Mountain addiction

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Mountain AddictionCanada is famous for incredible mountains and untouched nature and many people from all over the world visit every year to enjoy the beauty of this endless country. Also for me nature was the reason for my decision to work here for 6 months. I’ve seen the alpines around Germany before I came here, but this is nothing compared to the views you get to see in the wonderful Chilcotin mountains.

When I started working at the ranch, I planned to do a 6 month internship in the office management. To be honest, in the beginning I missed the city. City life meant independency for me. Walking out of my apartment, 2 minutes to the next supermarket where I could buy whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Catching the next bus every 5 minutes, so I don’t have to walk in the rain. Going to school by train. Clothes shopping every weekend, to compensate my unhappiness. In my first weeks here I felt lost between two different worlds. My work in the office at the ranch satisfied me though, I felt like my work was appreciated.

When I talked about my goals and interests, I only mentioned my career goals, which means everything office related. I still hear me saying: „I’m not here for the horses, guiding or being outside. I want to learn how to manage a business!“. It really makes me laugh writing down that sentence right now. After 7 weeks at the ranch, I had the opportunity to assist on my first pack trip in the mountains. At first, I didn’t want to do it, because I thought I’m not strong enough anyways. I knew being a guide is a tough job. I tried to find somebody else to take my position, but in the end I accepted the challenge.

After all, this trip changed my life. (read my story „Unforgettable first time experience“). Looking down from the top of the world made me questioning life. The incredible beauty of untouched nature left me speechless. The endless range of mountains overwhelmed me. Experiencing all this on top of my horse filled my heart with love. Back in the office I reviewed my goals and my purpose. Why am I here, at this place, seeing everything I have seen? Why have I decided to do my internship right here? My former plans were to study international business management and psychology. But what do I want to do with it?

Now I know that I want to have an impact on the world. I feel that I have to protect the untouched nature, after it was right in front of my eyes. I saw it and fell in love. Standing on top of the mountains I asked myself what actually counts in life. And what is more important than the world we live in? We are about to destroy it. Not only the big companies that pollute our planet in order to follow the principle of capitalism, but also every single individual of us who is not aware of our environment. Imagining the fact that places like this won’t exist anymore in a few years breaks my heart.

Sitting here on my desk, viewing the mountains I crave to go back every day. They addicted me with their impressive beauty and the silence of untouched wilderness. Crossing deer on the trails so close that you can read the curiosity in their eyes fills me with more happiness than any paycheck I ever received. Spotting bear tracks on the way home makes me feel more excited than writing my final exams in school. Drinking fresh alpine water out of the creek tastes more intense than the best gin tonic I ever had. No perfume you can buy in the store can replace the smell of wild flowers blooming in the alpine meadows. And nothing gives me a stronger feeling of freedom than riding along the mountain ridges, listening to the breath of my horse and viewing the stunning beauty of endless nature.

Fenja, 24, Germany