Fill Your Soul

Anya learns about the lake and pool; she really isn't a fan.

There isn't much going on this week other than shopping/packing/getting ready for my trip.  I have had a few people ask me why Costa Rica; my response is why not? I'm just a girl who wishes for the world. Jobs fill your pocket, adventure fills your soul.  Chase whatever it is that fills your heart with music and make sure it's a beat you can dance to.

There are so many places I want to see and foods I want to try! Looking over my itinerary just gets me more excited! Next week I will be posting from Central America! Hasta la proxima!

Preparations

List of things I have not missed about the US:
Speed limits (you mean I can't just drive whatever speed I want?)
Stop lights (no patience for them anymore)
Traffic
Using a GPS (I don't like not knowing the roads or where I am going)
Cold weather
Gloomy weather
Having to wear shoes (anything other than barefoot is overdressed)
Carrying a purse  (I would always just carry a wallet and my cell phone)
Having to check the weather to see what to wear
Mom's to-do lists  ;)
Malls (they are overwhelming)
Grocery store selections
Portion sizes  (disgustingly large)
Free flowing soft drinks
Fast food chains and obesity
Pumping your own gas (yeah I know that's lazy of me)
Music on the radio (how many times can you play the top hits in the same day, I mean really?)
Violence and media (I turn on the TV and the first thing I see is the Baltimore riots....insanity)
Reality TV ("reality")

These are all probably things I have taken for granted in the past, but being away for three years puts a lot of things in perspective.  There is a kind of magic about going far away and then coming back changed.  I believe F. Scott Fitzgerald said it perfectly: "It's a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same.  You realize what's changed is you."  I had someone ask me if I was going to change the name of my blog, now that I am moving back to the States.  I told him paradise has never been about a place, it's a state of consciousness.  While the US may not be perfect, it's far from the "hell" this individual had in mind.

I have been doing lots of preparations to move to Louisiana these past two weeks, which has included lots of shopping but that was been oddly overwhelming.  I've also had the pleasure of visiting friends, celebrating two friend's weddings, and a little bit of planning for my sister's wedding.

Orr Wedding:

 Carroll Vow Renewal:

While the island Ross students are starting to fly back and get ready to start classes on Monday, I am eager for my new adventure in Bation Rouge.  I am living a gorgeous feeling of teetering on the unknown.  Normally that would scare me, however since I have been living at the end of my comfort zone, I know I can and am willing to take on anything.  Once you become fearless, life becomes limitless, and that is an incredible feeling.

One Month To Go

Well it's actually more like 25 days.....wow....where did that time go?  My lists have been getting smaller and smaller and I'm seeming less and less overwhelmed and a little more excited.  A lot has happened since my last post that I don't even know where to begin.  So yes, this entry will be long, but it's full of pictures!

It has been a bittersweet month, full of a lot of last days.  I had my last day of CRC (Carolina Raptor Center). I have very much enjoyed volunteering and getting to know everyone there.  It has been a truly incredible and rewarding experience working and handling each of the birds.  I seen things that have appalled me (ducted taped hawk) and things that have touched me (birds that get to be released).  I am definitely considering working with birds of prey in the future.  I also had my last day of dance....sigh.  I've been belly dancing since 2003, with breaks in between to go to Virginia Tech.  I have learned from several different teachers (Yasmine, Nayna, Iona, Sarah) as well as different styles of belly dance (cabaret, fusion, ATS, Egyptian)  I have learned so much and have got to the level of dance I want to be.  My dance girls have become such a big part of my life that I'm going to miss them tremulously.  I can only hope that I dance with them again in the future.  Don't get me wrong....I am bringing AT LEAST one dance outfit with me (you never know) and I am asking for Fat Chance Belly dance DVDs for Christmas (hint Mom)!  The other last was my last day of work at Indian Land Animal Hospital.  I have become so comfortable and so close with those girls that they are seriously my second family.  I miss each and every one of them already.


I got a nice little vacation and went up to Corning, NY with the boyfriend and his family where we did a wine tasting trip.  I bought some Christmas presents and some gifts for myself :)
The next week, I got a even bigger vacation, when my whole immediate family took a trip to St. Kitt's to visit Ross University!  The views, of course, were amazing!  You can see the entire island when you land and take off.  It is crazy to think I will be living there for 2 1/2 years in less than a month. We arrived on Wednesday night at the Marriott Beach Club and went to the Blue Seafood Restaurant.  Here is a picture of the Marriott:

  We were warned ahead of time, that we are on "island time" and need to "chilax".  Our meal (which is not unusual) took a total of 2 hours with the food being very spread apart, but it was very good. On Thursday (Thanksgiving) we got a tour of the school and as well as a small one of the island.  I was unfairly comparing the school to Virginia Tech, but I am more excited to go to school there.  I wasn't able to take a lot of picture of the campus, but here's what I could take:

I was able to see a similar room that I will be staying in, which gave me a better idea of what I need to pack (much lighter).  We were able to meet with Financial Aid, one of the deans, sit in on a first semester class (mircoantamony) and eat at one of the school restaurants, Rituals Coffee.  It has everything from sandwiches, wraps, smoothies, salads, to even (surprise!) coffee.  We then were taken on a car ride of where the off-campus housing was and they are gorgeous! Here are some:

That night, we had the opportunity to have a Thanksgiving meal at the restaurant, but we opted for a less traditional one at the local bar, Shiggity Shack with rum punch and Lazombe (fire eater/dancer):

On Friday, we got the complete island tour with the best taxi driver Mr. Rodgers! The entire trip around the island, with stops, took 3 hours.  We visited Brimstone Fortress Hill, the drunken tree, the black rocks, Bloody Point, and the Caribelle Batik.  We even tasted some sugar cane and coconut water:

For lunch, we went to Rituals Coffee again near the hotel.  We then briefly sat out at the beach and experienced the amazingly warm 85 degree weather. For dinner, we went to the Royal Grill Steakhouse, which is at the Marriott.  We experienced an extremely rude family next to our table that did nothing but complain the entire time about the entire meal (they ordered Mac&Cheese at a steakhouse...who does that?!)  They really made Americans look awful and we all really wanted to say something to them.  We had check out on Saturday, so we had a brunch at Calypso Restaurant and spent the rest of our time at the beach, and Port Zante (for souvenirs of course) until our flight back home.

