More Falls...More Fomals

Unfortunately, the rain has started to fall in Syracuse. But that can't put a damper on memories of this jam-packed and excellent weekend!

All week long, Justin told me to keep Friday morning and early afternoon free. I wondered what on earth he was planning at such an odd time slot. At 11 am, he picked me up and started driving. When we got on I-81, I knew this wasn't an ordinary adventure in Syracuse! We exited in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere, and I still hadn't a clue where we were going. We seemed to be driving through farm fields and country roads when all of a sudden I saw a sign that said "Pratt's Falls State Park." Justin had secretly packed a picnic and taken me to a lunch in the woods! The falls were formed by retreating glaciers, and were the site of Onondaga County's first mill operation in 1796. It was beautiful and warm, and we munched sandwiches and freezer pops until it was time to head back to campus for afternoon classes. 

Later on Friday night, we'd head out into the rural countryside again, but this time I picked the destination. My friend Andrew is a student at Colgate and is a member of their elite accapella singing group "The Colgate 13." The group is nationally acclaimed and has sung at the Superbowl and the White House, and all over the country on tour. Every year I managed to miss his concert, but this year I decided to make the trip. After all, there won't be any more chances to hear him sing as we will both be graduating in May! Colgate has always astounded me: in my opinon, its a little more country club than college, totally elegant and elite. After the show, we went back to a beautiful huge house owned by the singing group and used exclusively to house visiting parents. There, we enjoyed cocktails and another impromptu concert as we mingled and caught up on stories. It was great to see him!

Saturday dawned sunny, much to my delight. I hate being in a dress in the rain, and I had another formal to attend! This was the spring version of the ESF December Soiree, and everyone I know and love had plans to go. While I'm not technically an ESF student, I am in clubs where I've met many of them. It's a great event to bond the two schools and this spring it was held downtown at the OnCenter. Open bar, gourmet dinner and a night of dancing were all included, and we took advantage of all three! Ironically, it was the APO kids (mostly SU students) that were the last ones on the dance floor. My left calf is still killing me from "Cotton-eye'd Joe," and I earned the title of "Master of the Line Dance." Shocking. As the pictures show, everyone looked beautiful!

Finally, Sunday I went downtown for a moving and beautiful event. Syracuse University's chapter of Habitat For Humanity sponsored its first complete house this year, and Sunday was the "House Dedication." The family receiving the house was on hand, along with city officials, Habitat workers, campus leaders, students, professors and friends. Many moving speeches were made and the family was presented the ceremonial bible. Prayers and blessings were given in the hopes that the house would be a place of love, joy and hope. A particularly moving moment for me was when the mother and homeowner spoke about her 8 year old son, a young man with autism. She talked about how hard it was to keep everything together and support her boy without a home. My cousin is autistic, and my family understands the challenges of the condition. Looking at those challenges through the lens of poverty was particularly profound. I wish the best for that mother and her family. 

The week ahead promises mayhem...in the form of MayFest... pictures and stories to come next week!

Peace and Love. 

A Hillbilly Easter

Shana Fisher is one of my best friends at Syracuse University. She was my roommate in Spain, my friend in APO, my guide through the Teach For America interview process. And aside from an unwavering dedication to social justice, a sometimes sick sense of humor, and a mutual respect for each other's good looks, she and I could not be more opposite. 

Shana grew up in a huge Jewish family on the middle of Staten Island. Her high school memories are about Jewish Youth Group, the illegal immigrants that mow the Staten Island lawns, and her highschool's metal detectors. Before I went abroad, I was lucky enough to taste a little Staten Island life: Kosher delis, delicious pizza, the city skylines. I was amazed at how different her childhood was than mine. I declared that she MUST visit my home in the Berkshires, meet my family, see my highschool. And this Easter weekend, we finally did just that!

Shana will be moving to the Mississippi Delta next year as a member of Teach For America. My dad and I decided that it was time that she get a little hillbilly education. We called up my good friend and fellow Hinsdale native Mark, packed our pickup truck with a variety of fire arms, and did what any good country family would do: drove to the firing range to give the city girl her first experience with a gun. 

The weather was grey and drizzly but spirits were bright. We did everything of course with the utmost of care and safety. My dad is an excellent teacher and we all tried our hand at a variety of weapons. We fired pistols, shotguns, rifles, and Shana's favorite: the black powder. The day whizzed by and with a panicked look at our watches, we realized that we were going to miss Good Friday mass. We packed up quickly and got there just in the nick of time. 

