Ben

Hello, and welcome to the page of Ben Steinbacher.  I mostly go by “Ben.”  However, I do get excited when I hear someone yell, “Benja.”  It’s an old nickname friends from college call me.  Food is a very big part of my life, and I’m pretty good at eating.  I also used to be a fine dining chef.  I decided to use my ten favorite foods to give you a better idea of who I am as a person.

  1. Blueberries- My grandpa used to grow blueberries.  Eating blueberries reminds me of days hiking through the woods of Pennsylvania.  Visiting his house were some of my first experiences with nature.  These trips were where I first fell in love with the outdoors.  Even now when I go hiking with friends, blueberries find a way of showing up on our trip.
  2. Salmon- Salmon reminds me of my favorite camp director!  When I think about salmon, I also remember family dinners at camp.  The sense of family and community are two of my favorite things about the Camp Augusta staff.  I’m also excited to spend another summer with the kids finding ways to be more goofy, ridiculous, and silly than before.  My favorite clinics to teach are anything off the ground, low ropes, guitar, bread making, and
  3. Dried Mangos- Dried Mangos remind me of my days in college.  I went to Appalachian State University in the heart of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Nights under the stars, jumping off waterfalls, and fields of fireflies were common.  Dried Mangos especially reminds me of risking my life on hiking/camping adventures with my friend Brian.  I consider myself lucky to have survived some of these trips, but will never forget any of them.
  4. Sushi- I love sushi, and anything else seafood.  Seafood reminds me of visiting my older sister who went to a college right by the beach.  I enjoy the beach, and think of those warm summer days by the ocean as a necessary part of life.  I still aspire to live on a beach one day.
  5. Bacon- Dogs love bacon.  I love bacon. I love dogs!  If I could be any animal, I’d be a golden retriever.  I view leadership as servanthood and putting others first.  This is a trait that comes naturally to golden retrievers. Their loyalty and commitment to family are also two traits I strive to emulate.
  6. Tandoori Chicken- I’m half Indian.  I enjoyed growing up with two distinct cultures and ideologies.  I’m still learning how to embrace and apply both of these cultures.  I look forward to more trips to India to better understand my heritage.
  7. Water- Okay, so I know it’s not technically a food. I love water though!  I also relish any opportunity to play in water whether it be an ocean, lake, river, or waterfall.
  8. Bananas- My 20 month old nephew’s favorite food is bananas.  Spending time with him gives me perspective and reminds me of my priorities.  He inspires me to grow, and reminds me of what is important in life. One of my greatest joys was getting to travel to India six months ago with him, my sister, and my mom.
  9. Avocados- Avocados remind me of California.  I spent most of my life living in North Carolina.  Moving to California set off so many lightbulbs in my life.  Realizing what it means to live somewhere that inspires and excites me is huge.  Avocados also remind me of my commitment to being healthy! I lead a pretty active lifestyle that involves hiking, camping, working out, rock climbing, cheffing up healthy meals, and taking advantage of any other opportunity to move.
  10. Potstickers- Potstickers remind me of game nights back in North Carolina.  I love visiting two of my best friends from back in NC. Whenever we hang out we eat potstickers and play board games.  No big deal, but I’m basically a semi-pro board game player. Ask me what my favorite board game is when we meet! Hanging out with these two keeps me young and reminds me of how important friendship is to me.
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