When I was about twenty, I went on a five-week mountaineering course in Patagonia, Chile. I had already done a fair amount of backpacking at that point, but this was really next-level OMG-why-did-I-sign-up-for-this-again stuff. Fifteen of us—mostly Chileans and Americans—traveled over remote mountains and glaciers through the Andes Mountains carrying everything we needed on our backs. We had crampons on our shoes and ice axes in our hands, often on four-man rope teams for safety in case someone were to drop into a crevasse that had been covered in snow. It was scary and cold and really physically challenging, but OMG it was so fun, mostly because of the people. It was a crackerjack team of hysterical weirdos who I would otherwise probably never have met.
We really learned the importance of cooking, not just for sustenance, but also as a morale booster when the crew had just battled through a rough, cold, and discouraging day. Having everyone huddled around our tiny stove on the dirt, cooking and eating together, was one of my favorite parts of the trip. I really feel like this can be translated into everyday life. You could have just lived through the Worst Tuesday of All Time, but if you know you can go home and cook and eat with people you love, it makes it all a little easier to endure. Also, I recommend wine.