For school, in the last month, I had to take the MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator), fill out a immigration form, write a personal paragraph for our professor to read, received my orientation group and my island cell phone number!  My orientation group is all girls and I've already Facebook-friended all of them.  They are from all over (Florida, Tennessee, Indiana, Texas, Massachusetts,   Alabama, and New York) so I am very excited to get to know them better.  All the forms for the school are done, so now I just have to concentrate on my packing.
Still so much to do and buy before I leave, but for now I'm taking a mental break and spending about two weeks in DC with my boyfriend and visiting friends.  Don't get me wrong though, I still have my Christmas list and to do list that I'm doing while "vegging" here.  Wish me luck that I get everything done without completely stressing!  I will blog more updates as the countdown gets closer!

Lists

Still feeling incredibly overwhelmed.  I have several "lists" going at the moment, including to do  before I leave, to buy for school, to buy for Christmas gifts, my personal Christmas list, and so on. Every day I just about 10 new things to each of those lists.  When I'm not doing something/anything regarding getting ready for school, I'm literally pacing thinking that I'm forgetting to do something.  I still wake up in the middle of the night thinking about things to add to my lists.  Every blog I read written by students that are/have already gone through this, is only making matters worse.  I thought reading them would be helpful, and in a sense they are, but they are also stressing me out more with telling me new "helpful" hints and things to pack.

So as if I don't have enough lists already, I have come up with a new list.  This is my List of Things That Have Taken Over My Mind:

1) Mom is bugging me with questions that I don't have the answers to, and about having a goodbye party, which I don't really don't have time for.  Sadly, my calender is pretty much filled every day until I leave. She also wants me to go on a trip with her and my dad this weekend.  I rather stay here and get more "stuff" done.

2) Suitcases are packed for when I visit St. Kitts over Thanksgiving.  I'm worried that I'm bringing too much stuff, but then again, this is what all the current students are telling me to bring.  Currently in three suitcases I have toiletries, some school supplies, first aid supplies, some kitchen supplies, towels, and bed sheets/comforter.  I will bring all my clothes and decorating items when I leave in December.  I have also started packing for my DC/NY trip, and the St. Kitts trip.  I feel like I will be living out of suitcases for the next two months with all the trips I will be going on (DC/NY, St. Kitts, and DC again).

3) Of course, I cannot forget that Christmas is right around the corner.  Having to think of gifts on top of packing is not easy.  I have no idea what to get anyone, nor do I have any money.  Love this time of year.....

4) My boyfriend is in my every thought of my every day.  I am constantly worried about him and how he's handling all of this change.    I also feel like I wouldn't be as overwhelmed and stressed out if he was here helping me.

5)  I've been an awful friend, especially to my long distance friends.  Sorry girls!! I love you and miss you so much, but my mind is literally all over the place right now, so please forgive me.  I do plan on seeing each and every one of you before I leave however so keep your calender open!

6) My list of things to do before I leave is probably the longest.  It includes getting a haircut, getting my TMJ night guard, getting my new glasses, last day of the Carolina Raptor Center note and snack, last day of dance snack, last day of work snack, pack for all my trips, get Christmas presents, finishing my scrapbooks, finishing my T-Shirt quilt, selling my old stuff on Ebay/Craig's List, etc.  I think I will add get a MASSAGE to this list as well.


It has been so hard to take one day at a time lately especially since I'm planning weeks in advance.  Our power went out the other day for 7 hours and I was so lost.  I had to get on the internet because I had so much to do!  I really think it was God's way of telling me to slow down.  All I did that night was read and try to relax since I wasn't able to do anything else.  Church service today had to do with God taking, breaking, and blessing us. (He takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it out).  It was incredibly powerful and helped put my mind at ease.  I have to keep remembering that he isn't going to give me or take me anywhere that Him and I can't handle together.

2 months closer....

Since my last post, I've been getting more emails from the school and getting more forms filled out.
I have filled out my bank application and starting to look into loans.

I have found out where I will be living: Columbus.  I'm hoping it will have an ocean view, but if it doesn't I can just walk outside!  Here is a picture of the outside:

I've been getting more packing done, which now just consists of putting everything in a big pile of what I won't need for the next 2 months.  Since my family going to visit the school over Thanksgiving, I need to figure out 2-3 suitcases full of stuff that I can store down there until I move in.
Here's what my pile looks like so far:

I also finally got my health certificate finished today with a trip to the doctors office, just in time for the deadline.  I needed the doctor to fill out a form, along with getting a Rabies and Hepatitis B titer, RDR test, and just some blood work for my own benefit.  I will be getting dropped from my parents insurance in February, so I basically need to get as much as possible done now.

My TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder) has been acting up for the last two weeks and I haven't had the best night's sleeps.  I'm always waking up thinking of things to put on my packing list or things I need to do before I leave.  The stress is outweighing the excitement at this point.

Since everyone else I know had posted a countdown, mine is in the corner!