Shana was a trooper and made it through the entire Easter Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday masses. It was great to have her there and introduce her to family friends. 

We also did a lot of Easter celebrating, including the annual Hornstein Easter Egg extravaganza. Shana made joyful happy eggs, and as the pictures show we had Harry Potters and Homer Simpsons, eyeballs and happy faces, and even a Jesus egg. (Dad's handiwork, of course.) Shana also got her first ever Easter basket! Peeps and bubble gum, DVD's and chocolate rabbits: the Easter bunny really knew how to treat us this year. 

The weekend went by way too fast. Before we knew it, we were back on the road to Syracuse. I'm shaking my head realizing I only have a few more days of class. Let's put life on rewind!

Peace and Love. 

AE Pi Spring Formal

THEN and NOW

I love it when life comes full circle. Spring of my Sophomore year, my wonderful friend Justin Liang needed a date to his spring fraternity formal. I was the lucky nominee, and after much ado, had a dress picked out and camera batteries charged, ready for a night of craziness in Toronto. As it turned out, Justin had a terrible flu that week, and spent only 15 minutes at the actual dance. The poor kid had such a fever he couldn't see straight, and went to bed before the music even started, leaving me stag at a dance in Canada where I knew no one. Lucky for me, the AE Pi brothers were friendly and sympathetic, and all made sure I had a good time. One of the nicest guys there was a kid named Brian Rodin. I met him that night at dinner, I knew him only as the wine connoseur, and I took a few great pictures with him. Little did I know that he'd be one of my best college friends!

The next year, Brian went to Spain with me and was fully responsible for making sure my 21st birthday was a blast. We spent countless afternoons together visiting museums, sipping sangria, and discussing deep philisophical topics from relationships to religion. To our surprise and delight, we realized that we had signed a lease in the same apartment building for the following year, and now would be neighbors! 

The frienship continued through this year, and our doors were always open to each other for dinner exchanges, episodes of Entourage, or just a good old-fashioned venting session. It's been a crazy and stressful year in many ways for both of us. Brian came out of the closet to his close friends in the fall, and I was happy to be a supporting friend through the process. Likewise, when I was terribly sick with mono over Christmas break, I heard from him almost every day, wondering how I was doing. It's not every day you find a friend like that. 

Fast forward to the A E Pi spring Formal this year. Brian needed a date, and I was the first he asked! I couldn't be more excited. I met my great friend in Canada two years ago at this dance, and now I would be his date. Again, I got the dress picked out and the camera batteries charged, only to be faced with another full circle: Brian knocked on my door, with a terribly sad look on his face. "I have mono," he sighed. Another sick date. I wondered if I had given it to him. I didn't even think that we would make it to Canada. I assured him that I'd rather him get better than go to another AE Pi formal stag again! He assured me that he was going to make the best of it and we were going to have a great time. 

Sure enough, we made it to Niagara Falls and enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner. Brian of course took it easy and actually stayed awake the whole night! We looked wonderful and were so happy to be there with all our friends. Even though we didn't tear up the dance floor, the night zoomed by with lots of pictures, great conversation and friendly faces. Enjoy the link to the photo album from the night below!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2273703&id=5515657&l=36bd70ed05

Peace and Love! 

The Relay Review

This past Saturday night, the moment that I've been working on since last fall finally arrived. At 4 pm, the committee and I converged at the Carrier Dome, armed with banners, cash boxes, t-shirts and a whole lot of caffeine. The RELAY FOR LIFE was finally here!

Katie arrived at 2 in the afternoon on a greyhound bus from Boston. "I'd say it was a God forsaken bus, if there weren't so many nuns on it," she joked. I was so proud of her for getting up at 6 am to hop a bus and meet me in Syracuse for the big day. We just had time to shower and gobble down a lunch before heading off to the big event. 

When the committee met at 4, we debriefed for a few seconds then set to work. Hundreds of cones had to be laid out on the Carrier dome turf, marking off the "campsites." Thousands of white paper bags had to be set up, and filled with a glow stick for the luminaria ceremony. The stage needed sound checks. Registration, silent auction, and T-shirt tables had to be in place. The bone marrow drive team arrived as well as the inflatable jousting crew- it seemed like there was so much to do all at once! Somehow, in 45 minutes just about everything was in place. We stood back to survey everything- and believe it or not it was perfect, with an hour to spare. 

