Billings, MT

This week was great! We had a short drive to Billings from Bozeman so we spent the day at the Montana Zoo.  We spent the morning talking about global issues and starting to incorporate the "global citizen" part of the program.  Then in the afternoon our sponsor brought in all these blow up things and a graffiti artist and food for us and our host families.  It was a lot of fun for all of us.  I am living in a full house again this week! I have 5 roommates, Nicole (PA), Erin S (VA), Juliana (Bermuda), Ana (Mex), and Hannelore (Belg).  We are living with a single woman, Nola, and her friend Jason came over every night to help cook dinner and his mom helped Nola get us to and from our locations every day! Each night we had a 5 star meal and definitely felt spoiled.

Juliana, Erin, Ana, Nicole, Jason, Nola, Hannelore

Tuesday I was at another Habitat for Humanity site where we moved doors and windows and kitchen appliances.  I also did my first TV interview which was really exciting and you can see it here.

 Wednesday we did a show for the local college which was really cool . The audience was really receptive and we did something like 22 interviews that night. 
 

Friday was a show day that was a struggle for me because I got hit my a cold really fast.  But the show went really well, but Saturda

y I stayed home sick with my other roommate, Juliana.  Nola was so sweet and made us home-made chicken noodle soup and she got the hot tub running for us so we could open up our sinuses and then made us more comfort food of grilled cheese.  We hung out on the couch all day watching mindless TV. I've never missed a show day, so I felt really in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Around 9 at night it started flash flooding and raining like crazy! Then the basement started to flood so we had to go outside and bail out the window wells, but a large section of the carpet already flooded so we spent the next 2 hrs sucking up the water with towels and a carpet cleaner.  Thank goodness she had one of those because the water was pooling around our feet there was so much of it!

Sunday was a relaxing day which is all I needed.  Next week we are off to Lame Deer to be on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation which is going to be a whole new experience different than anything I have done in UWP so far! 

Bozeman, MT

Leaving Jackson was not easy, but this whole journey is one adventure after another, so I know it's times to move on.  We made a pit stop in Yellowstone to see Old Faithful.  It really wasn't as impressive as I expected.  I was thinking "mentos in diet Coke" explosion, not "shake a can  for a few minutes".  But the rest of the grounds were beautiful and made for some great fresh air.  My host family is a single woman from Texas who stays in Bozeman a few months out of the year in a condo.  My roommates are Kanami from Japan and Marie from Belgium.  I'm really excited to finally get an asian roommate for the first time! It's a new cultural experience.

Host code: Bison

Tuesday was CI at Habitat for Humanity.  At first I was pretty disappointed that I was on it again because I already have been twice this semester, but it ended up being a really awesome one.  I was with a group of 4 others, Dylan (CO), Miles (CO), Pablo(Mex) and Misa.  We spent the day moving old windows and furnaces around to organize a lean-to that covers them from weather and moving old wood to the trash.  It was great because it was hard work and we could see the work we were doing and could feel it in our muscles by the end of the day. 

Wednesday was SA in a beautiful library.  Misa and I got our work done, but we also got some good talk time.  A group of us went out to lunch and then got rained on so we hid under a tree for a while.  That evening it was round 2 of culture fairs! This time it was Europe and Asia and it was great! I feel like they just play more games growing up then we do.  They also all made different foods which was fun.

Thursday was a show day and for morning signouts I was in dance for the whole 3 hrs.  My whole body was hurting after the first half, so the second half was pure extra strength because I didn’t want to fall behind  because I really do want to stay in these dances and continue to improve.  I am doing the South African dance and the County line dance.

  Since it was labor day weekend we had Saturday and Sunday off!  Saturday we went on a zipline tour which was so much fun! Then we went up to Yellowstone, but we all fell asleep on the hr ride up.  But it was beautiful when we stopped.  Then we had dinner up there because Peggy was meeting some friends, so the three of us had dinner on our own which was really great.  Sunday was a relaxing day.  Marie made us crepes for breakfast, then we went to the lake for a few hrs, then some errands and then came home and hung out.  After dinner, I taught Kanami and Marie the South African dance because they wanted to learn it, so Peg learned it too!  

