Goodbye USA, hello Europe!!! And Charlotte, Else, and Lucas! So, I made it :) I flew Thursday out of Syracuse and had a connecting flight in Philadelphia. I had a one hour layover and then had an overnight flight to Amsterdam. It was a nice and smooth transition and no flight problems thank goodness.
The time difference in European countries is 6 hours ahead of the US so I ended up arriving at 8:20am in Netherlands time. I didn't sleep more than 2 hours on the trip here, and am making myself stay awake until tonight to get rid of jet lag the fastest. I was also told that if you take melatonin before you go to sleep once you are in a different time zone than you are used to, it helps you sleep through so you can get your body back on schedule faster. We will see! I know when I hit the pillow tonight I will definitely sleep through the night.
Else and Charlotte picked me up from the airport this morning and even brought a thoughtful balloon with "Welkom Thius" written on it (Welcome Home). It was so sweet! On the drive back from the airport, I saw where the Royal Family lived (we passed it driving) as well as her school, a nice little area with shops, an American School, "Mini world" (Charlotte is telling me what it's called but I can't spell it), and a few other attractions.
I moved my stuff into the house and got settled in. I met a friend from town of Else and Char's and she speaks english which is lovely as well. I tried a koffee candy as well as a bite of licorice that the Dutch are famous for I was told. Also, brown bread with hahosa (sp- like chocolate sprinkles but taste a lot better) on toast. We went to a tennis club and watched Lotje's tennis lesson and now we are relaxing here. So far it has been a great day! The weather is a bit chilly, about 54F ish but in the sun it warms up.
It is beautiful here!! The houses are very cute too!
Friday, June 1, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Countdown
Today we had a successful party... A combo graduation party for Andy at tc3 (he will attend Ithaca college next semester to get his bachelors in tv broadcasting), and partly for my going away. It was good to see the gam, and also Sarah and Bryson came over this morning :) gosh he's cute!! Three days until I leave the US!! I am so excited and grateful for this opportunity to become a part of the family, practice English with Char and immerse myself in another culture and gain new experiences and meet new people!! I get to see how the other half of the world lives :) my flight goes through Philly then overnight flight to Amsterdam. Sorry this isn't longer I am going to Skype with my friend from brazil..let's hope it all works out for her to fly over and travel with me for a month!! I would love to see her again!!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Up the Coast
Sad I missed the bartenders bash- literally we left sunday night to make good time, and the Bash was that monday. Also, I guess I'm going to have to wait until next year to meet Hugh Heffner- which my friends met him there- the question is, was it trhe real him? I thought I emt him at Fantasy Fest but then I realized they ahd a celeb look a like contest, and a lot of old men (no offense) can easily look like him with the right outfit, cigar, and as long as they have the right facial structure...idk I want to meet him one day though.
Elethea flew in fromk Peru sunday night at 720. By the time we go out of the airport and such it was about 845 then we went to chipolte so she could get a bag out of Carly's car. Also, nice to be able to say goodbye to them and not rush. We drove from there (n miami) to just south of Jacksonville and stayed at a hotel there overnight (thank goodness bc the next day we had about 11 hours of driving to do. We got to the hotel at 340am and then were up, showered, had breakfast at the hotel, and were back on the road by 9:30 am. Monday we drove to DC and then we stayed monday night, all of Tuesday and then left Wednesday early afternoon for NY. The drive from Florida to DC was raining and at parts I was driving 35mph because you couldn't see in front of you. That made it take a little longer than it should have.
While in DC I got to see my friend Mike and then Wednesday we went and walked H street, took the X2 downtown and decided to tour the Ford Theater and saw where Lincoln was shot and killed. The theater is amazing, breathtaking. Today they still use it for shows, but the overhang where he was is closed off to the public- you can see it from the opposite balcony. We looked at the international spy store, and walked around Chinatown in DC. We went to a Thai place and I got the mango rice dessert- so good! For dinner and happy hour we went to a mexican place with tapas and all got different things to share- I got cactus leaf, also there were different kinds of taces, meatballs, a melted cheese appetizer you put on tortillas (it was yummy). We all got Bleeding hearts (a tequilla drink with a hibiscus "ice ball"- the only way I can describe it, in the middle with little flowers in it too). The drink changed how it tasted every sip- from start to finish it was a little different each swallow. We did the rest of happy hour in Adams Morgan at a rooftop bar, and then over to IronHorse (like a pool hall, with shuffle board and such). I also got a motorcycle ride earlier in the day :) So much fun! The next morning we had breakfast with some grilling action, took a walk, and hung out before we had to be back on the road. We hit chipolte in Maryland and also this really neat frozen ogurt place with a zillion toppings- gummy bears, these little colored rice gummy cake type things, oreos, cookie dough, brownie bits, sugar wafers, vanilla wafers, etc. All the good stuff- and the red velvet frozen yogurt was by far my favorite!
