I'll Be Home For Christmas

Well, today is the day! I leave for the airport in 10 minutes. Hopefully the snow won't impede my trip home! Let's cross our fingers. It hasn't really quite hit me yet that I won't be back here.

Today is the nicest day you could have imagined. The temperature is 55 degrees and sunny. And I get to go home to below zero temperatures with several feet of snow. Yay! But what a way to go out, huh?

See you all very soon!! :)

Cheers (For the last time in London),
Justin

How I'll Miss Thee

I will return to the States in a few short days, 4 in fact. This whole experience has gone by as quick as a blink of the eye. Do I have to leave???

I have prepared a list of things that I love about London that I will miss when I get back to the States.

- Not driving everywhere and being able to use Public Transport
- Realizing that the Tube is anything but perfect; there always seems to be a signal failure!
- Fighting my way on to the Tube to get to work
- Hearing "Mind the Gap" and "Cockfosters" everyday
- Standing next to smelly people when they get on the tube in Brixton lol
- Reading an actual newspaper everyday for free
- Saying/Hearing "Cheers!" in a British accent
- Also the use of the words "Mate" (ie. Cheers mate!)
- Being able to get to anywhere in Europe for a reasonable cost
- The sheer size of this global city
- Getting a curry, Chinese, pub grub, and African food all in one place
- Being able to go to a pub and enjoy good beer
- The rain
- The parks (my favorite spot)
- Living in the nicest area of London, and possibly the world
- Great tv shows like "Never Mind the Buzzcocks" and "8 Out of 10 Cats" and "Unbreakable"
- My internship at PRI
- My lunch stipend!!
- The diversity of this great city
- Sandwich Shop!
- Great festivals and markets
- The hustle and bustle on a busy weekday
- Standing on the right, and walking on the left on an escalator
- Paying for things with coins that actually have a real value
- Looking right and then left when crossing a street
- Nearly getting killed by the crazy drivers
- Waiting a half hour in the freezing cold waiting for a bus after a late night out
- Going grocery shopping and buying the cheapest kind of anything
- Saying pounds and pence instead of dollars and cents
- Enjoying the great aesthetics of the Pound, realizing the dollar is boring and all the same
- Having great and valuable friendships with my flatmates
- Seeing James unknowingly make a complete and utter fool of himself haha
- Having a complete life changing experience that I am so grateful for
Addendum to the List (From Mike Kaplan):
1.) fullers london pride
2.) chicken G's
3.) not tipping
4.) landmines
5.) being within a trains ride of heaven (scotland)
6.) fullers london pride
7.) british humo(u)r
8.) neighbor john
9.) why dont you come on over valllllerie
10.) the rocket

That is a crazy long list of things I'll miss in London. It really will be a difficult transition back to America. I am definitely worried about "reverse culture shock" and doing poorly second semester because studying abroad really makes you an awful student. I am worried I'll mistakenly say, "Oh, that cost 23 pounds" and "Back at my flat..." or "Let's take the lift." I can only imagine the looks I will get when I say things like that.

But studying abroad has taught me some valuable life lessons. None of these lessons are concrete ones like learning a new language. They just simply happened and are hard to pinpoint exactly. There is just something about this experience that allows you to learn so much. A major one includes my personal development. I feel that after this experience, I am coming away a stronger and more confident individual. I really feel that I know exactly who I am now and am more confident about my purpose in life. Another lesson is how valuable my family is to me. I honestly cannot thank them enough for letting me have this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thanksgiving was not the same, but I cannot wait for Christmas. I get to see all my family again altogether. Beware, though, I don't know how thrilled I will be if I have to recount all of my trip! Just read the blog! :) Also my friends are so valuable to me. You guys are my second family and I value every single one of you so very much. I cannot wait until we are all back together second semester. What a great homecoming to look forward to!

I have just under 4 days left, and I hope to enjoy them to the fullest extent. I miss you all and will see you very shortly!

And for your "enjoyment", a few pictures of James :) **(For those of you who do not know of James, you soon will. You just wait!!)

Cheers,
Justin

It's Almost Here & My Trip to Germany

Hey again!

Well, in one week I will be sitting back at my home in Wisconsin, leaving my home for good in London. It's so very weird to think I will most likely never be back here. London is so amazing and it truly feels like home (minus the whole family and friends thing). I am looking forward to being home for Christmas, but leaving here is going to be tough.

Anyways, this past weekend I went to Germany! I just got back today. Let me just say that Germany is amazing in so many ways! Not only are the houses really cool, the architecture unlike any I've seen so far. There was a part of the town that had houses all with the colored stripes on them. They were sooooo awesome. I told my friend Dave that I wanted to buy a house in a subdivision where all the houses looked exactly the same and then paint those stripes on my house! It would be so cool! But most likely will never happen. Haha.

I ate some great authentic German food. It seems like every trip is marked by what you eat. Well, of course I had a bratwurst (well, I had 3 while I was there). I also ate Spatzle (which is a pasta-type dish, which we had in a mushroom sauce) and Flammkuchen (which is a type of pizza, with Gouda and spinach on it). It was soooo good. I also had a fantastic doner kebab (which isn't really authentic German, but it is slowly becoming part of the German diet). But I must say that the German kebabs are amazing, and nearly as good as the one's in Turkey! Also, it seems a lot of places in Europe like mayo plastered all over their French Fries...weird!

I also had some great German beer and Gluwhien. I don't really remember the names of the beer, or anything else for that matter. German is, well...not my forte. I had to have my friend Dave or one of his friends from the school order anything for me, because they don't speak English (or at least not a lot of people). I stayed in Marburg and we took a day trip to Heidelburg. On the day trip, we met up with one of Dave's friends who he went to high school with. She was a foreign exchange student from Germany at his school. Anyways, we went to this really cool German Christmas Market. There really isn't anything special about them, but it just puts one in a great Christmas mood. Everyone seems so joyful and happy. What a great time. After that, we went up on top of the hill and walked around the Castle. Such a great view. I guess every German town or city has a castle. Very cool! We also saw the oldest University in Germany. This is unique because it has its very own prison for its students who are disruptive. This means ones are too drunk or are putting out lampposts or chasing sheep down the streets. Hmmmm?

Here is a link to the pictures: Germany Album

Hope all is well with all of you. See you all very very soon!

Cheers! :)
Justin

December-Fest?

Hey everyone,

Just a little note that I am leaving for a 3.5 day excursion to Germany! I am staying with my friend Dave who is studying in Marburg (about an hour north of Frankfurt). I am really excited!

I'll fill you all in on my weekend when I return.

See you all very soon! I'm home in 8 or so days...

Justin

PS. Enjoy these 3 pictures. This is what I missed out on in Barcelona. And no, the monkey is not James... :)

It's Christmas Time in the City

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving! Short post this week! As promised, I will tell you about my first Thanksgiving away from family and wonderful home-cooked meals. I went in to work at my internship on Thursday, and my supervisor wished me a Happy T-Day, and then promptly kicked me out of the office after 2 hours of my being there. I was to enjoy the holiday and not be at work. So I went home, lounged around a bit as no one else was home, and then began to prepare the meal. We bought a 7 pound turkey and I prepared it, threw it in the oven and started making mashed potatoes (no, not the store bought ones...the actual thing!), corn, stuffing, green beans, gravy, rolls, and chocolate cake. My first turkey was a success and it was very delicious (it wasn't the same as our normal turkey on Thanksgiving, but it was very good nonetheless). I ate way too much food, and my roommates really enjoyed it too. I tried talking to my grandparents on Skype as they were at my house, but for some reason, Skype was not cooperating and there was no sound. It's alright though, as I will be home in less than 3 weeks.

