Geneva is a really interesting city, and actually quite small. I came across these 2 small children who took every temper tantrum ive ever witnessed, times it by 100, and put it into these 2 kids. The dad (maybe) just stood there with his dog, clearly unsure how to handle the situation. Talk about birth control... Anyways, I made my way down to the path along the water called the Bains Des Paquis and found a really neat area where I could put my feet in le rhone river which was freezing, but refreshing. After a bit, i noticed some commotion on the other side of the river and decided to check out what the familiar music was coming from. When i got the i realized it was some sort of summer music festival and they were definitely singing songs like "highway to hell" and "I kissed a girl." don't they have any french pop songs? Either way it was a good time, but i definitely needed something to eat. I decided to make my way back towards the hostel with ambitions of getting a good nights rest after a full belly. I stopped into a boulangerie and had a wonderful apple tart and a mediocre cappuccino. When i got back to my room, my other roommate who I had not met yet was there. His name was Saad and he is from Egypt. After talking for a bit we decided to explore a bit of the city and ended up back at the festival. I ended up getting some real food, but learnt that the Swiss aren't the best at making veggie burgers. Some young girls next to us who asked for "money to get eats" ended up with half of a veggie burger and some frites. Though the shops were closed, we walked down this new York style street that had all kinds of name brand, fancy fashion stores and plenty of Mercedes, piracies, and rolls royces. With my stomach ailing again, we made our way back to the hostel and called it a night. The next day I had to get up early to head to the train station and figure out when i could catch a train to Grenoble. Things went smoothly and I was to take a train at 3 p.m. That left me with a good amount of time to explore more of the city. I headed towards the old town area and had my first croissant which was amazing! I washed down the flaky, buttery goodness with an apple juice box then adventured around some streets with the intention of getting lost and finding some cool sites... Which i definitely succeeded at! My first was the Musee d'art et d'histoire. The building was so beautiful and since it was on a hill, gave a spectacular view of the city and the jet d'eau, a 425 foot high fountain on the rivers edge. I mapped out a sort of route, but like most journeys, took a wrong turn somewhere along the way and ended up at the Cathedrale St-Pierre. I arrived from the side and entered to find a gorgeous interior. I saw the biggest organ and can only imagine how beautiful it must sound when it is being played. I decided to spend the 4 euros and climb up the north and south towers to get a view of the city of Geneva. I am sure glad i did. At the top, despite my panic of a very narrow and steep staircase up, it was well worth the view. I could see the entire city, 360 degrees! Though still, cloudy, I learned that one of the mountains you could see was actually the french border, which i thought was really neat. After admiring it for awhile, i made my way down and continued my walk. I got my first glimpse of the outdoor cafe at the Place du Bourgeois-de-Four, saw some impressive murals which served a backdrop to Les Canons, and walked along the Promenade de la Treille. As i came down the hill of the promenade, i came to a busy rotary which circles around a statue of General Dufour and several very impressive sights. Though the buildings of the Conservatoire de Musique, Grand Theatre, and Musee Rath were elaborate, they could not beat the appeal of the gates to Les Bastions where the Bibliotheque de Geneve and Mur Des Reformateurs are located. As i walked in, I was in awe of the trees, flowers, green, and, best of all, ginormous chess and checkers sets! It was just like you see on the movies of old men strategizing their next move in the middle of the street. I only wished dad could have been with me to play a game as its his favorite and he is a collector of sets too... Sorry dad, i don't think they could have fit in under the plane. With my back crying to sit down because of my overstuffed hiking bag, i decided to get my first crepe avec nutella and find a nice tree to sit under. I did so and gosh was it delightful! As I was eating with my rather cool wooden fork, a dog started to make his way over to me and tried to eat my crepe! Ready to attack to protect my delicious crepe in the most selfish way I could think of, the owner promptly came over and apologized. I savored every last bite and then took a walk around the park before i figured i had enough time to make it to the united nations building before i had to catch my train. Along the way i picked up some gruyere for the train ride as well as some Swiss chocolates. And then the fun began...
As the time passed, my mind began to wonder why exactly i wasn't where i wanted to be. I got to a road that just gave me the eery feeling i made a wrong turn and was not remotely close to where I wanted to be... And i was so right! I was on the complete opposite end of town that i wanted to be at and now was cutting it clods to making my train. Yet despite all this, i couldnt help but admire the path i would soon be nearly running on to make it to gare cornavin (the train station). It was set all along the Rhone river and i only wish I could have enjoyed it some more. There was some really impressive graffiti along the walls... Which unfortunately taints much of the city, even beautiful monuments like Monument Brunswick. Somehow, i made my train just in time and i couldnt wait to take off my bag and relax for a little bit. I got on the train, had some gruyere (which was so amazing) with my British rye crackers and took in the scenery of the swiss and french countryside as i rode towards Grenoble. It would soon turn out the last feelings of contentment for the next several hours.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Rest of London and beginning of Switzerland!
Well, today I woke up feeling much better. I managed to get to sleep sometime after midnight due to my excessive sleeping and what sounded like a rave coming from the bar downstairs. Either way, I got up around 8 so I could do some sightseeing around Greenwich and try to get over to abbey road. I decided to skip the free breakfast at the hostel due to my last experience and stopped in at this adorable little place called the Green Cafe. After reviewing the menu, I realized there's an 'in' and 'out' price difference -- and surprisingly, the in is like a pound more! Regardless, I got my chai latte for 'out' and grabbed a blueberry muffin for later on. The chai wasn't exactly my favorite but I enjoyed it either way. The weather was still overcast and mildly drizzling. I walked over to greenwich park and along the way you could see the construction they are completing in preparation for the olympics next year. They were getting the equestrian area ready and some other stuff that I just can't remember. Anyways, I walked up to the observatory where Jeff, the anthropologist I met on the flight to London, suggested i visit as it gives an extraordinary view of the city. He was definitely right on. Even though the clouds hovered over the city, the view couldn't be matched. It was simply incredible. Unfortunately the actual observatory wasn't open so I couldn't explore the planetarium or other attractions. Rather, I walked around to the flower garden which was so beautiful. So many flower arrangments and of course, my favorite, sunflowers. The sunflowers were quite funny, I'm not sure how but it seemed as though they made smiley faces in the center. After my walk, I packed my things up and left the hostel in hopes of making it over to abbey road before i flew out to Geneva. Unfortunately time, i thought, wasn't on my side so I decided to save my beatles dream of crossing abbey road, my favorite album by the way (side 2 on vinyl of course) and go to heathrow.
