Yosemite National Park, a place where visitors reside in 4-person wooden cabins; where wildlife inhabit the plentiful forests brimmed with trees and other plants; and where the impeccable views capture the essence of natural beauty. To me, a place that used to mean merely three empty words, but now has secured a lasting impression and experience in me forever.

One memorable experience I’d encountered there involved the renowned Yosemite waterfall. I will never in a million years have the ability to depict in words how magnificent the view was, nor will I possess the ability to draw all the intricate little yet significant details that make the picture seem almost unreal. However, I can describe how I felt. I still remember hearing the subtle yet nearby roaring of the waterfall. When my hiking instructor Uncle Mark announced for all of us to remove our blindfolds, I whipped mine off and was greeted with a white flash of light blanketing my eyesight, and as my pupils focused, a wave of disbelief washed over me. There I was, standing as straight and tall as I could, peering up almost vertically to realize how tall and beautiful Yosemite Falls actually was. And I finally knew how magnificent and mesmerizing nature is.

The second extraordinary experience I’d had was crawling (literally) through the famous Yosemite Spider Caves, which were formed only by natural rock-slides. We were standing directly in front of the mouth of the enormous pile of rocks. Above the great structure, we could catch a glimpse of the colossal mountains located behind it. Once inside, nothing was the same. The boulders turned into walls. The light faded to utter darkness. And we students were no longer group members- we were trustworthy companions. With every step of the way through the pitch-black tunnels, we had each other’s backs. After about 20 minutes into it, Uncle Mark declared that I would lead the group through the rest of the “climb”, for he and the chaperone announced that they would head out first and we would have to use bravery and teamwork to escape the cave. I was horrified, but determined. After the adults disappeared from our sight, I inhaled deeply, telling myself to be courageous. I brushed my other thoughts aside. My teammates, chaperone, and instructor were depending on me. For the next couple minutes, we helped and encouraged each other, and before I knew it, I’d reached the exit. Finally, after everyone had dragged themselves out of the cave and into the broad daylight, Uncle Mark smiled at me and I could tell how proud he was. Then, after a moment, I realized how proud I was too.

Overall, I became aware of how great friendship and teamwork is, and how it felt like to live away from modern civilization for a week. Over the course of the week, I neglected all of the luxuries of living in an urban household with all the gadgets and comfort.

I still remember my first time there vividly- from the exhilarating bus rides and the delicious meals to expanding my comfort zone to do outrageous things and meeting numerous people. All the laughs, the games, the hikes, and the bonds will be remembered, if not in video or photo, then in my heart.