Do You Want To Go Spend 12 Days Backpacking and Canoeing?
Six months ago, my mom asked me if I would like to go to an outward-bound camp. Outward Bound is an organization that makes rugged outdoor camps for teenagers and adults. All their camps are not easy and not meant to be easy, but they are still very fun.
It was only a week and a half before the camp started, but she said there was one more slot. I was going to be Canoeing and Backpacking for 12 days if I went. I had never been backpacking before, and it sounded really hard, but I felt like a little challenge would be nice. The only worry I had was the other people.
In most other camps that I have been to, I have been bullied for being homeschooled, gluten-free, or just for being a nerd. (By the way, I am totally a nerd and proud of it!) I can easily handle being bullied because when other people try to bring me down, I know they are just insecure, and I don’t take their comments to heart. But honestly, it is exhausting to be constantly brought down. I was worried about being stuck with 11 people for 12 days going through really hard physical challenges while also having no emotional support. To make sure this did not happen, my mom called outward bound and talked with the people about what kind of kids they attracted and how they handled bullying. They said that the kids that come to their programs are very nice, and they shut it down if there is any bad behavior. This made me much less worried. They also told her that the trip I was going to sign up for was going to be all boys. I decided that it wouldn’t be so bad so I said yes!
What I did Not Know
Looking back, if me back then had known what was going to happen, I probably would not have chosen to go, but I don’t at all regret going now. I think before, I was not as tough, and I would not have willingly chosen to do what I did. What ended up happening was the exact opposite of what I was told would not happen. I was with 11 boys for 12 days (the instructors ended up being all girls, but they’re more there to keep you alive than to become friends), and almost all the boys were perpetually mean. This resulted in a problem for me, but I was determined to fix it. And I did!
I did not change the boy’s behavior; I changed myself. I learned how to let insults and words flow around me without hitting me. I learned how to persevere through hours of hard work and come out okay. I learned how to pitch a tent by myself with one hand and how to make a perfect tarp with only one tree to tie to. (BTW, I was SO proud of that tarp setup! It was like perfect and just the right height, and I only used one tree!) The skills I gained over the 12 days have made me a better person and helped me through obstacles, big and small. I am so glad I did CBOBS, and I would do it again.
(In the following published posts, I will detail my adventures, so if you want to read more about my CBOBS adventure, follow along!) (Subscribe 🙂