Slackline

So I had no idea what this was, but I was on my way back to my room from class and a couple of friends asked if I wanted to go slackline with them. After confirming that it wasn't drugs, I ditched my boring library day and tried it out.

Essentially, it is tying this slackline in between two trees and balancing across it. Yes, its pretty much tightrope walking. It was really fun and tested your balance, something I thought I was getting better at since my yoga. I did okay...

One of the trees we were near perfectly held my water bottle, sweatshirt, and phone. I just thought it was cool:

The School

This school is beautiful. This is my walk to class:

The library that is completely open in the center (so cool it gets 2 pictures):

My walk to the gym:

The Chapman building:

The flagpole in the quad:

Can't get better than this

Who would have thought I would be biking up and down a trail lining the California coast with a friend from Guam to go get some Vietnamese food? Today was perfect.

My friend and I biked up to the point where we couldn't anymore, then walked down the steep sand dune to get to the beach.

We relaxed, photo bombed a little, did some yoga and read.

Once back on the bike trail, we decided to ride into downtown Seaside for some food. Not knowing exactly where we were going, we stopped and pulled out a map. Before I could open it up, a man rode his bike up and gave us some advice on where and how to go. We found this little Vietnamese place for some chicken in green curry coconut sauce and lemongrass chicken with some rice and matched with a fresh squeezed orange juice and a Thai tea.

After our spicy food, we decided to go back before it got too dark out and found some fun things along the way:

Such a relaxed day.

Build You Up to Break You Down

I ended up going to a meeting, emailing, getting asked for my number, had intereting classes, saw people I know around campus for the first time and ended up feeling great.

Then, karma decided to bring a new spin on an old classic: Kelly Took a Tumble. I fell off my bike in front of four people, all girls. One of them asked me if I was okay. I told them don't worry, all that's hurt is my pride. I later realized I was bleeding in two spots which can now accompany my blister I got from my flats I wore on the airplane (lesson learned: new shoes and airplane do not mix, no matter how comfortable the flats are). I bruised a bone on my wrist pretty bad too. That fall kinda brought me back down to Earth, quite literally.

I still ended the day with a smile on my face and my dream of staying here for the year is closer and closer in reach.

Language

Its definitely not as drastic of a change as say going from English to Italian, but some words are new and some I get made fun of for. Hella? Hecka? What is that? Getting yolked? Really? One guy from New Jersey said that he misses people who have my accent. I have an accent?

When in Florence, I had an Alaskan friend who said my Jersey was dialed back after being around different cultures. Hopefully that happens again.

The nickname "Jersey" has been catching on. People ask me about the "Jersey Shore" more often than I'd like (more the show, less the place).

It'll take some getting used to. One thing I do promise you is that I will not be saying hella...

First Day of Classes at a New School

So that's the last time I'll ever be saying that... Tuesdays and Thursdays I have a 10am, a 2pm, and a 4pm aka I go from winter break to studying in zero to 60. First of all, classes here are four hours each week instead of three hours each week at Ramapo. I am now missing that five-hour experiencial Ramapo College has to keep our classes short.

Anyway, classes here are a lot different than at school in other ways. Half way through my first class, I ended up outside with my eyes closed quacking in front of the international office (the only office I know well on campus). My Thai professor has a very interactive teaching style that I hope is not exhausted by day two.

My professor for Introduction to Cultural Anthropology is from Mexico and decided it was too hot in our classroom, so we had class outside in the beautiful 65 degree sun.

My third professor (for Reporting) is first generation Columbian. I ended up meeting another friend, and it was kind of a normal class.

This Tuesday built me up to break me down. I found out that there is a great chance that I can stay here not just for the semester but for the fall semester as well! This was crazy news for me because nothing is really holding me back from staying. Ramapo College has gotten lame. All of my closest friends have graduated (almost). There are a lot of points that are holding me back from doing field hockey, especially since I played for 10 years and had a rough last season but ended with championship game being named one of the players of the game by coach, so good note. Honestly, this campus is pretty much Ramapo plus a beach, minus snow. It is spread over more land and full of different nature. It is nicer weather, more modern style and a whole campus of new people to befriend. Watching the 49ers lose while wearing a Giants jersey was not the easiest way to make friends though... I got flipped off at the cafeteria after the game but the guy behind me said to wear the jersey proud as he was from Jersey.

I fear that this blog won't be as exciting as my Freehold to Florence, since I won't be visiting crazy far away places that encompass a completely different culture, but I promise to keep things interesting.

Over and out.

Day One

In short, yesterday was a whirl wind. After being awake for 24 hours on 4 hours of sleep, you would think I would have passed right out last night, but unfortunately that was not the case. I do not need or want this to become a ranting outlet so moving on...

I have met a lot of really laid back, down-to-Earth people from Japan, Canada, Minnesota, Maryland, Mexico, North Caroline, even Guam. All of us in one room seems like a Misfits 101 class, but everyones nice and very interesting. Its funny how I feel more at home here than at Ramapo already. Something about here just kind of clicks. I hope those twenty plus applications to internships get reviewed in the next few weeks because I am getting antsy as to knowing when I will be back home, but hey, classes didn't even start yet; I should probably take things one step at a time.

All in all, I have nice, friendly roommates, the cafeteria is better than my home school, all my things are set up, and the beach is only a mile away. What's not to love?

Travel Romance

Traveling is like a romance. You can't love someone after a week and traveling to a place for only a week can only be considered a fling. Weeklong vacations is just like cheating on the location you are currently with. Your needs have not been met by your current locale and your looking for something fun and exciting, I get it. But that is not how I like to travel. I like to really get to know a place and see what they're all about. I'm not looking for anything too serious as I don't like to stay still for more than a few months, but it is nice to be able to understand a place before you move on. Plus, that getting to know you part is so exciting.

Can't wait to check out California. Five days and counting.

The Countdown

Just 15 days until I leave for a six month trip! This is right about the time I get completely nervous and that "what did I get myself into" question starts rolling around in my head. Once my packing has commenced, I think the butterflies will disappear...

My leave date is January 20, so my first true post will be a day or two after that. Wish me luck!