Reflecting on La Conner: My Skagit summer vacation

There is truly no gig greater for a college student than housesitting. 

Instead of spending my July in a tiny I-5-adjacent apartment where, if I open my windows I'm greeted by the cacophony of cars streaming past, I resided in lovely La Conner where, outside my windows, I could hear waves on the bay and view bald eagles and the occasional cat fight.

Let's back up a little bit though, so I'm not just a name at the top of an article. My name is Chloe Peterson, I'm a junior at the University of Washington and I work as a photojournalist for both the UW Daily and, this past month, freelancing for the La Conner Weekly News (although you might see my name pop up in future articles).

I jumped at the chance to watch over my roommate's family's house while they went abroad, living out the plot of a Hallmark movie as a big city girl moving to small town Washington. I spent my days exploring all that La Conner and the neighboring cities had to offer, going to farmers markets, local bookstores and on long drives to soak in the joys of both beautiful farmland and having a car (which I lack in the city). 

The atmosphere of the town was intriguing as I experienced things through the eyes of a non-tourist outsider. The charm of people seeming to know each other everywhere I went, small conversations erupting in line for the changing room at Vintage La Conner and people waving as they passed by in cars truly made my heart sing. In Seattle, I'm so used to people minding their own business like it's a full-time job, so the change was welcome. 

I feel like it's really easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of city living. As a young person it is great for social and work opportunities and is ultimately the place I love living in. However, the siren song of slow and picturesque living is calling to me now that I'm back home. I look forward to being able to return again. 

Thanks for the memories and wonderful month La Conner! Y'all stay well.

If you're interested in more of my work, I'm a columnist for the Daily of the University of Washington where I write about crows, the occasional concert and do a wide range of photography work.