From Reluctant Teen to Wilderness Guide: Ezri’s Back to Earth Journey
When Ezri Mayeri first heard about Back to Earth, he wasn’t interested.
“I kind of said yes just to get my mom off my back,” he laughs. “She saw a flyer for this wilderness program and thought it would be good for me. But I was reluctant."
At 14, Ezri was more at home in front of a screen than under the stars. He’d never backpacked, never carried a heavy pack, never slept outside for a week. “I was this scrawny teenage boy - nervous, intimidated. I remember thinking, do I even belong here?”
That question - Do I belong here? - is one that Back to Earth hears often from new participants. For many young people, stepping into the wild means stepping far outside their comfort zone.
But something shifted for Ezri just hours into that first trip.
“We got out of the van, it was hot, everyone was awkward, no one really knew each other,” he recalls. “But after a couple hours on the trail, I started cracking jokes, people started laughing, and suddenly there was this camaraderie. I remember thinking, oh…maybe I do belong here.”
That moment - small as it seemed - marked the beginning of a nine-year journey that would shape the course of Ezri’s confidence, leadership, and life.
Growth Comes Through Challenge
Ezri went on to spend seven consecutive summers with Back to Earth. What began as a reluctant experiment became a lifelong practice of growth, resilience, and connection.
“It completely shaped me,” he says. “It gave me this deep appreciation for the outdoors, for challenge, for community. It taught me that struggle isn’t something to avoid - it’s something that makes you stronger.”
By his second or third summer, Ezri had become what staff affectionately call a “suffer enthusiast.” He laughs when describing it. “I became a total maniac for suffering. Hiking in the heat, pushing to reach an alpine lake - I loved it. I realized that on the other side of discomfort is beauty, confidence, and peace.”
That lesson - that growth comes through challenge - is one of the pillars of Back to Earth’s wilderness programs. The organization uses backpacking, council practice, and rites of passage to help youth build resilience, emotional literacy, and a sense of belonging in community.
Each day begins with the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address, a practice of gratitude that roots participants in connection with the natural world. Afternoons bring sweat and struggle - climbing trails, setting camp, learning skills. Evenings are reserved for council: a circle around the fire where each person speaks and listens from the heart.
“Council was mind-blowing for me,” Ezri says. “It was uncomfortable at first - being asked to talk about feelings, to listen deeply, to be fully present. But then something happened. People resonated with what I shared. I felt witnessed. I felt seen. It broke this huge stigma around men being vulnerable.”
That safe, structured vulnerability became the heartbeat of his experience. “No one’s on their phone. No one’s distracted. It’s just people, a fire, and attention. It builds emotional maturity in a way nothing else does.”
Cultivating Authentic Masculinity
By the time Ezri aged out of the youth program, he didn’t want to leave.
“I remember thinking, I’m not done here. This place raised me in a way. It gave me purpose.”
So, when the opportunity came to return as a guide, he jumped at it.
Now in his early 20s, Ezri stands on the other side of the circle - leading teens through the same landscapes that once terrified him. “It’s crazy to look across the fire and see a kid who’s exactly where I was,” he says. “Scared, uncomfortable, not sure if they belong. And to know that in a week, everything might change for them.”
As a guide, Ezri helps shape experiences for the next generation - not only teaching wilderness skills, but modeling what authentic masculinity and community can look like.
“It’s gratifying to be seen as a leader,” he says. “But even more than that, it’s powerful to be part of something that gives young people a safe space to feel. That’s rare, especially for boys.”
He describes moments of breakthrough - like watching a shy, inexperienced participant come alive over the course of a trip. “There was one kid who wouldn’t swim, wouldn’t talk much. By the end of the week, he was singing his favorite Bruno Mars songs to everyone and diving into the lake. His confidence bloomed and I thought, how blessed am I to do this work?”
Learning to Belong
Back to Earth’s approach is not just about surviving in the wilderness - it’s about learning how to belong: to self, to community, to the earth.
Ezri explains, “It’s more than just a week-long backpacking trip. You get to know yourself emotionally, mentally, physically. You build lifelong friendships. You remember what it’s like to be human - away from screens, away from noise. It’s a reset, a catalyst.”
That reset has stayed with him beyond the trail.
“The emotional intelligence I learned in council - listening, being present, being vulnerable - it changed how I show up in all my relationships,” he says. “Taking that lead, sharing those thoughts and feelings, it builds closeness. That’s something I carry with me everywhere.”
A Seat of Hope in a High-Tech World
Today, Ezri is studying abroad in Peru, spending weekends hiking in the Andes. He’s also mentoring younger guides and staying connected to the Back to Earth community.
When asked why this work matters, his answer comes without hesitation.
“Look at the world we live in,” he says. “We’re on this trajectory of hyper-tech, hyper-stimulation - phones, TV, AI - it’s everywhere. It’s not going away. Outdoor experiences are only going to become more and more valuable for youth. go into the wilderness to go EXIST. I cannot stress how important I think this is right now. If we can continue to provide opportunities for people to go into wilderness its the SEAT OF HOPE. Ultimately will drastically change and help future generations to be adults in this crazy world.”That’s why programs like Back to Earth are so important. They give youth a break from all that. A chance to just exist.”
He pauses, his voice steady and sure. “Outdoor experiences like this - they’re the seat of hope. They teach us to be still, to connect, to listen. They grow leaders who are grounded and emotionally intelligent. That’s what the world needs.”
Building Foundations for Life
Since 2014, Back to Earth has been offering immersive wilderness rites-of-passage programs for teens and young adults. Their WILD Scholarship Fund ensures that no teen is turned away for lack of funds - an essential part of their mission to make nature connection and mentorship accessible to all.
In 2023, the organization awarded over $52,000 in tuition assistance; in 2025, that number grew to $78,000 - and the need continues to rise.
“When you support Back to Earth,” says Ezri, “you’re not just giving a kid a week in the woods. You’re giving them a foundation for life - resilience, purpose, community. You’re planting seeds that will grow for years.”
He grins, thinking of all the youth who’ve come through the program since his first trip nine years ago. “It’s happening,” he says. “It’s bettering humanity. And I’m honored to be part of it.”
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