somewhere in between

So I'm sad to realize that I haven't posted anything since NOVEMBER 4 and it's now December 26. I knew that I was having an issue trying to find something I was interested in writing about, but almost two months is just insane. I fail as an inspiring journalist sometimes.

To recap the last couple of weeks: Obama won. I was a little nervous as I was watching the coverage but he came through in the end. It was pretty exciting to be able to watch my cousin, who's a graduate student at Columbia J-School, broadcast live from Virginia. Between her and my friend from Simmons who's there too, I wonder if I should have considered J-School as an option. But, I don't think I'm as passionate about journalism, especially broadcast, as they are. I think for right now, I made the right decision to not go directly into graduate school. Eventually, I'll get there, but for now, I can deal with where I am.

Otherwise, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Good or bad, I don't think it matters. But, it has definitely affected my sleeping habits, which are getting progressively worst. I got a total of 3 hours of sleep last night, finally falling asleep sometime after 5 am - to be fair, I wasn't out, I actually decided to go to bed at 11:30 since I felt 'tired' but then I just was laying in bed watching the clock move along while I couldn't fall asleep.

But, I do realize I have some great ideas during that time between 3 am and 5 am when I'm wide awake. I contradict myself every year when I claim that I am actually going to follow my resolutions, but this year, I'm going to make them realistic so I will actually follow them, and start to feel better about the person I've become.

Here are just a few that I've come up with and I will update with more as they come to me:
- Write more. It can be about anything. Once a week would be great, but once a month is required.
- Get into a gym schedule and follow it. No excuses. I need to be able to run a mini-marathon with mom next September for breast cancer. It affects too many of us not to.
- Be more spontanious. Book a trip to LA and actually go!
- Be a better friend. Stop hurting those around me. Listen more. Offer advice.
- Think before I act. Do not let the alcohol do the thinking for me.
- Show Ariel around Boston before she leaves for college. Maybe leave out all the places I drank when I was underage, but show her the T, and the other COF schools, and Starbucks. Remember how it felt to be a scared freshman living in the city.
- Make healthier food choices. Listen to mom. Go back to how I ate when I was cooking for myself.
- Take more pictures. Good ones, not just party ones. Slides, black and white, color. Doesn't matter. Enjoy it like I used to.
- Get more work clothes. Warm, comfy and cute. Learn from Laura and Tara, who have amazing tastes!
- Do something for myself and no one else. It can be anything, but be selfish about it.
- Find time to get back into a pool. Ignore the pain that will come with it. Enjoy the memories that it brings/the amazing muscles that will come back, eventually.
- Find more time to read. Catch up on all those books you've been meaning to read but forgot about.


This is just the beginning. 2009 is going to be a great year, I know.

today's the day our lives will change

today's the day. it's seemed like forever ago this all started but we've cast our votes (and hopefully still casting for another 45 minutes...) as to who will be the new president. i've very anxious to find out who wins. i don't remember feeling like this the last time (and first time, ever) i voted in the 2004 elections.

i am impressed with the increase in participation this election. maybe i just didn't see it before, or maybe it really is much more intense, but i feel like almost all of my friends have voted. for some, this is their first time, for others, it's the 2nd, 3rd, etc but either way, everyone has come together and decided they wanted to voice their opinion. i wonder if the increased publicity via outlets that people my age are more likely to pay attention to, i.e. facebook, teen tv networks, etc, has had an effect. i was completely shocked this morning when i logged into facebook and saw that 99% of my friends' status updates were about "donating their status to (fill in appropriate candidate)". viral marketing has a way of really affecting people, and i think this marketing tactic really worked. it definitely got anyone logging in to see that their friends were voting and maybe, just maybe, make them change their mind and vote as well. maybe it's all wishful thinking on my behalf, but i really hope that the majority of people i know did vote. we'll see, won't we.

and sometimes i'm really glad i choose to take advertising and marketing classes just so i can analysis from a different perspective the affects on people.

the next update: election results.

what i accomplish at work..

This was from the other day when I was stuck working an event that I never got around to posting online...

I'm currently sitting in doing technology help for one of our conferences and I got to thinking (hard to imagine, I know) - did I imagine this is where I would be a year ago, four years ago, ever?

If you had told me I'd eventually be helping run an Israel Cleantech Conference, I probably would have laughed at you. When I started looking into higher education, I only pictured myself at Simmons. I still often wonder why I'm not there - but that's a whole different story - since I miss everything about it all the time. But, on the other hand, Brandeis has been a great working experience.