Next time I'm in DC I need to go to the Tomb of the Undead (in Arlington- the one where they have a guard that goes around it 24/7) and also to the spy museum.
Back at home Wednesday I unloaded my stuff, and then had the first night sleeping in my old bed in about 9 months.
The next day Elethea left for Burlington, VT and I headed over to Anitra's to see my 'second family.' I took Isabella to Lime Hollow Nature center where we went on a nature hike, I convinced her that she shouldn't hit the trees because it will hurt them, so she started talking to them and apologizing to them (so adorable)!! She also made "soup" in the lake for the ducks with grass and rocks, stirring it with a stick found along the way. The bench was nice to lay on in the sunshine right next to the lake. We also visited the SPCA and found an absolutely adorable puppy named Precious (surrendered) that is light tan with a white line down her forehead. If I was about to get my own place right now I totally would have adopted her on the spot. I cannot wait until I can have my own dog!!!! That, along with a super comfortable bed and new car are the first things I want to buy when I'm back and into a place.
Saturday we went to the Ithaca Farmer's Market and walked around, sampled some cheeses and sat by the water and saw some ducks and the Cornell Crew Team. Next was Stuart Park in Ithaca and had a play date with Amber and her son Chace (he is getting so big!). We also hit the mall- by the time we were home in the early afternoon they both were fast asleep in their car seats. At night we got pudgies pizza (my favorite from home- their tomato sauce and the bread is kind of oily; mix that with a blue cheese for dipping and its heaven in your mouth). We watched The Sitter (Jonah Hill) it was pretty funny!
Sunday we had a chill day and hung out at the house and in town...I met Sarah's baby, Bryson, FINALLY!! He is so adorable- when I held him I didn't want to give him back :) He is a great snuggler baby and has the cutest little smile! It's been too long since I have seen her and I can't believe it has taken me this long to get up here and see him! After that, Isa and Carsen and I went mini golfing at Shipwrecks. First time I had been on the outdoor 18 hole mini golf course. I saw Aspinwall there too. After mini golf we came back and I grilled steaks, hoffman hotdogs, along with making a green salad, and macaroni salad w tomatoes, cheese, cucumber...it was delish! After the kids were in bed I took a well deserved hot jacuzzi bath :) and watched "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints".
It's now monday, and I have successfully had a pancake breakfast, deferred 2 of my 4 student loans for my trip, updated my blog, revamped my couchsurfing profile, gotton my stuff together that was spread throughout the house, charged my cell phone, and gotton together the rest of my packing list that I can start tomorrow for the 31st! I will have to go through and store what I don't need in the garage or back in my room at home, but also maybe I'll get rid of more stuff. Last time I was home I did get rid of about 4 garbage bags worth of stuf- clothes and sheos included. Lets hope to do it again!
Also, Thank you Aunt Patty for fixing my computer. Now I just need it to hook to the internet so I can redownload Itunes and learn about picasa so next time I won't have to go through the heart break of losing all my pics from the last 3 months I was in florida liek my 2nd to last key west trip with D and T that we did a bar crawl and took funny pics aith the statues by Mallory Square////
Elethea flew in fromk Peru sunday night at 720. By the time we go out of the airport and such it was about 845 then we went to chipolte so she could get a bag out of Carly's car. Also, nice to be able to say goodbye to them and not rush. We drove from there (n miami) to just south of Jacksonville and stayed at a hotel there overnight (thank goodness bc the next day we had about 11 hours of driving to do. We got to the hotel at 340am and then were up, showered, had breakfast at the hotel, and were back on the road by 9:30 am. Monday we drove to DC and then we stayed monday night, all of Tuesday and then left Wednesday early afternoon for NY. The drive from Florida to DC was raining and at parts I was driving 35mph because you couldn't see in front of you. That made it take a little longer than it should have.
