Although a week in the mountains does not seem pleasant to all people, it sounds like home to me. July 17-29 I was allowed an amazing opportunity to be part of a group to backpack for a week in Shenandoah National Park with strangers from all over the world. This blessing did not begin in July though, it began in August of 2016 in the Knoxville Airport. I was picking up my sister from the airport when I see Jenna Wall come out of the gate. I was surprised to see her there but she quickly told me her story of how she backpacked through Shenandoah National Park for a week with people from all over the world. She told me about not being able to shower and having to eat dried foods the whole time. I was amazed that she could have gone through that and I had no idea that one year later I could too. Skipping forward to February of 2017, I began the application process to go on this same trip myself. During the time from February to July, I hiked up and down mountains. I practiced what it would be like to be uncomfortable with my surroundings and I prepared myself for being away from home. Also during this time, I was afraid and hesitant. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to go. I didn't want to be away from my family and I didn't want to sacrifice part of my summer to something I was unsure about. This all changed as I walked into the Airport at five in the morning on July 17. I felt confident and I felt proud. I was still nervous but I prayed that this trip would be more amazing than I could ever think of. I arrived as the first scholar in my off the top shoulder blouse, black dress pants, and gold sandals. I sat down in the room, alone, and got used to my settings. I met all of the leaders and I continued to pray, hoping that I would make this out as a better person. The weeks went by quicker than I remember. I closed my eyes and all of the sudden I am back in the hotel conference room, wearing shorts and a t-shirt with a broken toe. I recalled how hesitant I was to come at first and I felt silly for feeling that way because I will never forget this trip. On the plane ride home, fixing my mascera from crying too much at goodbyes, I realized that I had found a new home in every corner of the world. I will never forget how this trip changed me and how it gave me so many new friends. I am so incredibly thankful for everything the trip gave me.
Eric, thank you so much for being my leader. Thank you for singing songs and keeping all of our spirits up. Thank you for telling me about birds and making me realize that the mountains are my home. Thank you for telling me to drink more water and for never letting me get stopped at my walls. Thank you for shaking my tent every morning to wake me up and thank you for talking to me at breakfast when no one else was up yet. Thank you for teaching me Euchre and Silent Football, and for picking my punishments for those who lost at silent football.
Rae, thank you for laughing at all of my jokes and for always making me feel including. Thank you for always considering my ideas and for never not answering one of my many questions. Thank you for taking up the rear and making sure everyone was okey. Thank you for taking care of everyone will they were sick, even though you were sick too. Thank you for passing out the medicine and for making sure our feet were comfortable and not blistered. Thank you for making our team a family, a very weird but loving family.
Talia, thank you for being my fellow United States scholar and for bringing so much needed sass at our hardest moments. Thank you for showing me that I didn't need to be strong the whole time and that I can't do everything on my own. Thank you for battling my sarcasm and for being such a good friend and hiking partner. I can't wait to see you again and get to know you better.
Gabby, thank you for having the best laugh in the world and for always being funny, even if you weren't trying to. Thank you for letting us shame you in silent football and for going along with your other punishments. Thank you for all the pictures you took and for always keeping in touch with me. You may be halfway across the world, but it feels like you are still right beside me, chugging along the trail. And thank you for never being afraid to cry when saying goodbye with me.
Greta, thank you being so refreshing and forgiving. Thank you for talking about basketball with me and for making me not feel so weird sometimes. It felt like the only words you knew sometimes were cuss words, but thank you for yelling them out because I'm too much of a rule follower to do that, even if I really need to. Thank you for dancing so crazy in the hotel and for always letting me lean on you.
Jona, thank you so so much for being my tent mate. You were the best tent mate I could have asked for. You rolled over next to me in our sleep and you never smelled as bad as everyone else. Thank you for being so soft spoken and for being so strong the whole time. Thank you for carrying half the tent and for trying to teach us words in Icelandic.
Noel, thank you for carrying all of us on your big guns and for being so cheeky. Thank you for telling us about Maria, and for letting me be one of the boys when I needed to be. Thank you for your humor and positivity you brought. I'm especially thankful for all of our inside jokes that you gave us. Thank you for being beef jerky obsessed and for always being open to new things in the back country and in the city.
