Anna Meets the Wild Wild West

Thanks to some awesome new friends and a little bit of good luck, I had the opportunity to get out of the park for a bit this weekend.

Thursday, my friend Mary's best friend was flying into Jackson Hole from Missouri to visit Yellowstone for a couple of days, and she invited me and Cara to accompany her on the nearly 3 hour drive there and back. The ride to Jackson Hole takes you through the Grand Tetons, a majestic mountain range right outside of Yellowstone. The weather has improved greatly over the last few days; it is starting to look like the sun might be here to stay. We had the most perfect sunny day for our roadtrip, and we had a blast chatting, basking in the sun, and listening to music all the way. When we got to Jackson Hole, we had some free time before Mary's friend Caitlin's flight was in, so we of course seized the opportunity to pick up some essentials at K Mart. I will never again take for granted the convenience of going to the store to get whatever I need, whenever I need it. Also, on a side note: unless you have ever been living in a remote place for a month, then go unprepared to K Mart for only 15 minutes, you will never fully understand what I was thinking as I walked into the store, trying to account for all that I would need, possibly for another month or two. I considered just buying everything in the store, but then I calmed down and settled on my items, including but not limited to: shampoo and conditioner, fabric softener, bugspray, headbands, and wheat thins. Like I said, essentials. Ironically, as soon as we walked into K Mart, we saw several girls who work with us at Canyon! And do you want to know the first thing they said to us? "Hey, guys! Guess what? Michael Jackson died!"

After that, it was time to pick up Caitlin at the airport. The drive back was faster due to less traffic and more company. We stopped at Old Faithful to watch the sun set. Amazingly, it was still 65 degrees, even at 9:00pm. We all enjoyed seeing the geyser errupt on such a beautiful evening. After grabbing a cup of coffee and further exploring Old Faithful a bit, we headed home under a blanket of night stars.

The next morning, I was given the privilege of going to Cody, Wyoming, to see the Cody Rodeo with my friends Lauren and Keri, and their families who had come to visit. Total, there were 9 of us crowded into a minivan the whole day: Lauren, her mom, dad, and brother, and her boyfriend who works with us at Canyon, Lance, Keri, Keri's mom and dad, and me. We started the day at Yellowstone Lake, which is about 16 miles south of Canyon. The historic Lake Hotel is a beautiful area of the park: it is the second largest wooden structure in North America and is situated right on Yellowstone Lake, the largest high-elevation lake in North America. The Lake Hotel is definitely the most sophisticated area of the park, with large, expensive rooms, and a 5-star restaurant. We spend some time exploring there. Lauren and Keri's dads were planning on fishing there at the lake, but unfortunately the weather didn't hold up like it had the day before: it was very cold and a little rainy. We proceeded to Cody slowly but steadily, making frequent photography stops. We arrived in at around 3:30. Cody, home of the Buffalo Bill Historic Center and "the greatest rodeo on earth", is a very interesting town that is dominated by cowboy culture. There are lots of shops that sell everything from cowboy hats and boots to camping gear to Yellowstone souvenirs. By this time the sun had decided to show its face, and we spend the late afternoon shopping. After eating dinner, it was off to the rodeo! In Cody, during the summer months of June, July, and August, the rodeo happens every night. We enjoyed watching the cowboys and cowgirls on their horses, riding all around the arena. By the way, I can attest that Wyoming sunsets are just as incredible as you have heard. Around 10:30, the nine of us began our 2-hour trek home; under the stars, I drifted slowly off to sleep.

Each moment of this amazing weekend, I found myself reflecting on how lucky I was to be in my position. I have met some incredible people and gone on so many adventures thus far. It amazes me to think that the decision to spend the summer in Yellowstone has enriched my life in so many ways. First of all, I was introduced to a whole world of culture that is found in my own country, yet I was unaware even existed. Camping, fishing, and even hiking are not activities that I frequently participated in before this summer. Many people I have met here live very differently than I am used to living, but that does not mean that one of us is wrong and one of us is write. That is the thing about culture: to truly experience it requires humility, patience, and often a complete re-evaluation of ideas upon which you may have previously based your life. Unless I am willing to close my mouth, open my ears, and take the opportunity to learn about their lifestyle, I will go on believing misconceptions. Not only that, but I will have likewise forfeited an opportunity to clear up possible misconceptions about my lifestyle. There is so much to be gained from saying no to your own insecurities and comfort zone, and diving head first into new experiences, knowing that it might bruise your ego. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, weak, and inexperienced; sometimes I feel like the luckiest girl alive. But throughout the emotional mountain peaks and valleys of the summer, I'll maintain an attitude of gratitude for the people and experiences I have had here. And the best part?

The summer has only just begun.