Mom and Dad arrived right on time at 6pm with the rest of the teams flowing into the Dome, down the aisle and setting up their campsites. Everyone from College Republicans to the Asian Student Association, Fraternities and Sororities joined us- there had to be close to 2200+ people there. Everyone set up on-site fundraisers. Some teams had bake sales, some teams had raffles. One team painted fingernails for a dollar, and the Army ROTC kids took kids on litter carries around the track (my buddy still can't move his shoulders.) Cash was flowing and people seemed to be having a really great time. 

For our family, the most emotional moment was the survivor lap. Cancer survivors and their families did a lap around the Dome while everyone applauded and cheered. Dad refused to wear his Miss-America style "Survivor" banner, opting to tie it around his waist Karate style. Another emotional but beautiful moment was the Luminaria ceremony, where the entire Dome goes dark and the glowing bags light the pathway. Quiet music plays and the names of those we lost are read out loud. 

Katie and I each had really amazing moments at the Dome. She sold her own artwork for a fundraiser, and couldn't keep the pictures flying off her sketch pad fast enough! It was wonderful watching her get commission after commission. #44 Jerseys and artistic ballerinas were the best sellers. And in a last minute emergency, I had to sing Amazing Grace during a ceremony, as our scheduled girl got violently ill. I think we both made really wonderful memories of the night. 

All in all, the Relay was the most smooth event that I have ever participated in or been a part of organizing. I can't believe that everything flowed as well as it did. I think it really speaks to a wonderful committee that did a lot of hard work and planning and was absolutely ready to go for the big night. I also commend the students that joined us for the night- everyone came with such enthusiasm to celebrate, remember and fight back. Wherever I move and whatever I do, I know that RELAY has to be a big part of my future !

Peace and Love. 

I'm Moving to DC!!

Since I last wrote on Wednesday, not too much has passed...

With the exception that my future has been decided!

Last week I found out that I was accepted to Teach For America in Washington, D.C. to teach High School Spanish. I was thrilled at the location, but nervous about the assignment. Could I really teach Spanish? What would it be like trying to work in a highschool being so young? Was I ready for this kind of a challenge? And most importantly, this isn't PR- so why should I accept it?

I began a frenzy of research about what my life might really be like. If you've never heard of Teach For America before, it is a non-profit organization that is part of Americorps. After a thorough and extremely rigorous interview process, the nation's best and brightest college grads are invited to teach for two years in some of our country's worst school districts. The program is extremely competitive, but you've got to want more than a nice blip on your resume. You've got to be dedicated unwaveringly to social justice and the belief that you can touch lives.

The TFA network is extremely supportive and from the moment I was accepted I began receiving phone calls from people on every level of the organization. Program directors from D.C., Syracuse graduates, and Spanish teachers in the corps started calling me. I even had a faith-based community relations team member call me since I checkmarked that "Catholic" box. One by one, I started getting my questions answered.

It sounds like teaching highschool is a unique opportunity to help students get on the college track, and out of their bad neighborhoods. Especially as a language teacher, I'll be working with students who have a chance at higher education. I'll be able to offer real world advice, since I'll be working with young adults. The teachers I spoke to said over and over again that they felt so lucky to be a role model to young people every day. They knew they were making a real impression on these kids. As a language teacher, I'll also have a lot more freedom in creating my curriculum, and I won't have to worry about standardized tests and bars being passed. 

And what about my PR degree? Well , the staff at TFA was amazing at connecting me with PR professionals that had been through the corps. All of them explained that their experience ended up being invaluable in their career. To know how to communicate, to think outside the box, to manage people in a completely different light helped them grow as professionals and as people. And as one girl put it, "How is this NOT PR? You've got to sell the idea of learning Spanish to the hardest market possible. You're going to attack your classroom like and public...and you're going to HAVE to get your message across." The professionals I spoke to now work in PR for law and non-profit. It was great to get their perspective and really eased my worries about my transition after the corps. 

Everyone was very honest that this was going to be one of the most challenging experiences in my life. They said I would cry, they said I would be upset, they said at some points that I would want to quit. But they also said that for this kind of struggle, the rewards would far surpass the challenge. They said that I'll walk away from it a different person. They guaranteed me that I will make a difference. 

