(camera whirs) - One thing I noticed about living in Oregon for nine years is that everyone here just sort of knows how to camp.

Almost like camping's a thing that's hardwired into people's brains.

(camera whirs) (camera shutter snaps) I grew up in Chicago, and camping wasn't really a thing that my friends and family were into, but I love being outdoors, so together with a group of other beginner campers, I decided to get a firsthand lesson from a professional.

So Lestarya, what are we getting into this weekend?

- Yeah, we've got a great weekend planned, so we've got folks here who it's their very first time camping, and then we have some folks who are building up their confidence with camping and being in the outdoors.

(footsteps shuffle) - Hey!

I'm here.

- Thanks for coming out.

- What's up?

How you doin'?

- Good.

What I'm looking forward to learning is more about tips and tools to be comfortable with camping, so maybe learning about how to set up my tent, or my sleeping situation, would be really cool.

- Usually I'm behind the camera, so this is a little, this is outside of my comfort zone, but I'm very excited to be with such a large group and just, you know, learn from the pros here.

(speaker in blue laughs) So I'm looking forward to it.

- I wanted to come here 'cause I just wanted a reset.

I wanted to do something different, and so, intentionally, camping for me, it's something different.

(sleeping bag thuds) - Sleeping bag.

I didn't grow up camping, so I know what it's like to be someone who's curious to get into camping, but not necessarily having the know-how to do so.

- [Mujidat] Give you that.

This is going to be yours too.

(drum knocks) - So, there's really just a few things that you need to make camping feel comfortable.

- [Noah] Lestarya covers the essentials, like a tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, an inflatable pillow.

- Or (giggles) bring a pillow from home, and then for food, two-burner camp stove, that way I can make coffee on one side, but then be cooking on the other.

(burner rattles) - That's fun.

- And it's really nice to have a lantern of some kind.

I didn't consider myself outdoorsy, and then over the years, I would pick up new things over time and just build up my confidence.

And now, definitely a full-blown (laughs) camper and just getting a lot of people into it.

- So what kind of gear do you actually need to go camping?

(whimsical instrumental music) This is part of my issue, Lestarya.

There are all these tents.

Where do I start?

- So, personally, I enjoy pulling up to a campsite and being able to set up my tent right there, so I'm looking for something that is much more roomy, and I'm less worried about weight.

- [Noah] Next on the list, a sleeping pad.

- There are differences in how they feel, and so that's why I definitely recommend trying it out.

(sleeping pad rustles) - I took Lestarya's advice.

Oh yeah, this is going to work out great.

Then we moved on to sleeping bags.

- A lot of these are mummy style, right (giggles)?

So that when you're in, you just feel like you're in a cocoon.

- Just all bundled up.

- Then they also have sleeping bags that are more like rectangular shaped.

- [Noah] After covering a few other things like inflatable pillows and portable stoves, we were ready to get outdoors.

(whimsical music continues) - You ready to set up your tents?

(campers chatter) - Yay!

(car beeps) - This is my first time putting a tent together, but it can't be Ikea-level difficult, right?

- No, it's not.

- There we go.

- [Mujidat] It's not.

- All right, I'm ready.

(whimsical music continues) - Yeah, so the footprint is what goes on the bottom of the tent.

(tent rustles) - Okay.

- And then we're going to make sure we look where the front of the door is.

(whimsical music continues) (rods rattle) - Wait, this how tall it's going to be?

I'm about to party in this thing.

(Lestarya giggles) (rod zips) (whimsical music continues) Yo, this is actually easier than I thought.

Cannot believe I'm doing this.

- [Lestarya] There ya go.

- Okay, so... - [Wilson] I feel like it's not sturdy, you know what I mean?

Oh, this is what's going on.

Why am I (laughs) tripping?

(tool smacks) - All right.

- [Gabrielle] Yeah.

- [Lestarya] There you go.

(whimsical music continues) Yay!

(hand taps) (whimsical music continues) Let's go.

(laughs) (hands smack) - Let's go.

- We got it.

(Wilson claps) (Lestarya laughs) So where do I go, like where's the door at?

(Lestarya speaks faintly) (whimsical music continues) - Home sweet home.

(Justin blows) Boom.

(Justin chuckles) - How are we going to, is it going to-?

- [Lestarya] You're going to blow this up.

- I'm going to-?

- Yep.

You're going to put air into it.

- From my body?

- You got it.

(Wilson blows) - This is where I'm going to sleep at, so...

It's kind of beautiful.

I love this.

I like it.

- [Noah] For a lot of people, camping's all about good times and nostalgia.

