Camping with Kairos / Berkeley students!

July 2 & 3
around Lake Tahoe National Forest, Donner Lake area

Cynthia invited me to go camping with her church fellows - mostly students or alumni from UC Berkeley. They are mostly Asian girls from different family backgrounds.

 
Yet they are all US citizens, not internationals and visitors. So, they speak so fast, and I faced some challenges in English hearing! It's totally different from listening to BBC or ICRT... Listening to their conversations is so much harder!!

But my English does improve a lot! Speaking, I guess! Hearing is still not so good though, people here speak super fast and pronounce words so unclear!

So during this camping trip, I practiced my English A LOT! People are so friendly. They are pretty direct when they meet somebody they don't know. For example:

"Hey, I haven't seen you before. I am blahblahblah. Nice to meet you. (Shake hands)"

It's so cool, the way they introduce themselves to someone new! I think I should learn from them, because I am always so shy and embarrassed in a new environment! It's so hard for me to speak first..... :SS

Besides practicing my English, I also appreciated LOTS of beautiful scenery!!!!!!!

It's so special that there was still unmelt snow! We were hiking with shorts and shirts, but there was still snow! Weird, huh!

There were lots of ponds due to melting snow. These ponds were pretty colorful under the brights sunshine.

We hiked to a lake, I think it's called Donner Lake, and we picnicked there. The lake was really clear and awesome. 

On our way to the lake, there was a really beautiful trail. So special and green!

After hiking, we went kyaking in a nearby lake. It was lots of fun!!!!!!!!!!

The mountain peaks were still covered with snow, even though the sunshine was so bright!!!!

Hiking and kyaking is my favorite part!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way, we also rafted in a small, shallow river on our way to the campground. We rafted with wild ducks' families!! 

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But it's a pity that I couldn't take photos while kyaking!!!!!!!!! It must be a great one!!!!!!