blank'/> EyreLand: May 2012

5.27.2012

Weekend Tour Guide


(Anna's first ferry ride in the PNW)

One of the most exciting and recent things to happen this quarter came in the form of a great friend. My friend Anna from back home came to visit me! She has been out of school since the end of April and was in need of a fun vacation to jumpstart her summer before she has to start an internship. I tried to show her all the best (or at least my favorite) parts of Seattle. We explored many small of unique book shops, including the famous Elliot Bay Books; we rode the ferry to Bainbridge; we went to Pike Place to see and experience all that it has to offer; we went to the North West Folk Life Festival at the Seattle Center and we even did the Seattle Underground Tour (which I have been wanting to do ever since I moved here).
We had lots of fun and lots of good food, but my feet didn't thank me for all the walking we had to do in order to do and see so many fun things in Seattle.

(Just reading at EBB)

(Enjoying the waterfront near Pike Place)

(I started doing the Fling when some bagpipers took the stage at the Folk Life Festival)

(Enjoying Audrey's favorite sandwich at Pike Place)

Now I am heading into finals and I really just can't wait for them to be over. I have so much to do and so little time to do it. Hopefully I will be able to accomplish everything at my usual high standard though. Once finals are over, I will be heading back home for a summer of family, friends, work, and weekends at my favorite place on earth!

SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE!!!

So Anyway...

Once again I have fallen prey to the inadequacy of my ability to follow through on setting aside time to write this blog. It's not that I don't think it's important, it's just that so many other things seem more important. I seem to have a never ending dilemma concerning prioritizing and time.
Anyway, with winter quarter long over and my spring finals approaching within the week, I figured it was time for me to give an overview of my experiences these past two quarters as well as discuss recent happenings.
Following the harsh winter days of snow, ice, school closures, and application deadlines, I let loose by taking part once again in my school's annual charity event Dance Marathon. Although I didn't volunteer as an official dancer this year, the SU Swing Club (for which I am the social activities officer) was asked to participate by teaching a short swing lesson to the dancers and then leading them into an half hour social swing dance period. My fellow officers and I had a great time (as always) practicing our swingin' moves and teaching our peers about our favorite form of dance. The swing community here is truly amazing and I will be quite sad to leave it once I graduate from here.

(Swing Kids at Dance Marathon)

Winter quarter brought some tough times but, as always, I pulled through and moved on to the glories that spring quarter always offers. 
Spring quarter is always my favorite quarter. My mood instantly brightens with each new cloudless day and the assortment of classes of spring quarter is always the best. I signed up for a Fiction Writing class, an Africa and Communications class, another French class, and a Global Respect class. All of these courses have been amazing and they help to remind me why I am student and all that I am working towards in a future career and life.My Fiction Writing class has been particularly great. We have been working on one project (a novel) for the entire quarter and it is amazing how much I have learned about my own writing style in just these short 10 weeks. It really has been a positive quarter academically.
On the adventure side of things, I had many great and exciting experiences this quarter. I went to the Tulip Festival for the first time ever! It was gorgeous to see rows and rows of tulips.I wen on a Sunday with some people from my ward and we didn't bring money to get in so we ended up not being able to go right into the tulips, but they were beautiful even from a short distance and it was still fun.

(Pretty Tulip Fields)

(I pretended to be in a vast field but it didn't work out so well)

Although I made a conscious effort this year to not get overly involved with non-academic things on campus, I still led a retreat for the F&GI freshman program that I mentor for. It was just a quick one night retreat to a camp near Sequim, but it was still a relaxing getaway that I was able to fully enjoy.

(Beautiful city view from the ferry on the way to the retreat center)

(Posing in the sun)

(All the awesome F&GI students who came on the retreat. Many of which were my mentees)

(I tried to get some homework done on the ferry)

So anyway, that is what has happened semi-recently in my life here in Seattle. Nothing too exciting, but enough to keep me powered up to get through the rest of Spring Quarter.