It was a hard decision at first, but as the week went on the choice became clear to me. To live in DC, to do this kind of work, and to have this chance to grow- I'll never have this chance again. The one final doubt holding me back was the memories of my job last summer in Los Angeles. I finally got a hold of my boss and confirmed what I already knew: there was no salaried job for me in LA, and nothing that could compare to my offer from TFA. My boss gave me his blessing, assured me that no bridges were burned, and that he still wanted me back at the end of this two-year stint. Moreover, he told me this could only help my baseball career. I'd come out knowing Spanish better than ever, and having a deeper connection and understanding with communities very similar to those that make up the fan base for a team like the Dodgers. 

So that's it- to DC I go on June 21, to start my new life!

I'd encourage you to check out the Teach For America Website:

www.teachforamerica.org

and learn about where I'll be working:

http://www.teachforamerica.org/corps/placement_regions/dc_region/dc_region.htm

Peace and Love!

Habitat!

And now, the long-awaited Habitat story. 

I thought that getting up at 4 am on a Saturday morning would have been a more difficult task, but it wasn't that hard when I never really fell asleep all night. I felt like a kid before the first day of school, excited but a little nervous! Everything was packed and ready to go, and I would be the primary driver of our Hyundai Sonata that we would be taking on the 23-hour trek to Palm Beach. (Sidenote: I cannot praise Hyundai cars enough. That thing was a DREAM to drive all the way down. It was comfortable, big and fast...and somehow got 38mpg.)

We were supposed to hit the road at 4:00, stop for gas and coffee and go- but inevitably we got a late start. Coordinating 20 people in 4 vehicles for gas, food, and bathroom breaks was a bit nuts! The first day of driving landed us in Columbia, SC. It was an adorable college town, and the people were so friendly. We ate at a sonic (it was just as fun as the commercials) and slept on the office floor of the Habitat Affiliate in the city. Then, the next day at 5 am- we were off again! This time, we painted our cars up and only had 9 hours to go. 

I can't describe how much I enjoyed the south. It was warm, friendly and beautiful. Everything I ate was delicious, and people look at you, smile and say hello. We drove from 81 to 77 south, and finally to 95 for the final stretch. Sunday night, we arrived at our campsite in Jonathan Dickenson State Park, just a 5 minute drive from the beach in Jupiter, Florida. We were set up in little cabins, complete with kitchenettes and full bathrooms. Not too shabby! 

The park was full of wildlife: deer, lizards, birds, alligators, and wild boar! There were always things scurrying around in the woods, but the bugs weren't too bad. As long as you didn't cross any fire ants or poisonous snakes, you were fine!

On Monday, we didn't go to our buildsite. We instead went to help clean and organize the local "Re-Store." Think of a Re-Store as a Goodwill for items that you would find in Home Depot. Lighting, paint, furniture, doors and cabinets, toilets and stoves and TV's- anything you could imagine you would need to build or furnish a home, you could buy here for 80% off its original price. Many materials and items are donated by contractors or families, and all the proceeds from the sale go to help support Habitat. The place was staffed by volunteers, employees, and future Habitat Homeowners, but they could really use our help, as you can see in the pictures! It was a sweaty, hot day and we were glad to get home and shower. 

That night we headed off to a Spring Training Baseball game! Nothing gets me going more than a warm, clear night, the sound of a crowd and the colors and feel of a game. I know it's corny, but I just LOVE it, it doesn't matter big or small park, good team or bad team. We saw the Marlins and Tigers play, and I loved the family atmosphere and beautiful park. It was a great evening and our group had a ball. Pun...intended. 

The rest of the week, we were on-site, making homes happen. We worked on a "blitz-build," where Habitat creates a neighborhood all in one place to conserve time and resources. This neighborhood had 27 homes going up, and our group worked on 5 of them in various stages. So we didn't build a house from the ground up, but we got a lot of work done. We did roofing, sodding, framework, painting, sawing, digging- you name it! I learned a lot of skills and had a lot of fun. We had excellent site managers named Donnie and Chuckie. If you've ever watched any Sunday-morning hunting shows, these guys fit the bill. Mustaches, dip and camo, they were a different breed then us New York and New England kids, but they had tremendous patience and great senses of humor. We couldn't have done it without them. 