Maitland, thank you for being my science investigation partner and for being so chill and cool. You were amazing to meet. Thank you for never taking off your beanie and for being so strong while everyone was sick too. Thank you for listening to me and for telling me so many cool stories about your life and Australia.
Eysteinn, thank you for being taller than me. Thank you for being the only other person who did not get sick and for never complaining about anything. Thank you for eating all the extra food and for eating the ball of parmesan cheese. Thank you for filling the water filters so much and for always smiling. Thank you for teaching the card games and for also trying to teach us Icelandic words, even though they are impossible.
For the rest of the Alcoa NatureBridge Group, thank you for organizing this trip and for making it the most amazing that it could be. I can never say thank you enough. You gave me so many memories that I will hold onto forever. Thank you a million times.
Eric, thank you so much for being my leader. Thank you for singing songs and keeping all of our spirits up. Thank you for telling me about birds and making me realize that the mountains are my home. Thank you for telling me to drink more water and for never letting me get stopped at my walls. Thank you for shaking my tent every morning to wake me up and thank you for talking to me at breakfast when no one else was up yet. Thank you for teaching me Euchre and Silent Football, and for picking my punishments for those who lost at silent football.
Rae, thank you for laughing at all of my jokes and for always making me feel including. Thank you for always considering my ideas and for never not answering one of my many questions. Thank you for taking up the rear and making sure everyone was okey. Thank you for taking care of everyone will they were sick, even though you were sick too. Thank you for passing out the medicine and for making sure our feet were comfortable and not blistered. Thank you for making our team a family, a very weird but loving family.
Talia, thank you for being my fellow United States scholar and for bringing so much needed sass at our hardest moments. Thank you for showing me that I didn't need to be strong the whole time and that I can't do everything on my own. Thank you for battling my sarcasm and for being such a good friend and hiking partner. I can't wait to see you again and get to know you better.
Gabby, thank you for having the best laugh in the world and for always being funny, even if you weren't trying to. Thank you for letting us shame you in silent football and for going along with your other punishments. Thank you for all the pictures you took and for always keeping in touch with me. You may be halfway across the world, but it feels like you are still right beside me, chugging along the trail. And thank you for never being afraid to cry when saying goodbye with me.
Greta, thank you being so refreshing and forgiving. Thank you for talking about basketball with me and for making me not feel so weird sometimes. It felt like the only words you knew sometimes were cuss words, but thank you for yelling them out because I'm too much of a rule follower to do that, even if I really need to. Thank you for dancing so crazy in the hotel and for always letting me lean on you.
Jona, thank you so so much for being my tent mate. You were the best tent mate I could have asked for. You rolled over next to me in our sleep and you never smelled as bad as everyone else. Thank you for being so soft spoken and for being so strong the whole time. Thank you for carrying half the tent and for trying to teach us words in Icelandic.
Noel, thank you for carrying all of us on your big guns and for being so cheeky. Thank you for telling us about Maria, and for letting me be one of the boys when I needed to be. Thank you for your humor and positivity you brought. I'm especially thankful for all of our inside jokes that you gave us. Thank you for being beef jerky obsessed and for always being open to new things in the back country and in the city.
Maitland, thank you for being my science investigation partner and for being so chill and cool. You were amazing to meet. Thank you for never taking off your beanie and for being so strong while everyone was sick too. Thank you for listening to me and for telling me so many cool stories about your life and Australia.
Eysteinn, thank you for being taller than me. Thank you for being the only other person who did not get sick and for never complaining about anything. Thank you for eating all the extra food and for eating the ball of parmesan cheese. Thank you for filling the water filters so much and for always smiling. Thank you for teaching the card games and for also trying to teach us Icelandic words, even though they are impossible.
For the rest of the Alcoa NatureBridge Group, thank you for organizing this trip and for making it the most amazing that it could be. I can never say thank you enough. You gave me so many memories that I will hold onto forever. Thank you a million times.