Week 1 in Review!

I know I tend to be wordy, so I'm going to try my best and do weekly wrap-ups with day-by-day to keep things short, sweet, and to the point! ((So I wrote this the first day of the week. Now that I'm done writing everything, I'm afraid I'm still wordy. Sorry!))

Saturday, January 5^th – Went to FSC for our "1^st day" - aka, a half day to meet one of our professors. We played a name game (go figure). I went to the local Goodwill with my host mom…it was HUGE, but super expensive! After lunch, I napped - I was sleepy! Then I had my first experience Geocaching and found the First Finger! (Don't worry, I'll do a whole post about goecaching to explain this). I helped make spaghetti dinner that night - it was tasty!

 My first goecache find

Sunday, January 6^th – Slept in! YAY! That afternoon we picked up my staff roommate, Jolien from Belgium. Once she was unpacked, we went on a quick geocache (in the pouring down rain haha), then home to have taco bar dinner with my host parent's best friends Crystal, Jason, and their daughter Izzy, and one of the UWP staff members they are hosting, Katie (from Georgia) - who my parents hosted while she was a cast member in Denver back in July 2011 - small world 

 See? There's proof...Katie with my parents back in 2011.

Monday, January 7^th – That morning at school, we met UWP staff members and played a game where you introduce the person next to you whether you know them or not. After technical difficulties, we finally did some work with our communications professor, Theresa. We're so fortunate to be on a college campus for staging because we get to eat lunch at Wynee’s Bistro - the options are fantastic! We'll be fed well! Then the FSC group walked around campus. We met our other professor, Pete, and WE GOT OUR UWP NAMETAGS! At home, we had dinner and then I Skyped with mom and dad. The whole group went night geocaching and we found frogs!

 On campus...note the FSC railing

 With our new nametags!

 

 Happy lil froggy in a pipe

Tuesday, January 8^th- I learned how to play Mao cards with the FSC students in the morning. We had communcations class, lunch, then leadership class. Then we had a BUNCH of free time, so Tara, Mallory, Abby, Amilee, Misa, McKenzie, and I changed clothes and went for a walk around Lake Hollingsworth (which happens to be a 5K). We saw an ALLIGATOR! That night my roomie had a late pick-up, but I didn't, so to save my host mom an extra two trips, I went home with Amilee, Misa, and McKenzie. I met their host parents, Maureen and Kevin, and they spoiled us by taking us to their Country Club for dinner! We rode in Kevin’s awesome Audi convertible - so fun! I ordered Caesar salad, Chicken Piccata, asparagus, and French silk pie! Lord have mercy. Then when I was picked up by Jessica and Edward, I found out we’re FOR SURE going to DISNEY WORLD on Saturday! WAHOOO!!!! 

 My new gator friend!

Wednesday, January 9^th- Leadership class in the morning with Pete, and then we set up our future internet classroom through Adobe Connect with the FSC Dean of Technology. After lunch, we discussed Study Abroad on the road with our education team. We had more communication class with Theresa, then free time. Home, dinner, then homework while I snuggled with Mortisha (who willingly sat on my lap!) We eventually went out to get dessert at Bruster’s Real Ice Cream with Crystal, Jason, Izzy, Katie, and Janelle. I got Peanut Butter Crunch with Butterfinger in a waffle cone. Jolien got a HUGE brownie bowl with chocolate chip ice cream. Hilarious!

Jolien and her MASSIVE ice cream!

Thursday, January 10^th – We had Intercultural class, ate lunch, and then briefed for our first community impact project at Lighthouse Ministries with the education team. We played a game where we had to find another person while blindfolded in the circle. I was a SUPER NINJA! After talking about expectations for our leadership class, Pete treated us to something from the snack shop! Yum smoothies! We enjoyed the sunshine while hanging out. We also took pictures with our profs! That night, I went out to dinner at Sonny’s BBQ with Jessica and Edward– I got pulled pork and French fries. Yummy!

  With our valiant leader and professor, Peder Victorious...aka Pete.

 With our professor, Theresa!

Friday, January 11^th- CI (Community Impact) DAY! We traveled to Lighthouse Ministries in Lakeland to do some work around their facilities. We split up and I worked with McKenzie and Claudia in the library sorting some of their old Christmas decorations, cleaning things out, and reorganizing them. We were served lunch and later heard from a resident who’s life has been changed by all that Lighthouse does and enjoyed an awesome tour of the facility. We went to their Thrift store to sort and clean somethings before being picked up. We changed to nicer clothes, went through formal registration, and eagerly awaited the arrival of the first UWP bus! New cast members arrived and we were so excited to meet everyone! We eventually ate dinner with all the new folks and then heard another bus was arriving! We met those new folks and repeated the process! Then we had a cast meeting, took a cast photo, and then were released to meet host families! What a great day!

waiting to meet our cast mates!

 Silly Jolien! She pretended to look for me as her home stay even though we already knew who our host family was. I laughed so hard when she held up a sign saying, "Amy"

Tomorrow we have a host family day. What are we doing, you ask? DISNEYWORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!