Author: Sophia, Augsburg Student and Garden Intern
My name is Sophia and I am officially in my last year at Augsburg! When I first started my internship in the community garden, I thought I was basically signing up for a chance to get my hands dirty and learn a few things about growing vegetables. What I didn’t expect was how much it would change the way I looked at food, people, and even myself. At first, tasks like weeding, watering, or picking up trash felt repetitive. But over time, those simple tasks became strangely grounding. There is something incredibly calming about focusing on the rhythm of nature, watching plants grow day by day and noticing details I would have ignored before, like the different shapes and colors of different leaves and how to identify them.
Working in the garden, I got to meet neighbors who came to tend to their personal plots, families who relied on the garden’s harvest, and other students wanting to learn. These interactions slowly taught me what community really means, sharing knowledge, food, and connection. I remember helping an older gardener one afternoon as she explained how the seeds she brought came from her home country, and listening to her stories made me realize how much history and identity can be held in something as small as a seed.
The garden is a constant reminder that growth takes time, care, and effort, and sometimes setbacks are just part of the process. Watching plants bounce back after a storm reminded me that resilience is built slowly, and often in the most ordinary moments. Those little challenges taught me patience and persistence, especially when plants were harvested without permission or if the bunnies got to them.
Coming to the end of my internship, I realized that what I have gained went far beyond the skills of gardening. The garden gave me a deeper respect for the work it takes to bring food to the table, a stronger appreciation for the people who make up my community, and a sense of responsibility to live in a more sustainable, mindful way. Most of all, it taught me how interconnected we all are, that the health of the soil, the strength of our neighborhoods, and even our own well-being are tied together. I now have a feeling that I was part of something bigger, something rooted in care and growth.