I can honestly say I love my job - it's different every day and I've started to feel at home here. I love the people I work with, i love the work i do *minus the stupid tasks our communications guy gives me for no reason*. I've also realized how much I missed being around guys on a daily basis. I feel like I can relate to them a lot, which probably has something to do with me growing up with mostly guy friends - and I'm glad to be starting those friendships.

But, I often wonder if the people I work with have a fake sense about who I really am, especially since I'm always "happy" at work and I always have great stories to tell about drinking and bad decision making.

Speaking on that note, I've been trying to decide if I'm actually happy with who I've become lately. I feel like I've been very selfish- putting myself first, which is a new concept to me - I've always thought what would be best for others before considering myself. And I actually like it. But at the end of the day, I am wondering it's right. Am I building these new friendships based on something that isn't true? I just wish I had the answers and could just be told whether or not it's all worth it.

It other less serious news, I bought a new car!It's wicked adorable and very "me" as everyone has told me. I love driving it and can't wait to take it on a road trip somewhere. I've started to get antsy and want to plan a trip somewhere...either TRIP '09, or just a small one before that. The crappy weather lately hasn't helped...if anything it's made me want to get on a plane and fly somewhere warm and not come back until summer.

until next time.

seven years ago today...

seven years ago today:
- i was a sophomore in high school
- i had only read about things that happened in history, never living through anything major that would affect the rest of our lives
- i was terrified to fly, but it had nothing to do with people crashing planes into buildings
- i never thought that 1/4 of my life, so far, would be spent during a war that seems to have no end
- i never thought that more friends than i'd like to know would go overseas to fight for our country

every year, i reflect on today. i personally didn't lose anyone but i know many people that did. my uncle came VERY close to being in one of those towers, and i am thankful every day that he wasn't there. hes a psychologist who works with homeless people on the streets in NYC. his 'office' happened to be located in one of the towers but he was only required to go to a meeting once every few weeks with other people he worked with...it is mostly a 'get out there and help people' kinda job. September 11 just happened to be the day when his office was suppose to get together for a meeting, but he woke up that morning and for whatever reason, his meeting either got cancelled, or pushed back to later that afternoon, so he didn't need to go into the office. that saved his life and i know it has affected him ever since. he lost many people he knew that day.

i don't know why this year i feel as if i'm more affected, if that's the word i'm looking for. i guess maybe because this is the first year where i haven't been at school where everyone just talks about it. in high school, we always held a moment of silence and then talked about it in particular classes, depending on if the teacher knew someone or not. then at simmons, being a communications major, we would talk about the effect on the media or you'd see someone that knew someone that just needed to talk for a few minutes.

but this year, i was at brandeis. no one even mentioned it, which i find weird since i know my office had to have lost some alums. brandeis alums, especially the ones we target as donors, pretty much only live in NYC or abroad. these are very well-to-do professionals, who probably were there during the times of the attacks. i felt sad to know that no one, at least not at IBS, recognized the people who were lost that day.

today was also the first day i really noticed that planes that fly in and out of the small airport by my house. i've know that airport has been there for YEARS, since david had a boyscout camp outing there when we were little. but today, as i was driving to work, stuck in traffic, i could see all the planes flying in and out, and honestly, when i heard police cars coming down the highway, i got this sick feeling in my stomach, even though i knew the police probably had to do with an accident somewhere down the road and nothing to do with the airplanes, but that's what i thought. and of course, i could only picture the images that i've seen so many times that they are forever ingrained in my mind.

the verdict is still out whether or not i truly feel safer when i fly. granted, i HATED flying long before sept 11th was probably even a thought in the terrorists' minds. i've always wonder how something so big and heavy as a plane could possibly stay in the air. then of course, final destination came out, and surprise surprise, i got even more freaked out. i hate to admit it, but i really check my tray table every time i get on a flight. watch me, you'll laugh. but after sept 11th, i really questioned if i would ever feel completely safe, disregarding the falling out of the air by accident part. i think if someone was really determined to try to duplicate that day, they would. they found a loophole in the system then, so what makes it impossible for there to be another loophole none of us know about. for instance, coming back from jamaica, jen and laura both went through security with bottles of sunscreen in their carryons - unknowingly, but still. we didn't realize it until we were about to board and they were looking for something in their bags. how excited do you think i was to get on that plane? no amount of drugs could take away that feeling let me tell you. sure, boston might have pretty decent security, but other states? other countries? i have my doubts. and i know i'm not the only one.