Overall, Thanksgiving away from home was very weird, and definitely not the same; however, it really was better than I thought it was going to be. All of us were in the same situation on the holiday so we wanted to make it the best we possibly could. I couldn't have asked for a better time.

Nothing really that exciting happened during the rest of the weekend, until Sunday night when we went to the Winter Wonderland celebration in Hyde Park. This Christmas-themed festival was full of rides, bright lights, and an ice skating rink. It also is a major German Christmas festival as well, so there were BRATS!!, along with German beer and Mulled Wine. People were all dressed up in traditional-looking German clothes. There were chalets selling many Christmas trinkets that have been handmade. Overall, it was so exciting! And let's just say I had my fair share of brats. I am definitely going back next weekend for some more.


And finally, today, there were 2 interesting opportunities that I had the privilege of attending. First, today is an International Human Rights Day, commemorating the 60th year since the UN passed the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. So on behalf of PRI (my internship), I attended this commemoration along with a colleague and together we manned a booth for our organization. Among the visitors to our booth included students, other Foreign Office workers, and even the Foreign Secretary (the equivalent of the US' Secretary of State which Clinton was just nominated for). It was a very interesting and fascinating experience, and I learned a lot about human rights organizations throughout Britain.

Secondly, tonight there was a talk from the Crown Prince of Jordan, where he discussed international conflicts, whether it be between religions or countries. He opened his talk with the statement, "Thank you, I am embarrasingly short, sorry." He was a very funny and witty man, with a lot of interesting things to say.

Here is a link to a new photo album from the Christmas festival. Enjoy:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2037132&l=40b8e&id=59002864

Have a good week!
Cheers!
Justin

A Time for Thanks...

Hello again! Hope everything is going great for all of you, wherever you may be. This past week was one of the most unusual for me, definitely had its highs and lows.

It started with back to work at PRI, an internship that I love a lot. I am meeting a lot of great people and doing some very interesting work. The other day, I was typing up notes that a manager took at a conference in Paris. The speaker was discussing prisons in America, and as I was typing, I came across her reference of the Supermax prison in Boscobel, WI. For those of you who don't know my little neck of the woods in WI, Boscobel is literally a town of about 1,000 people about 20 minutes away from my house. It was soooo weird that a speaker in Paris spoke of that prison, and to one of my supervisors from London, and then I read about it! So weird! Anyway, it discussed the positives of that prison, such as removing all mentally ill prisoners from there and putting them in hospitals where they can be helped, instead of adding to their mental illness. However, this speaker warned of the mental health of the prison guards, which I could name several people who work there. So family and friends at home, talk to these guards that we know and warn them of mental health issues! :) It proved for a very interesting conversation with my supervisor for most of the afternoon, needless to say.

This past weekend, I was visited by more of my friends. Dave came to visit from Germany, while Jenn and Autumn came to visit from Spain. It was such a great weekend, as I definitely missed all three of them! I had a blast, and I think they all had a great time. As most of you know, I have played tour guide countless times this semester, but this time we got out of the normal routine and went and saw Wimbledon as Dave is, um, obsessed?, with tennis. It was really cool to see though. We didn't get to see Centre Court as it was under renovation, but the museum was really fascinating. All too soon, however, they departed back to Germany and Spain respectively.

Before they came to visit, however, I had booked a trip to Barcelona with my roommates. I held out for awhile, as I would have rather gone to see Germany, as I am predominately German. But I finally gave in and booked a trip to Barcelona, sacrificing my chance to see Germany. I felt neutral about Barcelona, figuring it would be a cool place to see. Well after Dave came to visit, and talking about Germany, I decided that this experience abroad should be about what I want to do and it may be my only chance to see Germany. So I booked a trip to Germany, even though it was quite pricey, and decided to cancel my trip to Barcelona, basically eating over $100 for a plane ticket. But I think it is going to be totally worth it. Already, I am more excited about Germany than I ever was about Barcelona. It kinda stinks though that I can't have one last travel experience with my roommates here, but it will still be worth it!

I had a real rough time this Sunday. After my friends had left, I got extremely homesick (and physically sick as well). It hit me like a bus that I wanted to be home and back at school to have all of us back together again. I felt that my 3 months here was enough and I was ready to go home. That didn't mean that I am not happy here in London at all, I just felt it was time to get back to "normal" life in WI I suppose. But, I soon realized that this once in a lifetime experience that I am so fortunate to have must be lived out to the fullest. I mustn't go around being saddened about something that will happen soon enough. It's literally less than one month that I will be home. How weird. But through that little homesick period, it made me value the importance of my family and my great group of friends. I miss all of you and think of you all often! I am very thankful for all of you!

Finally, Thanksgiving is this Thursday. While it is obviously not celebrated outside of the US, my roommates and I are having our own Thanksgiving dinner that I am preparing after work on Thursday. I am really excited about it, and I can officially kick off Christmas celebrations. I'll let you know how it goes, cooking my first Thanksgiving dinner. Cross your fingers! :)

Have a great holiday! Eat lots of turkey for me!
Cheers!

Justin

Ya Gotta Load the Hump When You Can Load The Hump!

Greetings again from London!! Hope everyone is doing well back home and abroad. It's been quite an interesting past week or so. Starting with family and ending with an excursion to Oxford.

Friday, November 7, my Mom and Aunt Chris came to visit me in London for a week! I was very excited to see them. It is always nice to see familiar faces, but also, I got spoiled, too!! (Hence this blog title: meaning take a free meal any chance you can get, ask for extra groceries, and anything else when your family is in town visiting lol.) Thanks for that!! It was really appreciated, albeit unnecessary.

Anywho, after picking them up at the airport, we took a stroll (read: speedwalk) through Kensington Gardens. (Londoners walk fast, something that caught my mom and Chris off guard, so we had to "saunter" the rest of the week. We then went and saw Big Ben and Westminster, and rode the London Eye (the giant ferris wheel, observation thing). It was a bust. Definitely not worth it, but it was one of those things you can say you did. We went out for some delicious Indian food that night too. This trip was all about trying new things, and I don't think they were disappointed. The Indian food was well-received.


Saturday, we went to two famous markets: Portabello Road Antiques Market and Camden Market. Two great markets where you can get virtually anything. Also one of my favorite places about the city. For lunch, we had some delicious West African food -- Goat Curry!!! Yum!! Then a relaxing nap mid-way through the day, and we go out for some Pub food. Fish and Chips, Shephard's Pie, and Burgers and Chips! Also a few pints.

It's sad to say, but the rest of the days are kind of a blur. Meaning that we did sooo many things in town, that its hard to remember exactly what happened each day. But I know that on Monday, Mom and Chris sampled some delicious Haggis! Yes, that fine cuisine I had in Scotland (aka: Sheep intestines). Chris enjoyed it, didn't love it, but would eat it again. Mom, well, she wasn't that fond of it, but decided it was better than what she thought it was going to be.

On Tuesday night, we went to the London Ice Bar. My roommates also came with. The Ice Bar is exactly that -- a bar made out of ice! Everything from the bar, the walls, the chairs, and your glass are made out of ice. It is kept at -5 degrees year round. You pay 12 pounds to get in, which includes a designer (ya right) parka, mittens, and your first drink. You get to stay for 40 minutes, and by then, you're fairly cold and need to leave. It was the biggest hit of the week. Everyone had a great time there! It was just one of those things that you just have to experience and laugh about, and have a good time.


