A Walk [family, memories]
Sep. 4th, 2022 02:46 pmWhen I reached late high school / early college age, my parents reasoned that since they couldn't set out and travel the world (for various reasons), maybe instead what they should do is host exchange students. Our very first exchange student was from Japan, part of a program that brought people together from around the world to work on environmental restoration projects in the greater Seattle area.
If I am remembering correctly, L was the exchange student after that, from Bulgaria. While she was with us, we brought her on one of our annual expeditions up to Sunrise, on Mt. Rainier. My mom and grandfather have gone up to Sunrise at least once a year every single year of their lives, with maybe 1-2 exceptions, so those visits are always cherished parts of summer.
The year L was with us,![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
annikusrex's family joined us as well, and in addition to moseying around the Visitor's Center we went on a short hike out to the Mt. Fremont Lookout.
A and G goofing around in the parking lot while waiting for our parents to get ready for the hike:
All three of us were very much into the X-files, and into black zip-up hoodies. Hey, I'm pretty sure those things are all still true today, 20 years later.
One of G's special talents at the time was sleeping. He could sleep anywhere.
Clouds kept rolling in that day, so about half of the hike was fogged in, but the other half of the time we had the usual incredible alpine views.
Lunch at the fire lookout, where we were rather socked in, so the only scenery was the people.
One of the only photos I have with Kathleen in it, here with my dad and A. Blurry, because this was a point-and-shoot film camera.
L, with some of those other partial views. It is pleasing to be up on Tahoma when you're occasionally in the clouds. Quiet and peaceful. This was a couple years before my cousin Zack disappeared, so our relationship to the mountain was different at the time (I don't blame the mountain! Just trying to provide context).
We really loved having L as an exchange student. Every person is bound to be different; L wound up completing a degree in microbiology and became a college professor in Bulgaria. It was a gift to host her and learn about her life; in turn, she cooked and fed us some phenomenal Bulgarian dishes!
The exchange program had the participants doing hard outdoor work; the people of Washington are fortunate to get to enjoy many of the benefits of their trail and environmental restoration work.
G is skeptical of my thoughts on the foggy views:
These photos are out of sequence, but this is how I put them into the album, so. We've got AKW messing around in the parking lot, and a pause at Frozen Lake to admire how it is frozen, and take a group photo. The group photo tells you a lot about my relationship with my older brother.
Hilarious at the time:
We Were So Young Then.
Kath looks at the lake.
We came, we saw, we went.
If I am remembering correctly, L was the exchange student after that, from Bulgaria. While she was with us, we brought her on one of our annual expeditions up to Sunrise, on Mt. Rainier. My mom and grandfather have gone up to Sunrise at least once a year every single year of their lives, with maybe 1-2 exceptions, so those visits are always cherished parts of summer.
The year L was with us,
annikusrex's family joined us as well, and in addition to moseying around the Visitor's Center we went on a short hike out to the Mt. Fremont Lookout.A and G goofing around in the parking lot while waiting for our parents to get ready for the hike:
All three of us were very much into the X-files, and into black zip-up hoodies. Hey, I'm pretty sure those things are all still true today, 20 years later.
One of G's special talents at the time was sleeping. He could sleep anywhere.
Clouds kept rolling in that day, so about half of the hike was fogged in, but the other half of the time we had the usual incredible alpine views.
Lunch at the fire lookout, where we were rather socked in, so the only scenery was the people.
One of the only photos I have with Kathleen in it, here with my dad and A. Blurry, because this was a point-and-shoot film camera.
L, with some of those other partial views. It is pleasing to be up on Tahoma when you're occasionally in the clouds. Quiet and peaceful. This was a couple years before my cousin Zack disappeared, so our relationship to the mountain was different at the time (I don't blame the mountain! Just trying to provide context).
We really loved having L as an exchange student. Every person is bound to be different; L wound up completing a degree in microbiology and became a college professor in Bulgaria. It was a gift to host her and learn about her life; in turn, she cooked and fed us some phenomenal Bulgarian dishes!
The exchange program had the participants doing hard outdoor work; the people of Washington are fortunate to get to enjoy many of the benefits of their trail and environmental restoration work.
G is skeptical of my thoughts on the foggy views:
These photos are out of sequence, but this is how I put them into the album, so. We've got AKW messing around in the parking lot, and a pause at Frozen Lake to admire how it is frozen, and take a group photo. The group photo tells you a lot about my relationship with my older brother.
Hilarious at the time:
We Were So Young Then.
Kath looks at the lake.
We came, we saw, we went.
