When I look back on the DP Orientation trip, one of the first things that come to my mind is how absolutely terrified I was. The strange thing is, I wasn’t scared on the days leading up to it but once we parked at Borderlands, my only thought was “What did I get myself into?”. Because a fundamental truth about me is that I’m clumsy. If I don’t watch where I’m going, I trip over myself on flat ground. I was terrified of falling off a cliff and into an abyss which sounds unlikely but it could happen. Besides, “getting back up” isn’t an option if your trajectory is the worst possible coincidence and ends up with being the perfect one that lands you at the foot of a hill with traumatic brain injury.
This was a problem since most of the trip centered on hiking up a hill and then rappelling off in an ultimate show of bravery. So with an annoyingly incessant voice telling me “You’re going to die.”, I began climbing up. The trip up wasn’t an easy one. It took me way longer than the others and I may have had to ask for help once or twice. Actually, repeatedly and incessantly.
But once we got to a high enough height, the view was amazing. Then the other kids tried rappelling. An activity I respectfully declined to partake in considering well, if humans were meant to jump off heights, we would have evolved to have wings or at least a flexible spinal cord.
I also had an ulterior motive, I was looking for leeches. I had a small obsession with leeches when I was younger. Anyway, I needed to get one to feed on me but with my knowledge and consent as I am anemic enough already and I refuse to let a leech feed on me without getting entertainment value out of it. So I got my wish on the last day but things went a bit off plan. You see, any sane leech would start feeding once it’s placed on a perfectly good patch of skin, right? However, natural selection apparently passed over this leech as instead of feeding, it was hellbent on exploring. This would have been fine but then it tried going up my sleeve. I realize that it’s not even from the same habitat NOR the genus but I suddenly remembered everything I’ve read about limnatis nilotica and panicked, (google limnatis nilotica infestation. You’ll see what I mean). Thus, it had to be removed.
In retrospect, I regret it. But the leech lost its chance to feed on me. I could have sustained it for six months give or take but that’s what happened. Either way, it was enjoyable and a highlight.
It was also nice to get to know other students.
So while hiking up a hill may not be equal to rappelling, that’s a really big fear of mine that I conquered on this trip and thus, I declare it successful.
