For one night only, if only.

Today is a weird day for me. It's been exactly a year since I first boarded a plane abroad. First from Boston to Chicago, then from Chicago to LAX, from LAX to Fiji, and 10 days from now, Fiji to Australia. I had a minor breakdown the other day thinking about it, but now I'm just missing it heaps. I can't believe how much has happened in the last year. As for recently, I've been working at ACE after school care in Mallet's Bay Monday and Friday afternoons as well as the Writing Center (where I am now) on Monday and Friday mornings. I just started a new job last night at KOTO Japanese Steakhouse which is a sushi restaurant and hibachi grill. I think that I'll enjoy it--much faster paced but not too difficult (hopefully) once I get the hang of the restaurant. I've been going to physical therapy on campus twice a week for my abnormally loose shoulders and have been making appointments here and there with career services and such to talk about grad school. Everything is moving really slowly and really quickly at the same time. Graduation will be here before I know it.

Aaaand... I'm back.

It's been so long since I last blogged that I really don't know where to start. I am almost into my final semester of college here at Saint Mike's and I guess that means it is time for some serious reflecting and some real consideration regarding my near future. I think that I'm in an extremely different place that I was in last time I posted in my Australia blog... This summer was really tough. After landing in Boston I cried for about a day straight. Missing Australia was really hard on me. I had a bacterial infection in my stomach for the entire summer but didn't find it until September which made it even harder to assimilate back home. Last semester was pretty wonderful, as well; school was really busy but rewarding as I completed my first senior thesis and got an A on it. Presenting it was liberating and surprisingly a lot of fun and I can only hope that my second one this semester is even better. I think that the most incredible thing that happened last semester was meeting a guy who has made a really significant change in my life. As of late, we've been going through a really rough patch but I know that I'll grow out of it and I hope more than anything that our relationship can grow out of it, as well. I haven't seen him in about three weeks but that will all change tomorrow night; I couldn't be happier.

I have a lot of big hopes and plans for this semester and the time immediately following it. Above all, I want to do what makes me happy while planning for graduate school and moving into my first non-college apartment. I want to write more and reflect more. I want to cherish the relationships that have gotten me through both the good and the bad, and not mourn over friends who I have lost along the way. I want to watch less TV, spend less time on Facebook, and spend more time enjoying my last semester as an undergraduate. I want to look back at this semester, and at college in general, and be content.

So much has happened since the last post that I made to this blog. I created a new one for my Australian adventures (http://www.bgriffin19australia.blogspot.com/) and plan on updating that pretty frequently after my departure (only 15 days away!). As far as being home goes, my extended Christmas break has only recently slowed down to a near-halt (though I know this won't last much longer!).

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I kicked of 2010 at the Marriott. We had our annual New Year's celebration with a 1920's flappers and gangsters theme. It was a lot of fun; the entire staff was dressed up and acting the part and at times went a little crazy dancing around the ballroom (thanks to an egging-on from Bob Charest and his fabulous band). I worked and danced until 2am and then headed home for my first sleep of 2010.

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Exhausted as ever, I woke up on January 1st at 6:30am, after a 4-hour nap, and headed for the Portland airport. Because of a hyped-up snow storm, my parents decided it best for me to fly into Burlington rather than drive. My 9:30 flight was delayed until noon due to technical difficulties on the plane, but after watching three flights leave ahead of me, I finally boarded to Philly. Upon arriving in Philly, I sprinted to my second flight and made it by seconds, and only because it too was delayed.

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I made it to Burlington (finally) and went out with Chelsea for a while. After that, I met up with the Buffalo crew and we had our pre-departure dinner/get-together the night before leaving on our trip. It's so funny to think about meeting all of these people before leaving, remembering how we barely knew eachother only a couple short weeks ago.

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After a sleepover with Liz in her apartment up north, we all met at the MOVE office at 4:30 the next morning. We had a nice EXHAUSTED breakfast (I had slept very few hours in the previous couple of nights) and then headed to the airport. With only a minor pause at security, we made it to our flight. Before boarding we got in some quality bananagrams time (the first of many throughout the week) and a few got in short naps as well. We all basically slept through both flights (Burlington-Philly, Philly-Buffalo) and were brought first to our car rental destination upon arriving in Buffalo. This place may not sound significant, but it is where we first met our love, the Sprinter, that would be our vehicle for the week. The Sprinter got us to the St. Lawrence Guest House, our home for the week, where we had a fabulous meal waiting for us--authentic Buffalo pizza and WINGS. We also met Andy, our psuedo-tour guide and new best friend, who brought the EXHAUSTED group to Niagra Falls where we each acquired a layer of ice and froze our toes off for a glimpse of the beautiful sight.

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Over the course of the week, the 10 of us from Saint Mike's grew very close. During our free time, we often just talked for hours or played bananagrams. One night we even had a 3-hour game of Apples to Apples after a spectacular dinner. Dinner was always a great experience all week, too; each night, a pair of us would cook for the group. It was fun because we got to cook, experience the cooking of everyone else, and bond over an always-delicious meal. Sarah and I cooked on the second night and we made Perogies from scratch. It was a lot of work and we had to recruit others to help knead, cut, and stuff the dough, but the 70something saurkraut, ricotta, and potato perogies were all eaten and turned out better than I thought.