While in DC I got to see my friend Mike and then Wednesday we went and walked H street, took the X2 downtown and decided to tour the Ford Theater and saw where Lincoln was shot and killed. The theater is amazing, breathtaking. Today they still use it for shows, but the overhang where he was is closed off to the public- you can see it from the opposite balcony. We looked at the international spy store, and walked around Chinatown in DC. We went to a Thai place and I got the mango rice dessert- so good! For dinner and happy hour we went to a mexican place with tapas and all got different things to share- I got cactus leaf, also there were different kinds of taces, meatballs, a melted cheese appetizer you put on tortillas (it was yummy). We all got Bleeding hearts (a tequilla drink with a hibiscus "ice ball"- the only way I can describe it, in the middle with little flowers in it too). The drink changed how it tasted every sip- from start to finish it was a little different each swallow. We did the rest of happy hour in Adams Morgan at a rooftop bar, and then over to IronHorse (like a pool hall, with shuffle board and such). I also got a motorcycle ride earlier in the day :) So much fun! The next morning we had breakfast with some grilling action, took a walk, and hung out before we had to be back on the road. We hit chipolte in Maryland and also this really neat frozen ogurt place with a zillion toppings- gummy bears, these little colored rice gummy cake type things, oreos, cookie dough, brownie bits, sugar wafers, vanilla wafers, etc. All the good stuff- and the red velvet frozen yogurt was by far my favorite!
Next time I'm in DC I need to go to the Tomb of the Undead (in Arlington- the one where they have a guard that goes around it 24/7) and also to the spy museum.
Back at home Wednesday I unloaded my stuff, and then had the first night sleeping in my old bed in about 9 months.
The next day Elethea left for Burlington, VT and I headed over to Anitra's to see my 'second family.' I took Isabella to Lime Hollow Nature center where we went on a nature hike, I convinced her that she shouldn't hit the trees because it will hurt them, so she started talking to them and apologizing to them (so adorable)!! She also made "soup" in the lake for the ducks with grass and rocks, stirring it with a stick found along the way. The bench was nice to lay on in the sunshine right next to the lake. We also visited the SPCA and found an absolutely adorable puppy named Precious (surrendered) that is light tan with a white line down her forehead. If I was about to get my own place right now I totally would have adopted her on the spot. I cannot wait until I can have my own dog!!!! That, along with a super comfortable bed and new car are the first things I want to buy when I'm back and into a place.
Saturday we went to the Ithaca Farmer's Market and walked around, sampled some cheeses and sat by the water and saw some ducks and the Cornell Crew Team. Next was Stuart Park in Ithaca and had a play date with Amber and her son Chace (he is getting so big!). We also hit the mall- by the time we were home in the early afternoon they both were fast asleep in their car seats. At night we got pudgies pizza (my favorite from home- their tomato sauce and the bread is kind of oily; mix that with a blue cheese for dipping and its heaven in your mouth). We watched The Sitter (Jonah Hill) it was pretty funny!
Sunday we had a chill day and hung out at the house and in town...I met Sarah's baby, Bryson, FINALLY!! He is so adorable- when I held him I didn't want to give him back :) He is a great snuggler baby and has the cutest little smile! It's been too long since I have seen her and I can't believe it has taken me this long to get up here and see him! After that, Isa and Carsen and I went mini golfing at Shipwrecks. First time I had been on the outdoor 18 hole mini golf course. I saw Aspinwall there too. After mini golf we came back and I grilled steaks, hoffman hotdogs, along with making a green salad, and macaroni salad w tomatoes, cheese, cucumber...it was delish! After the kids were in bed I took a well deserved hot jacuzzi bath :) and watched "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints".
It's now monday, and I have successfully had a pancake breakfast, deferred 2 of my 4 student loans for my trip, updated my blog, revamped my couchsurfing profile, gotton my stuff together that was spread throughout the house, charged my cell phone, and gotton together the rest of my packing list that I can start tomorrow for the 31st! I will have to go through and store what I don't need in the garage or back in my room at home, but also maybe I'll get rid of more stuff. Last time I was home I did get rid of about 4 garbage bags worth of stuf- clothes and sheos included. Lets hope to do it again!
Also, Thank you Aunt Patty for fixing my computer. Now I just need it to hook to the internet so I can redownload Itunes and learn about picasa so next time I won't have to go through the heart break of losing all my pics from the last 3 months I was in florida liek my 2nd to last key west trip with D and T that we did a bar crawl and took funny pics aith the statues by Mallory Square////
Last Southern Florida Memories May 2012
Last month in Florida was certainly memorable! Lots of international friends departures, along with ones across the states. I made some incredible friends throughout this past year in Florida (I am not just saying this- although whenever I leave a place ot sounds as if I have had a new life there coming to an end). In part that is true, but also there are so many influences and experiences that have widened my eyes and expanded my life experiences in every place I have gone.
The South Africans- crazy, smart, fun...I will miss picking on Ashleigh about her living in a mud hut with no running water or tv or electronics, about the rain dances she is so good at, or about her lovely "mystery" accent. I will never forget out activity forum and teram building days/ scavanger hunts...even if I tried I have a permanent rememberance of it (Nelsonated) on my left knee. It's all good Nelson- a good memory at the end. Also, can I say the Christmas party exchange with Will helping me out by buying smirnoff so whoever opened the present got iced?! Hahah And then The crazy amount of beer and alcohol that got passed around- games and booze being the theme. You can tell we like to recreate and have a good time there!
