crash

This year, the beginning of my post-camp crash coincided exactly with my crashing back into school and work. Sunday I bid adieu to the Brits, and spent some time at Lorettas. Monday I dropped a Kiwi off at the airport and came straight down to school.

The road trip was awesome - an excellent chance to let loose (in legal and mostly appropriate ways), and try not to think about all the responsibility waiting for me. I saw Cleveland, Chicago and parts of Wisconsin. I shot a shotgun and ate a corn dog for the first time. How American. We read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince aloud in its entirety and listened to a whole lot of musicals. How nerdy.

Now I'm at school. I have a room at seminary on Monday and Tuesday nights. Yesterday I walked up to Wisconsin Ave and checked out an outdoor store that I've been wanting to see. They sell climbing stuff and clothes from Patagonia!!!! Today I went to my first class and bought A LOT of books.

Being back at school makes me feel really awkward and shy again. And young. And inexperienced. During chapel I was thinking about the fact that I am (deep down) grateful that I can relate to a lot of the things that my middle and high schoolers are going through. I'm awkward and shy and experiencing the first day of school. I am still in a stage of life where crushes and talking to boys are... a challenge. I don't exactly know what I'm going to do with my life long term. As much as I dread some of these awkward experiences, I am constantly aware that God is with me through even the silliest of my struggles. It means a lot to me that I can walk these paths with (although a little ahead of) the youth I serve, and I can say from experience that God is with us.

More Travels

I got back from Alaska on Tuesday, and now I'm on a road trip with some Camp people. I'm here with Katie and Megan B (from Wisconsin), and Jonny, Tom, Carlos and Stewart (from England). We're picking up Tim (from New Zealand) in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

So far we're in Cleveland. We left Camp around 8 am, stopped at Dunkin Donuts, the bank, etc, and then finally got on the road. After a not-too-long day of driving, we ended up here around 6. The hotel was only rated as a 2 out of 5 on Expedia, but its actually decent and we have free wireless and breakfast. We're pretty beat (none of us having gotten much sleep last night) but we'll find dinner at some point.

Tomorrow we're going to try to go to church and then hit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and maybe some other stuff before we head to Chicago. After Chicago its on to Wisconsin where we will do... something. We're visiting Megan and Katies' families and also going to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in Pepin!!!!!! Its been years since I had a pioneer bonnet that fit me.

Alaska

I have been a bad blogger this summer. I haven't posted since before Camp! Now I'm in Alaska, about to go on a cruise with the Kihara clan. That would be around 80 Japanese-Americans... all related to me. It is exactly as you would imagine, I think. Lots of Asians, laughing in high-pitched voices, hugging and taking pictures.

Camp was awesome this summer. Possibly my best summer yet (although that makes me feel like I'm cheating on 2005, but I think 2005 would want me to be happy.) The staff was amazing, I made lots of friends, and the Core staff was really good. I am pretty bummed that I'm missing the last week of Camp and staff dinner, but I can't complain too much as I'm going on a cruise.

That's all I have for now... I'm going to try to upload pictures of Camp and Alaska soon.