few months ago I didn't know any of you, but now that I do, I'm wondering where you have been all my life. I look forward to spending another amazing winter season with my new family, and I hope to see most of you when I return next year.

Thank you for making me feel at home, I love you all!

Written for Bud, Betty, Brian, Chris, Aaron, Tracey, Ming Ming, Michelle, Sean, Sebastein, and Daleshka.