i really hope that future generations are aware of the devastation that happened that day. i know that growing up we always learned about the world wars, pearl harbor, the gulf war, vietnam, cold war, etc. but this is just so different. this was mostly innocent people - people traveling for one reason or another, people at work, people trying to help other people, our nurses, doctors, police, firemen, emts, good citizens. and, in addition to all that, our soldiers have been out there for almost just as long, giving up their lives to honor those who died.

i just hope that no one ever forgets. i know i won't.

you can try to grow up, but who knows where to start

well today was a little rocky, just because of a lack of communications between my office and technology. but, i really enjoyed it, i just wish i didnt waste so much time sitting around doing nothing, especially when i know how much i'm going to be doing in next new upcoming months.

and even though i really loved today and i know i'm going to be very happy working at brandeis, i still couldn't help but think about how i want to get away, just for a few days, to anywhere really. i technically don't have columbus day weekend off, its a floating holiday so i think i can choose to take the day off then but then i need to work another floating holiday or something. but, it would be a perfect 4-day weekend and i really need to go somewhere, preferably warm, but more importantly, somewhere fun. i need to fulfill that feeling inside of going somewhere new and exciting, even for a short period of time, or else, i might go insane.

but, my options are limited, since my friends have all decided to leave where they were living all summer. i told amy that i'd come out to visit her in california this summer, but again, never got to it and she just moved back to boston, so that option is out. and then i was thinking oh i can go back to nj, but then i remembered that chris had to move all the way to china FOR A YEAR, so that won't be happening. my cousin's in new york city, but it just feels too close and i've been there recently (sorta) so maybe if i dont have any other plans. maybe paco will stay in thailand and i can go visit him...haha or not.

someone needs to live somewhere fun and invite me to visit. i'm really a great houseguest, i promise! plus, i can SORTA cook and will make you something tasty, like rum cake...trust me, it's amazing.




i think the space between me and here would be beneficial so i can really reflect on what i want. this weekend probably didn't help any.

reflections during the labor day weekend

this is the first time in at least four years that i haven't been moving on labor day/heading back to boston to get ready for another year of classes. i think it will really hit me on thursday when i see all my friends' away messages about how hard/easy classes were that first day.

i hung out with cat yesterday for the first time all summer and it was great to be around another simmons woman. we sat around and talked about simmons and the professors and the communications department...i even gave her some advice about the senior classes shes taking, since i took the exact same ones last year. i think that really helped me realize that even though i'm not "on campus" i will still be involved in some shape or form, since i still have a ton of friends there and of course, i will be volunteering for the admissions office as an alum to recruit future students! (i almost don't have a choice on that one, since my ex-boss was in charge of getting alums to staff fairs and recruit students, and she even tried to convince me to do it as an undergrad and said we'd just lie to anyone who asked and said i had already graduated haha oh kathy, i miss working for you!)

but, on the other hand, i start my real, first 'real world' job tomorrow bright and early at 9 a.m. at brandeis university in the international business school. i'm torn between super-excited and super-nervous. i'm excited that after a great summer of sun, beach, vacations, and lots and lots of drinking and digression (that's for josh and schubie) that i will finally be moving onto that next stage of my life. a bunch of my friends who also graduated have already started their jobs and i can't wait to join them! but, i'm also kind of scared since i won't know anyone there and surprisingly, i am actually pretty shy and quiet around people i don't know. i'm sure after a few days i'll be much more comfortable, since that's how it was when i started in financial aid and admissions, but this time, it's a whole new school, which is why i think i'm a little more nervous than normal. the bonus is that i will actually go to the gym a lot more, since i get an hour lunch, and the gym is right on campus! i am determined to be back in shape like i was senior year when i was swimming, minus the intense shoulder pain.

in other news, i'm sad that i will not be going to see jimmy buffett in concert this summer. for the past 2 summers it had become an annual family outing, and i had hoped to go again this year, but we couldn't get tickets, or so we thought! due to lack of anything else to do, and because of my itunes playing jimmy, i decided to look up on ticketmaster to see if there really wasn't anything left, and guess what! there are tickets for thursday's show, but they're $130 EACH, and it's a thursday night. i would never be able to get up for work the next morning, unless i drove directly there and just slept in the office. last year, we didn't get home until almost 230 a.m. and the previous year it was another really late-night drive home. i'm thinking that i might splurge and get tickets if/when he goes to mohegan sun, since it's not THAT long of a drive and my neighbor has connections and could get me sweeeeeeeeet seats.