For Wilson, it's a bit more complicated.

- For me being here right now, intentionally being here, solidifies a lot of things in my life and I feel like I have to let go a lot of trauma that I associated with the word camp.

I lived in a refugee camp as a young, you know, as a youth, as a child, and so the word camp does not necessarily connect with peace, nature.

This is like amazing.

(footsteps shuffle) (campers chatter) (gravel crunches) - [Lestarya] How is that?

- This is nice.

- [Lestarya] I had to start connecting time outside with my own health and wellbeing, and that's something that many people of color can relate to.

We got the firewood!

- Ooh!

(Lestarya laughs) Yeah.

(ax thuds) Got it (ax thuds) - Oh yeah.

- Look at that.

(campers clap and cheer) (ax thuds) (wood knocks) - Yeah!

(campers cheer and clap) - There we go.

- Come on, Wilson.

(ax thuds) (campers cheer) - I'ma swing with it.

- Oh yeah.

Come on.

Here you go.

(mumbles) - How many do you all want?

(campers chatter) (Wilson chuckles) - [Noah] Lighting a campfire isn't as simple as striking a match, but it's easy if you know the steps.

First, you need tinder.

(whimsical instrumental music) - Okay.

(whimsical music continues) (match strikes) (whimsical music continues) - [Noah] Which then lights the kindling.

(campers chatter) (whimsical music continues) Last, throw on the firewood.

(fire crackles) (wood knocks) - [Justin] Yeah.

- [Noah] Make sure it's local, so you don't spread invasive insects or disease.

(fire crackling continues) Cooking's a big part of camping, and Lestarya came prepared.

- [Lestarya] Get this.

(pot clangs) We're doing hot pot for dinner.

(knife chops) - Plate time?

(knife chops) - [Lestarya] Yeah.

- [Gabrielle] I know.

Every time I move I feel like... - Could get used to this.

- All right.

Then I'm going to actually get that back in there.

- Yeah.

- Hey man.

- [Lestarya] Do you want to do the honors and get some first?

- Yeah.

- You all want carrots too?

- Yeah.

- I want carrots.

- Yeah, I do.

(Gabrielle laughs) - Yeah.

Yeah.

(Justin mumbles) Just go ahead.

So how has your camping experience this weekend compared to what you thought camping was, based on like what you've seen in the past?

- It's really chill.

- Good?

- Like, yeah, I don't have to go sit in front of a computer, do no work.

- Mm-hmm.

- Although we're just all kind of getting to know each other and things like that, we're very unified in the thought and the belief that we're here to enjoy this experience.

(steam whooshes) (campers chatter) - [Wilson] That was good though.

- Reality of camping after everyone's done eating, you still have to clean.

All right?

- You want to dry and put it away?

(cloth rustles) - I'm on drying duty.

(cloth rustles) - [Lestarya] Who's ready for s'mores?

All right.

So, if you want to go ahead and open this up and you can take a marshmallow.

- We're going to get the marshmallows experience.

- [Mujidat] (laughs) As he burns his... (campers laugh) - Mine getting burned.

- I'm ready for the chocolate.

What do you do?

How do you do it?

How do you do it?

- [Justin] Why you over here trying to make gourmet s'mores for two?

(Mujidat laughs) - You don't want the rest of that.

- Yo!

(campers chatter) This is fire.

- [Lestarya] Yeah, it's fire.

Being out here really just removes the distractions and so it provides this space of just being present.

That's that deepest part of camping and what it can do for folks.

(campers chatter) - [Noah] The last camping essential that you definitely don't want to forget, is a light.

(footsteps shuffle) (campers chatter) (tent zips) (wildlife chirps) (air whooshes) (wildlife chirps) (air whooshes) (tent zips) (tent rustles) (wildlife chirps) (Wilson shuffles) (tent zips) (bodies shuffle) How was your first night of camping?

- It was better than I expected.

It was good.

Just waking up, like hearing the sound of nature, the birds in the morning.

I definitely think I'm going to do this again.

Definitely.

(gentle instrumental music) - Oh.

Bye.

- Thank you.

- Thank you so much for coming.

We are doing something really special when people have worked up the courage to go on their first camping trip and leave saying, "You know what?

I'm going to do this again."

(Lestarya laughs) Ah.

- This was amazing.

- Yes.

That is magic.

(Lestarya chuckles) - [Noah] The cool thing about camping is that it only takes one trip to get hooked.

It's the perfect opportunity to learn more about yourself- - Bye!

- [Noah] And especially the people you're with.

Whether you're strengthening old friendships or making new ones.

(gravel crunches) - Whoo!

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