I will miss ladies night with my girls, all the crazy times we had- Annie. Amanda, Elethea and I. Big Chill and CJs, then some nights it extended the next night to Coconuts... ah. yes. And karaoke. Annie Lynch should have been carrying a microphone in her purse! Journey being out number 1 karaoke song. "Give me Everything tonight" by Pitbull being Amanda and my song for going out..ah, I'm gonna miss those times!
The last full moon party- also Cinco De Mayo, and Ailie and Lisa from Scotland's last night...we went down to Morada Bay, got the "local discount" and was a part of the junkaroo parade (you have to be being at that party), the beach parade, the dj inside the smaller beach bar... we had dinner at Bayside..Conch sandwich and some drinks. Oh, Conch Republic you are a good time!
Night fishing a few times with a friend, caught crab and then had a midnight/1 am seafood feast :)
Mustache party/ Cocktail dress/ BBQ going away- Amanda and I got corn, sausages, keilbasa, pasta salda, burgers, then snacky stuff- chips, cookies, drinks, etc. Everyone got to wear a mustache... javi, curtis, jeigh, jose, andrea, aaron, sergay, amanda, me, liz, dan...idk who else. Not many rec dept people came but a lot of my friends in diff departments did so it was nice to see all of them! Swimming in our clothes has been a trend lately- it's too hot and too much of a hastle to go upstairs to get out suits on. LOL
The Pong area- ahh, dice- the infamous game brought to us by our western and yellowstone friends...haha.
Anglers crew- Chatterbox nights, cjs... neverending shots with them. Good people, pool table stripper dances, darts.... oh you know. ;)
Chelsea and Brian and I went out on the jetski and also went tubing and wakeboarding! I did a lot better than the time with Erin at the lake- I got up and even stayed up for a bit! Plus having a day on the water is awesome! We went around and saw some sailboats as well, had a cookout too!
Amy, Dusty, and I went to the sandbar and had a water/boat day as well. If I went out on the water like that all the time/ every week I see how easy it would be to stay down here! I just need to start doing that more and eventually get my own..boat and jetski and wakeboard! haha We did Loraleis for dinner- awesome to go to and from the restaurant on a boat!! Ahh, this is the life... Also, we rented the house and sold my car all in about 10 minutes at the end of the day, plus got a great tan and got to relax and hang all day! Amazing time, I will never forget that day or the people! I wish them the best of Luck in angola, and I know we will meet again- maybe over seas even!
I had a solo day and went down to Anne's Beach, layed out and swam in the crystal clear water. Being as it has been 80+ degrees everyday since February pretty much it isn't hard to have anyh day be a beach day/ I almost missed the cooler weather once in a while...when Elethea and I got back to nyh and were unloading the car it was about 54 which totrally shocked me as I've had about 10 "cold" days in the past 2 years since I've been either traveling or living in Atlanta or Key Largo! That was a shock and had to immediately put on a fleece and my dad's sweatpants over my clothes just to be outside for half an hour at night. My blood has definitely thinned and I am no longer accustomed to the colder weather (aka below 60).
The yellowstone crew- James, Erin, Jen, Rowland...I love them all! I wish I had hung out with them more earlier in the season! (Also Sarah and Josh). They are so funny, and from what I hear I definitely want to go to ( maybe even work for a while) out west/ at yellowstone, and also in Alaska! I have bitten into the traveling "forbidden fruit" and I will never be the same- I long for new places and scenery and experiences. It runs in my blood and fuels my happiness!! haha
Filling water balloons with Dan on the beach was such a hillarious time, we make the funniest jokes while doing it that no one hears- they all hear us laughing and are probably wondering why we are so crazy and what is wrong with us... they'll never understand.
Caitlin's bachlorette party in Key West was lovely- we had a good time with friends, danced a lot, had her on stage a few different times, ate desert at Better Than Sex Dessert Resturaunt, did a hot sauce tasting at Peppers of Key West (Which for all of you that know me fairly well you know that hot and spicy (foods lol) is not my forte), but you will all be very impressed to know that I made it through the whole thing and even tried each one. Yes, by the end we were all sweating and my eyes were watering. 2 bottles of water and half hour later I was still standing...also, if you know me well you know I hardly drink anything (yes, major fault of mine) but 2 whole bottles in half an hour- you know I was pushing myself! They were really good though- the guy who did the tasting had a gas mask he could put on for the really hot ones, like the ones some people need to sign waivers for because they are so hot they can physically harm your insides. Needless to say I tried hot sauces but not the ones that were dangerous to my health! I'm not that crazy. We were about to a 5 on the scale to 10...not too bad especially for my taste buds. The ride on the way down with Nic and Dan was probably the most fun I've ever had in a car. I remember laughing an awful lot to where my stomach and face hurt, and belting out Celine Dion, Spice Girls (I think) and other fantastic classics, among singing to the man in the car next to us while waiting in the parking lot who proceeded to chuckle to himself.
