I was accepted into the Honors program of my University. This meant that I had to take extracurricular classes on a range of topics. From the predictable leadership training courses to, I kid you not, a dog coaching class. I was prepared for most of the experiences I would encounter during the program, but o boy wasn’t I ready for bootcamp weekend. Never have I been so enthusiastic and unprepared at the same time. I’d like to consider myself athletically gifted and I l brag about my strength and speed whenever the opportunity arises. But this was as much a mental battle as a physical one.
The Ardennes is a tourist paradise for all seasons. Springtime in the Ardennes is the season for walking, cycling, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Horse riding, climbing and mountain biking are other examples of popular sports in the Ardennes. The keen mountaineer has an exciting choice of challenges. In Winter, the Ardennes are a fun paradise for downhill and cross country skiers, or perhaps you prefer tobogganing and snow scooter racing. There is action, even underground. Some of the caves are certainly worth a visit (The Ardennes, n.d.). Some of the activities during boot camp were abseiling, zip lining, rafting and camping. These are activities that I could never think of attempting in a million years, but like the saying goes; “When the student is ready, the teacher arises”.
The plight of my colleagues and I was made more difficult when we heard that we had to construct the appliances for these activities. That meant tying a rope on two trees with a special knot that increases in strength with increased tension. That also meant that we had to make sure that both trees were positioned at the appropriate height that would allow the zip liners weight to propel him forward. We had to climb a mountain and secure a rope to a rock that would help us to safely descend down. I can talk about so many daring activities that were completed in the space of one weekend but the sense of accomplish lingers long after.
“You are stronger than what you think of yourself, only you will have to believe in your capabilities”
– Anil Sinha
Sources
The Ardennes. (n.d.). Retrieved from Belgium.be: https://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/tourism/the_ardennes
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