Fact: the lady that announces the stops on the tube should be recruited for the T. She makes me want to ride the tube all day just to listen how politely she announces, "cannon street station, please mind the gap between the train and the platform."
Also, a random london side note... I happened to pick up the metro newspaper and read some of it while riding to wherever i was goin at the time... Fantastic! Again, american newspapers should start writing as bluntly as the british. Entertaining for sure.
Okay, focus: Needless to say i arrived at the airport with plenty of time and waited around for awhile. Apparently the europeans got it down right and i zoomed through security... And got to keep on my shoes! Which, side note, when i left logan, the british lady in front of me was complaining about how us americans are absrud with our security measures and how logan is by far the worst airport to fly out of... I dont necessary disagree with her... Back to the story, though! So the last time I was at heathrow, besides a few days ago, was when I was 14. I traveled with my soccer team to spain and Denmark and heathrow was our connecting points. I really don't recall it being much of anything compared to Logan. Well, either I forgot or they expanded because it's huge! It's like a mall inside with harrods, every type of classy name brand label store, and tons of duty free shops. I thought I was at the mall of America or something! It's a good thing I made my transition from rural America to Boston before heathrow because i surely would have had an anxiety attack due to the mobs of people! I'm just not used to the crowds anymore, what can i say...
So my flight to Switzerland was actually really quite interesting. Now, some of you may know that I've only recently grown into somewhat enjoying flying, aka not having a panic attack every time i feel turbulence or hear the bells go off. Which, by the way, a pilot i sat next to on some flight back from Providence to Spokane, told me that 4 bells usually means an emergency. Well, that mustn't be universal because I definitely heard the 4 bells go off on my flight over and I was ready to grab my lifejacket but apparently it wasn't necessary. Distractions, apologies. There's a point to my rambling. you see when I got on the plane we were late to take off because the captain told us there was something wrong with the computers for the wings that help the plane land and they were doing a bunch of tests. That made me freak a bit, because I'm just good at that sort of thing but the thought of crash landing also wasn't one my to do list for this trip. luckily, the man next to me (who unfortunately I didn't get his name) started to inquire about my large bag and if i was backpacking through Europe. We talked about my journey and he gave me some great tips of things to see in geneva. Ironically, he's quite the sailor and spent 2 years in new zealand sailing with the switzerland team in the Americas cup. He also has sailed in newport, rhode island! Along with a laundry list of other places all over the world. He was just returning from a trip around the uk with his family and had the most unique carry on item: a lamp that you would see in some historical downtown area. Quite interesting. He had offered to give me a lift to the hostel but we lost each other after customs so I didn't ride with a stranger in a different country (don't worry, mom).
So i walk about of baggage claim and then that emotional rush overtook me: I was really alone in a foreign country and my years of French were long gone. I've felt this way before... And that was when i moved to pomeroy. Feeling lost and wondering, "can i really do this?" I had to get over my stubborn ways and ask for help. Trying to adjust to the whole language barrier and not be an arrogant American because I just wanted everyone to speak english and things be simple to understand, I found my way to what I hoped was the right train that i hoped would take me to the right place. Fortunately, geneva is pretty small. With some tears running down my face and frustration building for going at this journey alone, I soon learned that I was in first, not second, class but luckily I was only told to go to second class the next time. I got off where I assumed i was supposed to be and uttered a few curse words to myself as i thought, "so now what." I got out the map I was given at the airport and oriented myself. I only went the wrong way a few times before i landed at the city hostel geneva! What an awesome recommendation from one of my friends who shares the same name, kate sitarz: this hostel was so clean, so friendly, so wonderful! And just what I needed... Especially after my last hour and last hostel experience. I met 2 of my roommates, victoria who lives in england but is from Austin, Texas and Ti from china who also lives in London. They were really nice girls and Victoria gave me some tips for traveling in Italy. This ended up being my only meeting with them as i went out to explore and we didn't cross paths again.
Will post more on my geneva and Paris adventures at my next stop :)
Fact: the lady that announces the stops on the tube should be recruited for the T. She makes me want to ride the tube all day just to listen how politely she announces, "cannon street station, please mind the gap between the train and the platform."
Also, a random london side note... I happened to pick up the metro newspaper and read some of it while riding to wherever i was goin at the time... Fantastic! Again, american newspapers should start writing as bluntly as the british. Entertaining for sure.
Okay, focus: Needless to say i arrived at the airport with plenty of time and waited around for awhile. Apparently the europeans got it down right and i zoomed through security... And got to keep on my shoes! Which, side note, when i left logan, the british lady in front of me was complaining about how us americans are absrud with our security measures and how logan is by far the worst airport to fly out of... I dont necessary disagree with her... Back to the story, though! So the last time I was at heathrow, besides a few days ago, was when I was 14. I traveled with my soccer team to spain and Denmark and heathrow was our connecting points. I really don't recall it being much of anything compared to Logan. Well, either I forgot or they expanded because it's huge! It's like a mall inside with harrods, every type of classy name brand label store, and tons of duty free shops. I thought I was at the mall of America or something! It's a good thing I made my transition from rural America to Boston before heathrow because i surely would have had an anxiety attack due to the mobs of people! I'm just not used to the crowds anymore, what can i say...
So my flight to Switzerland was actually really quite interesting. Now, some of you may know that I've only recently grown into somewhat enjoying flying, aka not having a panic attack every time i feel turbulence or hear the bells go off. Which, by the way, a pilot i sat next to on some flight back from Providence to Spokane, told me that 4 bells usually means an emergency. Well, that mustn't be universal because I definitely heard the 4 bells go off on my flight over and I was ready to grab my lifejacket but apparently it wasn't necessary. Distractions, apologies. There's a point to my rambling. you see when I got on the plane we were late to take off because the captain told us there was something wrong with the computers for the wings that help the plane land and they were doing a bunch of tests. That made me freak a bit, because I'm just good at that sort of thing but the thought of crash landing also wasn't one my to do list for this trip. luckily, the man next to me (who unfortunately I didn't get his name) started to inquire about my large bag and if i was backpacking through Europe. We talked about my journey and he gave me some great tips of things to see in geneva. Ironically, he's quite the sailor and spent 2 years in new zealand sailing with the switzerland team in the Americas cup. He also has sailed in newport, rhode island! Along with a laundry list of other places all over the world. He was just returning from a trip around the uk with his family and had the most unique carry on item: a lamp that you would see in some historical downtown area. Quite interesting. He had offered to give me a lift to the hostel but we lost each other after customs so I didn't ride with a stranger in a different country (don't worry, mom).