One thing I did not do while in the keys (which I forgive myself because I only learned ofit like 3 days before I left) is this water rocket type thing..maybe I should say jet pack. Marriott and in Marathon they do it (you have a jetpack on your back and it shoots you into the air- or underwater, and you can steer it and go up/down/around..you look like a superhero is the only way I can describe it. This was Micheael Trixx night to do his magic show at the Chill, but it ended up downpouring and was nice to see the last storm head across the water. The next time I am down there I definitely am doing that and volunteering to socialize the dolphins.
Num Thai is still my fave sushi place- although Myaki (sp) in Homestead was really good too, I went there with Jake. Bayside had good food and a great view, also the Mahi Sloppy Joe at Big Chill is sooooo delish. I can't get anything else there/ I still have never tried the Wedge (a kind of salad) that is popular down there.
Cheers to south Florida and Island living... it definitely is a laid back way of life for fisherman and ocean folk!
The South Africans- crazy, smart, fun...I will miss picking on Ashleigh about her living in a mud hut with no running water or tv or electronics, about the rain dances she is so good at, or about her lovely "mystery" accent. I will never forget out activity forum and teram building days/ scavanger hunts...even if I tried I have a permanent rememberance of it (Nelsonated) on my left knee. It's all good Nelson- a good memory at the end. Also, can I say the Christmas party exchange with Will helping me out by buying smirnoff so whoever opened the present got iced?! Hahah And then The crazy amount of beer and alcohol that got passed around- games and booze being the theme. You can tell we like to recreate and have a good time there!
I will miss ladies night with my girls, all the crazy times we had- Annie. Amanda, Elethea and I. Big Chill and CJs, then some nights it extended the next night to Coconuts... ah. yes. And karaoke. Annie Lynch should have been carrying a microphone in her purse! Journey being out number 1 karaoke song. "Give me Everything tonight" by Pitbull being Amanda and my song for going out..ah, I'm gonna miss those times!
The last full moon party- also Cinco De Mayo, and Ailie and Lisa from Scotland's last night...we went down to Morada Bay, got the "local discount" and was a part of the junkaroo parade (you have to be being at that party), the beach parade, the dj inside the smaller beach bar... we had dinner at Bayside..Conch sandwich and some drinks. Oh, Conch Republic you are a good time!
Night fishing a few times with a friend, caught crab and then had a midnight/1 am seafood feast :)
Mustache party/ Cocktail dress/ BBQ going away- Amanda and I got corn, sausages, keilbasa, pasta salda, burgers, then snacky stuff- chips, cookies, drinks, etc. Everyone got to wear a mustache... javi, curtis, jeigh, jose, andrea, aaron, sergay, amanda, me, liz, dan...idk who else. Not many rec dept people came but a lot of my friends in diff departments did so it was nice to see all of them! Swimming in our clothes has been a trend lately- it's too hot and too much of a hastle to go upstairs to get out suits on. LOL
The Pong area- ahh, dice- the infamous game brought to us by our western and yellowstone friends...haha.
Anglers crew- Chatterbox nights, cjs... neverending shots with them. Good people, pool table stripper dances, darts.... oh you know. ;)
Chelsea and Brian and I went out on the jetski and also went tubing and wakeboarding! I did a lot better than the time with Erin at the lake- I got up and even stayed up for a bit! Plus having a day on the water is awesome! We went around and saw some sailboats as well, had a cookout too!
Amy, Dusty, and I went to the sandbar and had a water/boat day as well. If I went out on the water like that all the time/ every week I see how easy it would be to stay down here! I just need to start doing that more and eventually get my own..boat and jetski and wakeboard! haha We did Loraleis for dinner- awesome to go to and from the restaurant on a boat!! Ahh, this is the life... Also, we rented the house and sold my car all in about 10 minutes at the end of the day, plus got a great tan and got to relax and hang all day! Amazing time, I will never forget that day or the people! I wish them the best of Luck in angola, and I know we will meet again- maybe over seas even!
