FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

So it's 10:15pm and I just got out of my last class about an hour ago (it really gets out at 9:50pm)... I may need to get some pepper spray or a taser just in case.

I had all four of my classes today and I really enjoyed all of them. Let's start from the top, shall we?

Sculpture:
It's a small class, which is great. Our first project is making molds out of our faces... which is awesome. Also, my teacher has a fantastic sense of style... he dresses way better than most of the girls I've seen on campus already.

Environmental Creative Writing:
Not what I was expecting, but I think I'll like it just the same. It's more creative writing than environmental writing.

African American Life/History:
My professor looks like he's 18 years old, but I did the math and he's at least 30 years old. No tests in this class, only papers... my favorite :)

American Sign Language:
I think I'm most excited for this class, and I think it's also going to be my hardest class. Part of our homework today was to determine a sign for ourselves and I think I've decided on the sign for fish, using the sign for "S".

Soooo that's my class schedule. Now I'm changing topics.

There's this thing called "Otter Days" here, and it's kind of like welcome activities for the first week or so of class to get people involved. Today there was an outdoor showing of Men in Black III (I couldn't make that because I had ASL). Yesterday there was a hall get together. It was trivia with prizes, which was cool. Except, I didn't read the flyer so I was expecting Jeopardy, but it was sex trivia and the prizes were dumdums taped to condoms... I didn't win anything. They gave me extra though haha.

I haven't received my schedule from the Aquarium yet, but hopefully they won't have me scheduled for the afternoon on Sundays because they have intramural softball (slow-pitch) from 12-4pm and indoor volleyball from 6-10pm. I wanted to try indoor soccer but that's during my ASL class as well, so darn.

I made new friends today, which is awesome, considering I think I'm bad at making friends.

No classes tomorrow so I can do all of my readings. I miss everyone so much! 

Long Time, No See

So I'm finally at a computer after a one-week hiatus from wireless internet. Here's what happened:

• I made it to California!
• Had dinner at my Aunt Linda's
• Met more family
• Went to Sausalito
• Went to San Francisco
• Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
• Went to Pier 39
• Had Orientation
• Met my awesome roommates!\\
• Ate some free ice cream
• Grandma threw me a birthday party
• TURNED 21!

You are now up-to-date with my life... give or take a few details. I'm still in the process of setting up my room, and unfortunately I had to park on the other side of the parking lot (where my happy car will sit until I drive to go visit family). I got a bike today so I can get around campus and ride to the aquarium when that starts. So, I'm gonna go finish this whole room thing before I have to go to a mandatory hall meeting (man it's been awhile since I've gone to one of those).

QUICK UPDATE

I don't have internet at my grandparents house, so I won't be able to post my uodates, but I'm writing them. Move in day is the 24th so I imagine I'll be able to update then. Sent from my crackled Droid.

The Prologue: GRAND CANYON

Today seemed like a really long drive, but I suppose I couldn't accurately say because I was sleeping most of the time... mom drove today. But the greatest thing about today, was that we got to stop by the Grand Canyon :)

Mom changed our travel plans just so we could stop by, and I was so happy that we could. It was breath-taking. Now, that might have been due to the fact that I was 8,000 feet above sea level, but I'm pretty sure that it was this amazing view.

Oh, and did I mention that mom and I got in FOR FREE!? This might just be me, but I thought it was a tad bit ridiculous that the public has to pay to see a natural wonder like that... but I guess it is a park. Anywho, mom flashed the military id and BAM, no fee. We walked through a few lookout points along the South Rim, and may have been the only english speaking people there. I heard people speaking French, German, Chinese, and Spanish. There were a few Australians there as well doing this "Tour of Duty" bike ride. One of the riders gave us a brochure. It's a bike ride from San Diego to New York that ends on September 11, to commemorate and honor all those who died at the World Trade Center in 2001. Participants were both from the US and from Australia. If you want to read mroe about it you can visit their website:

www.tourofdutyride.com

We're stopped in Kingman, AZ for the night, and tomorrow we'll finally be in California. We're driving past seaside and going straight to visit my grandparents in Pittsburg. I'm so excited to see my family. As exciting as ths road trip has been, I'm excited to not have to stay in any more hotels for awhile. Move-in day is Sunday so I'll finally get to meet me roommates as well! So many things are all going to be happening at the same time, and all stress aside, I really can't wait.

The Prologue: Day Three

I'm becoming an expert at driving long distances without feeling tired or nodding off. Well... maybe not, but the drive went by pretty smoothly and rather quickly for a 7 hour trip. 

I can tell that 10 years of living in South Carolina is rubbing off on me though, because once we hit New Mexico, there were no more country stations. It took a noticeable toll on me. That being said, there was really only one radio station that was coming through, and I think it was a Christian Station. So through the, quite frankly, endless nothingness of eastern New Mexico, mom and I enjoyed some silence. Well, I did... mom fell asleep.

