Reflections
by Delphine Mossman
I’m an immigrant, in multiple different ways. For one, I was born in Calgary, Canada; my family moved to the U.S. when I was just under one year old. I don’t remember our old house at all, but growing up with parents who were born and raised in Canada has given me somewhat of a different perspective, I think, than I would have had they been American. Closer to the present day, my family home is in landlocked Pennsylvania, in a suburb about 20 minutes outside of Philadelphia and about four hours on a good day from West Campus. So coming to Stony Brook University, I only knew what my U.S. history textbooks taught me about the history and culture of New York (New Amsterdam, Ellis Island, the Hudson River). I knew even less about Long Island; I knew it was an island, and it was long, and not much else. I think that’s why I found this course, Coastal Cultural Experiences, so valuable and fascinating.
I’m neither a history buff, nor particularly good at geography, so I deeply appreciated the hands-on nature of the course. This is the first class I’ve taken since I began my college career at Stony Brook where I felt totally immersed in the material. We were not just learning about lighthouses and whaling and fisheries in a classroom, we were going out and seeing those historical monuments, and talking to the people who are directly involved in their preservation. I remember the kind docents who showed us around the Sag Harbor Custom House, walking and talking us through the lives of the Dering family that lived in it. It was an amazingly innovative way of illustrating Long Island’s cultural and historical significance, and I enjoyed myself a lot more, and learned a lot more, than I would have in a traditional class. Climbing aboard that van most weeks had an added benefit as well: it carved out precious free time and allowed us students to just be. Away from schoolwork, lab work, work work, we could chat, absorb the scenery, breathe.
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| View from the top of the Fire Island Lighthouse, nearly 200 feet above ground level. |
As a student without a car on campus, it was also nice to be able to get off campus one day a week and see the various sights of Long Island. Although I pedaled my way to a few nearby beaches, I doubt I would have been able to get to all these museums and points of interest without taking this class. I also appreciated how engaging the professors, Tara Rider and Kurt Bretsch, were through all the lectures on all the trips. Of all the excursions we went on this semester, the one that stands out in my mind is the kayak trip we took in the latter half of September. The weather was lovely as we paddled and discussed the various protected areas and species of Long Island, ending with an amazing barbeque of fresh fish on a twilit beach.
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| Sunset on the beach as we closed out the kayak trip. |
Yes, some weeks we had to get up early to get on the van; yes, some weeks they were long, exhausting days. But how encouraging to spend time with a small group of people who are determined to make a difference; how moving to meet dedicated caretakers driven to preserve a bit of history; how inspiring to be taught by generous instructors willing to step out of the classroom. I love the ocean, its majesty and its bounty. This course has taught me that I am not alone.