Wednesday evening, we went and saw Les Miserables on stage. It was such a great show. Plus we were sitting in the 6th row from the front on the stage level. Great seats!!!! I think Mom and Chris really enjoyed it too.

Thursday, we went to another pub and had our last meal together. My roommates came along too. After a few pints, and some delicious fish and chips, we said goodbye. The next day, they departed back to the States, arriving safely in Chicago. All in all, it was a great time!! I am so glad that they got to come and had a good time too. They got to see first hand how great of a time I am having here and see the city I love so much and call home. I am very thankful as well for all of their generosity and, yes, even their winning attitudes!! :)

Mom and I in Harrods Dept. Store: Our very own "Kessler Christmas Card" attempt

Now onto this previous weekend. My roommates and I decided to go to Oxford for one night. It was just a short 2 hour bus ride, and we found our hostel. The hostel and round trip bus ticket was only 26 pounds, so very cheap!! The city was very small and quiet. But the architecture and atmosphere was really cool. We saw Oxford University which consists of about 30 different colleges focusing on different areas. The most famous is Christ Church which has a very famous church and dining hall (the one used in the Harry Potter movies). The lines were very long and it was closed for most of the day, so we didn't go in. We did however sneak into New College and climbed the mound and enjoyed their student common areas. I guess it pays off being a college student to somewhere. We also visited a very historic pub, one that is noted for its importance to literature, called The Eagle and Child. In this pub, the works of Lewis Carrol's "Alice in Wonderland," J.R.R. Tolkein's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogies, and C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia" were all written. It was a very neat place. Overrall, Oxford has a great atmosphere for a college student, but I don't see myself ever needing to visit there. We actually ran out of things to do and snuck on to an earlier bus home.

Well, sorry for this ridiculously long blog post. But one more thing: Chris, we think we found one more pound coin that was different. I know, I know, you hate the Queen!

Until next time,
Cheers!

Justin

Oxford Circus

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. And I'm afraid this will be a rather short post, as I leave for Oxford (home of the famous University) in 30 minutes! It is just a 1-night trip.

I'll tell you all about that and this past week when my Mom and Aunt Chris came to visit!!

Until tomorrow night(ish),
Cheers!
Justin

Ps. Grandma -- sorry you are having problems seeing some of the pictures. I'll work on it.

Finally...

You knew it was coming...a blog post about the Election. How could I not blog about something so important?!

First of all, I am so happy/thrilled/relieved/proud/excited/nervous right now. That is a lot of emotions. I am happy and thrilled because America got the election right. It took 8 years to do so, but finally, they got it right! I am also proud because the "ignorant masses" voted for a minority President (something that most people believed they would never see in their lifetime). I am so proud that I got to witness history in the making and be a part of that history. For some people, this is the defining moment for a generation. There was the Baby Boomer generation with JFK's assassination. There was the Vietnam War generation, with the counterculture, too. Gen X and Y, as well. We are defined by significant moments in our society (9/11, Vietnam, Pearl Harbor, Great Depression), and now, we face another one -- Barack Obama's presidency. I am excited for what is to come.

I am so very proud of my country for voting the way they did. Some people are really divided on this issue right now, and think they are living under a socialist government or are thinking of moving to another country. My first thought is, "The feelings that you have now, are the ones that myself and the majority of American's thought the past 8 years, only this is much less extreme." But honestly, I want to thank those who voted for John McCain or a third party candidate, because you took the time to do what you thought was best for your country. You participated in our democracy the way it was set up by our Founders. Your voice was heard, too. You absolutely have the right to be upset about the results not going in your favor; but then, one must move on and work together with whoever is President and continue making our country great. The threat of moving to another country in protest is in no way a protest. It is escaping your problems and taking the easy way out. If you truly love your country and believe in what it stands for; then you work within the system of democracy, by: grassroots efforts to raise awareness of issues and candidates, discussing politics and issues with friends and family, hold peaceful assembly or protests. Our Constitution allows you to do that and make your voice be heard. So stand up for what you believe in and don't run away because you are upset with the result. Now is the best time to be an effective opposition (something you cannot do in Canada). The past 8 years, plenty of Liberals and Democrats and even Republicans claim they will leave the country under Bush, and they too need to understand this fundamental issue.

So please, stand up for what you believe in. Take the higher ground and work within the system of democracy so that next time these vital elections end up how you want them to. The next one is in 2 years. I will see you there.

Busy Week

After returning from Italy and having a great time, Amy and Caitlin came with me back to London, along with John and Billy. I did the tour guide thing, showed them around London and what not. It was nice to see both of them, especially in my city! They all really loved London and I am glad they had a good time. On Monday night, we even went to see The Phantom of the Opera on stage in London's West End. It was really cool to see it!

On Tuesday, my British Life and Cultures class went to Brick Lane and ate at a traditional Pakistani restaurant. Yep, that's right. My class went out to eat and the school paid for it. What a great learning experience! The food was so fantastic. They just kept bringing out some of the more traditional meals one right after the other. It was amazing! I ate so much. I said that it was like a spicy Thanksgiving meal, it was that good!

On Wednesday, I started my internship with Penal Reform International (PRI). It is a Non-Governmental Organization that works with foreign governments to reform the prisons in their countries. They push for things like health and safety in the prison, stopping overcrowding, finding alternatives to prison, trying to rehabilitate prisoners too. I really enjoy working there. The staff is very friendly, and very very passionate which is so exciting to see! I really look forward to going to my internship all the time. Plus, who can beat working 5 hour days, with a paid lunch? That's right, I got a great deal!

Also, the Election is this Tuesday!! I am sooooooo ready for this. I have been anticipating this for some time now, following it for close to 2 years diligently. Hopefully, America, you do the right thing and VOTE! I would like to tell you who to vote for, but I won't. I just want everyone to vote if they are eligible. If I can vote from London, you can vote from home!

I plan on staying up all night here to watch the live coverage. Remember, there is a 6 hour time difference from home, so I will be up until the wee hours of the morning (5-6am) to see what is going on. There are also huge parties all over London where you can go to watch the coverage. Most serve food and drinks, and you can win prizes and play games, all while celebrating the election. It is so fascinating to see a different country get so into another country's election. But that just shows how much the world looks to us for things, whether they like it or not. I already told my supervisor that I won't be in the next day after the election as I will be passed out for the entire day catching up on my sleep! So I will just go in on Monday to make it up.

Finally, this is the big time for guests. Besides Amy and Caitlin coming to visit last weekend, my mom and aunt are hopping the pond to visit next weekend for 6 days I believe. That will be exciting. Then, the next weekend after my family leaves, Jenn and Autumn are visiting from Toledo, Spain. Also visiting that weekend, is my roommate Dave! He is studying in Marburg, Germany (just outside Frankfurt I believe). So it will be great to see some fantastic people in the next few weeks!

Side note: If you didn't notice, quick links to all of my pictures abroad are posted on the right hand side of this page, just scroll down. Enjoy!

That's about it for now! Cheers!
Justin

Italia Pics

Italy Album #1

Italy Album #2

Enjoy!

Ciao Italia

Well, I just returned from Italy, where I have been since last Friday. I arrived in Rome on Friday night and met my friend Amy. We went to stay with a guy from our school that is studying in Rome. It was nice to see her as it has been awhile.