I had a solo day and went down to Anne's Beach, layed out and swam in the crystal clear water. Being as it has been 80+ degrees everyday since February pretty much it isn't hard to have anyh day be a beach day/ I almost missed the cooler weather once in a while...when Elethea and I got back to nyh and were unloading the car it was about 54 which totrally shocked me as I've had about 10 "cold" days in the past 2 years since I've been either traveling or living in Atlanta or Key Largo! That was a shock and had to immediately put on a fleece and my dad's sweatpants over my clothes just to be outside for half an hour at night. My blood has definitely thinned and I am no longer accustomed to the colder weather (aka below 60).
The yellowstone crew- James, Erin, Jen, Rowland...I love them all! I wish I had hung out with them more earlier in the season! (Also Sarah and Josh). They are so funny, and from what I hear I definitely want to go to ( maybe even work for a while) out west/ at yellowstone, and also in Alaska! I have bitten into the traveling "forbidden fruit" and I will never be the same- I long for new places and scenery and experiences. It runs in my blood and fuels my happiness!! haha
Filling water balloons with Dan on the beach was such a hillarious time, we make the funniest jokes while doing it that no one hears- they all hear us laughing and are probably wondering why we are so crazy and what is wrong with us... they'll never understand.
Caitlin's bachlorette party in Key West was lovely- we had a good time with friends, danced a lot, had her on stage a few different times, ate desert at Better Than Sex Dessert Resturaunt, did a hot sauce tasting at Peppers of Key West (Which for all of you that know me fairly well you know that hot and spicy (foods lol) is not my forte), but you will all be very impressed to know that I made it through the whole thing and even tried each one. Yes, by the end we were all sweating and my eyes were watering. 2 bottles of water and half hour later I was still standing...also, if you know me well you know I hardly drink anything (yes, major fault of mine) but 2 whole bottles in half an hour- you know I was pushing myself! They were really good though- the guy who did the tasting had a gas mask he could put on for the really hot ones, like the ones some people need to sign waivers for because they are so hot they can physically harm your insides. Needless to say I tried hot sauces but not the ones that were dangerous to my health! I'm not that crazy. We were about to a 5 on the scale to 10...not too bad especially for my taste buds. The ride on the way down with Nic and Dan was probably the most fun I've ever had in a car. I remember laughing an awful lot to where my stomach and face hurt, and belting out Celine Dion, Spice Girls (I think) and other fantastic classics, among singing to the man in the car next to us while waiting in the parking lot who proceeded to chuckle to himself.
One thing I did not do while in the keys (which I forgive myself because I only learned ofit like 3 days before I left) is this water rocket type thing..maybe I should say jet pack. Marriott and in Marathon they do it (you have a jetpack on your back and it shoots you into the air- or underwater, and you can steer it and go up/down/around..you look like a superhero is the only way I can describe it. This was Micheael Trixx night to do his magic show at the Chill, but it ended up downpouring and was nice to see the last storm head across the water. The next time I am down there I definitely am doing that and volunteering to socialize the dolphins.
Num Thai is still my fave sushi place- although Myaki (sp) in Homestead was really good too, I went there with Jake. Bayside had good food and a great view, also the Mahi Sloppy Joe at Big Chill is sooooo delish. I can't get anything else there/ I still have never tried the Wedge (a kind of salad) that is popular down there.
Cheers to south Florida and Island living... it definitely is a laid back way of life for fisherman and ocean folk!
Monday, April 2, 2012
Spring Break
Ah, Spring Break..a lovely busy time here at the resort. Keeps you on your toes, time flies, but it also means that whiel time is flying the season is coming to an end and people will start departing soon...it's nice to have the luxury of moving around and meeting so many people from all over the world but it's always a little sad when it ends- kind of like graduation- lots of memories to look back on- bittersweet. But a lot are moving onto new challanges and experiences too :) I'm so excited about mine!!
I actually am about a little under 2 months from my next big venture, and 6 weeks away from visiting family and friends (It's been about 8 months since I've been home). I'm excited to see y'all..and my dogs/animals!! Lots to do upcoming in preparation but once a few of the bigger things are done (like selling my car) then the rest will not be as hard (I hope)!
Tomorrow is my first full day off in about 3 weeks so I am super psyched! Minis having to do my taxes (which I already have half done thankfully)- I may go jet skiing and or paddleboarding. Also I'm going to SLEEP IN (Very exciting)!!
I'm off to figure out what tonite will bring..I think the NCAA championships possibly...
I actually am about a little under 2 months from my next big venture, and 6 weeks away from visiting family and friends (It's been about 8 months since I've been home). I'm excited to see y'all..and my dogs/animals!! Lots to do upcoming in preparation but once a few of the bigger things are done (like selling my car) then the rest will not be as hard (I hope)!
Tomorrow is my first full day off in about 3 weeks so I am super psyched! Minis having to do my taxes (which I already have half done thankfully)- I may go jet skiing and or paddleboarding. Also I'm going to SLEEP IN (Very exciting)!!
