Summer of Illumination

When I first wrote this post, I still had the title the "Summer of X." I tried to think about what this summer of 2013 meant to me. It was a summer of firsts and a summer of lasts, but then I thought again.
     "'What should my title be? 'The Summer of Nothingness,' because I didn't do anything? 'The Summer of Laziness,' because I felt like I hadn't accomplished anything?'" That's when I realized that I learned about myself. I wanted to call it the "Summer of Enlightenment," but I feel like my summer wasn't a huge cultural movement in the late 17th and 18th centuries. I certainly did learn a lot though, and it was mostly about myself; I feel like when I look back, I will see that it was a turning point in my own history.
     As I started the Zoo Projects this summer, I learned a lot about commitment and that I care for other people a lot more than I care about myself. It's so important to be there when no one else can. During a lot of practices for these plays, I remember that there was always a small group of us. A lot of people had other priorities, but not me. I learned that I have a hard time saying no, and I learned that I like to be as involved as possible. I love to help other people, even if it means that I am giving up something for myself, such as my free time or my sanity. At times, I wanted to stop doing the plays because I was too lazy, but I definitely knew that when it came to drama, I didn't want to quit; I knew how much these little plays meant to Ms O.

Kara and me at the airport,
before she left for Tanzania

     When my sister, Kara, went to Tanzania for the month of July, I learned how much I depend on her. She is my best friend and she drives me everywhere, even crazy. That's obviously not the only reason why I love her so much, but it definitely adds to the list. Kara is super smart, and she's always making me look bad in front of my parents. I learned what it would be like to be an only child, sort of, and it was not very fun. It was nice on occasion, but it was just lonely... I did hang out with my friends a lot, but it's not the same. I also learned that once I got past the loneliness, it was okay to be alone. I don't want to be clichéd, but I did become more independent after the fact.
     Now, I think this summer has really changed me because I feel like I am on the right path to getting where I'm supposed to be. I know myself a little better now, and that can help me understand what I want in the future. I try to "cum grano salis," that is to take things as a grain of salt, and not too literally. I used to get upset really easily about little things. I mean, I still do, but now I get over them faster, and I think that's important because I need to focus on stuff that matters, like getting ready for college, not dwelling on little things that will mean nothing in a week's time.
 

Snapshots of My Summer

     To start off my summer, a few Marshall students and I volunteered our time for the Lake Superior Zoo at Proctor because we all enjoy doing these little plays that we call the Zoo Projects. The plays we did were "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," "Three Billy Goats Gruff," and "The Tortoise and the Hare."
     In the first one, I was Mama Bear. This play was in June on a Saturday. It was a rainy, foggy day; it was also the day of Grandma's Marathon! We were going to do it outside near the bear exhibit, but we moved inside.

Elle and I taking an animal selfie

     Next, I was the middle goat. This was in July on a warm, sunny Saturday in front of the Petting Zoo. I don't really like the smell of barnyard animals, so I didn't really enjoy it that much. This one was only Marshall students; all of the Proctor kids were busy. We had a lot of fun for this one because we had cow bells around our necks. My ears were always ringing after practice.
     Lastly, I was Leonard the Lion. Ms O had each person pick an animal and try to act like it. Since my sister had just come back from Africa, I picked a lion.
     Messing around was the most fun part of each play! Before and after each practice, Ms O would have these expectations of what she wanted to get done that day or for next time, but we were always goofing off, and we were lucky to pull anything together. I had such a great time meeting new friends from Proctor.

Kara with students at a secondary school

      July was the longest month of my life. My sister, Kara, went to Tanzania for a service learning trip. She goes to CSS in Duluth. She had to take a semester long course about the culture and a bit of the language. Also, they had to ask for donations from local businesses to get things to bring to the monasteries and the orphanages.
     My sister says that this trip really changed her life. It changed mine too because I had to go the longest I've ever been without her. I missed her everyday.
     Before she left, I wrote a letter about how much I'd miss her. I snuck it into the sleeve of her jacket, and wrote on the outside, "Don't open till you miss me! :)" She listened! She told me she found it two weeks into the trip. Kara wrote a letter back to me, and gave it to me when she returned home. That evening in the airport, waiting for her, was so exciting.
     On the way to the airport, Kara called me and my mom.
We asked her, jokingly, if she had become a nun, and she said, "Yes."

A male lion sniffing the air

We went silent. "Are you kidding," we asked.
"No. I'm not."
The rest of the ride we were silent.
When we arrived at the airport, we said, "You don't look like a nun!" And she says, "Oh, I thought you asked if I was by the nun!"

A zebra "photo-bombing" some flamingos 

Among other places they went on the trip, Kara and her group of 11 other students went on a two day safari in Kilimanjaro National Park. They saw four of the Big Five: Lions, Elephants, Giraffes, and Hippos. She didn't see a Rhino. 
     "Zebras are like the deer of Africa," my sister said because they are everywhere! Kara took about 1500 pictures during her month long trip. All of them were absolutely amazing.