So i walk about of baggage claim and then that emotional rush overtook me: I was really alone in a foreign country and my years of French were long gone. I've felt this way before... And that was when i moved to pomeroy. Feeling lost and wondering, "can i really do this?" I had to get over my stubborn ways and ask for help. Trying to adjust to the whole language barrier and not be an arrogant American because I just wanted everyone to speak english and things be simple to understand, I found my way to what I hoped was the right train that i hoped would take me to the right place. Fortunately, geneva is pretty small. With some tears running down my face and frustration building for going at this journey alone, I soon learned that I was in first, not second, class but luckily I was only told to go to second class the next time. I got off where I assumed i was supposed to be and uttered a few curse words to myself as i thought, "so now what." I got out the map I was given at the airport and oriented myself. I only went the wrong way a few times before i landed at the city hostel geneva! What an awesome recommendation from one of my friends who shares the same name, kate sitarz: this hostel was so clean, so friendly, so wonderful! And just what I needed... Especially after my last hour and last hostel experience. I met 2 of my roommates, victoria who lives in england but is from Austin, Texas and Ti from china who also lives in London. They were really nice girls and Victoria gave me some tips for traveling in Italy. This ended up being my only meeting with them as i went out to explore and we didn't cross paths again.
Will post more on my geneva and Paris adventures at my next stop :)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
London!
So despite my lack of blogging, I will, at a later date will fill you in on life out west. For now, here's some updates on my latest big adventure: a 3 week trek through Europe! Enjoy!
My first stop brought me from Boston to London and the flight here FLEW (pun intended) by! I took a red eye, which I'm learning may or may not have been a bad idea, so I arrived here at 7:30 am. I got the pseudo upgrade to first class and got to sit in the exit row -- cheers for more leg room and empty seat between me and the other passenger, jeff the archeologist from Texas! Jeff proved to be an entertaining individual giving me a rather interesting interpretation of the movie inception which played on the planes tv screens and we didn't have headphones in. He also gave me some great tips on places to visit in the city. Anyways, I got off the planes, waited in a rather long line to get through the U.K. Border and then made my way to the tube aka the underground aka the best transit I've traveled on! Luckily I've had some training (another intended pun) with the T in Boston which made understanding the map a lot less intimidating. Since it was early and i couldn't check into my hostel, I decided to walk around for a bit near London bridge. As I made my way around a street corner I felt something suddenly smack my head. I thought "what the hell is wrong with people here? They just smack you?" then I noticed the pigeon that clearly was the culprit who smacked me with it's wing. I chuckled to myself and continued walking and amazing walked over London bridge without even realizing it because it's frankly extremely unimpressive compared to the tower bridge that's within sight down the Thames river. Its just concrete and, well, concrete. The tower bridge on the other hand is gorgeous! It has amazing colors of blue and gold and just really attractive. I walked down and found a nice bench to get some shut eye. Then, as I was journaling, an Asian family came up to me and asked to have my picture taken with their two young boys. Awkward moment number 2... But soon to not be the first time I would be mistaken for an English gal. Which really isn't a bad thing. Afterwards, I decided it time to find the hostel which is in Greenwich. Before i did, though, I did my first teeth brushing in the train station bathroom and freshened up a bit. The hostel I'm staying at is pretty nice... As far as hostels go you could say. Good thing I'm still fresh from college and can handle the bunk beds, shared bathrooms, and close quarters. It's an older building that is being renovated it seems and has extremely squeaky floors! After taking a nap I ended up going down to Camden market wharf to find some food. It kind of reminded me of the piers down in San Francisco in a weird sort of way... Tourist shops and random things on the road. I went off a suggestions from a friend who just studied in london and ate an Indian restaurant in the market area. For 3 pounds, it wasn't so bad except it had been raining and I kept getting splashes in my curry... Totally unsanitary! I walked around for a bit more then made my way up to hampstead station and went down all 320 steps to get to the underground and went home. Too tired to even walked, i couldnt even grab a pint before my eyes were telling me its bed time. I slept a lot and in the morning woke with a headache and uneasy stomach. I made my way down to the free breakfast, made some toast, and when I took the overground to London bridge station, i just made it to the toilet. I knew I shouldn't have been so stubborn and just went back to the hostel but I was, and thought I could fight my stomach. I walked down to a bench near tower bridge and laid down for a bit. I got up and felt so weak i wasnt sure id make it back to the train to get back to the hostel... But i somehow managed. I got back and took a very long nap. I woke up still uneasy, but thought it best to get some fresh air and walked around Greenwich. It's a really neat part of town with the royal naval academy and trinity college. The town center was awesome and the marketplace too... Although by the time i got there the vendors were packing up. I found a Mexican restaurant called cafe sol which actually had great nachos... But they didn't exactly stay in my system too long before an alleyway got enjoy it's acidic aftermath. At this point, I found a grocery store, bought some crackers and powerade and went back to the hostel. During dinner I managed to take some excedrin and apparently it kicked in after i showered and washed my puke-ridden clothes in the sink. Feeling like a new woman, i organized myself and decided to go out. So now, i write from this really neat pub down the street from the hostel called scream. I got my first pint and fish and chips and so far so good! Theres a group celebrating a birthday behind me and they are rather entertaining to listen to... The birthday girl just called her mom, saying "thank you for giving birth to me." awesome! Anyways, the rain has been coming down since yesterday and I'm heading out tomorrow to fly to Geneva, Switzerland. I'm glad that I'll be back here at the end of my journey so i can explore some more of the sights. Despite feeling rather sick, my spirits are high and im happy to be here! Although it's still kind of weird that I'm in London and I constantly have to remind myself, I just feel really comfortable here... It's a neat city! But for now, cheers! Will write more at my next stop!