Each day, we'd get up at 6:45- but we were off the site by 2:30, plenty of time to hit up the beach! Yes, I did get tan, and now I'm back in Syracuse where the forecast tomorrow is for snow. It was magic to sit under the sun, dive in huge waves to bodysurf, collect shells and peoplewatch. One day, we had a break from the worksite and got to hang out all day in the sand and sun, even barbecuing our dinner right there. Then, in the evenings we'd head off to a local bar to catch the Big East tournament. I don't know how we had the energy to go, go, go- maybe we didn't, because I think it's safe to say that by the last day of the trip, everyone was catching winks wherever they could!

Overall, the experience was wonderful and I'm glad I got to work on someones home. I do wish that the trip was a little more structured- planning meals for everyone and making the day's schedule on the fly always had me stressed, but that's just part of my personality. Also, I was bummed that we didn't meet any of the families that the houses will go to- but such is life. 

Here is the photoalbum from the trip: click here

This upcoming week is a crazy one. Relay is so close- and I got accepted to TFA in Washington, DC- so I will be making a decision about that (a different story for a different day!) Peace and Love to all. 

Catching Up

Since I decided to do a public service announcement for my last blog post, I decided that it's time for an all-encompassing catch up on my life for the past two weeks!

Last weekend, a group called "Rain" came to Syracuse. They were a Beatles cover band, and I did a little research online about the show. It was an extravaganza! The guys in the band looked and sounded so much like the Beatles it was eerie. The show itself was a huge production- costume changes for the times, set changes, tv screens- the works. You felt right back in the 60's, a screaming fan in a black and white audience. It was a great time, and better still it was held in the Landmark Theatre. I've never been to the Landmark before- It's one of those theatres from the gilded twenties, completely decked in elaborate sculpture and gold leaf and red velvet. If you ever get a chance to see a show here, you must go!

Last Saturday, Justin and I took a day trip to Watertown, NY. I got to meet his family, and he gave me a tour of his childhood- old battlegrounds and parks, highschools and strip malls. Watertown is a quiet place, an old paper mill town rich in War of 1812 history and little points of pride- its boasts the world's oldest enclosed mall and lifesavers were invented there. We also drove up to the 1,000 islands region just a few miles north to the Canadian border. It was beautiful, and I thought about what my Grandparent's honeymoon there must have been like so many years ago. Our family has a little teapot that says "1,000 Islands" on it, a souvenir from their trip, and now I've finally seen at least a few of the islands after using that teapot so many times!

This past weekend was so much fun. My mom came up for a day, and we had the BEST day shopping, gossiping and eating. It seems like I never make it to the Carousel Mall unless mom is in town, but I have had excellent luck there when she does. After 2 years of fruitless searching, I finally found a suit! Yes, the classic grey professional interview-worthy suit and pants. Tall Ladies- go to the Limited! I finally found pants there suitable for a tower like me! 

The real reason mom came up wasn't to shop. This weekend was also DANCEWORKS, the once-a-year show that my roommate Stacey has been in each spring. This year, she was the Producer of the entire production of more than 120 girls. The lighting, costumes and choreography were so professional, and I was so proud of her! Stacey is a lyrical dancer, and she's been dancing since the age of 3. All those years of hard work were evident in the amazing production! Whew, to be so flexible, graceful and strong!

The other major event of the weekend was a massive "Grilled Cheese to Fight the Disease," sale that Justin organized and ran on Friday and Saturday night. The idea was simple: make grilled cheese, stuff them in coolers, and roam the streets selling them to the Syracuse weekend party crowd for a buck a piece. The event was a smash, making more than $200 to benefit the Relay For Life. But think of how that translates- 200 sandwiches. I'm proud to say I only burned myself 3 times, set the fire alarm off twice, and ruined 2 sandwiches. With all four burners going, the oven keeping sandwiches warm and a George Foreman plugged in, I can't believe I didn't blow a fuse or burn the house down! I think we plan on doing the event once more, the weekend before Relay. 

Finally, A bit of exciting news. Each year, Syracuse hosts a "Women of Distinction" event. This year, I was nominated! It's a huge honor and the keynote speaker is Idina Menzel, one of Broadway's hottest stars. Seeing as my screen name may or may not have been broadwaytor1111, and I've been eating up musicals since I could talk, I am pretty excited. Also, it's just so exciting to be a nominee! The awards ceremony is March 20, in honor of Women's history month. We'll hear the winners then, but I'm just so excited to go! 

I think that's it for this week. 

Peace and Love- next week is SPRING BREAK WITH HABITAT IN FLORIDA! So no entry next Monday, but expect a whopper follow up from my trip!