I’ve been involved in numerous organisations over the years, some I talk about, and some not so much. How I fitted in often varied, and usually developed as I progressed through the organisation. In some I was competent, but didn’t fit in with the 'canteen culture'.
In others I felt more at home, and sometimes took a leading role. But none felt quite like home to me. I always felt I was an outsider. My face didn’t quite fit.
A few years ago, (now a freelance mountain and expedition leader) I saw an advertisement for an outdoor instructor. It was for a role that involved camping, and it was local enough to me to be tempting. I fired off an email, in which I listed my skills and background, such as they were - along with a warning that I was 63 and might be considered over the hill for this role.
"Well The Bioasis bit my hand off."
A quick video interview and a food hygiene course completed and I was in. They loved my CV, more because it was different from those of the other applicants as for anything else. I turned up the day before the first Bioasis course to complete some training in a variety of technical environment monitoring equipment, and did some last minute campsite preparation. I had never met the others I would work with, and of course they were much younger than me, I could have been their father!
I had a bad case of imposter syndrome…..a very bad case! I watched Dan's skills lighting a fire and Elle’s catering for the masses with almost nothing and feared I was out of my depth. Even worse…I was in charge so felt I should be more capable than they were.
The programme looked intense and I had no idea how we would make it through the week.
But as the week went on things started to change. I injured myself on day one and had to be cared for by the rest of the team, making me feel vulnerable and a bit useless. But the team were supportive and the Operations Manager, Jared, was very cool about it despite potentially wrecking the week. It made me even more determined to give my all as soon as I got back from the hospital.
We worked hard that week, very hard, all day and all night, every night. We learned as we went, young people noted what worked and what didn’t, and at the end of the trip we sent the young people home safe and well. We felt like the survivors from some kind of disaster, but we also felt like a team. During the week we had learned each others strengths, and covered each other's weaknesses. We had shown each other our vulnerabilities and received support not disdain.
I led on a number of Bioasis Missions that year, meeting more and more great freelancers, and realising that the skills I'd picked up over the years seemed to be calculated to prepare me for this role. More surprising, I realised that all my fellow freelancers thought the same, and invariably came to me for advice, and that Jared was using me as a sounding board for his ideas too.
"I had found my tribe. but more than that, I seemed to be the tribal elder, without working my way up, something that has never happened to me before. I knew then that I was committed to this tribe. It wasn’t a case of meeting up for a job and then moving on. We turned into a kind of family."
We kept in touch through the year, gave each other advice, helped each other out in numerous ways, some big some small, we put in time over winter finding ways to improve next years offering and we all want to get back for more Bioasis Missions to meet up again.
We can’t wait to work with each other, because working with each other is a joy.
But of course The Bioasis is all about young people, and we have loved watching them blossom on our missions. They arrive with lots of doubts and an imposter syndrome, just like I did. And they leave often having found their tribe too.
Maybe this year you will come to the Bioasis and find your tribe....
You can find out more about all our missions here:
Written by Adrian, aka 'Badger,' one of our amazing team members, tribal Elder and lifelong explorer.
Find out more about Adrian and the rest of our awesome tribe here:
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