i was reading our caribbean travel and life magazine today and i really started to get sad that i don't have any trips planned to the caribbean yet. this is the first time in YEARS (probably close to 13 years at least) that i haven't already known where/when my next trip down there will be. we started going when i was in elementary school, and it just makes me sad to think that because of the economy, it's going to be too expensive to go anymore. i have had a 'cruise' saved for over a year, since i was able to 'book' a room and hold a spot for myself for any date that i wanted when we went on our last cruise, which was junior year, but because of sky-rocketing flights and a lack of money on my end, i haven't been able to actually pick a date and go for it. i think my passion for traveling, the beach, good food and drinks, plus a slight obsession with the music from the islands is the reason that i love going down there.

i think jimmy perfectly summerizes how i feel in 'one particular harbor' - here are a few of the parts that really hit home for me:

I know I don't get there often enough
But God knows I surely try
It's a magic kind of medicine
That no doctor could prescribe....

But there's this one particular harbor
So far but yet so near
Where I see the days as they fade away
Finally disappear

But now I think about the good times
Down in the Caribbean sunshine
In my younger days I was so bad
Laughin' about all the fun we've had

I seen enough to feel the world spin
Mixin' different oceans meetin' cousins
Listen to the drummers and the night sounds
Listen to the singers make the world go 'round


and that is definitely why this is one of my all-time favorite songs, in the whole world.



i'll end with my favorite picture of this summer. i think it really shows how much fun i had with a great group of people!

reliving sophomore year of college, possibly?

I'm seriously so mad right now. I have been planning this weekend for at least 2 weeks, if not longer. I've been wanting to go since before school got out in May but I was waiting for someone to be around on a weekend to go with me, since I know how my parents can be. Well, it looks like I probably won't be going. at all. not this weekend, not another weekend.

So sophomore year before I moved into my apartment my parents decided to 'be parents' for the first time since, maybe freshman year of high school? I'm not saying that my parents were bad parents, I was just given the responsibilty I earned. Senior year I was able to go and hang out at Bentley College with my boyfriend pretty much whenever I wanted...I don't even know if I even told them I was going until after I was there most of the time. I didn't have a curfew, granted it was recommended that I was home by 1 a.m., but it was OK if I either came home a little after that, or just let them know I wasn't coming home for the night before they went to bed. Then comes the summer before I'm finally moving out on my own and my parents decide to start restricting what I do, where I go, and with who I go out with. Ok, fine, I was 20 years old and I still was technically living at home and they were trying to hold on to whatever control they could, but still.

And now. I'm 22 years old, I lived on my own from two years and wasn't planning on ever coming back home except for the fact that I didn't get a job after graduation like I planned and I had a lack on income to support my living on my own. And until this past week, my mom would ask if I was coming home at all, instead of when I was coming home. She would be happy when I was home for dinner and sat down to talk about my day with her. She was happy if she saw me at all on a weekend, since we were never in Maine at the same time it seemed like for a while. Yet, when I mention that hey, I'm going to drive down to visit one of my best friends for the last 6 years that I've known him before he leaves for at least a YEAR in china, she freaks out and wants to play parent again. And now, she has my dad on her side. They both have convinced themselves that if I drive the 4.5 hrs by myself, that a.) I will get lost and never come home b.) because I'm a girl that I'm definitely going to get killed (even though I don't plan on making any stops until I get there...) or c.) that my car will die and thus I will die. Yes, my car is old. But it runs great and I drive it so often that I know instantly when something isn't right. I can tell the second my tires need a little more air by the amount of gas I'm using. And since I get such great mileage, I wouldn't need to get gas until my way home and I'd make Chris come with me since I'm not familiar with the area. And, to be fair, I'm actually great with directions, and hello - I'm not dumb! I wouldn't stop in a random place to begin with, and I'm driving down during the middle of the afternoon. It's not like I'm driving to...I don't know...pick some really really danger place and let's pretend I'm going there. I'm going to a place that I have actually visited once in the past and oh look, I lived. And Chris and his family and friends have lived there for years. Yeah, I don't think I should be concerned and I'm really confused as to why there are.