Kanami on the zipline

Jackson, WY

This week was a whirlwind of an adventure! I got to stay with a friend from last semester, Katy Flanagan, because it's her home town.  Jackson is one of the most breathtaking places I've ever been.  I had 5 roommates this week: Misa, Emelie (Swed), Lauren B (SD), Erin S (VA) and Helen (SD).  We were staying with Katy's parents, Caryn and Tim, and her sister, Sarah, 17.  The first night we picked out our color for napkin for the week and marking our red solo cups to wash and reuse.  I was excited that they were  being so eco friendly! Our dinner table was quite the lively group with 10 people around it.

Tuesday was a CI day.  We all walked to our show facility because Jackson is really close to everything.  The mornings are cool and fresh and it’s a great way to wake up. I went to the Latino resources center.  It is for the Latinos in the community to gain resources as immigrants and to keep their heritage and culture alive.  We cut pieces of tissue paper into various shapes for the kids to use in a few months to make piñatas and flowers for Dia de los Muertos.  While we didn't see the impact we were making for the community, we had a great time talking and getting to know each other. 

Wednesday evening we went to a BBQ Chuckwagon dinner as a whole cast with our host families.  It was so much fun! The food was great and so was the company and there was some authentic cowboy music by a great quintet. All my roommates and I dressed up real cowgirl through (mostly) Katy's closet.  

L to R: Erin, Katy, Caryn, Tim, Sara, Lauren, Misa

Front: Helen, Emelie, me

Thursday we had an intensive training on a new workshop that we are starting to take into middle schools about anti bullying.  Then in the afternoon there was Culture fair! Culture fair is a way for us to teach the rest of our cast members about our countries.  For the US we split up into West Coast, Mountain Range, Midwest, East Coast and South so that we could more accurately represent all parts of the country.  It was so much fun! For the mountain range we had people go fishing for answers and they got s'mores bars around the "fire" as they learned fun facts about the region.  The evening was a fun host family outing to take old time photos! We had a ton of fun in our little show girl outfits and the guns and booze and such.  Then our host mom Karen made some awesome homemade mac and cheese and then all the girls in the house (mom and sister included) squished downstairs on the couch to watch Rock of Ages the musical which is one of my favorites!  The worst thing about the week has been that we always stay up to late, so the next morning is always a big effort of waking up.

Friday was a show day in a beautiful theatre that had the mountain-cabin feel like our home this week, but totally modern.  The show went great and Katy even performed because it was her hometown.  That night after the show we did a McDonald’s run which was so fun because it’s a little adventure.

Saturday was a fantastic show day, but we had a lot of issues with tech.  But the cast handled it great. 

 Sunday was a great HFD! Caryn (host mom) made us an awesome french toast breakfast which I loved! Then we went to the top of Rendezvouz Peak by a tram and saw over all of Jackson Hole then went to Grand Teaton National park and did paddle boarding and swimming in the String lake.   There was a huge portion of the cast there which was a bunch of fun.  In the evening we went to a small BBQ at another host family’s house, but we didn’t stay long because we had so much to do back home.  We stayed up much later than we should have packing and talking and writing in each others' roommate books.  It was such a fantastic and fun week!

We were hanging out with Beyah, Lukas and Hugh and their host siblings as well on the mountain, so of course we had to do a jumping picture!

On a lake where no boats could go, in a little valley surrounded by mountains.  One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen

Emelie, Misa, Erin, Mallory R (MN)

There were probably 20 uppies hanging at the lake and paddle boarding.

And, sometimes we do stupid things....

First City on the Road: Sheridan WY

We are finally on the road! Our first city we travel into the "Wild West" in Sheridan WY.  It was a great week.  We started with a 7hr bus ride and everyone was super excited to get on the road, but sad to leave the families who have welcomed us in as one of their own for the past month.  I'm so glad this staging was in CO this semester because I know I will see my family again.