My first stop brought me from Boston to London and the flight here FLEW (pun intended) by! I took a red eye, which I'm learning may or may not have been a bad idea, so I arrived here at 7:30 am. I got the pseudo upgrade to first class and got to sit in the exit row -- cheers for more leg room and empty seat between me and the other passenger, jeff the archeologist from Texas! Jeff proved to be an entertaining individual giving me a rather interesting interpretation of the movie inception which played on the planes tv screens and we didn't have headphones in. He also gave me some great tips on places to visit in the city. Anyways, I got off the planes, waited in a rather long line to get through the U.K. Border and then made my way to the tube aka the underground aka the best transit I've traveled on! Luckily I've had some training (another intended pun) with the T in Boston which made understanding the map a lot less intimidating. Since it was early and i couldn't check into my hostel, I decided to walk around for a bit near London bridge. As I made my way around a street corner I felt something suddenly smack my head. I thought "what the hell is wrong with people here? They just smack you?" then I noticed the pigeon that clearly was the culprit who smacked me with it's wing. I chuckled to myself and continued walking and amazing walked over London bridge without even realizing it because it's frankly extremely unimpressive compared to the tower bridge that's within sight down the Thames river. Its just concrete and, well, concrete. The tower bridge on the other hand is gorgeous! It has amazing colors of blue and gold and just really attractive. I walked down and found a nice bench to get some shut eye. Then, as I was journaling, an Asian family came up to me and asked to have my picture taken with their two young boys. Awkward moment number 2... But soon to not be the first time I would be mistaken for an English gal. Which really isn't a bad thing. Afterwards, I decided it time to find the hostel which is in Greenwich. Before i did, though, I did my first teeth brushing in the train station bathroom and freshened up a bit. The hostel I'm staying at is pretty nice... As far as hostels go you could say. Good thing I'm still fresh from college and can handle the bunk beds, shared bathrooms, and close quarters. It's an older building that is being renovated it seems and has extremely squeaky floors! After taking a nap I ended up going down to Camden market wharf to find some food. It kind of reminded me of the piers down in San Francisco in a weird sort of way... Tourist shops and random things on the road. I went off a suggestions from a friend who just studied in london and ate an Indian restaurant in the market area. For 3 pounds, it wasn't so bad except it had been raining and I kept getting splashes in my curry... Totally unsanitary! I walked around for a bit more then made my way up to hampstead station and went down all 320 steps to get to the underground and went home. Too tired to even walked, i couldnt even grab a pint before my eyes were telling me its bed time. I slept a lot and in the morning woke with a headache and uneasy stomach. I made my way down to the free breakfast, made some toast, and when I took the overground to London bridge station, i just made it to the toilet. I knew I shouldn't have been so stubborn and just went back to the hostel but I was, and thought I could fight my stomach. I walked down to a bench near tower bridge and laid down for a bit. I got up and felt so weak i wasnt sure id make it back to the train to get back to the hostel... But i somehow managed. I got back and took a very long nap. I woke up still uneasy, but thought it best to get some fresh air and walked around Greenwich. It's a really neat part of town with the royal naval academy and trinity college. The town center was awesome and the marketplace too... Although by the time i got there the vendors were packing up. I found a Mexican restaurant called cafe sol which actually had great nachos... But they didn't exactly stay in my system too long before an alleyway got enjoy it's acidic aftermath. At this point, I found a grocery store, bought some crackers and powerade and went back to the hostel. During dinner I managed to take some excedrin and apparently it kicked in after i showered and washed my puke-ridden clothes in the sink. Feeling like a new woman, i organized myself and decided to go out. So now, i write from this really neat pub down the street from the hostel called scream. I got my first pint and fish and chips and so far so good! Theres a group celebrating a birthday behind me and they are rather entertaining to listen to... The birthday girl just called her mom, saying "thank you for giving birth to me." awesome! Anyways, the rain has been coming down since yesterday and I'm heading out tomorrow to fly to Geneva, Switzerland. I'm glad that I'll be back here at the end of my journey so i can explore some more of the sights. Despite feeling rather sick, my spirits are high and im happy to be here! Although it's still kind of weird that I'm in London and I constantly have to remind myself, I just feel really comfortable here... It's a neat city! But for now, cheers! Will write more at my next stop!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
I've put my big girl panties on....
Well my last post shed light on the quarrel's I tackle every so often in Pomeroy. However, there have been a few items I neglected to mention that fall under a different category. So let me fill you in...
For the fourth time in about seven months I moved. Hopefully this will last for a little bit. What prompted the 'moo-ve' from farm land? First, the rural living experience certainly opened my eyes to what its like to be literally 30 miles from civilization, and I'm glad I have that under my belt. However, as a 22-year old fresh out of college -- there's only so much I can handle. Second, the time felt right. Living with a host family has its benefits and I'm certainly grateful for everything the Barnes have done for me. But I traveled 3,000 miles on a quest for independence and I've taken gradual steps towards fully attaining it. So I decided I needed to take the next step and that meant getting my own space. About a month ago I found a great little apartment in Lewiston and moved in. If you've been following my stories, the weekend before my brother and Dad came out to visit is when I loaded up Edward (my fearless Volvo) again with all my belonging. Seems that in the six months since I've arrived, I accumulated a bit more than what I arrived with. Ski's, snowshoes, and books added to the collection, but they all managed to fit. And although I didn't come prepared with apartment necessities, I merely had to say "I moved into my own apartment." I'm lucky to have met some incredible people who just so happened to have an extra this or that and my space is now furnished.
Next, I made life decisions. Roughly a month ago, I had quite the quandary (reason #3 for the move). The question arose as to whether I'd consider staying another year in Pomeroy as their AmeriCorps member. Panic! I anticipated dealing with reality in few months, not now. So, my mind sprinted in about 6 directions. Do I want to stay? Should I get a 'real' job? What about the city? Can I handle it here any longer? And so on... Well, about a week or so ago, I finally made up my mind. Pomeroy is a special place. Despite it's remoteness, the people I've met, worked with, and now consider my family have left such an impression on me. Also, I've committed so much time to the Health Home project and we're finally at the transition point. I can't walk away. So, unofficially, I plan on committing another year to AmeriCorps with GCHD.
