Jewel portrait
  • Expedition: Jun 23-28, 2013
  • Jewel
  • The kNOw Youth Media
  • Sequoia National Park: Emerald Lake

June 26, 2013
Location: Pear Lake

Wilderness is the foundation of all available resources and society. Humans build upon it and call it home. The wilderness may drive a person crazy sometimes, but also teach you how to work hard to get what you want. It reminds one of how beautiful nature is and through that, to keep it from being destroyed. The wilderness can be interpreted in so many ways and relate to one’s own personal life. For example, it took many years for the wilderness here to form, and when it does, humans call it beautiful. I find that a person can become beautiful internally when they can build themselves through effort and honesty.

Jewel Journal

June 26, 2013

I totally forgot to write in this for the past 3 days. I’ve just been so busy because of our tight-packed schedule. So now I will write about today first, and then reflect on the other last days. Today Pheng woke me up early so that we could use the restrooms and then climb up to the tiny patch of snow on the side of the mountain around our campsite; Emerald Lake. Ashley ended up coming with us, but Antonio stayed behind for some reason. The snow was a little hard to try and throw at each other; the snowballs could’ve broken a rib! I had to say it was a little interesting to see snow in June. After we came back, we ate breakfast. There were SO MANY FREAKEN MOSQUITOS and I felt like killing them all with bug spray. I got bit probably 7 or 8 times, both on the arms and legs. After breakfast we headed up towards Pear Lake, an extremely awesome place to be able to see. Here we learned about how mountains were formed and why we see such interesting patterns in the rocks. Right now, we have some free time to reflect and write, so here I am writing away. The water was a little cold, and every once in a while a fish jumps out of the water. Right now I feel pretty relaxed and annoyed at the same time because of the bugs: mosquitos, ants, these teeny bugs that bite, and flies. I feel unsanitary at the moment, my hair is already tangling up and curling. I’m about ready to go home and take a fulfilling shower, but I still, at the same time, want to see more of the wilderness. My feet and legs ache the most from the 2 hour hike up to Emerald, and I swear I was about ready to stop walking and collapse. It was worth it thought to see the Watchtower, which gave such a great view to the mountains and land below. I was super amazed through my exhaustion and a little bit scared of falling. Hopefully I can have time to write tomorrow.

Jewel Net

Thursday, June 27, 2013
2:27pm
Location: Near Table Meadows

Today I lead a pretty satisfying expedition to the Table Meadows. I guess I was doing pretty well with some help from Laura and Andy, and I have to say that I got lost atleast 2 times. After the first few feet though, our group was able to be more on track, and I gave many rests for us ( ruthless leader indeed). We ended up stopping by a small lake without MOSQUITOS, and I decided that since everyone was having fun, we should just chill there and then head back. I have to say this was such a fun time for me especially because I was engaged with my friends in nature.

Today I felt as if it were some kind of special memory I should treasure and keep close to me. I don’t know what about today that my group and I splashed fight and had such a good time that makes me want to come back again. One can easily suggest a nearby waterpark to do the same, and many ask: Why? What’s the difference? I think that enveloping yourself about the wilderness makes you think a little. Things that you usually associate yourself with, say, an iPod for example, is totally not in your possession here. In nature you only have yourselves, and bonding is really important if you want to live. Many times you try to explain a matter to a person who is totally occupied with texting and they say that they are listening but it’s all crap. Here to survive you work together by communicating, making decisions together, and eating together. The wilderness brings everyone together to hear each other out when opinions actually matter, no matter who you are.

Jewel General Sherman
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