We were welcomed into the city by some faculty of the local Sheridan College and a small band playing while we met our host families.  My host family was a woman named Susan.  She is on the Board for their local theatre and loves horses.  She lives in an absolutely beautiuful 103 year old Victorian house that she has completely restored.  My roommate was Beatrice from Sweden.  She is very sweet and quiet but very funny and witty too!

Tuesday was the first CI on the road! I went to a Habitat for Humanity site where we scraped all the old paint off a woman’s house and then repainted it. It was a great time to get to know some cast mates, but there were awful wasps chasing us around everywhere.  We played a fun game on our break where we had to come up with different songs that had a specific word.  It was a lot of fun and cool to see how many english songs the non-native speakers came up with.  

That evening Andrew our lighting tech had us over to his home because this is his home town.  He actually had the whole cast and host families over.  It was crazy but good.  All the families brought food and everyone was just hanging out and it was fun because all our host families knew eachother or at least some people because the town is so small.  

Shawna (PA) and I at the Dinner

Study Abroad's transportation to class was a local Trolly

Thursday I was at a new Habitat site for CI.  We painted a whole interior of a house that was being turned over for a new family.  It was a really great accomplishment.  I spent some time getting to know Dylan (CO) and Sarah (WY) and during lunch we were all discussing our childhood favorite actors and bands (there was a large NSYNC and Backstreet Boys debate). .  That night the neighbors were over for dinner.  They are hosting Josiah(OH) and NK (S. Africa).  They also have a daughter my age and a son a few years younger.  After dinner, all of us kids walked to downtown.  I really like their host sister, Haven.  We have a lot in common and she’s very funny.

Our awesome crew

Friday and Saturday were both really great show days. It was a great vibe because  of a new environment and the audience was great! Friday night Haven took Beatrice and I out to ice cream which was really fun.

Sunday Susan took Beatrice and I to a polo match in this beautiful valley.  Then she took us to meet her horse Prairie Sands.  In the evening her son and 3 grandkids came over for dinner.  I had a great time getting to know her son and her grandkids were adorable and we had a lot of fun! I really miss babysitting and spending time with kids while I'm on the road.   Her husband was also home for the evening and it was nice to meet him! He was just as kind and funny as Susan.  This has been a great first week on the road.  

 

Cast B's Adventures during Staging!

As a cast we had many adventures! Like I mentioned before, we all got to go see the Cirque du Soliel show for free with our host families.  We also got to explore downtown Denver with our hometeams (our small groups within the cast) and we also went to a Rockies baseball game.

For some cast bonding we ate a ton of ice cream, but a lot of it might have ended up on other places besides our mouths.  Bri (ME) and Leslie (AZ)

Cammie and I repping Northern CO this semester at a special Leadership Round Table where we got to sit down and ask questions to various leaders in the Colorado community.  

I spent one day with another family because my home was filled with extended family for the wedding.  We went to the pool and hung out.  Marie (Belg), Lauren B (AZ), Emelie (Swed) and Misa (WI) 

After our first show! Adam (CA), Lulas (Switz), Cammie (CO), Maria (Mex)

The 13 2nd semesters

Hometeam 3 exploring Denver!

Handing at the Rockies game

Since my host family couldn't come, Logan and Dad came to the Rockies game with me.

Stopping for some tea before the Cirque show with Hugh (MN), Pablo (Mex), and Tara

The 2nd semesters had a special opportuinty to go to the Aquarium and see Tara swim and even got a backstage tour of where to get into the tanks.  

Staging: Host Family Adventures

Staging was a lot like last semester.  Lots of dancing, singing and getting to know the program!  A lot of different adventures were sprinkled throughout the 4 weeks.

