The Video I Made to Describe My Journey for Next Year and the People of Mali, West Africa

Sunday, December 12, 2010

I really want to go camping. Despite my dislike for bugs, I really am a get dirt under my finger nails kinda girl. I’m ready to smell dirt again. I remember the first - and only - time I went camping. It was in good ole Bertie County, in someone’s back yard that lived in the middle of nowhere. It was scary, but oh so cool. I want to camp where the stars are.

I went through this stage of wanting to live in Montana for the longest time when I was sixteen/seventeen. I still have to say I could deal with a very long stay there. I want to cook something that took effort to find and kill. I want to taste sweet victory of actually eating it too.

Within me, there’s this girl (or maybe it’s a woman now?), that would love roughin’ it outside for a week or three. I want there to be dirt on my feet. I want to forge for my own supply of berries, and know which ones are those I can eat. I want to know the difference between the Milky Way and the other stars. I want to be able to tell my direction by looking at the sun, or trees, or whatever it is you do.

I just want to go camping really badly. But I’m just too scared to try it out in my backyard because there is this possum that lurks every night, and I promise you he is the size of a small dog. Not a Taco Bell size dog, but a beagle size. That, and I’ve yet to find anyone that shares this desire to camp, and/or would actually really do so. Maybe I’ll get a chance in Africa? I’ve heard we may be staying a week in a village - which includes camping out under the stars type of thing, with outdoor showers, bathrooms, and just about everything I am praying for right now. Please?

2 comments:

Kristi C. said...

You should watch Man vs. Wild with Bear Grylls, wanna talk about gettin down with nature?! Joe & I LOVE it. And you'll learn some cool things about being out and makin it on the land. Plus, I'm sure he has multiple shows where he's in the wilderness in Africa. :) Check it out!

P.S. I wanna camp too. I hope to get to this summer :)

Kalyn said...

I will go camping with you!!!!
My family loves to go camping every year together. It is so much fun, sleeping in the tent, playing in the rivers, hiking, and seeing some breathtaking views, getting stuck in the mud, setting up the tent in the pouring rain. ah, good memories.

I need Africa more than Africa needs me. Do you?