Plane Ride #1

I spent my last day at home hanging out with my mom. We packed & talked, ran errands, packed some more, cleaned house a bit, talked, packed & talked some more, picked up my daughter, and finished packing. The final hug was a good one.

The goodbye with my kids & husband was a little more intense. When I hugged the kids for the last time I whispered in their ears that they should go out for ice cream... with all the fixings. It's a poor bandage, but sugar and chocolate really do wonders for our hearts sometimes.

We flew over the massive storms converging on CC. But first we had to cut through them. The clouds were layered, like a club sandwich, not tall and poofy like we usually think of storm clouds. I could see pockets of rain all to the north of us, inevitably making their way to the bay.

After a bit of flying I realized I forgot the special plug adapter for my laptop. Oh dear.

By the time I reached the lovely soft bed in Houston (courtesy of my long-time friend, stage & screen actor, Julie) I realized I could order the special-fitting plug from amazon.co.uk, have it shipped for cheap-to-free to where ever I end up staying, and all will be right with the world.

If you have the lifestyle where you like to watch TV, but never find the time to sit in front of the TV when your favorite show is on, or you like watching blockbuster as well as indie movies, reading e-books, and/or shopping on amazon, I highly recommend paying for Amazon Prime. It has paid off beautifully for us so far. And I get to use our Prime amenities in the UK, too.

Eye Witness News:

• So far I have seen 3 literal rednecks. The guys were so incredibly burned it hurt a bit just to look at them, but they were directly in front of me so it was hard not to look. One didn't help out the stereotype much with his "Sir Confederate" tattooed in scroll on the back of his neck. 
• I caught a glimpse of the rare orange-skin tan.
• Kindness and support from every airline employee I've talked with so far.
• A little brother wilt, ever so slightly, under the sarcasm of his slightly older sister.
• A stranger step in and help out a family who's parents were clearly sleep deprived.
• Creepy eyes.
• A mother handle her toddler's vomit attack with grace and aplomb.
• And this...

Rotary Club of Southside Corpus Christi official send-off

Last Wednesday (9/11) I talked with the Rotary Club of Southside Corpus Christi, my sponsor club.

It was quite different from my talk to the Rotary Club of Corpus Christi the previous week. For one thing, my first talk was more a brief introduction to my year abroad. My second talk, however, was an in depth look (but not quite dissection) of my proposed work and the community of Coventry, UK.

I like that each club has a different ambiance, or atmosphere, or feel of the people, if you will. Attending different meetings seems to be an easy way to experience the variety within the membership.

After I talked to the Southside club about what I plan to accomplish this next year in Coventry, I was met with warm smiles, heart-felt wishes, invaluable advice, and an overwhelming feeling of support. Support for my academic desires, personal & professional pursuits. My mentor Dr. Miguel Moreno even attended. We were also interviewed by a local news station. I didn't catch our coverage later that evening, but I'm sure it was perfectly representative of our focus and purpose.

And now for the time I've been waiting for all year.... I finally get to be excited about my adventure!