I had many awesome adventures with my host family and other host families! Tara's best friend's family was hosting 2 boys, Caleb (AZ) and Bert (Belgium).  Caleb is a 2nd semester too, so it's been good that Tara knows someone as well. The 4 our us had many good times together.  We did anything from watching George of the Jungle (man did I forget how corny it was!) to going ice blocking (sliding down a hill on a block of ice) and making funny dance videos.  I made some friends along the way too which was great because they live in CO like me! I got to know Caleb and Bert's host sisters Melanie, 21, and Sarah, 19.  As well at Tara's other really good friend Michelle.  We had lots of laughs!

Sarah, her boyfriend Peter, me, Bert, Melanie, Michelle, and Caleb when we decided to play dress up!

I also went on many adventures with Kurt, Vicki and Tara as well!

Did I mention that Tara works as a mermaid at the Denver Aquarium? So cool!

I got the special pleasure of going to the wedding of my "host brother" (he doesn't live at home) and it was magical and perfect.  I did hair for Vicki and Tara as well as 2 other bridesmaids and I also played the role of DJ for the ceremony and reception.

Tara, Vicki, Michelle and I went to the Renaissance festival for one day

3 families went to a place called Extreme Challenge where we played a bunch of crazy games that involved harnesses and helmets

Caleb and I on one of the challenges

The whole cast was donated tickets for us and our host families to go to Cirque du Soliel's show Amaluna and it was breath taking! 

For the last weekend Amilee, Diana, Brian and Bonnie all from Cast A came out for the show weekend and we went to Water World for the last host family day with Hugh (MN) and Pablo (Mex) from this semester.  

Staging for Round Two! Denver CO

So I've been a little behind.. Sorry for that! But I was keeping a journal so I could catch all this up!

My host family for staging is with one of my closest friends from last semester, Tara Lunquist.  (i'm sure I wrote about her quite a bit) and her mom Vicki and Dad Kurt and two crazy dogs, Summer and Hollee.

Hollee & Summer

Tara and I got our awesome Cast A sweatpants!

I arrived on July 6 for a second semester of the study abroad program.  It is such a different group from last semester! This time we represent 5 countries (Bermuda, Switzerland, Sweden, China & USA) which brings for a pretty diverse group! We also have the first staff member to be taking the courses as a student, so that's  new as well!  The first week we dove into our new classes, Interpersonal Conflict and Principles of Managment.  There is also an Interpersonal Communications class, but since Misa (WI) and I took it last semester, we are doing an independent study in Small Group Communications.  All the courses are a great addition to the ones we took last semester.  Pete and Theresa, our professors, were both there for the first week.  And even though we had a lot of material to cover, we still had some fun along the way!

We had our own CI at the Food Bank of the Rockies, it was a ton of fun!

Some days are crazier than others

 Regional learning at Chautauqua Park in Boulder, then we went to Celestial Seasonings factory

 Group L to R: Tone(Sweden), Misa(WI), Katelyn(SD),Juliana(Bermuda), Shelby(WY), Moon(China), Lukas(Switz.), Me, Helen(SD), Julia(Sweden) (Not pictured: Paul(SD) )

Pete used an unconventional way of teaching about Management by having us watch Miracle on 34th St with the setting authentic as well

(Paul and our professor Pete on the end)

Arrival day of the whole cast and we are so excited! 

(Nicole on far Left, our staff leader for the semester!)

Arrival day was something else! I remembered back to the first arrival last semester to try and prepare, but I couldn't! I met so many people in one day that i had a headache by the end of it! But it still made me so excited for the new semester!  

For host family day we went over to Tara's best friend's house for a BBQ.  They are hosting 2 boys, Caleb (AZ) who traveled last semester and Bert from Belgium.  There was also another family over who had Bri from Maine and Anniken from Norway.  The neighbors of the Lundquist's are hosting 2 staff, Sanne (Belgium) and Darlene (MD) and NK from South Africa.  NK came with us as well to the BBQ.  The day had kind of awkward moments, but when we started playing games like corn hole (bean bag toss) or Apples to Apples, things got more relaxed.  I'm really excited to be so close to so many uppies!