Lastly, the fun part. Since I'll have some time in between my terms of service I decided to take advantage of it. I recently booked a 3-week trip to Europe to visit one of my college roommates, Anna. I almost can't contain my excitement because my dream will finally come true. We'll be going to Paris when the riders come through the Champs d'Elysee during le Tour de France!! Gah! I hope no one has to tell me, "European* all over the place" (*you're a peein')... that might get embarrassing.
Well, those are the big news headlines in the world of KFo. Enjoy.
For the fourth time in about seven months I moved. Hopefully this will last for a little bit. What prompted the 'moo-ve' from farm land? First, the rural living experience certainly opened my eyes to what its like to be literally 30 miles from civilization, and I'm glad I have that under my belt. However, as a 22-year old fresh out of college -- there's only so much I can handle. Second, the time felt right. Living with a host family has its benefits and I'm certainly grateful for everything the Barnes have done for me. But I traveled 3,000 miles on a quest for independence and I've taken gradual steps towards fully attaining it. So I decided I needed to take the next step and that meant getting my own space. About a month ago I found a great little apartment in Lewiston and moved in. If you've been following my stories, the weekend before my brother and Dad came out to visit is when I loaded up Edward (my fearless Volvo) again with all my belonging. Seems that in the six months since I've arrived, I accumulated a bit more than what I arrived with. Ski's, snowshoes, and books added to the collection, but they all managed to fit. And although I didn't come prepared with apartment necessities, I merely had to say "I moved into my own apartment." I'm lucky to have met some incredible people who just so happened to have an extra this or that and my space is now furnished.
Next, I made life decisions. Roughly a month ago, I had quite the quandary (reason #3 for the move). The question arose as to whether I'd consider staying another year in Pomeroy as their AmeriCorps member. Panic! I anticipated dealing with reality in few months, not now. So, my mind sprinted in about 6 directions. Do I want to stay? Should I get a 'real' job? What about the city? Can I handle it here any longer? And so on... Well, about a week or so ago, I finally made up my mind. Pomeroy is a special place. Despite it's remoteness, the people I've met, worked with, and now consider my family have left such an impression on me. Also, I've committed so much time to the Health Home project and we're finally at the transition point. I can't walk away. So, unofficially, I plan on committing another year to AmeriCorps with GCHD.
Lastly, the fun part. Since I'll have some time in between my terms of service I decided to take advantage of it. I recently booked a 3-week trip to Europe to visit one of my college roommates, Anna. I almost can't contain my excitement because my dream will finally come true. We'll be going to Paris when the riders come through the Champs d'Elysee during le Tour de France!! Gah! I hope no one has to tell me, "European* all over the place" (*you're a peein')... that might get embarrassing.
Well, those are the big news headlines in the world of KFo. Enjoy.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
A day in the life of a vegetarian, tree-hugging, hippie.
Friday morning, my alarm clock 'alarmed' me after I apparently reached my snooze quota, causing my alarm to shut off as my eyes also remained shut. Miraculously, or maybe anticipating the next alarm and preparing another slap to the snooze button, I awoke only to notice the time. As quickly as the night seemed to pass, my heavy eyes found their focus and I frantically raced out of bed, did my morning rituals and headed for work. All in 15 minutes time. Thinking back, I idiotically ignored the message my alarm clock attempted to deliver -- just stay in bed! You see, the following events of my Friday morning simply reflect the realities of my eco-anxiety (it's true, read about it here: Eco-Anxiety) and what its like to be a vegetarian, slightly to the left east-coaster in Pomeroy. Enjoy my perils.
* * *
Back in September when I first arrived at the clinic, my co-workers immediately initiated me into their weekly ritual of "drink Friday" (the stimulant kind, not the depressant). As you can imagine, it took some serious arm-twisting. An excuse to have a weekly chai from Meyers? Tough decisions... Anyways, considering the already eventfulness of my morning, I desperately needed my aromatic, soothing cup of cleverly blended steamed soy milk and spicy goodness. So as I patiently waited for my drink to place itself into my hands, Paula (one of the nurses) stops by my desk.
"So whatcha drinking today?" she asks.
"A soy chai, of course!" I proudly reply.
"Ohh, that's that hippie drink right?" she seriously questions. I can't help but laugh. I think to myself, "it's going to be one of those days." And I couldn't have been more right on. As Susie crossed the threshold into our back office, before I could repeatedly say "Thank you!" a dozen times, she tells me I have a message. Curious, I inquire, "Oh?" She merely smirks as she hands me my chai, and my eyes are drawn to the graffiti on the lid of my cup.
I chuckle. Only in Pomeroy. Immediately two faces come to mind when I ponder who scribed this message. And merely a few minutes later, the culprit walks through the door and asks, "So did you get the message on your coffee?" I reply, "Yeah, Josh, thanks for the note."
* * *
Probably at the same time the soy milk for my chai was being steamed, I found myself also getting steamed. But not in the scolding, burning sense. More so on 'the rage' (as my EC community service superstar friend, Steph, would say) scale. Let me preface the next event by telling you about the white, Lloyd Center Clambake reusable bag that has sat under my desk since the first day I settled into my office space. It's purpose you ask? To collect recycling, of course. First off, one would think Washington, of all places, would be all gung-ho about recycling, right? Well, the west side, aka Seattle, takes recycling to all kinds of intense levels. The east side? Yeah, not so much. I witness plastic bottles get alley hooped into the trash like they belong there. Side note: the alley hooping usually only happens when I'm around. It's sort of a way to kind of ignite more of 'the rage' or simply for entertainment as they anticipate my reaction, which usually goes sort of like this. "Did you seriously just throw that away?" I say with a 'uh, hello' facial expression. Followed by my hand reaching into the trash, grab the bottle (or whatever it may be), and carry it with me until I can place it safely in the Lloyd Center bag. Honestly, most have caught on to my quirks and began adopting my ways, well, usually only when I'm in their presence. Susie and Lisa most always defer their recyclable materials to me. But then there's Jeff, who finds pleasure in poking fun at my "eco-terrorist" ways. Oh, and Andrew who had the audacity to throw away the 50 or so paper-planes created in a module right in front of me. But don't worry, the second Andrew released his hand causing the planes to crash land in the trash, I spoke up, without thought, "Are you serious, Andrew?!" I caught him in plane (HA) sight. I then spent the remainder of the module unfolding each of the planes and still use them for scrap paper. He still makes paper planes and throws them away after each module. One day...