The next morning, we got up and went to the Vatican. We payed 40 Euro to get a group tour through the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. Our tour guide was a 22 year old woman from America who wants to get her citizenship in Italy. Basically, she was the worst tour guide ever, getting her facts mixed up or making things up. There were several occasions where it was blatantly obvious she knew nothing. But the Sistine Chapel was amazing. Unfortunately we could not stay in there very long as it was closing and we could not take pictures either. The paintings on the ceiling were so awesome to look at. Then we went to the Basilica and it was THE most amazing church I have ever been in. It even beat out the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, although they are not compatible. But the inside was so cool. We even saw the tomb of Pope John Paul II. It was neat to see all of the people praying and crying next to his tomb because they loved him so much.

After the Vatican, Amy and I went to have pizza at this nice restaurant and then went to get gelato (which equals AMAZING-NESS!) I love gelato! We then went to the Coliseum and took the audio tour. I was so impressed by the Coliseum and its history, but I thought it was going to be bigger. But it was still cool. I am so happy that I made it there.

That night, we went out and and saw the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. It was really cool to see at night. The next day, we got up and went to the train station and went to Florence. Amy and I traveled for 4 hours on this train and finally made it to Florence, where we stayed at Amy's apartment with Caitlin and all of her roommates. Florence was a really cool city. Sadly there was nothing major to do or see, except the statue of David (which I didn't see because it cost so much to see). But I went out for gelato everyday I was there, which was delicious.

On Tuesday, I went to the train station with Caitlin and Amy as I was going to take a day trip by myself to Cortona (a quaint little Italian town, as seen in "Under the Tuscan Sun"). I was really excited to see this little town. So I bought my ticket and Caitlin said, "There is the train you need to get on." So I got on it and as soon as the doors closed, the announcer said that it was a direct train to Rome! Which means that there were no stops where I need and I couldn't get off the train. Basically, I was on the wrong train. So the ticket man came around and almost fined me 200 Euro for being on the wrong train, but somehow let me slide. So I got to Rome and had to buy another ticket back to Florence. I sat in the train station for an hour and a half and finally got back on the train, which took another four hours. So I didn't get to see Cortona, and had to enjoy a smelly train for 7 hours in one day. FUN! But it could have been worse. I just had to laugh about it when it was all over. It's a great little story to tell in the future.

On Thursday, Amy and Caitlin and I woke up at 5 in the morning to take the train to Pisa and to then fly back to London. Right now, the three of us, along with the two guys from school who we stayed with in Rome are here. I am showing them around town before I start my internship this week.

Pictures will be up soon!

Cheers,

Justin

Scotland Pics

Click the link to enjoy new Scotland pictures!

Scotland #1

Scotland #2

Scotland #3

Also, I will be in Italy (Rome and Florence) until the 23rd!

Have a great week everyone!

Pictures from Turkey and Randoms In London

Just click the photo album name you want to see!

Istanbul Album #1

Istanbul Album #2

Istanbul Album #3

Stonehenge/Bath

Random UK Pics

Scotland soon to follow...Enjoy!

Haggis, Tatties, and Neeps

AYE SCOTLAND!!!

Can I just say that I have a new love...Scotland. More specifically, the Highlands! You'll see why soon.

We departed King's Cross Train Station on Friday morning with a group of people who signed up through ISH. This trip was pre-planned for us and only cost us 130 pounds total. After arriving in Edinburgh that Friday, we meet our guide, Simon, who we can't really understand all that well on the first day due to his thick Scottish accent. We walk around historic Edinburgh and see some really cool sights. We then went out to a Scottish pub where we could order any Starter and Main Course free (including 2 free pints!). My roommates and I ordered a traditional Scottish meal (Haggis, Tatties, and Neeps). Haggis is basically ground up sheep intestines and hearts and livers, boiled together for hours and seasoned with chili sauce and peppers so it has a kick. Add some tatties (mashed potatoes) and neeps (mashed turnips) and you have the most wonderful meal ever. I am not lying, it was FANTASTIC! We are trying to find places to buy some in London.

After our Haggis experience, we went on a Pub Crawl offered by our Hostel. The leader of the Crawl got so smashed that she ventured out on her own, leaving all 50 participants to find her throughout the night. So needless to say it was an experience.

The next day, we got a while to see Edinburgh on our own. I'm not gonna lie, it was kind of a let down. What a boring place to be. So we hopped on our mini-bus and drove to Stirling. Along the way, we stopped at Linlithgow Palace and then the Wallace Monument (Braveheart's monument). We then went to our hostel which was an old Cemetary building. It was cool though. For dinner, we ate more Haggis! And then had roast chicken and potatoes.

On our third day, we ventured to the Highlands. This was the most exciting part. Before getting to the Highlands, however, we stopped at a very famous castle...The one from Monty Python and the Holy Grail where the French man says, "I fart in your general direction!" I thought it was great! Then we saw a Hairy Coo (cow), called Hamish. All of the people on the trip, including my roommates were fascinated with Hamish as they have never seen a cow before (or sheep for that matter) How weird. Then we traveled to the grave of another famous Scotsmen, Rob Roy. We climbed a great big hill above his grave and saw the amazing view of the mountains and Lochs below. On the steep climb down, there was a rope swing that we found and it was a lot of fun.

We ate lunch in Killin and saw a great waterfall. Then we finally made it into the actual Highlands and it was beautiful. The fog and haze over these mountains on a great Scottish afternoon was amazing. Camp Unie people -- You would have been blown away! I was thinking the entire time of how cool it would be to have an adventure trip to these Highlands! Absolutely stunning. We climbed part way up the Three Sisters mountains in Glencoe. Some more amazing scenery.

We then made our way to our hostel, after driving through the highest point in the U.K., and arrived. This hostel was the coolest. You had to take a farm dirt road filled with potholes and cattle crossings to make it there. Basically, it was a converted barn-type building into a hostel. It was big enough for our group of 15 and was completely isolated on the banks of Loch Lochy. It was amazing to be so secluded in this amazing wilderness. It really makes me appreciate home more and Camp, too!

The next day, we got up early and went to Soldiers Leap and had lunch in Killiecrankie. Then we started making our way down towards Edinburgh for the train home, but first stopped at the Tallibarden Distillery where they make Scottish Whiskey. We got to try some and it was great. Finally, we arrived in Edinburgh and boarded the train back to London, which took 5 hours. It was a long time on that train.

In the end, I had the most fantastic time. I loved going to Istanbul, as you know, because it was a gorgeous city. Well Scotland was a gorgeous country! It is somewhere where I think I could enjoy spending a great deal of time at and not be bored. My roommates and I are even considering going back to Scotland and having our guide, Simon, take us hiking up the mountains. The downside is we couldn't go until December and we don't have any gear. But it would still be worth it. Scotland will not remain a wee memory.

Finishing my last week of classes now, and going to see Amy and Caitlin in Italy this weekend for a whole week!

Until next time,

Cheers!

Justin

Nessie

I will be in Scotland thru Monday night!

Brief synopsis will come later.

Have a great weekend everyone!

It's Just A Bunch Of Rocks...

Hello again from London!! After adjusting back to London time after returning from Turkey, I set out on my first "real" week of classes. Now you may be thinking, "Justin, you have been having classes for 4 weeks now!" And, you're right. But until now, I haven't done a darn thing in them except show up. We haven't had any homework or anything that needed to be done. All of that has now changed. I had my first paper and first exam last week. I am pretty confident on both. This upcoming 2 weeks sees me in hyper-class mode as I have 2 presentations, 1 paper, and 1 exam. So needless to say my first month of chillaxin has now bit me in the butt. Oh well...

On Thursday night, my roomies and I went to Whole Foods for Thirsty Thursday. Again, you loyal readers are probably thinking something weird. Alas, it is a very formal event that goes on at our local Whole Foods every Thursday where you pay 5 pounds and you walk around the 4 leveled store and get samples of expensive wine and try hor'devours. It's a classy affair that was very fun. I have never really had wine before, so it was cool to try different expensive kinds.