I'm off to figure out what tonite will bring..I think the NCAA championships possibly...
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Rainy Lazy Day Off and I love It!
A few nights ago we had DJ night at the Wreck. They had an airbrush artist come in to do trucker hats for us...met Henry and Stephen from Charleston (or Charlotte)- one of those two, I always get them confused, although Charleston is in SC and Charlotte in North. Got some solid nights of sleep which my body definitely needed!
Last night a huge group from the reef went out to Coconuts. Lots of fun, Aaron, Erin, James, Jess, Monica, Me, Ailie, Lisa and her bf, Ryan, Duncan, Pat, Patty, Matt, Crisitina, Amy, Cam, Adam, Ryan... so much fun! Involved was stage dancing, James-riding (haha), and tons and tons of dancing!! (I love dancing!!!!!).
Sadly a lot of people's end dates are coming up soon! I love season and all the people it brings, but at the end it is always nostalgic. The world nostalgic is the best descriptic word, I love it. Also, last week I learned a new one I like too- esoteric (Thanks Mickey)!
I skyped today and am getting so excited about my trip!! Again, "Chance of a lifetime"- I'm going to make my life a "life of a lifetime" and fill it with the most amazing journeys, people, experiences, friends, families, and feelings! Why not make your life one of your dreams? As much as I can help it, I would rathe be doing things that are enriching my life, sense of being, expanding my knowledge of other cultures, practices, people, etc. than doing something monotonous all my life, or worse something I don't enjoy. I know there will always be responsibilities- and I am well aware of them, but also I am the person to go off the beaten path, create my own, and not conform to what other people think.
I also had a lovely conversation with my friend I met at the Virginia Key Grassroots Festival today as well! (Which, I don't hink I posted about which I should fill you in on- Maria and KellyAnne came down and we all camped on the beach for the festival. The first night it was very rainy, but we made the best of it- music, snuggled in a tent with some champagne, ocean, w&w). Couldn't get any better! Falling asleep to the sound of rain mixed with ocean, and then waking up to the ocean/beach- there is nothing better! There were a few hiccups, such as a raccoon getting into the tent and taking out bagels- we weren't fast enough with getting it all in a bear bag... and during the hooping workshop someone who will have bad karma decided to take my bag and our more important belongings..but other than that, there was nothing else we had to worry about besides the tide so we had a great time the rest of it! We had a few beach campfires and stayed until the sun came up- fire poi, led hula hooping, conversating, blanket-wrapped and toes buried in the sand. COPE is a band from Tampa (really great), and also from my neck of the woods- Driftwood and Sim Redman Band. Chaka Khan was there (she was alright but was very picky with her backstage crew), Fishbone, a sick dj who mixed live drum beats with his music,, some reggaeton/ jamaican bands, and also some spanish/latin styles.
I received my first Thai massage and it was amazing. Sydey from Jacksonville does great work! Last night I stayed on a hammock on the beach- THAT was an amazing sight waking up on the beach to sunrise, it actually was cold though- I could see my breath that morning. I also had some great dance partners...Leroy was a good man, and Tim was my favorite. He was also part of the volunteer staff- "Camp Ranger." Him and I danced and I had more fun than I think I had ever dancing with someone! I will never forget that man for as long as I live :)
Here in the Keys, things are picking up for us again- Spring Break has started so everyday is steady and this leads up to Easter when it will be insane. I am excited to see this easter egg hunt on the beach- I guess we have over 1000 eggs everywhere! It sure will be a sight!
I am excited, going to catch up with my Annie :) YeyyY!
Keep an open mind to new possibilities and be open to the opportunity when it presents itself, it will when the time is right! Don't be scared to take risks either~ In order to evolve there needs to be change!
"If you always do what you always did, you will always be where you always were" -D. Seuss (I think it was his quote)!!
Last night a huge group from the reef went out to Coconuts. Lots of fun, Aaron, Erin, James, Jess, Monica, Me, Ailie, Lisa and her bf, Ryan, Duncan, Pat, Patty, Matt, Crisitina, Amy, Cam, Adam, Ryan... so much fun! Involved was stage dancing, James-riding (haha), and tons and tons of dancing!! (I love dancing!!!!!).
Sadly a lot of people's end dates are coming up soon! I love season and all the people it brings, but at the end it is always nostalgic. The world nostalgic is the best descriptic word, I love it. Also, last week I learned a new one I like too- esoteric (Thanks Mickey)!