Gosh, I'm getting off topic. It's all relevant, though. Right? So, Recycling. Yes. You see on Thursday I peered under my desk to notice my overflowing sack of sundry papers and bottles. I thought to myself, "I should probably take care of that." Needless to say 5 o'clock came around and I left, forgetting to take my nifty recycling bag, but knowing it would be there in the morning... or so I thought. Because for the past six months I've been at the clinic, no one has ever touched my recycling bag... even when it surpasses its capacity, overflowing into my leg space. So while my chai was being steamed (bringing it all together again), the cause of my steaming rage came because I looked under my desk only to find my bag... empty! Now there's only one other person in our office who properly disposes of recycling, and thats Suzanne. She's actually the one who will notice my overflowing bag and ask if I'd like her to take care of it. However, she left before me the day before. When she came in on Friday, I got straight to the point, "Good morning, Suzanne. Did you take my recycling by any chance?" She replied no and told me she noticed it needed to be taken care of, but didn't touch it. My thinking wheels began to creak as they turned, I felt myself getting warmer. Susie noticed my distress, "What's the matter?" But before I could answer her question, I answered my own question of "what happened to my recycling?" I raced out the door to the trash bin outside. I opened the lid and under a bag of actual trash, there lay all the papers, cardboard, and bottles I so diligently saved. Susie, right behind me, uttered, "Uh oh. Why would they do that?" I didn't understand. As my own way of protesting, I went inside and grabbed my Lloyd Center bag and gloves. With the help of Susie, we salvaged all I could reach. I went up to the front desk to report my findings to Jeff, and with no surprise, didn't get too much sympathy. Rather, he told me I probably create a bigger carbon footprint by driving to the recycling bins. Tough crowd... At the end of this whole ordeal, the recycling finally made it to their proper disposal area thanks to Suzanne.
* * *
And lastly, the vegetarian issue. Well, this month marked my one year of being a vegetarian, or pescetarian if you want to get specific (being a New England native, I can't resist fish... well, when I'm there that is). Naturally coming to a place where hunting takes precedence over just about everything, the whole "I don't eat meat" thing usually takes awhile for people to understand. The conversation typically goes something like this,
Them: "So you don't eat meat?"
Me: "Nope."
Them: "Not even beef?"
Me: "Nope, thats meat."
Them: "You eat chicken, though?"
Me: "Uh, no. Thats also meat."
Them: "How about elk?"
Me: "Could you just pass the salad, please?"
Now that most people I know understand that being a vegetarian means not eating beef, chicken, elk, quail, etc., they accept it. Well, thats unless you're like Josh who came into the office Friday afternoon with some buffalo chicken wings. Not only did the stench fill the office, but he made it a point to ask me which way I thought the leg used to be attached to the chicken. He made it clear that he enjoyed every bit of it by saying every few minutes, "Oh, this is so good. Are you sure you don't want some?"
And that concluded my day. Needless to say, I was ready to go home and make a nice vegetarian meal.
* * *
Back in September when I first arrived at the clinic, my co-workers immediately initiated me into their weekly ritual of "drink Friday" (the stimulant kind, not the depressant). As you can imagine, it took some serious arm-twisting. An excuse to have a weekly chai from Meyers? Tough decisions... Anyways, considering the already eventfulness of my morning, I desperately needed my aromatic, soothing cup of cleverly blended steamed soy milk and spicy goodness. So as I patiently waited for my drink to place itself into my hands, Paula (one of the nurses) stops by my desk.
"So whatcha drinking today?" she asks.
"A soy chai, of course!" I proudly reply.
"Ohh, that's that hippie drink right?" she seriously questions. I can't help but laugh. I think to myself, "it's going to be one of those days." And I couldn't have been more right on. As Susie crossed the threshold into our back office, before I could repeatedly say "Thank you!" a dozen times, she tells me I have a message. Curious, I inquire, "Oh?" She merely smirks as she hands me my chai, and my eyes are drawn to the graffiti on the lid of my cup.
I chuckle. Only in Pomeroy. Immediately two faces come to mind when I ponder who scribed this message. And merely a few minutes later, the culprit walks through the door and asks, "So did you get the message on your coffee?" I reply, "Yeah, Josh, thanks for the note."
* * *
Probably at the same time the soy milk for my chai was being steamed, I found myself also getting steamed. But not in the scolding, burning sense. More so on 'the rage' (as my EC community service superstar friend, Steph, would say) scale. Let me preface the next event by telling you about the white, Lloyd Center Clambake reusable bag that has sat under my desk since the first day I settled into my office space. It's purpose you ask? To collect recycling, of course. First off, one would think Washington, of all places, would be all gung-ho about recycling, right? Well, the west side, aka Seattle, takes recycling to all kinds of intense levels. The east side? Yeah, not so much. I witness plastic bottles get alley hooped into the trash like they belong there. Side note: the alley hooping usually only happens when I'm around. It's sort of a way to kind of ignite more of 'the rage' or simply for entertainment as they anticipate my reaction, which usually goes sort of like this. "Did you seriously just throw that away?" I say with a 'uh, hello' facial expression. Followed by my hand reaching into the trash, grab the bottle (or whatever it may be), and carry it with me until I can place it safely in the Lloyd Center bag. Honestly, most have caught on to my quirks and began adopting my ways, well, usually only when I'm in their presence. Susie and Lisa most always defer their recyclable materials to me. But then there's Jeff, who finds pleasure in poking fun at my "eco-terrorist" ways. Oh, and Andrew who had the audacity to throw away the 50 or so paper-planes created in a module right in front of me. But don't worry, the second Andrew released his hand causing the planes to crash land in the trash, I spoke up, without thought, "Are you serious, Andrew?!" I caught him in plane (HA) sight. I then spent the remainder of the module unfolding each of the planes and still use them for scrap paper. He still makes paper planes and throws them away after each module. One day...
