Happy Almost Thanksgiving!

Hello Hello Hello. Time has been flying!! I am very excited that next week is Thanksgiving. Things have been going really well. I am really liking my job and the people that I work with. Although there are definitely times when I come home exhausted, and I am still not used to waking up at six (I don't think I'll ever be a morning person) I feel really good about what I'm doing and at the end of the day I feel very fulfilled. The people that I work with are wonderful. The thing that I really like about them is that everyone works as a unit. It's not a work place where you would hear "oh sorry I would like to help you but that's not in my job description.." I find that attitude very admirable and it's nice to be surrounded by that.

One of the cool things about my school is that we are newly a magnet school. We became a Communications magnet school this year, due to in large part from the past VISTA Katy Simison. Because of our partial magnet, we were able to get a news show that some of the students do every morning, a newspaper club, a weather bug, and lots of other fun things! It was a big deal for our school! Last week I went to a fair which featured all the magnet and charter schools in the district. Here's a picture from the fair!




me, Katy, The principle Ms. Hendrix, our parent educator Ms. Green, and a student

Yay for visitors!

This past weekend was so awesome because I had my first (of I hope many) OUT OF TOWN VISITORS! My friend Jenna who lives in Maine, was road tripping down the east coast with her friend Ellen, who is moving to Florida. Jenna was going along for the ride and is flying back to Maine in a few days. After spending a few days in Washington DC and a night in Wilmington, NC they arrived in Charleston on Saturday night. I had a nice homemade veggie lasagna waiting for them when they arrived. It was really nice to catch up over food and wine. We had a lot to tell each other!

At Siena we had a lot of classes together because she was a Political Science Major too. Right now she is where I was before I decided to do Americorps. That in between time where it's not only hard to find a job but complicated by the fact that you're unsure of what kind of job you actually want to do. I think she may look into Americorps now that I told her more about it and how much I am enjoying my time here.

On Saturday night I took them out to some of the spots in North Charleston that my friends and I frequent. After that we went downtown to a bar that I had never been to, but was recommended to us by a friend. Big John's Tavern, affectionately known as "Charleston's Best Dive Bar." There was a fun cover band playing and funky wall decorations. We had a lot of fun!

On Sunday I made the girls eggs and then we made our way to down town Chuck Town. The weather could not have been more perfect! It was sunny and in the low 70s. I parked the car in Battery Park (where I parked with you mom n dad and also with you Aunt Jean) and walked down King Street. They too fell in love with the Southern architecture. We just took our time strolling around the city, stopping in different stores or to take pictures of the pretty scenery. I took them through the open air market on Market Street. They got some cute touristy items to remember their trip by. We also stopped by the Fort Sumter museum because Ellen is a history buff. We walked up and down Meeting and East Bay Street. It was all in all a wonderful ending to a wonderful weekend.

Here's a picture of us girls. Jenna is in the middle and Ellen is at the end.

Coastal Carolina Fair

as promised, I will write about the fair. I have to admit that I was a little reluctant to visit the fair. My fair experience has been less than thrilling. The Orange County Fair is pretty trashy and the New York State Fair wasn't much better.

However, my friend Maggie wanted to go, and being the good friend that I am (and intrigued myself) I decided to go with her. I have never seen such a spectacle! There were helicopter rides, elephant rides, a rodeo (with a ten yr old girl lassoing a bull, animals that I have never even heard of.. and plenty of interesting characters. We skipped out on the greasy fair food and rides and just enjoyed the sights. We saw a hypnotist, who was absolutely hilarious. I wasn't sure if I believed in it, but after seeing it in action- those people did not appear to be acting! He had three of the guys thinking that they were in the Backstreet Boys and had two women believing they were their biggest fans. It was really funny! We also saw a country music concert- Jake Owen. I can't believe that I am enjoying country music!

Here are some fair pictures-

When the heck did it get to be November?

Well, it's November 4th. Halloween has come and gone (with no trick or treaters or school wide celebration...boo) and my little sister has magically entered the adult world by turning 18. As an American I got to see some negative feelings towards my country first hand, and now as the Yankees are on their way to a world series victory, I am seeing some hatred for my home team!! Not that I don't see their points on some issues in both circumstances.. but still, it's tough out there!

School has been SO busy! With the Thanksgiving break coming up and not a ton of time in before the long Christmas break (yes it's just a Christmas break, They don't even bother to say holiday break in the bible belt) it seems like everything is getting crammed into November. Currently I am working on a Domino's Pizza Fundraiser, a Polo shit fundraiser, Krispy Kreme Donuts Fundraiser, a field trip to the festival of lights for my mentors/mentees, business orientations, partnering up with the Be An Mentor Initiative, training a bunch of high school kids on mentoring.. and.. that's just been Monday-Wed. Mostly, I enjoy being busy though. The hours and days are literally flying. And there is never, ever a dull moment where I live or work. So that's good too :)

I went to the Coastal Carolina state fair and it was... interesting. Pictures to follow. For now, here's a picture of the pumpkin the girls and I carved!