Saturday, my roommates and I took a free trip to Stonehenge and the ancient city of Bath. Stonehenge was, well, interesting. It was cool to see it, but it's one of those things that you look at for about 3 minutes and you never really need to see it again. It's just a bunch of rocks lol. Bath was really interesting to see. We toured the Roman Baths which were built over a natural hot spring. The whole city was beautiful and I think that is what I expect Italy to look like. Pictures will be up soon.

Sidenote: Pictures from Istanbul are on Facebook, and they are not on my Shutterfly site (sorry Mom). I literally took 250 pictures and there is no way I am uploading one by one on that site. You can all see them soon, I promise.

Finally, I will be heading to Scotland this Friday until Monday. It is going to be so cool as we are staying in Edinburgh, Stirling, and the highland village of Loch Lochy (about 10 miles from Loch Ness). Anyways, you can hear all about that when I return.

Until then, cheers!

Justin

Doorway To Happiness

I just got back from Istanbul, Turkey last evening and all I can say is WOW! What an experience. I am so happy I went, and I had the time of my life. I can honestly say that Istanbul was THE most beautiful city I have ever seen in my life! London is a great city, but holds nothing to the awes of Istanbul, the Doorway to Happiness.

I left Heathrow Airport on Thursday morning at about 11:30. On the plane, I had some delicious food and a Turkish bira (beer) called Efes. It was a 3 1/2 hour flight, so not too bad. We finally made it out of customs and to the hotel at around 8. All 37 of us went out to eat at a restaraunt and enjoyed some Turkish cuisine (I ordered Chicken Shish). After that, we were on our own for the night. Some people I met that day and I went to the Ramadan celebrations that were happening in the Hippodrome. We watched a concert and went to a Tea and Hookah place. Obviously had some Turkish Tea and hookah. It was fantastic. Then we went to a local bar and had an Efes, then hit the hay due to exhaustion.

In the middle of the night (well, 5 am), the Call to Prayer went out. For those of you who don't know, in Islam, a Muslim must pray 5 times a day and the first one occurs at 5 am. The prayer leader goes on a microphone in a mosque and it blares from the speakers on the minarets all throughout the city. I woke up and was so mad because all I wanted to do was sleep! It was the equivalent of 3am London time, so you can only imagine.

Anyway, the next morning, bright and early, we woke up and had breakfast on the rooftop terrace of our hotel. Walking out there on a sunny Friday morning, we have a magnificent view of Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Bosphorous Strait. It was a breathtaking sight. We went on a tour of the Blue Mosque, and took our shoes off. We walked in a saw an amazing sight inside. High ceilings with chandeliers and traditional Islamic art. It was great! Then we walked to Hagia Sophia. This is what I have been waiting for. The Hagia Sophia was built as a Catholic Church during the Byzantine Empire after the fall of the Roman Empire. It was later converted into a Muslim Mosque when the Ottoman's built their empire. I love it so much because not only is it a beautiful building, but there is a mix of Islamic and Christian art inside. The Ottomans never destroyed the Christian art and today you can see Jesus and Mary on the walls right next to Allah's name inscribed on huge circles. The whole place was my favorite.

Later that day, we went to the Grand Bazaar, which is like a huge flea market for pretty much anything you could ever want. And you get to haggle the shop owners for the cost. It's pretty much great! I spent over 5 hours in the Bazaar and probably only went through half of it. I bought my very own hookah, made in Turkey of Hand Blown Glass and an authentic Turkish Prayer Rug. Both are really cool. Maybe they sound lame to you, but just wait until you see them!

That night, we enjoyed the luxuries of our favorite Hookah and Tea place after the server from the previous night chased us down and yelled, "My friends, My friends, come back here tonight!" So we went back and he gave us a discount on what we got and watched out for us and made us laugh. He was so funny. We took pictures with him and he had a professional photographer come over a take a large group picture that he is putting in a frame at his house to remember us by. His name is Yazmil. What a goofball. He tried getting this girls number, but he wasn't so lucky!

Anyways, the next day we saw the Cisterns, Topkapi Palace, and the Bosphorous boat tour. I was so neat to see all of the amazing architecture, artwork, and sheer brilliance this city offers. I took 235 pictures of my time there (most of them of buildings, doors, ceilings, tiles due to their beauty). I honestly cannot wait to go back to Istanbul. It is one place I will never forget.

But it did feel nice to come back to London. I moved back into my apartment, which is now shit-free. The carpets and bathroom were all replaced and are smelling lemony fresh. It's nice to be home.

I also got placed for my internship, however it is not with Parliament, sadly. I was placed at a non-profit organization called Penal Reform Institute. It deals with ridding the death penalty globally and finding alternatives to jails and prisons to rehabilitate. Although I think it sounds interesting, it is not what I signed up for. I am upset a bit that I didn't get Parliament like I was told, and then didn't get what my second choice was. Or my 3rd for that matter. But oh well, it will be a learning experience, and who knows, maybe I will walk away loving it!

Alright, sorry for this ridiculously long post, but I just wanted to share with you the most amazing time I had in Istanbul. I hope to walk through the Doorway To Happiness again sometime real soon!

Justin

Gobble, Gobble

I AM GOING TO TURKEY!!!

Be back on Sunday!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Justin

"There's Shit Everywhere!"

Today was one of the most unusual days I have ever experienced. A little stressful, a little chaotic, and quite comical. So last night, in my flat, right before bed, my roommates and I noticed a smell. It smelled like raw eggs or something gross. But it wasn't extreme or anything. So we thought nothing of it and went to bed.

The next morning, I am so tired as it's my day to sleep in, my roommate turns the light and starts yelling to our other roommate. I wake up, furious, to see what was going on. I look down at the ground and there is a HUGE puddle of marshy carpet. I instantly noticed the smell; it was overwhelmingly one of sewage! I almost vomited right then and there. If you stepped on it, it was bubble up around your feet and it was right next to the door so you had to step in it. It was so bad that I had to get up and go to the other room to get away from the fumes. They were giving me a headache and I constantly felt like I was going to throw up.

We called the emergency number for our 24 hour reception and reported that someone needed to come immediately. Well, about an hour and half later, someone showed up and they were utterly disgusted. The poor guys worked through it though and found out that the pipe from the toilet had broken and it seeped through the wall and pooled on the carpet and tiles. A while later the Head of Facilities showed up to assess the situation. She came back to us and said she was going to check to be sure, but she was almost positive that we would have to be moved temporarily out of that building. YOU THINK?!

An hour later, the facilities workers were noticing the smell stronger from another room. They looked out the ledge and noticed that there was 3 feet of standing water, urine, feces, and toilet paper right outside this window. It seems it wasn't just our toilets problem. Those poor men had to wade through it to sweep it out and drain it somewhere. I had to leave for class and thank god! The smell was so bad.

After class, we talked to the Head of Facilities and she confirmed we were being moved. She gave us our room assignments and told us to leave ASAP. We had to pack up all of our belongings and move them to another building in London. What a hassle! Two of my roommates are living in this really sweet flat, while I am living in a single room in another building that is worse than a Motel 6 room. My other roommate is in my building but 3 floors down. We are to be staying here until Saturday when we get to move back in. Which is not technically so bad, as I am leaving for Turkey on Thursday, so only one day in this place is ok.