I've already got yelled at for taking into consideration going by myself, and I don't even want to know what kind of argument is going to happen if I tell them I am going by myself. It's really come to the point that I should just lie and say I'm not going by myself and then hope they never find out.

maybe i'll just pack up some stuff and run away for a while...wouldn't that be funny?

soon-to-be great weekend in NJ

This weekend when I go down to New Jersey may be one of the best weekends I've had in a while. So far, the boys have already planned a ton of great things to do, including a trip to White Castle, a day on the Jersey shore, and possibly, a trip to Sonic as well. As long as I get down there early enough on Friday, I will also be making a trip to Atlantic City!

Damn, I love having friends all over the country who let me come visit them :)

my insomnia needs to stop

So as I was laying in bed, unable to sleep, I started to think about all the things I want to accomplish in the next couple of years, either before I get to old, have no money, or have a job that doesn't allow for any free time.

Go to the next summer Olympics (2012) and attend at least one swimming event;
Go to a Superbowl, preferably when the Patriots are in it, but hey, I know they can't make it every year;
See the Patriots win another Superbowl;
Take a roadtrip across country;
Take Rt. 95 all the way from MA to the Florida Keys;
Take an obscure highway/road back home;
Visit most of the United States - however, there are just some states I am definitely not interested in visiting, like North Dakota, for example;
Take another great vacation with a huge group of friends and make more memories;
Make a difference for a future Simmons student - exactly how, yet to be determined;
Send my parents on a really great vacation, showing them how thankful I am of how much they have provided me over the years;
Host my own fundraiser in David's memory and donate all the money to the Make A Wish Foundation;
Find a job I really love;
Live in someplace other than MA for at least a year;
Get a master's degree;
Become somewhat famous in whatever field I decide to persue;
Have one of my photographs and articles appear in a magazine or book;
Learn to properly read a map, then forget everything I know and just go somewhere without any plans or destination;
Own a beach house where I can see the ocean from my bedroom anytime I want;
Receive an honorary degree;
Design my future house;
See if I can find out where my ancestors came from, then go visit their hometowns;
Learn to paint better than I currently do;
Learn to play the guitar;
Experience New Year's Eve in NYC;
Stand on the Esplanade for the Boston 4th of July fireworks;
Attend Mardi Gras in New Orleans;
Go dog-sledding;
Send a message in a bottle;
Knit afghans for any future grandkids like my grandmother did - they can be close friend's grandkids too;
Shake hands with someone who has truly changed a country;
Fly first-class;
See a sunset and a sunrise in the same day.


That's it for now. Now, I need to get out there and start accomplishing these goals.

my life resolves around music

As I was driving in the car this morning, I got to think about the impact music has. For me personally, all of my favorite songs relate to some point in my life, either good or bad. Here is just an example of a few that came up on my itunes as I was writing these:

I think back to driving up to the beach back in high school when Tara spilled her coolatta all over the place and threw the icy mix at Christine, just because she could, whenever I hear Everytime We Touch. Or whenever I hear a Taking Back Sunday song I think about how for 3 years in a row they were in Boston for my birthday and I went to their concert then out drinking afterwards. I think of my time in South Africa whenever I hear Girlfriend since we heard it EVERYWHERE over there. Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffett = all the caribbean vacations. Dani California? Trying to find ice cream in Maine with Nate and Katlyn. Jessie's Girl? Screaming at the top of my lungs in Schubies' old room at Merrimack. Crazy Bitch? TJ, for some unknown reason, but it still reminds me of him ha. Guster? Standing outside with Katlyn freezing our butts off in AUGUST waiting for the concert to start, as well as them coming for Spring Week and getting to hang out with them after, even though I was underage and wasn't suppose to be there. Gwen? Thinking about how Kenny would sing that dumb bananas song and claim that's how he learned how to spell bananas. New Found Glory? Going to Warped Tour back in high school and Tara crowd surfing, losing her shoe, and having to walk around all day with one shoe on. U2? Getting woken up at 4:30 a.m. for the MS Challenge Walk to get ready to walk 20 miles for the day. Nsync reminds me of watching the Super Bowl and not caring who was playing, except for the half time show, as well as the two concerts I went to with my mom :) Low? Convincing Ronnie that instead of it being 'boots with the fur' it was 'squirrels with the fur', which he would go around singing. Singing Build Me Up Buttercup after every swim meet on the bus ride back to school, even though we definitely probably lost, but we still wanted to have fun.

Music has the ability to bring a smile to my face and remind of mostly the good times, especially when I start to miss my old house and life. Or when I start to think about how fast college went by, I hear a great song and remember a time when I had an incredibly crazy time and it makes me realize that yes, even though I was completely stressed out most of the time, I had a great experience and I would never want to change it.


