The Broccoli Tree house

Do you ever feel like you just need to escape reality? Like you just need some time to relax. Or maybe you just need a break from the real world and all of your responsibilities. I used to feel that way all the time. Hi, my name is Valeria Klak and I live in a forest. There are not a lot of unique things in a forest. Everything is dark green and full of nature. There’s only so much nature a girl can take. Now I’m not saying I hate nature, I just couldn’t be someone who is outside 24 hours, 7 days a week. That’s just not me. I grew up in the city where everywhere you turn there is something new and different to see.


Now you may be wondering what a girl like me is doing living in a forest. When I was little my family would travel to my grandma’s house once a year in the summer. There was a huge forest behind her house, and she would always make up stories about what was in there. Stories like they grow broccoli trees in the forest and that’s where broccoli comes from. She would also tell me that when she was younger she had a broccoli tree house and that it was still in there somewhere waiting to be found. Of course I believed her because how could my grandma lie to me. So one year when I was 14, I decided I was going to find her broccoli tree house. So I started planning my adventure. Trying to map out the forest but I had never been in the forest so that didn’t happen. Instead I decided I was just going to pack some snacks and hope that was all the preparation I needed. So I threw some animal crackers into my backpack and I left. Thinking back I probably should have told someone where I was going. But I was 14 and didn’t worry about those kinds of things.


I started my trek into the woods. I walked back into the canopy of trees and it suddenly got really dark. Maybe I should have turned back then but I was so determined to find the broccoli tree so I kept going. As I got deeper and deeper into the woods I started getting more jumpy at every little thing. I didn’t really know where I was going, just what I was looking for. After a while I started to get hungry so I took out my animal crackers and they were gone in seconds. I thought maybe I should turn back. I turned around and tried to figure out which way I came from. I started trying to follow my tracks, but it got so confusing and I was just walking around in circles. I started freaking out. I didn’t know what I was going to do. I was cold and tired and I didn’t have anywhere to sleep. I can’t survive in the woods. I have no survival skills. I tried to start a fire using a stick and a rock like I’ve seen on tv but I didn’t even get sparks. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up in the middle of the night freezing with a sore back. I decided walking would warm me up and maybe I could find my way back home. But it was much harder in the dark. I gave up and started looking for shelter, or warmth, or food, or anything at all. I eventually found some sort of shelter and I settled in. Over the years I have built up that little shelter and my survival skills. I never found my way out of the forest. Maybe I never will. But things are good right now. I like living in the forest because I can escape reality. I have no responsibilities. I can relax.