So now, we are trying to get compensation for some of our possessions that have been damaged by literally having been shit on. And if they won't do that, then they should pay to have ALL of our clothes cleaned and possessions cleaned. Everything I own has that vile odor that makes me want to barf. It's only fair that they do that.

But looking at it all, it's quite comical. I have laughed hysterically about this pretty much all day, even though it is seriously disgusting and potentially hazardous. It could've been a lot worse, especially if we were the ones who were responsible for cleaning it up. So now I must live away from everyone for a couple days and then re-unite in a (*hopefully*) shit-free zone!

Wheatus Rules!

Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't posted in over a week. I intended too, but keep forgetting. Alas, here I am today to recap so far.

Last weekend was the Mayor Thames Festival along Thames River. It was really cool. It took several hours to walk through it all, filled with vendors selling everything from food to clothing to books; it was just about everything. There were also river races and concerts, and yes, even fireworks. The festival, in a way, signifies the end of summer for Londoners; however, in an ironic twist, this week after the festival was the most summer-like since we have been here. It has been high 60's and no rain, with partly sunny skies. You could have laid out and gotten burnt! That's pretty surprising for London this time of year, or so I am told.

Then I have had classes all week and that's just always exciting (sarcasm?). I haven't had a single thing to do for homework yet, but soon (aka this week) I have to write a paper and prepare for an exam. This Thursday I will leave for Istanbul, Turkey with my Islam class. I am super excited to be going! There are planned trips to Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, and even a Harem. Add in some free time and we get a fascinating trip to the gateway to the East. Pictures, of course, will follow.

Speaking of pictures, I haven't been able to upload many to this blog, but you can check out my Facebook for pictures or conveniently click the link on the right hand side under Other Study Abroad links and it goes right to my Shutterfly website where I upload all my pictures. Check them out. I have to upload some newer ones from this past week I have taken.

Oh, almost forgot! I took a tour of the Houses Of Parliament on Tuesday! Of course, I found it completely fascinating. I would venture to say that I enjoyed it even more than the US Capitol. It must be all the extra history it provides. There were soo many things about it that made Parliament amazing: architecture, history of the rooms, the Queen's role and mores, and being in the same room as so many Kings and Queens, let alone PM's. Hopefully I get to go into Westminster Abbey, as that is one of the oldest buildings in London and one of the most amazing Gothic architectural buildings I have ever seen!

As for the title, my roommates and I went out to a pub last night and a band was playing. They were all 40+ men who were rockin out to a whole bunch of songs and it was a great time. They also played a cult fave, Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus. It pretty much made my night.

Finally, I have discovered that London is now a place I can call home. It's only been 3 weeks! I picked up Michael from the airport yesterday and took him to his college. I was talking to him about all these different things about London, mostly insider tips like stand on the right side of the escalator. I realized that these trivial things I have become accustomed to. I don't really have to worry about where I am, because I know I can find my way back in a heartbeat. When we talk about our flat, I call it home. These things, which may seem really little and obscure, mean to me that I am adjusting to life in London and claiming it as my home. Let's hope it stays that way.

Alright, I am off. Next time, you'll get to hear all about Istanbul!!

Justin

All You Need Is (London) Love

Well it's been a week since I have been here!! It's so crazy to think that!

**Caution: This may be a long post!**

First of all, I will tell you about my living situation a bit more. I live in a 5 story building, where I live in the basement level, which is directly across the road from Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. For those of you who don't know what that significance means, it is roughly the same as living in a high rise overlooking Central Park in NYC! Basically, you have to be very, very, very rich to live here. This house costs 5 Million Pounds to own (that's roughly $9 Million!!!!) In our area is the former home of Princess Diana, Kensington Palace. It is literally a five minute walk from my doorstep. On August 31st was the 11th Anniversary of her death, so the palace gates and grounds are covered still with flowers and memorials and tributes to her legacy from people from all over! It's quite neat. Everything in this area has so much history. A few doorsteps away is the former homes of Freddie Mercury, Sir Winston Churchill, Virginia Woolf, T.S. Eliott, etc... So I am pretty privileged to live in quite a fancy and extremely nice area!

My roommates are all from New York and have the strong New York accent (except one from NC). So I am pretty much the hillbilly once again in London! HaHa. It's quite an interesting time with them! :)

My classes started on Monday. We have classes for 3 1/2 hours at a time! YIKES! It's quite long! I am taking Understanding Civilisations: Islam and the West, British Life and Cultures, and British Politics. In the Islam class, we learn about the foundations of the religion that is Islam and how it relates to the "west." It's ok I guess, nothing too special yet. British Life and Cultures is very interesting. We discuss what it is that makes up British Life and Culture, obviously. We are taking several "field visits" to tour the Houses of Parliament, see old St. Paul's Cathedral, Tate Modern, and Shakespeare's Globe Theater. It's going to be very interesting I think. In British Politics, we already are learning about the British government and Prime Minister roles. We also learned all the traditions about the Queen and her figure-head roles of the government. Now that's my kind of stuff! (I bet I just got 20 different eye-rolls from people reading this! lol)

Famous Abbey Road Crossing

It's really cool to go out and see all these neat things in and around London. Today we went and saw Abbey Road! That's the famous studio and crosswalk where the Beatles recorded their most famous Abbey Road album. It was really neat to see the building and what everyone writes along the gates to the building. I found a lot of really cool things people had to say. I was also going to write something, but I got there and realized I forgot my marker! Darn it!

As for traveling, I have already set up 2 trips so far. The first one is in 2 weeks and I am going to Istanbul, Turkey for 4 days. We are going with my Islam and the West class. I cannot wait to see all of those sights in Turkey and be in a totally new culture. What a great experience. Secondly, today my roommates and I signed up to go to Edinburgh and the Highlands of Scotland for 4 days with this International Student House organization. It's a pretty sweet deal; we get transportation, 6 meals, housing, and a tour guide in historic Scotland all for 130 pounds (that's about $275! What a great deal!) I was impressed by the cheapness of a lot of those things. That will be October 10th-13th. I am also in the midst of trying to figure out plans for my trip to Italy (Rome and Florence) for my week break. A trip to Paris for the weekend sometime in November or December will also be in the works.

I have tried several times to upload my limited pictures on Facebook, etc for people to look at, but our internet is not very fast at times and it doesn't work. Sorry! :( Hopefully soon they will be up!

As for now, it's been nice blogging for you all this evening. I should now go to some reading for tomorrow's class or watch some weird British tv.

Justin

Taking It All In

So I have now been in London for 2 days, going on my third. What have I been doing?

Well... After going grocery shopping (where I bought food that will make me look like I am surviving nuclear holocaust), my roommates and I pretty much chilled out the first night. We went out to a nice pub and had a pint. It's pretty ridiculous to pay the equivalent of $7 for a pint. Pretty pricey. The food wasn't too bad if you buy the generic brand of everything.

We have had a lot of orientations to FIE and what not. Mostly boring and standard stuff. I also bought a cell phone to use while in London. It was $60 and pay as you go for what you use. So I guess it's not that bad of a deal. If anyone who is coming to London wants to buy a phone when I return, just let me know. I can get you a good deal on mine.

So far, we have seen a lot of sights in London. Last night, my roommates and I went out and saw Big Ben and British Parliament. We also took in the London Eye, as well as Buckingham Palace. Today we just got back from a bus tour of London which we all took for an orientation session. It was pretty sweet. Saw a lot more like the London Bridge, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, and a lot of neat shops and districts within the city.