I wonder what new songs and experiences I will have in the new few months?

looking back on studying abroad

well even though it's been two years, i came across my journal that i wrote everyday while i was there. it was so powerful and life-changing and i'm going to add some of my experiences here, since i've already lost my journal once and i know i will do it again. WARNING; it's REALLY long since I was there for almost 3 weeks.

May 2007;
Jo'burg:
We almost missed our connection in London from Boston - nothing quite like running through heathrow airport in socks with 11 other people. Then our 10.5 hr flight to S. Africa sucked. The TVs didn't work, it was afternoon time for us (even though it was almost midnight for them), and I got sick infront of all my new friends. I'm still surprised they talked to me the rest of the trip after I did that. Our first hotel is really cute. It's almost like a guest house, with little rooms throughout the place. Instead of having heating in each of the rooms, the floors are heated, which is coming in handy, since its only 40 degrees here DURING THE DAY. We got to celebrate Beth's 21st with her. I think she really missed not being at home with her friends and family, but we still had cake and she gets to tell everyone that she turned 21 in South Africa.

Soweto: Walking around this township was our first exposure to what South Africans live like. After getting a walking tour and informal meeting with the Electricity Crisis Group, we went to visit the Hector Peterson museum. I loved getting the opportunity to see the different perspectives on the student uprisings and subsequent shooting of young Hector Peterson. [Side note: I found out a few months ago that Hector's older sister, the one who is pictured carrying him after he was killed, actually works at the museum and I wished I had got a chance to speak with her] After the museum, we got to see Mandela's house, Desmond Tutus' house, and Winnies' house. After, we walked around some more informal camps. Seeing how little these people have, especially what a 4 room house consists of, which is next to NOTHING, really makes me appreciate what I have back home. We had our first "South African" lunch at this funky restaurant called Wandies and I had my first of many fishes. We went out to dinner that night and I tried calamari for the first time, which wasn't as bad as I thought.

Apartheid Museum/Wits University: The apartheid museum was very moving. There was so much, I could probably have spent hours and hours in there. It was weird to find out that they only built the museum so that a hotel/casino/theme park could be built there too. Then we headed to Wits, which I was definitely looking forward to. I have this secret love to visit other colleges/universities and see what they are like; I have no idea why, but I LOVE it. We got to eat lunch in their student cafe and it was insanely cheap - $5 for everything! Then we got a chance to stop at their bookstore and even thought i really wanted to buy a sweatshirt they didn't have any in. Then we met with the infamous Anton - or Mr. Too Tight Pants - as we liked to refer to him. It was such a disppointment to meet with him and only have him talk about the upcoming election for the ANC.

Constitution Hill: I didn't know much before we got there, but spending the entire day there was definitely worth it. This place used to be an old fort/jail where Mandela was held at one point. We got to meet with Justice Albie Sacks for a few minutes, a man who played a significant role during apartheid, then we got a tour with his clerk. [Side note: His clerk was HOT and watching everyone try to sneak pictures of him was amazing] He pointed out why each piece of art was significant to the whole place. We also went out to a typical afrikanna dinner and the theater that night. Let's just say I still have nightmares about that play, which was suppose to be a greek tragedy done in typical Zulu tradition. I was terrified we were all going to be decapitated by the man swinging the mallet around his head, especially when he dropped it and it went flying.

Human Rights Commission: We got to meet with Jody Kollapen, whom Christina and I had met at Harvard in the spring. Unfortunately, I found him more interesting at Harvard then here. But it was still a great experience to practice our journalism skills. Then we met with a Wits Arts professor who took us to Funda Community College. We got to meet with the art students there, many of whom are older adults who have families and have to work in the little time that they have. That night, we meet with Eritrean refugees, which I think was mostly for Dan's benefit. Due to a lack of time, we didn't get to meet with them that long. Then we went out to dinner where we had my new favorite drink, Pims Cocktail. It's a mix of ginger ale, cucumber, strawberries and the Pim's liquor, which is apparently gin based.

Game Park: 3 hour ride to the game park today. Half way there we got to stop at a small market place and I got to pick up some gifts for home; salt and peppers shakers, and small bowls that were all hand carved and painted, as well as a giraffes hair bracelet. The minute we got off the bus we saw these cute little monkey's running around, which of course freaked Christina out. Our rooms were apartment-style, with a loft, which is where I got to sleep. We were stopped leaving our rooms at one point because of the baboons outside our rooms going through the trash - I'll never forget Christina yelling to us to come get her. We got to go on a 2.5 hr game drive on the first day. We saw all the typical animals, except for the cats. Walking back to the rooms at night was a little frighting, since the animals could be wondering anywhere. The following morning we had a 5 am game drive, which I would never recommend to anyone. It was beyond freezing and we didn't see many animals.

