Baby You Are The Weapon I Choose

Well, it's been an interesting day, that's for sure.

I'm sitting here in my halfway unpacked room, typing this blog post in a word processor because I don't really have internet. I think whoever's internet I was using got wise and put a password on it. Dang. So, we'll see when this actually gets posted.

First off, I just have to say that I hate flying. It's the worst, most uncomfortable way to travel. First, I was in a super-cramped little plane from Durango to Denver. Then, from Denver to Orlando, I had an aisle seat, and the lady next to me kept getting up, and there wasn't enough room for her to squeeze between me and the seat, so I had to keep getting up. That actually wasn't a big deal. I just want to complain about airplanes because they suck.

Okay, I'm grateful for the technology we have to fly through the air and cut travel time down. It really only took me 4 hours to fly from Durango to Orlando total. I talked to a guy who took a bus from Texas and it took him 23 hours. So I'm just being a crybaby. I just wish that it was more comfortable and you could take as much stuff as you want without being charged through the nose. That's all.

Once I got to Orlando, I was expecting that wall of humidity you usually hit. While I could feel humidity immediately, it wasn't that intense because it's cold for Florida. It was 69 degrees when we landed. So cold, right?

So actually I was sweating buckets, because in an attempt to get more things on the plane, I was wearing several layers of clothing.

I collected my things, freshened up, and then asked how to get on my shuttle to my apartment. The guy standing by the shuttle information told me where to go, and then suddenly the woman standing next to him says, “Hey, you look familiar!”

I was like, “Umm...really?” Truth is, I get that a lot. I just have one of those faces, I guess.

“Wait, maybe you look like somebody!”

Then the guy looks at me. And he says, “Hey, do you know who Miley Cyrus is?”

Yuck-o. They both agreed. I looked like her as Hannah Montana. Don't worry, I have dark brown hair.

The best part is that another lady overheard and comes over with her phone up and says, “Can I get a picture of you? My daughter just loves Hannah Montana.”

So, I let her take a picture of me. What do you do in that situation?

They were like, “But really, are you someone famous?”

I said, “If I was, do you think I'd be bringing my own bags?”

Then I pulled my two suitcases toward the elevator, and the man says, “Hey, let me get the elevator for you!”

When he came over, he says, “Sorry I got you in trouble with those ladies. You're not really a famous person, are you?”

Nope.

Then, when I finally got outside, I was a little confused about what I was supposed to do. I just went and stood in line behind other people who were getting on a shuttle. A very unhappy lady came up to me and was like, “No no no! You have to check in. And you wouldn't be taking that shuttle anyway.”

She brought me over to a desk and said to the man sitting there, “Here's a Vista Way passenger.”

I was like, “Hey, how did you know I was going there?”

The man smiled at me. “You've got a lot of bags.”

The shuttle driver was really nice, and the lady that checked me into my apartment was really funny. Unfortunately, I don't have any roommates yet.

Since then, I've been to Wal-mart and spent more money there than I ever have. But I don't even feel a little bit guilty because I needed every single thing I bought.

Of course, I'm used to having my car when I go grocery shopping, and instead I rode the bus. Let me explain what the demographic is like in the Disney College Program. I am a minority. I am white and English is the only language I speak. Also I'm Mormon, but besides asking the check-in lady if she knew where I could find out about church, that hasn't really come up.

So, when I got my groceries, of course, I got way too much stuff to carry, so it was as she was shaking her head that my new friend, Alexia from Kenya helped me on and off the bus. Then, as I tried to take it to my apartment, a really nice guy named Oziel (spelling?) helped me. He was born in Texas but grew up in Mexico, so he has an accent.

I am the most boring person in the program!

But at least I look like I'm famous.

Poor Oziel, though. It took me forever to find my building. Because I'm in Building 40. There are over 40 buildings in this complex.

Well, I've gotta figure out something for the internet. Especially so I can finish my homework for my online class. But, if you read this entire post, congratulations. You've just experienced a day in the life of me. Wasn't it great?

Anyway, I think I'm gonna like it here. This is how I feel after today.

Flight: Booked

So, my one-way ticket to Orlando, Florida is booked. You might say it's the final nail on the coffin.

First of all, welcome to my new blog. I'm going to record all my adventures here for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.

I am so freaked out. I am moving all the way to the other side of the country--where there will be not one single person I know, and I will be there until August. I'm not a huge risk-taker, and this is a huge risk, at least for me.

There was one other time that I took a huge leap of faith. That was when I moved to Snow College. I mean, it seemed right, most people move away after they graduate and go to school. But I remember the summer before my senior year, thinking to myself, "I can never go to college...I won't make any friends." I'm not saying this for pity or anything, it was a legitimate concern. I've never had a ton of friends, or at least I may have had friends, but I didn't feel particularly close to very many people. And there have been times in my life when I haven't felt close to anyone at all.

I remember that summer before my senior year of high school, we had a pioneer trek. For those of you who don't know, back in the 1800's, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as Mormons, were persecuted, and finally, after the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, made an exodus west, settling in what is now Salt Lake City, Utah. Every few years or so, some members of the church ages 14-18 re-enact the trek, dressing in clothes from the 1800's, and pulling real handcarts. Of course, we made a shorter journey. We were only allowed a 5-gallon bucket for all the belongings we'd need for 4 days. We were put in family groups--around 10 teenagers with an adult couple to be the parents. The leaders in charge of the trek specifically tried to make it so that no one would know anyone in their family when they started.

It was a wonderful experience, and really difficult. There were a lot of things I learned. In relevance to this post, I learned to love my surrogate family, and learned that they loved me too. It was amazing to me that I was able to make friends that quickly.

My attitude about going to college began to change.

Anyone who knows me at all knows how much I loved Snow College and how much I still care about the friends I made there.

I don't feel like I've taken many risks since then. It was easy to move to Provo, when I knew so many people there already, including my brother and his new wife. It was a small risk to try out for the Latter Day Celebration Choir at the Orem Institute of Religion--and for the amazing experience I've had there, auditioning was a very small risk in comparison with the blessings.

So here's to a new year, a new place, and most of all a new risk! Watch out DisneyWorld, here I come!