So far it just seems like I am vacationing in London and not actually living here. I guess a lot of study abroad people feel that way too. Classes start on Monday, but again, it doesn't feel like I should be starting them so soon. It's a weird feeling. But all in all, it's a great time here. Hopefully soon I can get some pictures on here. I didn't take too many, but it's early. Ok, gotta go and clean my dishes from lunch.

Best wishes from London!
Jusin

Finally Here...

Hey all,

Just wanted to let you know that I have finally made it to London and in my new place. I am living in the basement of this awesome old building. It has its own bathroom and kitchen and common room. I am in a bedroom with 3 other guys, too. Anyways, don't have much time to talk. Just here to let you know I am here and safe.

Justin

Tomorrow's the big day!

At roughly 8:30 tomorrow morning, I will be on my way to Chicago O'Hare International Airport to make my way to London. My parents are taking me to the airport, and my flight leaves at 4:10 pm where I fly to Washington Dulles Airport. I have a brief layover and then I am leaving the States and setting sail (so to speak) to Heathrow. It is going to be a long journey, but not too bad hopefully. I leave at 7 or so at night and arrive at 10 am in London (that's 4 am Central time)!

Hopefully I will not lose my luggage or be seated in the middle of loud children or overly large individuals who will hog my space! Let's cross our fingers :)

I am pretty jittery and anxious to leave. I am also a bit scared and nervous, but nothing too overwhelming. It should be a great time!

Well, I should be off. I am trying to get a decent bit of sleep before my journey begins.

Cheerio,
Justin

3 More Days...

Well, it's getting down to the wire now before I leave for London. I'd like to say that I am all set and ready to go for this one in a lifetime experience, but I am not. I have been a complete bum this past week. I have crap scattered all over my room, just waiting to be picked up. I have no idea what I am going to take to London, or how I am going to get it there.

Am I freaking out about it yet? No!

Honestly, I see packing as a mindless task that I can finish in one hour tops for this trip. (Let's hope!) I guess I am doing something to prepare by making copies of credit/debit cards, etc. and shopping for shampoo and contact solution. I do feel that I am going to forget something, as it always ends up that way.

I also have been adamant about not having a cell phone while in London. I feel like I do not need one and it will only take away from my experience. I went all summer practically without a cell phone and I survived. I am going to contact everyone via Skype anyway, so what's the big deal? Well recently I have been kinda switching to the other side. Maybe for emergencies? I don't know. What's a guy to do? (Now I suddenly realize how lame this is, worrying whether to buy a cell phone or not. I guess this just shows how materialistic and possession driven our culture has become -- but that's neither here nor there and should not be a part of this blog!)

Well I guess I am going to get back to NOT preparing for London for awhile. It's a tough life! :)

Cheerio,
Justin

Ps. If you want to get in touch with me while I am abroad, my email is the same, so is my facebook. In fact, all my info is the same, except for mailing address. It's:
Justin Kluesner
3-7 Queens Gate Terrace
London, SW7 5PE, U.K.

I'll be expecting mail often! :)

Summer Top Ten

Man this summer went by so fast! I cannot believe that just 10 weeks ago, I was sitting at home waiting for this summer to start and already it is over. I can honestly say that this has been the greatest summer of my life. And I owe it all to the Place of Friends, Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya! After my first summer at camp, I have learned many new things and grown in many different ways.

That is the reason for this post, the Top Ten Things I Have Learned From Being A Camp Counselor!

10.) Everything about Nature is amazing and should be appreciated more. -- I think this goes without explanation, but this was a re-discovery for me. Too often I would not stop to appreciate all that is around me and how fantastic and awe-inspiring it is. I now slow down and look more closely at our environment. Everything from the trees and rivers and sunsets to the frogs, fish, bears, birds, and even mosquitoes. There is nothing more exhilarating than witnessing nature's spectacle first hand.

9.) Even the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus are cool (and I secretly know all the words to most of their songs). -- Not only are the JoBros and Ms. Cyrus musical geniuses (oh who am I kidding, they are awful!). But they do inspire countless youngsters across the country and at camp. These kids listen to them religiously, and therefore, all of us counselors do too. I can sing "See You Again," "7 Things," "S.O.S.," and "Year 3000" for you upon request (and I actually will only because it would remind me of all of those kids who we would sing them with.).

8.) The most "troubled" kids are usually the greatest ones to know. -- Coming in to each week, some parents would say what to watch out for. Little did they know that that behavior that happened at home hardly ever showed up at camp. See, at camp, kids can be themselves and not have to worry about looking like a fool. There is no facade or front that they need to put on, so their behavior changes. One of my favorite campers was one who was sent to a military school because he beat up kids until he was 12. Not only was he the most polite kid I have ever met; he had maturity I had never seen before. He openly discussed his situation and took them as learning experiences. All someone needed to do in his life is give him some tough love and he responded so much better. These are the kids that inspire me!

7.) A pink lawn Flamingo can have many valuable uses. -- Ask if intrigued...

6.) I long to go on a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters and experience a part of history and tradition. -- Pity Nor'Wester 2009 here we come!

5.) Even 14 year old boys can have an emotional group experience without judging or labeling each other. -- On one of my overnights this summer, my group of 14 year old boys were sitting around the campfire at night just talking. I named off a few questions ranging from normal to gross to deeply personal. After getting to the first personal question, two guys broke down sobbing at their answers. Everyone in the group remained silent and did not laugh or judge. In fact, each went on to share their answers with raw emotion. The trust between our group was amazing. That group inspired me so much. It is so neat to see a diverse group come together over hearing each other's happiest moments in life or biggest goals. I found out 14 year old boys have hearts and souls, with no need to torment or ridicule.

4.) I was a teacher, role model, leader, artist, singer, and dancer. -- It's weird to think about, but yes, I was all of those to a different group of kids each week. Even though I am an awful dancer and make due with my singing and artistry, I was a role model and teacher to over 50 kids this summer. Teaching core values of honesty, respect, and responsibility, I had to follow those values just as the kids did. I was the role model. It is such a neat experience being a rockstar in some of these kids' minds. We, as counselors, mean so much to these kids who look to us as their best friend and teacher.

3.) Showers are not necessary; in fact, they are only a useless task that people in the real world feel the need to do. -- This is pretty self-explanatory. At camp, we don't shower that often (like 2 times a week). Don't get grossed out! Showering was too laboring to do daily, and besides, you're just going to get dirty again as soon as you are done, so why bother? After a while your hair stops producing oil and everyone around you is smelly so you can't tell the difference if you smell or it's your neighbor. The point is, there is no need to shower so frequently. It's going to be tough doing this again everyday now that I am back in the "real-world."

2.) In 3 months, I have met and bonded with an amazing group of people. -- Never so quickly have I bonded and shared such great friendships with so many people. In 3 months, I feel like family amongst the staff. Each and every one of the staff has left a valuable impression on me. I feel stronger every day knowing that I have an amazing camp family there ready for that spontaneous reunion or sandbar club meeting.

1.) Camp can change your life, if you let it. -- This goes with a lot of things, but honestly, camp is a life changing event. Not only have I learned all of these previously mentioned amazing things, but I can come away from camp knowing that I am a better person because of it. I could have gone through this summer looking at this as just a job, but it soon became a lifestyle. Camp has changed who I am in so many great ways. I have learned that I need to enjoy the present and live in the "now." I need to stop worrying about future things and live life to the fullest each and every single day. I also have learned to live simply. I have gone many weeks without a cell phone, computer, or television. They are simply not a necessary item to have at all times. I can honestly say that it is has been so liberating to be without these items for so long. I am no longer dependent on them!

