Umar Abdullah arrived in
Yosemite on September 16, 2002. He is the first WildLink
expedition member to return as an intern. He is an intern
of the interagency Sierra
Nevada Wilderness Education Project and the Yosemite
Institute. Umar is from Detroit and came to Yosemite
for the first time two years ago on WildLink
Expedition 7. Sitting under the pine trees in Cook's
Meadow in Yosemite Valley, Umar had a chance to share some
things from his first week in Yosemite.
Where are you from?
I'm from Detroit, Mi.
What are the differences between
Detroit and Yosemite.
The mountains are a big difference
because Detroit is flat like a pancake no hills anywhere.
The biggest hill is probably - nah, there's not any hills
in Detroit - its all flat. Trees in Detroit are not very
big. The trees here are huge!
Do you feel any different here?
Its warmer here than it is inDetroit.
Detroit is more humid. There's always a breeze, here. In
Detroit when it's hot its humid.
What do you feel you are going
to learn while you are in Yosemite?
I feel like I'm going to learn the
history of Yosemite and more about nature. I will also learn
more about different nationalities of people.
Back in Detroit you are a member
of mosque that has members from many different cultures,
what makes this different?
Because by being in this environment
I'll be able to learn more, back in Detroit I hang out with
mostly the black community. Here I'll get to be around other
people and learn more.
Where do you live now?
I live in an old historic building
in Yosemite Valley. It's kind of boring. It's kind of like
a mini mansion. When you walk in there's a kitchen, to the
left there's a stairway that goes upstairs to my room. Through
the kitchen there is a family room dining room, and a TV
room (to me its like a TV room) couches, and a fireplace.
To the left of the TV room there's a patio. From the patio
you look out and see the mountains and it's a relaxing area.
I drink tea in the morning there and just relax. Mostly
older people live here. There are two guys and one is in
his mid 20s and one is in his late 20s. One of them works
in the campsites and patrols around on a bike. This house
is like your grandmother's house.
What's a typical day been for
Umar?
Get up in the morning, eat breakfast,
brush my teeth, go to work out on an expedition and stuff.
When I come home I eat lunch and might walk around the valley,
when I get back I might go work out then come home. And
I might sit back and watch some tv.
What kind of wildlife have you
seen?
I've seen a deer. He was maybe like
30 feet away from us. What I really want to see is bear.
I want to see a bear very bad. You don't see them every
day like a dog or cat in their natural habitat. I want to
see something different.
This is your first time away from
home. How does it feel?
Its fun but its kind of hard not
knowing anybody. Time is going slow, when I know people,
time goes by really fast because we are having fun and stuff.
Time is going slow but that's good, because I do more, learn
more each day and see more.
What made you want to come back?
The environment, the mountains and
wildlife made me want to come back. The city area is the
same thing over and over all day. I want to experiences
something else in life. That's what made me want to come
back.
What ways do you think this experience
could change your future?
It could change my future in so many
way because like where I'm from people don't get many opportunities
so they all head in one direction. This will probably open
many doors for me in terms of jobs. To do something you
like to do is really good. Most people who have jobs don't
like to do it . To find something you love to do is really
rare. This will open doors for my education and everything.