I am now two timezones away from the majority of my friends, and with it just being mom and I, I really miss them. I'm banking on things getting better once I'm in California and I have my roommates, classmates, and co-workers at the aquarium... but for now, it just isn't too pleasant of an idea knowing that I need to drive at least 26 hours to South Carolina.

If you've never been to New Mexico, let me say this, being that I've lived my entire life near the ocean... my only response is (a mild adaptation of Dorothy Parker) WHAT [STRANGE] HELL IS THIS?! I don't like being landlocked, being without the ocean, and although I don't miss the humidity of South Carolina, I do miss the smell of salt in the air. I don't really care for the smell of... dry.

Sidenotes:

• I saw 0 armadillos today
• My birthday is in 10 days
• Tomorrow we're stopping by the Grand Canyon!

Two more days until I'm in California!

The Prologue: Day Two

Spent the night in Mississippi

Stayed in Fulton, what a city

There's just one thing that bothered me

I thought with nightfall, came zombies

But I'm alive and mom is too

So off to Oklahoma, ZOOM!

Passed a bit of Tennessee

Saw a road named after me!

Then quickly passed to Arkansas

While driving, this was all I saw

Armadillo, Armadillo, Armadillo, Armadillo

Take a picture? NO-MADILLO! Hey that guy's from Amarillo!

Those and then some Razorbacks

This Gamecock almost had a heart attack

Passed Toad Suck Park and ate my snickers

Wait. Jarred, wasn't that a question during trivia at Kickers?

Saw some cows, those frequent moo-ers

Then the nation favored Sooners

Oklahoma is the place to be!

Farm living is the life for me!

Yeah I know that isn't right

but Weatherford is now in sight!

Here's a tree and there's a tree

There's a sign for mini donkeys

By the way, this was mom's idea

so till tomorrow, I say, SEE YAAA!

------------------------

As you may very well be able to tell, the amount of bored that set in during the 10 hour drive from Fulton, MS to Weatherford, OK was indeed, very high. You might even say, that the degree was over 9000 (bad segway). Mom suggested that I keep a list of the different kinds of roadkill that we saw on the road and to keep a tally. Obviously the armadillos won. Needless to say her second idea was better (the brain dump at the beginning of this post that just so happens to rhyme). Mom drove today, so tomorrow's my turn.

Also: My 21st birthday is in 11 days!

The Prologue: Day One

565 miles, 9 hours, two amps, one can of pringles, and plenty of country stations later, mom and I are in Fulton, Mississippi. Google maps had us drive through Columbia, so I decided to start the drive... little did I know that I would decide to finish it as well. Driving 9 hours isn't something that I would recommend, but it wasn't too bad. After we gassed up in Columbia my brain woke up, and I was perfectly fine until our next pit stop, right after we crossed the Alabama state line. Just so you know: The gas station that we stopped at not only had nicer restrooms than any gas station in South Carolina... but they also had fried chicken and barbeque.

Side Note: Due to the fact that I didn't drive 20-30 over the speed limit like those surrounding me, Alabama took a good while to drive through. But Fulton did eventually arrive (obviously). 

Mom and I decided that Fulton would be the perfect setting for a scary movie, and I've decided that that scary movie would be some combination of Silent Hill and I Am Legend. I failed to prepare myself for accents worse than those I am accustomed to, and I'm pretty sure that out of the five cars in the hotel parking lot, four of them belong to the people presently working, while the last is my liberty. Good thing I have a nice comfy blanket to hide underneath tonight (because blankets are impermeable shields).

Tomorrow we're driving through Tennessee, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Another few hundred miles closer to my adventurous destination :)

The Path That Lies Before Me

Goose Creek, SC to Seaside, CA: 

• 2,993 miles
• approximately 50 hours

A. Goose Creek, SC
B. Fulton, MS
C. Weatherford, OK
D. Albuquerque, NM
E. Grand Canyon :)
F. Barstow, CA
G. Pittsburg, CA (grandparents)
H. Seaside, CA

I've got one full day left in South Carolina before I begin my adventure. I've got most of my clothes packed, all of my miscellaneous items packed, and none of my electronics packed (obviously). Tomorrow I'll be taking care of the last bit of financial issues I've been having, and then everything should be golden.

Words cannot describe how much I'm going to miss some of my friends, but luckily they understand what an opportunity this is for me. I will now list a number of inside jokes that directly pertain to those I will miss.

• Intellectuality
• Scerba Derve
• Just a cookie
• BIRCH
• Reprace
• Bubbly

Before I close, I just want to thank my parents for their support. When I first mentioned this exchange program to them, I was a little shaky on whether or not I really wanted to apply, and I almost didn't. Thank you Dad, for not letting me miss this wonderful adventure, and thank you Mom, for taking the time away from work to drive cross-country with me. You helped me to become the driven, over-achieving, and independent person that I am today, and I can never thank you enough for that. 

Now... 

Friends! Romans! Countrymen! Lend me your [eyes?]... because in a matter of hours, The Prologue begins.