Personal Narrative: Devil's Lake

We were ready. Paddles in hand, canoe by our side, personal floatation devices, knee pads, and cameras. The afternoon sun shined on the lake, reflecting it across the calm waters. Crowds of people were enjoying their Sunday afternoon on North Beach at Devil’s Lake State Park. Young children stumbled on the moist sand and shallow waters as they tried to catch tadpoles with their small buckets. Soothing, a gentle breeze passed by as we walked towards the edge of Devil’s Lake. Marveling at the majestic mountain of cedars around the lake and smelling the damp sand, my dad, little sister, and I were all set to take on our first wilderness inquiry; canoeing across a lake. It was safe to say that we were in for an exciting adventure
Camping and being in the outdoors has been a significant part of my life for the last eight years. As a child, I never enjoyed it much. Three years ago, my family along with four other families decided to take a trip to Glacier National Park. The sky-piercing mountains and the beautiful lakes urged me to explore the outdoors more. From hiking through the mountainous trails to driving up the mountains through the Going-to-the-Sun road, I finally began to realize the relief and soothing sense that nature had to offer. Despite the love I finally found in the outdoors, I was never the dedicated and
Growing up, I was always asked one seemingly innocent question, “Where are you from?” I would struggle to find the right answer. Would I respond with “United States”, the name of the country that I grew up in, or rather “India”, the country which holds all of my extended family and culture? I would struggle to find activities and friends that were the “right fit” for me. However as I got older, I realized that I didn’t have “fit into” anything. I realized that I must create a balanced, diverse culture and environment for