My (Becky Till) answers to the Pre-Challenge Q's

1. Did you grow up in an urban or rural environment? A rural environment. I spent my first years on a mountain near Oliver in a cabin that my father built – it had no electricity. Next, a valley where we tended to an organic garden and vineyard. Then off to the prairies of Alberta – I made wheat field forts and snow caves, camped in the snow with a warm brick wrapped in a towel at my feet, and was dragged up many a mountain with my dad. Finally, I ended up on the Sunshine Coast where I could actually throw a stone into the sea from my bedroom window. That was a long time ago, and now I’m here - in Vancouver. 
2. What comes to mind when you think of nature (words, images, sounds, smells, beliefs)? Beauty, mother, keeper, lover, the womb, sacred, flesh, green, flowing, peace, power, angry seas, fear, cougars, bears, dirt, running, kids, freedom, untouched, creator, trust, the future, fish, land rights, minx, story books, being seen and unseen, survival, knowing when to stop and start, knowing myself.
3. How often do you take time to be in nature now (Everyday, once a week, every two weeks, every month…)? Sadly, once every two weeks(ish). And this is particularly sad because I know how good I feel when I go there, and I miss it. It’s funny, I suppose I assume I have to go there. Like nature is something out there, but I do have a backyard with a tree I could go to anytime… we are just coming out of rainy winter though…
4. Where do you go? Hiking around North Van, the Sunshine Coast (the whole place is nature almost), I ride my bike all over this town, Queen E park, the beaches 
5. What draws you to nature? Slowing down, being present, cause I want to get grubby and run and climb and jump over things, cause I miss it, I want to feel connected to something real, and let it all out
6. What motivated you to take this challenge? Hmmm, good question... I suppose because there was a time when I didn’t have to try so hard to feel connected. I could just go out the door and I was in a forest or walk 30 seconds and be on a beach. On my walk to work I met little birds, spiders, and owls, ate berries, pondered existence, and clapped to avoid meeting a mother bear. Living in this City makes me feel disconnected to something that was simply my environment before. I haven’t built habits around connecting to nature here because I’m not used to making a point of going somewhere else to access it, it was just there. So now I barely connect with nature, and in turn, I connect less with myself. And I want to do something about that. Plus, I want to slow down. I used to live at a slower pace, a more aware pace, and the energy of the City (and being a student) makes me feel like I’m at hyper speed almost all the time. I want to slow down.