Train from Jo'burg to Capetown: 26 hrs on a train is not something I'd probably want to do again. First, we almost missed out train [I see a pattern of us almost missing a lot of things] The whole time I could only think of Eurotrip with the sketchy Italian guy. There wasn't much to do except hang out in the TINY rooms, so me, kristen, faythe, beth and christina bonded a little. We didn't end up getting a lot of blankets for the night since it was already warm in our room and we knew we wouldnt sleep for that long - BOY were we wrong. In the middle of the night the heat turned off and everyone but me and kristen froze.

Capetown: We made it after 26 hrs stuck in a 5X5 room. Capetown is significantly more beautiful than Jo'burg already. Our hotel, the Cape Castle Hotel, overlooks Capetown and its gorgeous here. We ended up at a Cuban bar for lunch which had amazing drinks. We have a full next couple of days but then the entire weekend off - no Dan!

Bo-Kaap/University of Capetown: Bo-Kaap was fun to walk around, with it's colorful buildings. Plus, we got to have tea and snacks at this woman's house and it was soo tasty. Then we headed over to the University of Capetown (you know i'm excited!) and we got to meet with students there. I got to talk with two girls, one from Norway, the other from Swaziland and learned about their HIV program here. Plus, I got to buy a Tshirt from their bookstore! We had lunch at one of their cafe's and it was of course yummy. College food overseas is much better than at Simmons. UCT is located right on Table Mountain and it was beautiful to look at the mountain and the scenary as we walked around. If I could have done a semester abroad, I would definitely have picked UCT. Dan took us for a tour of the waterfront area when we got back and showed us the amazing ice cream/hot chocolate place that he had been telling us about for weeks. We met with Eritrean refugees again tonight after dinner, this time we had more time to talk and I found it more interesting.

District 6/U.S. Consulate: We headed out to District 6 today, which is an area that used to have homes and businesses before the groups area act [Side note: I wrote one of my articles about this!] The museum was moving, as it was an old church that many of the families visited to leave messages about what they experienced. I found it interesting to see all the old street signs that one of the bulldozers was suppose to take down and destroy but he risked a lot to save them for years until he was able to bring them to the museum when it opened. We then met with a woman from the Anti-Eviction Campaign, who told us her story. She was very inspiring and I'm glad we got to talk with her. Then on to the U.S. Consulate! There was a lot of security for this, but I got a lot of information regarding the U.S.'s stance on HIV/AIDS in South Africa. They also gave us this lame presentation about how dangerous South Africa is; Hi Buddy, we've been there for almost two weeks and it's not that bad, so no thanks. We went out to Cubana that night, the sweeeet Cuban bar for drinks. We got to see Beth drink a shot that was on fire, and we had tasty and VERY CHEAP drinks (thank you amazing exchange rate, i love you).

June 2007/First day of Winter in South Africa;
Table Mountain/Touristy Day: The cable ride up the side of the mountain was far less scary than I thought it was going to be. I finally used more of my slide film and took a ton of great pictures. i could have spent all day up there. Then we went on a driving tour of Capetown so we would know where things were when Dan left us for the WHOLE weekend. I find it amusing that our professor had to get away for the weekend and trusted us on our own, way to go. Then we went to the Slavery House Museum, which did a great job comparing South Africa to America. We got to stop in Clark's Bookstore, where they were selling the book from the previous trip and is hopefully selling ours now!

Free Weekend in a foreign place: I went shopping in the craft market today and got a bunch of stuff to bring home, including art, figurines, and coasters. Then that night all 10 of us went out for drinks. We went to Cubana first then went to this dance club called 169. Nothing like getting back at 2 am since we had no professor to report to.

Khayelitsha: We were met by 6-10 little kids that were so excited we had come to visit. We were going to be staying at Vicky's Bed and Breakfast which is literally a shack that has been turned into this B&B. None of us were prepared for this, not knowing we were staying in the middle of the township. We were taken on a walking tour of the township, since we were not allowed to go by ourselves. The girls I was staying with were brought to another house a car ride away, since there was not enough room for everyone at Vickys.

