A Weekend in the Blue Mountains

The first photo I have included was taken during the second day in the Blue Mountains, when we hiked the Grand Canyon Track. What is special about this photo is that I took it during the part of the hike when we were instructed to walk on our own for a bit. I enjoyed conversing with others in the group during the walk, but it was nice to be quiet and alone for a moment to really tune into my surroundings. Normally, when I walk on my own, I feel a little anxious as I become almost too aware of myself to the point where I fixate on every movement I make and how I am being perceived by the people around me. However, in the middle of the canyons, I felt comfortable in the silence, and when I encountered people, there was a warmth amongst everyone due to the serenity of the trail. This warmth was also the result of people’s stress levels being lowered, in contrast to in the city, where it is a fast-paced environment with high-stress variables that cause individuals to come off as cold and unapproachable.

 It is quite often where I find myself falling into the compromising thought spiral where I ask myself if it was a mistake studying abroad and would I be happier if I was home. This type of thought sequence takes quite the toll on my mental health and thus increases my stress and decreases my feeling of life satisfaction. Yet, any time that I have spent a day in the nature of Australia, these thoughts are erased which is exactly what occurred on this trip. In the mountains, I do not think about the what-ifs, past mistakes, or future deadlines. I am simply existing in the present. This trip has really helped me to learn how to deal with my stress and anxiety. I often manage my stress by watching a comforting TV show or listening to music which helps to quiet the anxious thoughts for a brief period, but the thoughts always come back, and I am right where I started. Now, I realize that I should be seeking a more long-term solution by going into nature whenever I feel overwhelmed. The peace that I feel after a day in nature is a feeling that I wish I could feel forever. Of course, I must attend to the tribulations of daily life, but I have accessed a new escape, one that has a more lasting and permanent effect. I will continue this approach to stress management when I return home and even share it with friends and family. 

This second photo was taken at sunrise on the last day in the Blue Mountains. This photo is very special to me because I really felt connected to everyone who was witnessing the beauty that was before us. Sunrises are always so special, and each one is never quite the same, yet each has its distinct beauty about it, and while I captured what seems like a million photos, none of them captured the true beauty of it. It was a nice moment where everyone was fully captivated by the view and not preoccupied with conversations or on their phones. While I did not get the chance to talk to everyone on the trip, I still feel connected in that we shared this overall experience that not many people get to do. On that morning, almost all our cabin group decided to go to the sunrise, and I led the way through the darkness of the early morning. I used a GPS to figure out where to go, and where the path seemed finnicky at times because it was so dark we couldn’t see a thing, they still trusted my lead and followed me. In group settings, I am usually a follower as leadership does not always come naturally to me, so I did not think of myself being the leader of our cabin at all. When we exchanged notes to each other in our group, one of my cabin mates thanked me for being a leader in the cabin by talking to everyone and making everyone feel included. I was honestly shocked by this note as I don’t often get recognized for leadership, so it was really nice to hear that they perceived me as one. This taught me a lot about how we perceive others as people may see you in a different light than you see yourself. Getting to be in such close proximity to the girls in my cabin for the weekend, we learned a lot about each other, so our perceptions of each other most likely changed from the start to the end. I did not know any of the girls before this weekend, but over the course of the trip, I learned a lot about them and their home countries from our conversations. Due to the calmness of being in nature, everyone’s guards were down so it was easier to build trust and comradery within the group. I am thankful that I got to bond with my group and share that sunrise with that them, as that is a memory that we can always share and look back on.

The last photo is of a Crimson Rosella that I found at the Echo Point lookout. My favorite part about going on hikes is seeing what surprises nature has in store. This was my first time seeing this bird in the wild, and it felt like a gift to see it so close. Many people passed by this bird without noticing it, but those who were aware of their surroundings did notice and stopped to admire the bird like I did. This taught me that when you are really in tune to your surroundings, nature will reward you. If I was on my phone or walking around with a clouded mind, I probably would have missed the experience to see the bird. I believe more people should not only just go into nature more often, but completely immerse themselves into the scenery without external pressures. This fosters connection to the natural world, which will then make people more inclined to preserve and protect it. This is becoming increasingly important as the environment faces a global climate crisis. When reading stories about environmental deterioration in the news, people feel removed from it, but if they get the chance to really immerse themselves in nature, they will feel a stronger inclination to protect the environment. If we continue to appreciate nature, it will reward us just like it did this past weekend.