Whew, what a Burn! I got really lucky with the camp I was with and had an amazing experience all around. I'd love to hear from others about their time at BRC too!
I’m with Peer Support, those two little offices across from People Ops and Cart Repair. Part conflict resolution, part psychological first-aid, part traffic control, directing people to Rangers, Zendo, etc. Didn’t have to handle much, but the people involved were amazing! I’d definitely do it again.
I'll see if I can't find a photo of it, but this year at the temple, there was a letter from a longtime Burner who was essentially breaking up with Burning Man. He'd included every ticket, vehicle pass, book, and map he'd received starting from I think, 2003. Basically, the letter said that he'd got as much out of BRC as he needed, and that the Sparkle Ponies and other elements introduced over the years had created an experience that he didn't recognize, or want to be part of any longer. It was sad, but got me reflecting on why I go. Sure, I wish I'd seen what it was like before social media, before electronic music was the norm, and before every night on playa was lit up as brightly as Burn night, but it's still an amazing beast to behold. For me, it's still about intention, change, and centering humanity, but what do I know? Anyway, our camp fared much better than some, especially those that needed to be evacuated and pressed into other camps. We had a communal dome which kept us all dry, equipped with a DJ booth, commercial grade sound system, and full bar. We also had great DJs and a fantastic honkytonk musician who kept our spirits high with unbelievably good music. And of course, since the service our camp provided was food, we ate well! Last year I lost about 10 lbs. over the course of the Burn, but this year I only lost 1.5 lbs. This was my first year volunteering with the org as a Peer Support Counselor and honestly, I think I'd do it again. I still love the parties and the music, but the community aspect of Burning Man has added such phenomenal dimension to the experience that I'm sure I'll end up at BRC again in the future!