Langa: We got to have "fat cakes" for breakfast, which are exactly what they sound like. After, we met with the Treatment Action Campaign [Another one of my articles] and they provided a ton of great information. They took us to a local rally/protest for one of their workers killed because she was HIV positive. We had an amazing lunch at this restaurant where we were the only ones there then went on a walking tour of Langa, which is the oldest township. We stopped at a preschool where the kids sang and danced for us; wicked adorable.

Back to Capetown: We had to say goodbye to the kids today and it was pretty hard. They were so cute and kept asking us when we would be back, but we all knew the answer was probably never. We stopped at the botanical gardens, where we got in trouble from Dan, since we were fooling around and not paying attention; oops. Then we went to the PENGUINS, which was something I had been looking forward to. They were tiny and so cute and JUST out of reach otherwise I would have taken one home. We went to this really nice restaurant right on the water where we had Kingklip wrapped in bacon; the only fish I actually enjoyed. Then again, anything wrapped in bacon is delicious. We went to Cape Point after and went on a really long walk along the coast. I wrote <3 Simmons 2007 on one of the rocks in a marker where other people had wrote messages and I hope it's still there for the 2009 trip. Then we went hiked to the Cape of Good Hope (the southern most point in Africa). We got to stop at the beach and run through the FREEZING waves and I'm glad I got to share it with the select few who chose to go. We had to climb down some intense rocks and I'm glad I didn't die or fall. We took the 'annual' group picture infront of the Cape of Good Hope sign. We got to our new hotel, The Breakwater, which used to be an old prison. We each got our own room, which I think was necessary at this point, since we were all stressed and cranky.

Robben Island: Whoever said these seas were smooth, were clearly lying to me, but I didn't get sick, surprisingly! I guess puking all over the place only had to happen once on this trip, thank god. Christina held my head in her armpit the whole ride and comforted me; what a friend. Our tour guide sucked and didn't tell us anything about what we were seeing on the ride. Considerating the importance of this island to apartheid, I didn't feel like I got anything out of it. We did get another tour from an maximum security ex-political prisoner who was much better. We got to see Mandela's cell but the other people on our tour were pushy and annoying so I didn't get to see too much. Once we got back we had lunch and I got to buy my favorite gorgeous green scarf. Nothing like cashmere that is extremely cheap! That night I decided that I needed to cause a little trouble so we stopped in Dan's room to ask something, I forget what now, but when he was getting his pictures together, I started hiding creamers all over his stuff. How he put up with me for the past 3 years, I have no idea.

Apparently that's all I wrote in my journal. We still had two more days left but we had a lot of free time and just walked around and enjoyed Capetown. We did go out drinking our last two nights in the country and drank mostly for free, which I DO remember. We also went dancing on our last night and it was such a great way to end a great trip. You'll be happy to know I didn't get sick on the way home, except once again, my TV didn't work and I had to deal with a 16 hr flight with no movies.

california thinks i need to write more

welcome: this is going to by my new blog spot from now on. I've graduated and need a new place to continue on my writing. So enjoy.

well looking back on how i thought my life after college would be like, i realize how wrong i was. i had these big plans - living in boston in a great apartment, having a job that i would love forever the day i graduated, buying a new car, traveling more - but none of that has happened. quite the opposite i guess.

i moved out of my fantastic apartment in may, due to a lack of job, money, and fighting among roommates. but living at home hasn't been as bad as i thought, since i'm pretty much left to my own. but i will never consider this house my 'home', that was in stoneham and gone forever. i left too much behind there to ever be able to say that home is woburn. david's not here and we left him back there. no, this will never be home for me.

it surprises me everyday that i graduated over 2 months ago and i'm still pretty much without a job. but, at the same time, its exciting. i get to have a real 'summer vacation', a first since starting high school. besides jamaica, which was pretty much amazing, i haven't done too much though, which is very unlike me. i am going to be hopefully heading down to new jersey to visit with chris before he leaves for a year in china next week, but then its august and the summer is almost over. then what?

if this job doesn't work out with brandeis, i might just start looking at other places around the country. i mean, if i don't pick up and go now, will i ever? will i ever be able to be like chris and go to a foreign country for a whole year without knowing anyone, just because it's something i've always wanted to do? i don't know. i have been saying that i am going to return to africa and do something with myself, whether it's volunteer at the HIV/AIDS clinics or like beth was considering, work on a farm for a couple months. it all sounds amazing, but could i ever do it? we will just have to wait and see won't we.