Hello land of 8,000 Elk

So here it is.

I'm interning for the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park as their Communications/Marketing intern. I flew out of DFW May 26 to begin my summer adventure, was picked up by my wonderful Harding roommate and spent the day in Denver, then completed check in at the Y in the late afternoon.

I fell in love with Colorado from day one. How could you not with a view like this?

My first day of my internship was great: on my desk I found my computer (with not just one but two moniters, much wow) my internship project list, my new email info, and all the passwords to the YMCA of the Rockies social media. Pretty sweet.

My internship tasks include answering the general YMCA info email account, updating the website, taking pictures and uploading them to the website, writing blog posts and news releases for the YMCA and local media, developing social media schedules, responding to donor requests and coordinating monthly email blasts.

I get to do all this and enjoy the beautiful state of Colorado.

I love it I love it I love it.

The first couple of days were just like freshman year in college all over again: new roommates, new campus, new dining hall (but same kind of food) and a 6 hour orientation (woo).

Despite all the differences, I know I'm going to love my summer at this camp. Thursday night was spent playing sand volleyball for 2 hours next to the Rocky Mountains, Saturday was spent thrift shopping in town (Estes Park is the absolute cutest) playing more sand volleyball, and going to the staff karaoke night, and Sunday was church and then hiking my very first Colorado mountain: Eagle Cliff.

Funny story (not so funny story), we were told there was no trail to get up Eagle Cliff, you just made your way up the mountain. Whoever they were, they lied. We found the trail... on the way down. So we forged our own way up the other side of the mountain and I'm extremely proud of this.

Yesterday was another big adventure. We drove on Trail Head Road through the Rocky Mountain National Park to get to the other YMCA park (Snow Mountain Ranch) and wow. No words. So amazing. It took about two hours to get to Snow Mountain Ranch and another two hours to get back to Estes Park, but it was well worth the drive. We saw the Milner Pass Continental Divide, the point where the river drainage to the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean is split.

I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer holds. (Probably 8,000 more elk. The elk are everywhere here.)

To check out some of the blogs I've written for the YMCA click here.

Follow my Colorado adventure on instagram as well: rachel_dub22 or check out #texantakescolorado