Camping is a rite of passage（成人礼） if you grow up in Canada. It's a child's first taste of what living in the wild really means. But growing up as an immigrant（移民） from India, I thought it was strange. I simply didn't understand why so many people loved nature when the comfort of your home still existed.
Then I turned 20 and started trying new things. I had been experiencing mental health issues for quite some time and I discovered being out in nature helped me calm down. So, I decided to try camping.
The night before the trip I was quite excited. Then I overheard a conversation between my father and mother. "Why does she have to do this? Doesn't she know she can just stay at home?" my father asked. "This is what Canadian kids do, it's okay, she'll be fine!" my mom explained. My parents had no faith in me surviving one night in the wild.
My friends and I set up our campsite in the woods. As the day went on, we ate, played by the water and met our camping neighbors. Time felt like it slowed down; life felt gentler and easier. Suddenly, I realized: I was doing it! I was camping! As the day turned into night, the stars came out and I was amazed by all the twinkling lights above me. I won't lie. I had the worst sleep of my life. Morning came and I was up and ready to make breakfast, coffee and tea. I didn't even realize I was sad to leave until we started packing everything up.
I wasn't just leaving, having accomplished something I never thought I would do. I was leaving with a real sense of community, a real sense of appreciation for what the great outdoors had to offer, and a completely different outlook on an activity that I had thought strange for so many years. It made me realize the beauty of Canada wasn't in the things we did, but in the community we built.
