It's been a full and excited first three days in South Carolina. Friday I went for a tour at City Roots and started looking for a paying job. Saturday I caught up on sleep, went to a local farmers market and looked for a paying job. Today I went for a hike in the morning and then looked for a paying job. I guess I should have let my dad's warning sink in a little bit more when he pointed out that South Carolina's unemployment level was higher than the National average, as well as how living in a college town would make finding a job a little bit more difficult than I would expect... There really is no reason to rant about the unfortunate job status though, I've submitted 4 applications already and will keep it up until I get a job that will work for me.
I'm really enjoying it down here, I love the change of scenery. The typical "southern" things I've encountered so far are:
1. People talking half the speed I am
2. Anyone you pass on the street giving you a friendly "hi" and a big smile
3. Trying grits for the first time
4. Hearing the aligators called gata'
It's all made me wonder how many southern quirks I will take with me when I travel back north or elsewhere. hmm. I do like the sound of ya'll...
Today my cousin Greg, myself and one of his friends (a philosophy professor) went for a hike in the Congaree National Park. (This is where I heard someone say gata', although we didn't see one.) This park is the home to the largest known Loblolly Pine tree. This beast extends 166 feet in height and over 15 feet in circumference. Of course I felt obligated to gave this king of a tree a big ol' hug. I was very interested by the different type of forest I was walking through, but not as much as Greg! He is a geology and environmental science professor at USC and would frequently stop along the trail, stare at given natural feature, sometimes ask a question to Jerry or I about it, and then continue on and jump back into whatever conversation we were having. (He makes fun of himself too for being such an academic.)
SO, tomorrow is the big first day at City Roots! I have my overalls, work shirt, and flannel sweater all laid out so I can jump into them and bike the 2 miles to my internship in the morning! Expect a post tomorrow night or Tuesday night all about my first day at City Roots and all the sun I've been soaking up, compared to [cough cough] New England...
As always, keep thinking green! Do one thing a day to help out the planet, and together we'll make it a more beautiful place!!!
Sunday, October 30
Saturday, October 29
Whoops! "sow" not "sew"...
What would we do without teachers? If you have made it to this second post you have probably already laughed at me for using the wrong "sew". I only discovered this, not because of careful proofreading but because my 3rd grade teacher messaged me on facebook to correct me! I don't think I'm going to change the name of the blog to correct it, but instead will try to think of a way to make "sew" also metaphorical... When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Any ideas for a metaphor? I'll add it to the description!
Friday, October 28
14 hours = 1 knitted sweater?
The first destination of my gap year is South Carolina. I am staying with my second cousin once removed (not kidding) and his wife and interning for the organization call City Roots [http://www.cityroots.org/].
I decided to take a train down the South Carolina, a) because I thought it might be more environmentally friendly and b) because who doesn't want to spend 14 hours sitting in the same exact seat?!?. I also decided I was going to attempt to knit an entire sweater. I knew going in, that it was an ambitious task, but I thought, "I have to at least try". After 14 hours and some very tired fingers I had completed 10% of the sweater at best... My new goal: 2 months in South Carolina = 1 sweater. I'll keep you posted on that.
I left out of Penn Station in NYC, and it was the classic "send your kid off". My dad drove me from Andover to the train station. We were rushed to get there on time, but thankfully did have time for a big final hug and "I love you". The final glimpse of my Dad was the top of his head, as the escalator I was on descended down to the train platform. I will admit I was holding back tears, it was crazy when it hit me that I was actually leaving. All we needed was some sappy music and it could have been a scene from a movie.
I couldn't have asked for a better guy to sit next to on the train. No future husband but friendly and very respectful. He was my dad's age (born the same year!) and was headed down to South Carolina to see his family for the first time in 30 years! Across the isle from us were two ladies in their mid 70s. It was a sure sign that they were true southern bells when one leaned over and said "What are ya knittin' over there dear?" This sparked a conversation about knitting patterns and different tricks we use throughout different types of projects.
It was hard to believe the train ride was actually over when I heard the conductor call my stop. But at 1:46 in the morning on October 28, 2011, I stepped off the train, and stepped onto South Carolina ground for the first time in my life. This is the start of my adventure.
1st seed sewn: long train rides.
I decided to take a train down the South Carolina, a) because I thought it might be more environmentally friendly and b) because who doesn't want to spend 14 hours sitting in the same exact seat?!?. I also decided I was going to attempt to knit an entire sweater. I knew going in, that it was an ambitious task, but I thought, "I have to at least try". After 14 hours and some very tired fingers I had completed 10% of the sweater at best... My new goal: 2 months in South Carolina = 1 sweater. I'll keep you posted on that.
I left out of Penn Station in NYC, and it was the classic "send your kid off". My dad drove me from Andover to the train station. We were rushed to get there on time, but thankfully did have time for a big final hug and "I love you". The final glimpse of my Dad was the top of his head, as the escalator I was on descended down to the train platform. I will admit I was holding back tears, it was crazy when it hit me that I was actually leaving. All we needed was some sappy music and it could have been a scene from a movie.
I couldn't have asked for a better guy to sit next to on the train. No future husband but friendly and very respectful. He was my dad's age (born the same year!) and was headed down to South Carolina to see his family for the first time in 30 years! Across the isle from us were two ladies in their mid 70s. It was a sure sign that they were true southern bells when one leaned over and said "What are ya knittin' over there dear?" This sparked a conversation about knitting patterns and different tricks we use throughout different types of projects.
It was hard to believe the train ride was actually over when I heard the conductor call my stop. But at 1:46 in the morning on October 28, 2011, I stepped off the train, and stepped onto South Carolina ground for the first time in my life. This is the start of my adventure.
1st seed sewn: long train rides.
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