There may be some who are reading this who may laugh or not understand the impact this has made upon not only my life, but among all of the staff and campers' lives too. I can only wish that you have some kind of opportunity like I have had to experience the world in a different way, a much simpler way. I can honestly say that camp has changed my life, and I am so happy and peaceful because of it.

Everything's Perfect

Camp has officially begun! What a great summer so far. I couldn't be any more pumped for how this summer is going. Life in the Northwoods is simple and relaxed. I love it because it makes everything else in my life look vain, and now I can even more appreciate the simple things like a beautiful sunny day or a never ending supply of fresh air. There is no other word to describe it other than "Perfect."

What do I do? Well, on Sundays, I change into my Pistachio colored Staff shirt and prepare for my new group of campers. They arrive with parents/grandparents/guardians and meet me and claim their bunks and go off to explore Camp. Mid-afternoon begins Opening Ceremonies where we give them a preview of what the week to come will be like. We sing a song, introduce staff, and say bye-bye to parents. After a couple hours of Orientations on boats, canoes, health, and swimming, we have our first meal -- the best of the week! There is so much buzz and excitement going on, especially if it's the camper's first time at Camp. We sing songs, make other counselors do weird things, and yes, even the Hootchy Kootchy Dance.

Week 1 Group - Hollywood Week

Monday through Thursdays are long days. We get up to do the Polar Bear Plunge every morning at 7:15. Then get ready for breakfast. At 9:30 is the start of Program Areas where campers sign up to do different activities for 2 sessions each day. I run Target Sports, but there are others like Sailing, Sports, Nature, Outdoor Living Skills, Arts & Crafts, etc. After that, we incorporate one of my favorite things -- Service! We all have to do a Camp-wide service project for a half hour, whether it's picking up litter or re-organizing life jackets and canoe paddles. After lunch is my favorite part of the day -- REST HOUR! It literally is the best hour of the day! I can't wait for it, because us counselors get really tired keeping track of and keeping up with these campers everyday. It's amazing! Then it's Cabin Activity Time where each group does something with their own group for two hours; it's a neat bonding experience. We usually catch a lot of frogs and have frog races; it's a Camp favorite. Then it's Free time until dinner where the kids are on their own (well, with a buddy of course!) to do whatever they want, like swimming, boating, cross the rope bridge, etc. There is another Free time after dinner as well, where they normally race to the Camp Store as fast as possible to get their daily amount of Candy and Soda. After that is usually Camp Games, which equals the most fun for the Counselors while completely draining campers of energy! Games like Capture the Flag, The Great Escape, and Message to Garcia are always favorites. Then it's off to bed for the night! Wow, long days huh? :)

Week 2 Group - Carnival Week

My absolute favorite moments from Camp happen on Thursdays. That night, we have our largest campfire, where there are skits, songs, jokes, and even a rousing game of Butt Darts (don't ask). Everyone is encouraged to be a part of the campfire and they last over an hour. We slow it down with slower songs and things to reflect on. This is when it hits me that the week is almost over and I reflect on what a great week this has been and how much I really love Camp. The counselors all line up in front of the fire and we sing "On The Loose" (see lyrics below). It is officially the greatest song in my mind. We sing those powerful words in front of the campers, watching them look to all of their best friends they have made that week, crying, reflecting to themselves. It is really a powerful experience. We then walk our groups slowly and without sound to the waterfront and send off our dreamboats into the water. These pieces of wood covered with objects in nature and a simple candle are set out at dusk and with your group reflect on what an experience everyone just had. Emotions run high and everyone comes together for that one last experience of solitude. When everyone leaves the waterfront, I like to stay back a bit and admire the 15 or so candles floating in the water at dusk, seeing all of our memories captured right their for everyone to see. I could sit and watch that scene for a lifetime and be completely at peace and at ease, never wanting or desiring anything else.

What I have learned in these first three weeks of Camp is something stronger than anything I have ever felt. For once it hasn't been just about school, a career, or wanting the newest and coolest gadget. This time it has been about living in the now more so than ever before. It is about enjoying everything you have, and sharing it with everyone else. It is about the simplicity of nature, children, and even myself. As I said earlier, perfect seems to be the appropriate word of choice to describe Camp so far. It's not often when you can become so attached to 150 new people in the course of the week and then start all over again the next. All 150 bright and warm smiles are the most magical, and I feel like I am living a dream.

Check out pictures and updates each week at www.campunahliya.org

On The Loose

On the loose to climb a mountain,
on the loose where I am free.
On the loose to live my life
the way I think my life should be.
For I’ve only got a moment,
and the whole world left to see,
I’ll be looking for tomorrow on the loose.

Have you ever watched the sunrise turn the sky completely red?
Have you slept beneath the moon and stars,
a pine bough for your head?
Have you sat and talked with friends,
though a word was never said?
Then you’re just like me,
and you’ve been on the loose.

There’s a trail that I’ll be hiking,
just to see where it might go
Many places yet to visit,
many people yet to know.
So in following my dreams,
I will live and I will grow.
On the trail that’s waiting out there on the loose.

Have you ever heard the whippoorwill
sing to the morning dew?
When you hear the bells ringing, do you
know they ring for you?
And when you look back on the past,
all I really ask, Is you remember me
when you’re out there on the loose.

So in search of love and laughter,
I’ll be traveling this wide land
Never sure of where I’m going,
‘cuz I haven’t any plan.
And in time when you are ready,
come and join me take my hand
And together we’ll share life out on the loose.

Lifeguard Woes

So on Wednesday was the first of my three days of Lifeguard Certification for Camp this summer. As part of the Certification, you must complete 12 lengths of the pool without stopping by swimming 4 lengths front stroke, 4 breast stroke, and 4 either front or breast. Well after practicing for a few weeks at the Y with Amy and Tumn, I managed to finish the 12 laps, which was a huge accomplishment for me. However, I did not do them non-stop as I took a quick 3 minute breather in between my 6th & 7th lap, and therefore did not pass that part. I was completely wiped out after doing that.

After recovering from that experience (something I do not want to experience ever again by the way), I went on to do the actual lifeguard rescues and entries. Let's just say I passed those exercises with flying colors. I was actually doing well! After being in the pool for four and half hours straight, the Instructor came up to me and said, "You would be a damn good lifeguard, if you could only pass that stupid lap swimming part!" It kinda stinks that I cannot get certified all because I do not have the endurance to do those laps when I do everything else so well. It's a good thing that my job does not depend on being a lifeguard! :)

Anyways, I go to Camp next week and am really excited for it. But at the same time, I just want everyone to be back at SNC so we can be a big happy family again, instead of scattered across a couple states (if you count FIB's and one in FMB-Land). Soon enough...

But until then, listen to some David Cook!

Cheerio!

It's Summer

So summer has finally arrived after a long semester. Oh who am I kidding? The past year flew by so quickly, I don't even know what to say about it. I can't say I am really relieved that summer is here. I am actually quite frustrated with it. I am not excited about missing my friends and family that I have made at SNC. I am not excited about being away from TRIPS and its Staff for over 6 months. I am not thrilled to be away from our Elementary Schools which I loved going to each week. But I am very fortunate to have a great summer job lined up, Camp U! I am really pumped about spending 10 or so weeks of my summer break outdoors, swimming and hiking and group bonding with the campers.

A weak campfire that will hopefully look a lot better at camp

I have been telling everyone that I will have more fun at Camp than all of the campers probably will, because I have never been to a summer camp and am pumped to finally get to go (and get paid for it, too!).

Anyway, check back later in the summer for some camp updates before taking off to London. Cheerio!

Coming Soon...

Stay tuned to Justin's London adventure in September...