Top 6 Moments of 2008

6) Man Sailing Trip- So the story goes me and 4 very good friends of mine got payed by Camp Homewood to go on a sailing trip in February. If we didn't have the connections, we would usually have to pay between $1200-$1500 for the course but instaed we payed $60 for the course. The week went as follows. Sail during the days, study for a bit, hit up an obscure pub at night and talk about the day and enjoy the elite company we were in. Best of all, at the end, we all became certified skippers and I passed with a score of 91%. Great week with great guys and extremely useful for the rest of my ife.

5) Moving to Victoria- I dont know if I would call this a great memory and experience but it has been crucial none the less. I decided to come back and face my fear of coming back and going to school in Victoria. Im not saying its perfect, there is still a long way to go and I dont know if Im going to even be here next year but I took a leap of faith and am still living here. Thats an accomplishment by itself.

4) Growing a Pair- So this one is more of a ridicolous personal victory but Ive always have had problems sealing the deals with the lady folks. Finally this summer I had the guts to talk to a girl and tell her, "Hey, I dig your style, lets go on a date." Not excactly those words but the same idea. Unfortunately it didnt last too long, maybe a goal for 2009 is to step past growing a pair and step into maintaning "the pair" for more than 2 months. However, I did have the guts to do something about it to which Im very proud.

3) California Trip- This trip was fantastic on so many levels. First of all the people were fantastic once again. 4 rad people who were all chill and we all got along super well and all had the same goals for the trip. The adventure of driving for 24hrs straight and being super tired but enjoying it none the less. We hit up San Francisco and LA and we saw so many great sights. We stayed in sketchy hostels and we also ate for about $4 a day. It wasnt healthy but it was delicious. I think the best memory was being in Disneyland and being 20yrs old with your friends. I cant really describe it but it was so fun and hilarious. So many random memories I sont have the energy to write but it was a great trip I wont soon forget and another is possibly in the works.

2) Being CIT Leader- This summer for 2 months I was the leader of 10 guys aged 14-16. I worked with them everyday and shared so many good moments with them. It was a real chance to pour into their lives and share wisdom and knowledge with them. Even though it feels like I could have done a better job I really believe that God spoke into their lives. These 2 months were also full of challenges working with different personalities and people made it even more rewarding when it was done. I really believe this experience has confirmed my plans for the future.

1) The Beartooth Man Trip- This trip is where I became a real man. 3 good friends and I planned a trip to climb a 6,000ft mountain 30km up Powell Lake. The canoe trip was epic in itself with the 2nd day being pounding rain and me and my friend nearly getting swamped in high winds and possibly drowning. Once we got to camp we immediately started heading up to our base amp about 1500ft up to the snow line. The next day we departed very early and tried to find a route up the mountain. We tried steep routes and dangerous terrains to no luck. However we couldnt find it with over 10ft of snow in all directions. After witnessing avalanches close to us I realized how insinifigant we are compared to nature. After feeling defeated we hiked back down and I then spent the worst night of my life at the bottom. Rain poured for 15hrs straight and I went into my hammock at 7pm and didnt get out till 7am. However I did get out to fix my fly that flew open at 4am. Though we didn't succed I felt so close to nature and the guys who I was with. We all agreed at New Years it wasnt always the funnest but that night at the bottom was our top moment of 2008.