Gosh, I'm getting off topic. It's all relevant, though. Right? So, Recycling. Yes. You see on Thursday I peered under my desk to notice my overflowing sack of sundry papers and bottles. I thought to myself, "I should probably take care of that." Needless to say 5 o'clock came around and I left, forgetting to take my nifty recycling bag, but knowing it would be there in the morning... or so I thought. Because for the past six months I've been at the clinic, no one has ever touched my recycling bag... even when it surpasses its capacity, overflowing into my leg space. So while my chai was being steamed (bringing it all together again), the cause of my steaming rage came because I looked under my desk only to find my bag... empty! Now there's only one other person in our office who properly disposes of recycling, and thats Suzanne. She's actually the one who will notice my overflowing bag and ask if I'd like her to take care of it. However, she left before me the day before. When she came in on Friday, I got straight to the point, "Good morning, Suzanne. Did you take my recycling by any chance?" She replied no and told me she noticed it needed to be taken care of, but didn't touch it. My thinking wheels began to creak as they turned, I felt myself getting warmer. Susie noticed my distress, "What's the matter?" But before I could answer her question, I answered my own question of "what happened to my recycling?" I raced out the door to the trash bin outside. I opened the lid and under a bag of actual trash, there lay all the papers, cardboard, and bottles I so diligently saved. Susie, right behind me, uttered, "Uh oh. Why would they do that?" I didn't understand. As my own way of protesting, I went inside and grabbed my Lloyd Center bag and gloves. With the help of Susie, we salvaged all I could reach. I went up to the front desk to report my findings to Jeff, and with no surprise, didn't get too much sympathy. Rather, he told me I probably create a bigger carbon footprint by driving to the recycling bins. Tough crowd... At the end of this whole ordeal, the recycling finally made it to their proper disposal area thanks to Suzanne.
* * *
And lastly, the vegetarian issue. Well, this month marked my one year of being a vegetarian, or pescetarian if you want to get specific (being a New England native, I can't resist fish... well, when I'm there that is). Naturally coming to a place where hunting takes precedence over just about everything, the whole "I don't eat meat" thing usually takes awhile for people to understand. The conversation typically goes something like this,
Them: "So you don't eat meat?"
Me: "Nope."
Them: "Not even beef?"
Me: "Nope, thats meat."
Them: "You eat chicken, though?"
Me: "Uh, no. Thats also meat."
Them: "How about elk?"
Me: "Could you just pass the salad, please?"
Now that most people I know understand that being a vegetarian means not eating beef, chicken, elk, quail, etc., they accept it. Well, thats unless you're like Josh who came into the office Friday afternoon with some buffalo chicken wings. Not only did the stench fill the office, but he made it a point to ask me which way I thought the leg used to be attached to the chicken. He made it clear that he enjoyed every bit of it by saying every few minutes, "Oh, this is so good. Are you sure you don't want some?"
And that concluded my day. Needless to say, I was ready to go home and make a nice vegetarian meal.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
We get things done for America.
Let me take you to my last semester at Endicott College:
A cold February evening, probably procrastinating working on my thesis, I found myself talking with one of my closest friends, Lindsey, on iChat. The context of our conversation centered on spring break. A few months prior Lindsey committed to going on the Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip to New Orleans. As we began talking, I expressed my excitement for her, and frankly, how I wish I applied. With no concrete plans for my last spring break, suddenly, an opportunity presented itself. Lindsey revealed that two individuals dropped out of the trip and if I got in touch with the trip advisors, I could potentially join. Two days later, I found myself sending letters to family and friends asking for donations in support of ASB. My first experience on ASB changed my perspective on volunteering, family, and faith, and I knew this trip would bring new revelations -- especially at a time when graduation loomed in the near future.
(Me and Lindsey)
A cold February evening, probably procrastinating working on my thesis, I found myself talking with one of my closest friends, Lindsey, on iChat. The context of our conversation centered on spring break. A few months prior Lindsey committed to going on the Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip to New Orleans. As we began talking, I expressed my excitement for her, and frankly, how I wish I applied. With no concrete plans for my last spring break, suddenly, an opportunity presented itself. Lindsey revealed that two individuals dropped out of the trip and if I got in touch with the trip advisors, I could potentially join. Two days later, I found myself sending letters to family and friends asking for donations in support of ASB. My first experience on ASB changed my perspective on volunteering, family, and faith, and I knew this trip would bring new revelations -- especially at a time when graduation loomed in the near future.
(Me and Lindsey)For nearly four years, I struggled with individuals who suggested new graduate nurses work two years on a medical-surgical floor. That's certainly not how I wanted to start off my nursing career, nor how I envisioned myself as a nurse. So when I expressed my interest in following a rather unconventional route, aka AmeriCorps, you can imagine the reaction. But by the time senior year rolled around, those who knew me well enough recognized I'd follow whatever path I felt fit me. Yet at the same time, I masked the inner debate I constantly had with myself of whether I focus on nursing or my passion for service. And when I stepped off the plane in New Orleans, despite my contentment, my mind raced over the thought of the future.
You see, I feel best when I volunteer and help others. That's mostly why I became a nurse. But as I progressed through nursing school, I realized the quintessential nursing role wasn't where I would find that fulfillment I envisioned. My concerns grew greater and I frequently thought, is this profession really what's right for me? By the time March and ASB rolled around, the subject of applying for jobs and preparing for the NCLEX came up in nearly every conversation with professors, peers, and family. So inevitably, the height of my anxiety regarding the future was at its climax while in New Orleans. Yet I never imagined that one volunteer trip and one woman could solidify my years of indecision into a clear, concise plan so quickly.
I'll admit, I'm not the troublemaker (shocking news, I know...). Predictably, I never had to encounter the Associate Dean of Students during my time at Endicott. Well, until I decided to go on ASB. Much to my delight, Brandi (the gal who possesses the previously mentioned, kind of seriously intense title), was just the 'trip leader turned mentor', I needed. In between painting, moving ladders, and scraping paint, we talked at great length about my 'life dilemma.' As an AmeriCorps alumna, she shared stories from her term of service at Citizens School and how positive AmeriCorps impacted her career. Before I knew it, I found myself back in Beverly and in Brandi's office, filling out applications for AmeriCorps positions across the country. Brandi encouraged me to follow my passion, so I did.
