Not So Much A City Girl

How Cool is That??

So on Saturday a group of “Chiefs” from “The Marsh” took a day trip up to New York City. We left at 8:30am and got there a bit past 12:00 after driving 2.5 hrs to Jersey to catch a 1.5 hr train ride to the city. Every time I visit a city I leave with the same general feeling: that was nice, but I would NOT want to live there. It may be that I like grass too much! Or that dirty feeling you get after walking down city streets (or maybe that’s just me!) The pollution in the air, the layer of ick on the sidewalk. . .

Time Square

I would say one of my favorite parts of the day was visiting central park. It is such an oasis: a calm from the hustle and bustle, a breath of fresh air from the smog, a lush patch of green surrounded by concrete. But besides all this it is also an outlet, a stage for any and all. In central park you will find people singing, strumming, dancing, performing, drawing, skating, and selling. If you stand still too long you will be offered a horse and carriage ride or ride in a cart behind a bike.


As it was my first time in central part I was just in awe of how many people there were and how everyone seemed to be doing their own thing yet be in the spot light at the same time. Some may come to the park to “get away” but for others, the park is an audience waiting for their show.


We had barely entered the park before we were drawn in by a group of performers doing break dancing. You could tell it was their way of life; working on the streets of New York, performing numerous times a day for tips and tips alone. They introduced the last member of their group to be “Philip, Philip – De- Bucket,” I thought that was clever.

After wandering over a bridge, down some steps carved into a rock, and along the path past a live band, we were once again drawn in by loud music and a crowd – such tourists! This time we found what seemed to be a roller rink. There were gates set up, although it seemed anyone with skates was allowed in. A man walked around with speakers blaring dance music as he tried to sell the disc being played. The diversity of the skaters was amazing as were their styles, tricks, and moves.

Not much further down was the “Sheep Meadow – A Quite Zone” reserved for “quite enjoyment.” Such a fascinating concept that a sign would be required in order to create a place for “quite enjoyment” I fill a book with places on the Eastern Shore where you could find “quite enjoyment” and there are definitely no signs there! Nor are their hundreds of people within feet of you. Even when seeking “quite enjoyment” in the city, you are not alone, at least not when you are seeking your “quite enjoyment” outside. This has perhaps made me realize the value of a place like Sandy Cove even more. I have always loved and enjoyed it here but now I can better understand and appreciate the calm, quite, and peace that it provides.

A Quite Zone??

"Hoping you pause long enough to hear God"

I can remember my first year at WAC and how much I appreciated my surroundings; how I enjoyed my car rides to and from school and all the wonders and beauty I would see in every cornfield, farmhouse and sailboat. But as the route became more regular and the eastern shore became more and more like home, these features became more and more regular. I still noticed and appreciated these things and the place where I was but it was sufficiently normal and not as special, unique, or new.



So I totally forget where I was going with that . . . .
Ummmm so yeah, I guess to wrap that tangent up, I can say that although I was sort of ready to leave the small town at the end of my four years, I certainly enjoyed my four years of life on the eastern shore and how I got to be a part of and almost own a part of the special, unique place that was once so new to me.

In conclusion, I certainly enjoyed my trip to the Big City and would definitely return however I am most confident that my humble abode will eventually reside in a rural or suburban climate Preferably in Georgia, on the water - hehehe

A Weekend on the Eastern Shore

Had a fantastic, busy weekend!
Left Friday pretty much straight away from camp to head down to Bethany Beach to celebrate Allison’s birthday. She had been down with Dani all week and Laura and Tonie had gone down Thursday. Went out to dinner then just hung out til we crashed – I was tired from a long, hot week of camp.

Pheww - Friday was a hot one.
This picture was taken during our afternoon activity in the SHADE!

I was the first to wake up Saturday so I went outside to read my bible, which I am trying to do just about every morning these days in effort to read the whole thing in a year. I figure this is a good year to do it with being at camp now and having time during the internship away from the distraction of abundant technology eg. high speed internet. During school, I would check my email in the morning but here I don’t bother to turn the comp on until the afternoon or evening so instead I read while I eat breakfast.

I started with Philippians, one of my favorite books, and read through the letters of Paul up to Hebrews. Then of course I had to go back to Romans and was about to start 2 Corinthians when one of our BLASTS –Bible Learning and Scripture Teaching, which we do with our groups Tues – Thurs, was about Ester; so of course I had to read that book. I kind of enjoyed the break from the letters of Paul so began Nehemiah – weird book – no wonder you don’t hear many references from it – so far it is all about building a wall. Hummm so I suppose I should really go back and finish Paul’s letters before doing too much in the Old Testament. Oh well, good thing I’m marking what I have read as I go along!

WOW - Anyway . . . (that was tangent number one of this attempt at a brief account of my weekend – ha). I also got a few thank you notes done in the morning before the others woke up and we went to a local bakery for breakfast. Laura and Tonie left before lunch but Dani and I hung around. We walked into Bethany, had lunch at five guys (dani had never eaten there before) then walked down the beach on the way back. The water was pretty rough and pretty cold so I was less tempted than usual to charge into the surf!

