Snowdonia, Wales, February 1991

Living in Wales for six months during my junior year in college was a lot harder than I expected it would be. I was seriously homesick and outside my comfort zone, but in hindsight, I am more and more grateful for the experience. I made friends with people from many different backgrounds and countries. Alongside these friends, I did things I had never done before and would never do again. Like go "walking" (it always seemed to me that it should really at least be called "hiking) up a mountain not far from the university.

See the snow-covered point? That's where we were heading.

As I recall, there wasn't a lot of planning involved for this day trip. Three other students from my dorm and I decided to go hiking (I guess I can't help calling it that) in Snowdonia. They were in their first year at university, and I had only been there one month. We didn't know each other very well, but we liked each other and were all interested in checking out the beautiful environs just beyond campus.

Goofy play-acting with an icicle.

And so off we went. The weather was fine, we were young and healthy, and we had fun, being goofy and exploring a new corner of nature.

The IQ (Ice Quotient) goes up as we make our way up Moel Hebog.

Looking back on these pictures now, almost twenty-five years later, I kind of think we were nuts to attempt this adventure with nothing more than a few chocolate bars and a thermos of coffee. I don't even remember a map.

Pausing to consider the ascent just before the last steep bit

The terrain got unexpectedly rugged toward the top and we were essentially on a snowy, quite narrow ridge.

Six hours later, we were on top of Moel Hebog with chocolate and coffee.

But we made it. A group of four young people who had basically just met. We helped each other make it up a mountain and back! The more I think about it, the more grateful I am. For everything. For being alive. For making friends. For gorgeous nature. For the generosity of my parents in sending me to college and out into the world. For the incredible good luck of the opportunities I have been given.