Dreams of the Appalachian Trail Become a Wind River Reality
Kumari Ratnayake, one of two overall winners of the NOLS Patagonia Dream Expedition Video Contest, is taking a Rocky Mountain Outdoor Educator Semester this summer. Her video, I Dream of the Appalachian Trail, won her a NOLS course, all the gear she needs for the course, travel to Wyoming, and a bunch of other goodies from Patagonia and NOLS. Here’s her winning video:
We caught up with Kumari to find out more about her.
Q: We know nothing about you, other than that you dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail. What is your educational background?
A: I went to Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, where I majored in Elementary Education and minored in Geology. [Augustana College published a nice article about Kumari, by the way. Check it out here]
Q: Your video shows you working at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. What do you do there?
A: My job title is “Take Me There: Egypt Lead Interpreter.” We have a gallery called “Take Me There: Egypt” that is all about modern day Egypt. In a nutshell, I run the day to day operations of the gallery, from managing and training staff to performing all the programs for visitors. This gallery is meant to be immersive, so you can often find me dressed as a flight attendant, a tour guide, or simply a resident of Cairo doing my daily shopping. (I was dressed in my tour guide outfit in the video!)
Q: When do you plan on completing your Dream Expedition of hiking the Appalachian Trail?
A: Honestly, I was secretly telling myself that IF I won this contest, I would use it as my push to move out West. I love the mountains. I love being near large bodies of water. The outdoors is harder to come by in the Midwest, and this is the only place I have ever lived. I’ve had an itch to explore ever since I took my first geology course. I love my job and being near family, but this is the perfect time for me to follow my dreams. If everything pans out, I’d love to hike the AT during this transition.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re not at work?
A: I have hobbies galore! I like to read, to draw, to play my guitar, to travel, to knit, to garden ( I recently started vermicomposting!), to write letters, to run, to swim, to hang out with friends. Many of my friends are actors or musicians, so I like to support them by seeing their shows or concerts. Overall, I love to learn (which is why I think I pick up a new hobby every year), and I love to be with friends and family.
Q: Your video features your own music. Do you perform?
A: I first attempted to sing only because I was terrible at the guitar. Instrumental versions of my favorite songs aren’t quite as exciting when they’re just three chords being repeated over and over. Hence, the singing. Unfortunately for my college roommates, I was terrible at it. My mom used to make me sing out on the porch whenever I came home for vacations. Luckily, I got a little better. I consider myself tolerable at this point, which I’m actually quite proud of. As far as performing goes, I’d say not really. I’ve played a few short sets at various places, but my main audience and biggest fan is my parakeet, Manu.
