Never before have I been introduced to a more eclectic, wonderful crowd than my friends in Cornwall. These are people who spend their days soaking up the sun, surfing the coastal waves and making the most of every moment. It didn’t take me long to know that I would love my summer on the coast immensely with these people at my side. I worked at a YHA in the beautiful Treyarnon Bay for three months, living and working on-site a mere twenty metres from the beach. It wasn’t hard to see why thousands of holiday-makers flooded in over the warmer months, it was a summer haven in the typically bleak UK.
Even as a New Zealander, I could appreciate the dramatic beauty of the coastline; crystalline waters pierced by jagged rocks along the shore, trailing in and out along the coastal path. We were exposed to the elements on the coastline, the beach changing drastically with the weather. Within 24 hours, the ocean would change from a calm, glimmering oasis to intimidating waves that even the professionals couldn’t surf. Surrounded by nature at its finest, I felt more at home than all my time in the UK thus far.
Living and working onsite was a new routine for me, and I had never consistently worked 40+ hour weeks before. The workload took some getting used to, however there was a joy to be found in working alongside my friends, together as a community. There were roughly thirty of us, all a similar age bracket, living in vans in fields surrounding the hostel. Cheeky banter back in the kitchen, music ringing louder than customer complaints and the familiar faces behind the counter kept us all going between gruelling demands the job could throw at us.
We never failed to make the most of our time after hours. With the beach on your doorstep, it’s hard not to spend the golden hours laying in the sand soaking it all in. The water became my element and it never failed to provide the most glorious fun. I got my healthy dose of adrenaline jumping off the cliffs in the gully, narrowly missing the rocks beneath me on several occasions. Surfing was such a significant part of the lifestyle and culture there, I tried so very hard to do it with my friends as mentors. Despite the many failed attempts, I found joy in the trying and the endorphin rush of managing to stand upright for a mere few seconds.
My most magical moment in the water occurred close to midnight, as many magical things do, under our galaxy’s eternal glow. The night was calm, barely a whisper of a breeze blowing off the ocean as the waves gently lulled into the shore. I found my way down to the rocky sea pool in the darkness, hoping for a relaxing late night swim before I went to bed. I sat by the rock pool for some time, admiring the stars glimmering above me, pondering life as one does when confronted with majestic beauty. When I dove into that pool, the stars fell from the sky into the water around me, lighting my path. As I swam, they twinkled in response to my movement. I was so fortunate to find bioluminescent algae in such a common spot near my new home, no one had ever seen it there before. I bathed in the pool for a time watching the sparkling lights, grateful for the gift that Mother Nature bestowed upon me that night.
They say that living in Cornwall is like joining the ‘Cornish Cult’, a quirky bunch of individuals that’s for sure. Is it peculiar that I found myself dancing with others in a circle around a beach fire to the hum of guitars and accordions more than once? Or is that just the joy of music and living? I like to think it’s the latter. If people think it’s cultish to laugh and dance with your friends under the light of a setting sun and a million stars then the ‘Cornish Cult’ is something I want to be a part of. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Music was savoured in Cornwall, acknowledged as a part of everyday life, just as it should be. I was surrounded by many talented musicians, people who could manipulate the guitar to any song, improvise tunes on the spot and play the piano like it was a part of their body. Even the simplest singalong of ‘Cornwall is my Home’ was enough to bring a smile to the biggest Scrooge in any room. From riding in the back of a ute to jam sessions and open mics at the local pub to watching the most amazing amalgamation of instruments at the Old Time Sailors, music was integrated into our days like the air we breathe.
I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my summer with any other people than the little family I stumbled upon at the YHA. It’s true that there was a well-established community I was moving into, people who had spent many summers on the Treyarnon Bay beach. They were the most wonderful mix. Some had been journeying on the road for some time, living in their vans and exploring new places. Some had moved from big cities up north, escaping the big rush for a slower style of living. Some were searching for a kind of greater meaning, a purpose, finding that life’s all about following our passions, doing what makes us smile every day. I loved each and every one of them and am glad to have known them, even if just for a short time.
Living abroad as an international student, it feels daunting sometimes to be continually on the move, constantly thrusting myself into new environments and meeting new people. However, I’ve learnt with time that that’s exactly how I want to live my life. What a privilege it is to have fallen in love with so many people and places, to have experienced so many different ways of life. If I have to leave pieces of my heart behind as I go then so be it, at least I was fortunate to have lived and loved at all. I feel connected to so many places around the world, places I have called home, even if just for a short time. It is a blessing and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