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When it came to the service portion of our Buffalo trip, as a group (and individually) I feel that we accomplished a lot. On our first full day, we were snowed in but painted the main hallway of the guest house. Sarah and I also helped the church's youth group do some tie-dying, as well. We were assigned schools that we would be working at for the week before starting on Monday, and I was sent to Saint Monica's school for girls with Sarah, Amy, Hillary, and Lily. The five of us taught Art and Gym throughout the week, organized and put together a library for the school, helped the sixth-grade English class paper mache and paint throughout the week, and socialized with the girls. A couple of us taught Spanish class as well as Science and Religion on various days. The school is made up of 31 5th-8th grade girls, all of whom are incredible. They all have such attitude and despite coming from less-than-ideal homes, they all exude confidence and have incredible senses of humor. Helping and teaching in this kind of environment makes me think that if I do end up teaching some day, It would be extremely rewarding teaching in an inner-city school such as this one.

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The school runs based on the Nativity model, meaning that they are a private, religious school that recognizes the talent within each student despite their odds. Most of the girls at the school are on full scholarship and are provided with a free breakfast and lunch every day. The days are extended, meaning that they attend from 8-4:30 every day. Classes run from 9-3 (I believe) and are followed by after school programs ranging from girl scouts to knitting club to basketball. Study halls also make up part of the after-school program, and during this time we were able to sit with some of the girls, one-on-one, and both tutor and chat.

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It was fun to spend the days at St. Monica's and then reflect with rest of the group about their time at the boys' school, St. Augusten. We all attended basketball games for both of the schools over the course of the week, and got to hear a lot about the adventures had at the two different schools. As I said before, all of us got incredible close (to the point where, despite us all having our own rooms, Me, Liz, and Sarah decided to sleep together in a tiny room with bunkbeds). A few of us got together on Saturday night back at campus (after flying from Buffalo-DC, DC-Burlington) and had a post-trip celebration. I came home the next day and have been nostalgic since.

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Last weekend, after a week that dragged on endlessly, I travelled up to Saint Mike's with Christina (surprise!) to visit everyone. The weekend was a whirlwind and I spend most of my time with Ricardo (Venezuela) and Yusef (Panama) when not hanging out with everyone together. Eleven of us went out for brunch on Saturday; on Sunday night Ricardo, Yusef and I went to the Skinny Pancake and then picked up John and Liz for some bowling. Afterwards, John, Liz and I went to 326 for a huge-group game night where we played Taboo for hours.

I stayed until Monday (thanks to MLK Day--no work!) and spent time with as many people as I could. It was sad to leave, but I'm heading back Friday so I'm extremely excited. I miss everyone like crazy already.

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SO here I am now, at work on a Wednesday, counting down the hours until I am back at St. Mike's and realizing how soon Australia is. I got an e-mail today saying that my pre-departure package is in the mail (including my plane tickets, detailed itinerary, participant list, etc.) and I should be receiving it Friday. I've started my Fiji readings (aghh) but, as excited as I am, can't resist procrastinating. I have to pick up gifts in Vermont and Maine for my Fijian host family and, of course, I have to begin PACKING. I have a lot of anxiety but also a lot of excitement. Exactly 15 days from now, I'll be sitting in the Chicago airport with loads of new friends, waiting to catch a connection to LA.

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Hasta Luego!

I can't believe how quickly time is passing as of late. The semester flew by, Christmas flew by, 2010 is sneaking up on me. I started work at the law office on Monday and I'll be working New Year's Eve at the Marriott tomorrow night (the theme this year is flappers and gangsters, it should be a lot of fun). On New Year's Day I leave for Vermont and on the 2nd I fly from Burlington to Buffalo for a week-long service trip with new friends from Saint Mike's. While there I'll be working in either a boys' or girls' Catholic school (placement hasn't been assigned yet). I'm really looking forward to it but I am getting a little bit nervous--a feeling that I didn't expect to have before leaving.

When I return from Buffalo I'll have just over three weeks until leaving for Fiji/Australia. I think that it is really starting to set in that I'll be halfway around the world for an entire semester; I have to apply for my visa upon getting home from NY, and then I have to PACK. How do I pack only a couple of bags for an entire semester abroad!? It should get interesting...

I'm creating a new blog especially for my time/experience abroad, keep a look out for it--it will be coming SO SOON!

I head home from school in 5 days and it still really hasn't hit me that I won't be coming back until September. It's honestly been a really tough semester but the last few weeks have made me feel a lot more content about the friends that I have and the experiences that I've been through... I've gotten a lot closer to certain people and I've realized that the only one who can justifiably judge my actions is me (though I now know who to confide in and who genuinely cares about me and how my actions affect me).

I had a lot more to write but I'm sleepy and have 10 pages to write for my American Theory final (due tomorrow).

(Thanksgiving Dinner with my SMC Family)

Eleven hours of homework later and STILL I've never felt better. Treating myself to a bubble bath, a full-body aromatherapy lotion rub, and a facial was the perfect way to end my night. What a day.

I feel like my life has been a huge blurry jumble of emotions, events, and areas of anticipation lately. I've got so many things on my mind and can't believe how quickly this semester is flying by. Sunday I had a pre-departure meeting with everyone else at SMC that is going abroad for the spring semester and it really started to hit me that I'll be halfway around the world in only a few short months. It is now less than three months until departure day and I have a lot to do before I go.

Despite the stress that has been surrounding me lately, I can't help feeling strangely content. I think I'm just euphoric from the incredible smell of this lotion.

I'm leaving for Fiji/Australia in less than 4 months. Still hasn't hit me yet. I'll be gone from February 5th until June 27th. While abroad I'm planning on:

visiting friends in New Zealand

visiting the Great Barrier Reef (doing a 4-day trip with my program)

attending Rugby games (hopefully an All-Blacks game in there somewhere)

sky diving

visiting Tasmania (maybe?)

checking out the outback!

learning to surf

picking up some Aussie slang

checking out the Sydney nightlife

attending some sort of show at the Opera House

The list goes on and on. If you have any recommendations or ideas that I haven't said, let me know :)