I skyped today and am getting so excited about my trip!! Again, "Chance of a lifetime"- I'm going to make my life a "life of a lifetime" and fill it with the most amazing journeys, people, experiences, friends, families, and feelings! Why not make your life one of your dreams? As much as I can help it, I would rathe be doing things that are enriching my life, sense of being, expanding my knowledge of other cultures, practices, people, etc. than doing something monotonous all my life, or worse something I don't enjoy. I know there will always be responsibilities- and I am well aware of them, but also I am the person to go off the beaten path, create my own, and not conform to what other people think.
I also had a lovely conversation with my friend I met at the Virginia Key Grassroots Festival today as well! (Which, I don't hink I posted about which I should fill you in on- Maria and KellyAnne came down and we all camped on the beach for the festival. The first night it was very rainy, but we made the best of it- music, snuggled in a tent with some champagne, ocean, w&w). Couldn't get any better! Falling asleep to the sound of rain mixed with ocean, and then waking up to the ocean/beach- there is nothing better! There were a few hiccups, such as a raccoon getting into the tent and taking out bagels- we weren't fast enough with getting it all in a bear bag... and during the hooping workshop someone who will have bad karma decided to take my bag and our more important belongings..but other than that, there was nothing else we had to worry about besides the tide so we had a great time the rest of it! We had a few beach campfires and stayed until the sun came up- fire poi, led hula hooping, conversating, blanket-wrapped and toes buried in the sand. COPE is a band from Tampa (really great), and also from my neck of the woods- Driftwood and Sim Redman Band. Chaka Khan was there (she was alright but was very picky with her backstage crew), Fishbone, a sick dj who mixed live drum beats with his music,, some reggaeton/ jamaican bands, and also some spanish/latin styles.
I received my first Thai massage and it was amazing. Sydey from Jacksonville does great work! Last night I stayed on a hammock on the beach- THAT was an amazing sight waking up on the beach to sunrise, it actually was cold though- I could see my breath that morning. I also had some great dance partners...Leroy was a good man, and Tim was my favorite. He was also part of the volunteer staff- "Camp Ranger." Him and I danced and I had more fun than I think I had ever dancing with someone! I will never forget that man for as long as I live :)
Here in the Keys, things are picking up for us again- Spring Break has started so everyday is steady and this leads up to Easter when it will be insane. I am excited to see this easter egg hunt on the beach- I guess we have over 1000 eggs everywhere! It sure will be a sight!
I am excited, going to catch up with my Annie :) YeyyY!
Keep an open mind to new possibilities and be open to the opportunity when it presents itself, it will when the time is right! Don't be scared to take risks either~ In order to evolve there needs to be change!
"If you always do what you always did, you will always be where you always were" -D. Seuss (I think it was his quote)!!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Post 55
Post 55
Glorious Day off- went to find a place to read my book (Wanderlust), it ended up raining and heavy winds so Liz and I rolled down windows/ opened doors as long as we could to still enjoy the fresh air. She napped while I read for a few hours. Checked out the psychic dome that we always drive past.
Jan 12- Adventure Day with D and T. We ventured to Key West today, cloudy conditions in the morning btu the sun burned through the clouds by noon. We walked around Duval, got lunch at Irish Kevin's along with the first Key West drink of the day. Earthbound Trading is always one of my favorites, D and I got jewelry, and then we continued the ventures- Wet Willy's, the original Sloppy Joe's joint (now called Uncle Tom's), Hard rock, Two Amigos, and (___). Yes, made sure to do a mini hoop session before we left. Success.
Got some exciting ventures coming up!!
Mostly shopping all day and pub crawl.
Found No Name Pub for dinner but it was so busy and a long wait- I checked where my dollar was posted before, and pretty obviously, it was covered by now, seeing as I had done that like almost 3 years ago.
Glorious Day off- went to find a place to read my book (Wanderlust), it ended up raining and heavy winds so Liz and I rolled down windows/ opened doors as long as we could to still enjoy the fresh air. She napped while I read for a few hours. Checked out the psychic dome that we always drive past.
Jan 12- Adventure Day with D and T. We ventured to Key West today, cloudy conditions in the morning btu the sun burned through the clouds by noon. We walked around Duval, got lunch at Irish Kevin's along with the first Key West drink of the day. Earthbound Trading is always one of my favorites, D and I got jewelry, and then we continued the ventures- Wet Willy's, the original Sloppy Joe's joint (now called Uncle Tom's), Hard rock, Two Amigos, and (___). Yes, made sure to do a mini hoop session before we left. Success.
Got some exciting ventures coming up!!
Mostly shopping all day and pub crawl.
Found No Name Pub for dinner but it was so busy and a long wait- I checked where my dollar was posted before, and pretty obviously, it was covered by now, seeing as I had done that like almost 3 years ago.
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