Deniz Ünlü, Grade 11
UWC Mostar
Growing up in a city stuck between a long mountain line and the Mediterranean, it is strange that I was unaware of the concept of hiking prior to arriving in Mostar. I knew, of course, that walking in and around mountains was a possible activity, but I didn’t really know it was a particular passion for people in and of itself. I’m not sure if that speaks to my ignorance or a cultural difference between here and there. I had plenty of experience travelling up mountains, though, having to go up and down to escape to and from the heat, but I had never walked it for pleasure- that was mostly reserved for the coast. So, when I arrived at Mostar, having spent around five months in quarantine and desperate to jump on whatever activity I could find, it seemed a great idea. After all, more physical activity is a constant recommendation to anyone who has any sort of problem.
The first time I hiked was around two days after I made it here -I had arrived late due to the flight restrictions. I did not have good shoes for it, and I was afraid that they would send me back. I had also neglected any sort of physical activity since the first few weeks of quarantine when I could find the motivation to exercise. There were two options for us, we could do half the hike and come back with a taxi, or we could do the full thing. Despite my clear lack of preparation, I choose the latter one -due to pride or competitiveness or whatever it may be. The regret kicked in around an hour into the hike when the sunbeams were coming straight at our side of the mountain, and the path seemed to have a 90-degree angle. I stopped chatting with the people around me and focused on getting to the end of it. At that point, It really didn’t seem to be a walk for pleasure like it is described on the internet nor an escape from busy everyday life. If it was an escape, it was more of a chaotic struggle with the ground beneath you than a peaceful meditation.
Sitting down when it was all said and done on a green valley was a pleasant experience. It was a feeling of relief because there was no more walking to do, and it was that feeling of accomplishment that you get once you know you’ve done something good for your body that everyone is always preaching about. I have done it three times since then. I couldn’t say after a couple of months that it has become a regularity. It was a strange term with me catching COVID and having many online classes due to the global pandemic. But I can say, although with hesitance, that I am looking forward to the next chance I get.
The first time I hiked was around two days after I made it here -I had arrived late due to the flight restrictions. I did not have good shoes for it, and I was afraid that they would send me back. I had also neglected any sort of physical activity since the first few weeks of quarantine when I could find the motivation to exercise. There were two options for us, we could do half the hike and come back with a taxi, or we could do the full thing. Despite my clear lack of preparation, I choose the latter one -due to pride or competitiveness or whatever it may be. The regret kicked in around an hour into the hike when the sunbeams were coming straight at our side of the mountain, and the path seemed to have a 90-degree angle. I stopped chatting with the people around me and focused on getting to the end of it. At that point, It really didn’t seem to be a walk for pleasure like it is described on the internet nor an escape from busy everyday life. If it was an escape, it was more of a chaotic struggle with the ground beneath you than a peaceful meditation.
Sitting down when it was all said and done on a green valley was a pleasant experience. It was a feeling of relief because there was no more walking to do, and it was that feeling of accomplishment that you get once you know you’ve done something good for your body that everyone is always preaching about. I have done it three times since then. I couldn’t say after a couple of months that it has become a regularity. It was a strange term with me catching COVID and having many online classes due to the global pandemic. But I can say, although with hesitance, that I am looking forward to the next chance I get.
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