I am surprised at how many New Yorkers I found in Stony Brook, not just city folks but people who call Albany mid-state. My best experience exploring unknown state territory was this summer, when I went kayaking. I never knew the Adironack park could have so many influences. It may be the first national park that includes both private and public lands, roughly half and half. There are few things tying the towns together, but there is an annual canoe race for both beginners and experts, the 90 miler. In a documentary about the park, I saw how a girl hardly out of elementary school could persist for the entire race, or three days. I’ve noticed on my trip that the people are welcoming of foreigners, because tourism is a big moneymaker there. Likewise, the race is open to people of all abilities, and to the person setting up the event, it’s fun to see who has practiced and who has just jumped in the boat.

I used to be on the swim team but it was the hardest sport I’d tried, so of course, I gave up, still being extremely young. Maybe I’ll join the sailing team because I went to Schooner summer camp in New Haven harbor once. I forgot everything, though remembering how to tie knots could have come in useful. The main reason I would like to do water sports is so I can revisit the Adironacks, which happened to be my favorite vacation ever with my family. I had never been out on a lake so deep by myself, and next time I’m there, I’m going to tip over on purpose so I can learn what it takes to swim ashore.