Wishtoyo! Today we started our 3 day journey at Wishtoyo in Malibu. It was a quick 2 hour drive and we were there! Seeing the blue, crystal clear water on the way there made me feel grateful to be in such a beautiful place and here at this program. I am so excited for the next chapter of this trip.
I felt honoured to be welcomed by all the elders, especially MATI WAIYA and LUHUI ISHA, as we pulled up to the village. Their singing was beautiful and I am happy to be here! The orientation was so inspiring. I loved listening to the stories that the elders told and felt like I have learned lots from them already! I feel so accepted by all the people here and feel like we are one big family! The beach here is amazing! The water is so shimmery and beautiful. I enjoyed swimming in the water (even though I was fully clothed). I felt so free. It really cleaned my sole and spirit. I felt like I could swim in the ocean all day!
At dinner ad lunch, we served the elders first. I felt this shows how much we respect ad love we have for them. This selfless act of putting the elders first made me feel humble inside. I think this is one of events that stuck out most throughout my day because I got to look all the elders in the eye and see how much joy was brought to their faces by act of kindness. I have not seen this before due to not being involved with my Nation yet but, I can already tell I will be doing this sort of thing more often; putting the elders first.
During this trip, we also learned about climate change and how erosion and rising temperatures are changing our world. This really opened my eyes to this issue. Knowing that it will happen either way makes me very upset but, also knowing that we can slow it down by doing simple daily tasks is a relief. It scares me that my people from my Nation may not have some of their land in the next 50 years because of this issue.
The food throughout the whole trip was amazing. Nana and Sergio provided delicious food three times a day every day which I was so grateful for. The hard work, dedication and love they put into the food did not go unnoticed!
On the last day, we went surfing at Zuma beach and it was amazing! Surfing is defiantly something I want to continue with and I am so thankful I was able to experience it here in Malibu!
In conclusion, Wishtoyo was an unforgettable experience that I will look back on for the rest of my life. During this trip, I have made so many friends that I am I will keep in touch with and Wishtoyo really helped to solidify the bonds of these friendships!
-Sylena
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