Chan Yongchi, CK, 2008 WATUSA Participant
Rocky Mountain National Park Xanterra Parks and Resorts, COLORADOGoodbye Rocky Mountain
Today was 24th August and it's my last work day in Rocky Mountain.
In the morning the parking lot was still the way it was - Peaceful and quiet. The sunshine made me warm, though it snowed some days ago. Some cars were parked in random spots. No traffic was needed to be directed now.
2 days more, I would leave here. I was thinking. Two and a half months had almost flown. My CIEE work contact was reaching an end. So what?
"Will you be back here?" Some days ago Rich asked me. He is a great old guy, who always takes us Asian guys to travel around. "I will but probably not here. There is a good chance that I will be back in USA as an exchange student. And then you guys can visit me or I can do that when in some holiday."
"You had better do." Said Levi, my neighbor in where we live. He has a second hand car and always uses it to take us to some fun spots. He has a Play Station 2 but uses it to watch movies instead of to play games. I still can not figure out why he bought a Play Station 2. "Sure I will." I replied. And then we smiled together.
In the afternoon, I began to review the photos taken here during the past 2.5 months. I saw a bunch of photos of beautiful scenery in Rocky Mountain, as well as some of happy and unforgettable moments. And at that time Levi, Jake, Ryan, Denny and Griffin had left earlier. Photos of them hugging with us came up in my camera. I felt nothing but sadness.
And it went on. And then I found a photo that I was waving my hand with Ryan. Ryan made a comment on Facebook about this picture, "HAHA, real Elite Beat Agents!" "Real Beat Agents" was a Nintendo DS game. I, Ryan and Levi played the game a lot in the van that took us to where we worked. When somebody won, he would yell, "Ha! I kicked you guys' ass!" And the rest would respond, "Shut up!" "You are the inspiration" is a song in the game and that is why I put it as my background music in my video.
I asked myself," What is most important thing that I get here? The chance to stay in an English speaking country? Working experience? Or the neat natural scenery?" And then I got the answer. It is the friendship with a bunch of awesome people in American. Without them around me, I could not have such a great summer ever in my life.
So, when it became dark, I know it was almost over. And tomorrow I would pack my stuffs and get prepared to leave here. I was still in the parking lot. Cars were leaving one by one. I looked around and saw the mountains around, ranger center and the Alpine Gift Store, where I spent most time with my friends, and I said in a low tone, "Goodbye, Rocky Mountain."