Namaste! My name is Rikki Walters, and I’m 20 years old. I grew up on the East Coast in Chesterfield, Virginia. Eating food, exploring new places, and sleeping are among my favorite activities. Two summers ago, I was studying in Beijing, China! While I was there, I packed a lunch of watermelon and baozi, which are delicious hollow dumplings with various fillings, and went to a park with some friends. I found a nice tree, climbed up a little bit, ate my fruit and baozi, and then took a nap until my friends were ready to leave.
Although, as much as I love those things, I love adventures like hiking in the mountains, white-water rafting in fast rivers, and climbing big rocks much more. Most recently, I’ve fallen in love with hang-gliding! I’ve always wanted to fly, so I decided to try hang-gliding! Hang gliders are motor-less and stay in the air by riding hot thermals. During the daytime, the ground heats up, and since hot air rises, hang-glider pilots spiral high into the sky with the help of all that hot air! In the same way, many birds migrate and stay afloat with very little effort by using this rising hot air to their advantage.
Two years ago, I started school on the other side of the country in southern California.