Left Allison’s around 4:30 and followed her part of the way up Maryland’s Eastern Shore before breaking off to take the familiar route up to C-town. Laura and Ash are working there for crew camp and although Laura went w/ Tonie back to Annapolis she let me use her key to stay at WAC for the night. Felt some what natural or maybe just familiar, to be back at WAC but then I kept reminding myself that it is over and I’m not going back in the fall. I ended up sleeping in Rowena’s old second semester room in the I-House.

Went to mass with Marian on Sunday. I looked at the times at the Presbyterian church, b/c that is one of the few churches in Chestertown I have yet to attend, but then talked to Marian and decided just to go with her. Going to mass is always an experience! I’m somewhat used to it now, having gone with Marian a few times over the years. However, I still manage to have trouble stopping during the Lord’s prayer even though I know it is coming and Marian is giving me a reminder poke!

We met Lyndsey, who Marian is living with while in Chestertown, for breakfast at Ellen’s. She brought the butts (or heels) of bread to take down to the dock to feed the ducks. I LOVE the water! It is so my dream one day to live on the water. Just so happy and peaceful and fun all at the same time.

My attempt at taking a picture of our feet!

Back up to WAC to help Laura and Ash get ready for their campers; they will be staying in Reid this week.

Left Chestertown around 1:40 to head up to Galena for an afternoon of knee boarding, skiing, and tubing at the Leonard’s. I finally got up on a slalom ski!!! I was up about 20 seconds but it counts!! At lake Norman I had a lot of success getting up off the back of a jet ski on two skis then dropping one and doing cuts in and out of the wake. But I was never able to get up. This time I got up but then didn’t balance my weight / get my ski pointed right. I’ll get it all together eventually!

Actually taken last summer but you get the idea.

So had a really nice time at the Leonards! I had house sat for them earlier this summer but hadn’t actually seen them in a while, well, since graduation I guess. So had fun playing with Amy; hunting for rocks and swimming in the pool. Gosh, I am such a kid at heart!

Had a delicious dinner outside by the pool as the sun set over the river – man, nice life!!
Headed back to camp around 8:20 but didn’t get back til about 9:30. I’ve found that trip really depends on traffic and how slow the person in front of you is going. It can take as little as 40 min or up to an hour.

Did laundry and showered before heading to bed around 12:30. Then up this morning at 7:30 to kick off another wonderful week of camp. Have I mentioned how much I love my job??? I get paid (not a lot mind you) to have fun pretty much! It is so rewarding and wonderful to spend a summer with a group of great kids and fellow counselors :) I’m working with Aaron this week, a counselor from Australia, and we have a small group of 8 6-8 year old boys – should be fun!

Starting Over . . . Again

Wow! My first blog post! How exciting!

Those who received my email journal updates throughout college are already aware of my tendency to be wordy and ramble and jump from one idea to another with random (often incorrectly placed) punctuation! For the rest of you: let this be a warning and a reminder that you may stop reading at any time! I’ll try to keep my posts brief . . ish, but no promises! :)

I can’t believe summer is already half over. And in less than a month and a half I will be boarding a plane on my own to go to the other side of the world. Yes I have made the journey before but this time it will be oh so different. Last time I had a companion, I had familiar people and a familiar purpose; to study, be a student. But this time I will be setting out on my own to an unfamiliar place full of unfamiliar people and oh so far away from everything and everyone I associate with security.

It seems that life goes in cycles. I remember first thinking this at the end of high school. How you start out on the bottom, unfamiliar with your surroundings; the people, the places, traditions . . . Then, over time, and only with time do you begin to work your way to a level of comfort as you get to know the places and the people and experience the traditions. In particular, I remember feeling this way about being a part of the cross country team in high school. How I started as a timid freshman: not knowing anything about running really, not knowing the stretching routine, the route for the workouts, the team cheer or any of my teammates. But time went by and before I knew it my closest friends were from the cross country team, I was leading the team cheer, and pointing the newer kids where to go on the workout route.

So as to stop myself before rambling far too much in only my first post, I will skip ahead and summarize by saying that I find myself terribly sad to see one cycle of my life ending. After four years, I had finally developed an extremely high comfort level in my surroundings. My familiarity with the places, and relationships with the people were such that I had never experienced outside of my own home, church, and family. Four years was more then enough time to establish this level of comfort and towards the end it almost felt as if there was no possible way to feel more comfortable! Thus indicating the completion of the cycle.

Really wrapping it up now!! So the bottom line is I am terribly, horribly shattered and scared even, for my college years to end. I am scared of leaving the place I have grown so comfortable in and losing touch with those who have become like family. But I am also excited. For I know that it is time to start a new cycle. And with each time I end a cylce and begin a new one I find myself less timid for all I have just experienced and learned. I have learned and grown so much in the last four years and although it is hard to see this experience end, at the same time I know it must and I am ready. For with a new environment, new people, places, and challenges will come a chance for more experiences, more growth and more relationships to be formed (although at this point it is really hard to imagine a greater group of people then the ones I have just journeyed through college with).

Wow, well I guess that’s my first post. Hummmm . . . pretty sure that is not what I had intended to write but alas, that is what came out when I sat down so that is what I shall post.

On a more light hearted note – the other night I met Marian for dinner in Galena (halfway between North East, where I am for camp, and Chestertown, where she is for the summer) and the dessert we ordered came with an Australian flag!!!! :) Made my night!