You see, I feel best when I volunteer and help others. That's mostly why I became a nurse. But as I progressed through nursing school, I realized the quintessential nursing role wasn't where I would find that fulfillment I envisioned. My concerns grew greater and I frequently thought, is this profession really what's right for me? By the time March and ASB rolled around, the subject of applying for jobs and preparing for the NCLEX came up in nearly every conversation with professors, peers, and family. So inevitably, the height of my anxiety regarding the future was at its climax while in New Orleans. Yet I never imagined that one volunteer trip and one woman could solidify my years of indecision into a clear, concise plan so quickly.
I'll admit, I'm not the troublemaker (shocking news, I know...). Predictably, I never had to encounter the Associate Dean of Students during my time at Endicott. Well, until I decided to go on ASB. Much to my delight, Brandi (the gal who possesses the previously mentioned, kind of seriously intense title), was just the 'trip leader turned mentor', I needed. In between painting, moving ladders, and scraping paint, we talked at great length about my 'life dilemma.' As an AmeriCorps alumna, she shared stories from her term of service at Citizens School and how positive AmeriCorps impacted her career. Before I knew it, I found myself back in Beverly and in Brandi's office, filling out applications for AmeriCorps positions across the country. Brandi encouraged me to follow my passion, so I did.
(Brandi and me) 
Now let me bring you to the present:
Seven months ago I received a phone call that completely changed the direction of my life. After months of applying myself to various AmeriCorps positions across the country, I finally heard the words, "We would like to offer you the position." At last my grandiose ideas of 'saving the world' were becoming more of a reality. Within 4 weeks I found myself in a town the size of my high school and a state I never visited before. However, in double the amount of time it took for Michele to call me from my interview to offering me the position (Roughly 18 hours, but who's counting?) I already knew I made the right decision. Immediately I began meeting with various hospital administrators and staff to find out how we were going to create a healthier community through the Health Home initiative. My role as the AmeriCorps Rural Health Promoter has shaped me into a stronger person and unique nurse and provided me with opportunity I never would have experienced as a med-surge nurse. Every day, the work we do impacts the patients of the Pomeroy Medical Clinic and I know this work will only grow greater. The impact myself and the 75,000 other AmeriCorps members across this nation have on communities as small as Pomeroy and large as NYC makes the United States a better place to live. We give children an opportunity to succeed in school, build homes for those devastated by natural disasters, and assist the unemployed with finding jobs... just to name a few. We give of our time with an unselfish and nonjudgmental attitude. We fulfill the ideals our country was founded on everyday by helping others. AmeriCorps works to making our country a better place to live for all. We focus on 'our backyard,' but realize how we can impact the world through our actions.
Why am I sharing this story with you?
On February 19th, congress proposed the complete elimination of the National Corporation for Community Service, the umbrella over which AmeriCorps falls under. AmeriCorps works. It changes the lives of not only those who members provide service to, but the individuals like myself who devote our time to serve others and live on less than minimum wage (about $5.00/hour... ish). Taking away AmeriCorps would effect our country in an extremely detrimental manner. We cannot allow dollar-driven politicians to cut AmeriCorps, the effect would devastate communities and individuals everywhere.
Do your part:
Stand for AmeriCorps. Sign the petition. Call your state representatives. Tell them that AmeriCorps works and we value volunteerism. Educate yourself. Stay alert to what's going on in Washington D.C.
Save AmeriCorps Petition
Save AmeriCorps Petition
As JFK said, "Don't ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." AmeriCorps members takes this concept to heart every single day. So, what will you do for your country?
Saturday, February 19, 2011
"Look, there's Walmart!" "Really Dad, we didn't see that HUGE sign"
A statement you've heard more than once throughout my blog posts, "life has been hectic." And the past few weeks have certainly been just that. After making a lot of changes and big decisions, this weekend provided an opportunity to get out of town and visit with family. Bringing back memories of our journey west, Jay and I reunited in my trusty Volvo, but this time we had an extra passenger -- Dad. Arriving on Wednesday, they experienced game night and Quelf, a rather unique game which can initiate anyone into a group of people by embarassment. My first time playing came a few weeks after I arrived in Pomeroy. In short, I had to sing a love song on one knee to Lisa. Anyways, Friday we left Pomeroy, but not without my Dad noticing how I've certainly settled into town and I no longer get those funny looks, nonverbally saying, "who's that girl?". He caught onto my hand waving to passerbys and our trip to get vegetable oil at Pomeroy Foods took longer than necessary due to stopping for conversation with a few familiar faces. Finally, though, we made it north to spend the weekend in Coeur d'Alene. We arrived yesterday, took care of some business in Spokane (oil change...) and on the way east towards CdA, stopped at the ginormous Cabela's, a compromise with my brother so I could stop at the Gap. Wow. As you enter the store, you're immediately overwhelmed, and greeted by the firearms check-in station -- only at Cabela's! For this gal, I've never been a place with so many taxidermed animals (if thats how you phrase it...) and guns. Walls and racks of guns. Aisles and aisles of shelves stocked with bullets caught me by surprise as I browsed around. On the other hand, Jay was in heaven. After what seemed like hours, we left and made the final trek to CdA and found a hotel. After checking-in, the three of our stomachs warned us we needed to eat or else. We found a restaurant called Crickets downtown which had live music. The band started off with James Taylor and we knew it was going to be good. For the first time, we all enjoyed a few beers, dinner, and talked for a hours. We called it a night and today spent the day snowshoeing at Schweister Mountain in Sandpoint. The views were spectacular. The snow covered mountains hugged the lakes and provided a backdrop worthy of admiration. Our trek didn't stray from dysfunctional, but at the end of the day we had a great time. As we walked to the car, we had a good laugh at a message someone scribed in the dirty back window of a Subaru, "I wish my girlfriend was this dirty." Slightly inappropriate, but you can't tell me a grin and chuckle snuck out. With Dad aching and the fresh air inducing a sleeping pill effect on our energy level, we ordered take-out from Greek Street and decided to call it an early night. Tomorrow brings a new day and more adventures, and hopefully, more updates on whats been going on in Pomeroy!
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