New York, New York!

I don't even know where I should begin.

I guess, first I'll start with explaining that the reason I'm here a week before the program starts on June 3 is to look for an apartment. My roommate Drew met me out here in New York so that we could start apartment searching.  We had about 8 showings on Monday (two of which were repeat apartments...oops!)  But I guess that's what happens when you call numbers from Craigslist and multiple people have access to the same apartment.  But we learned our lesson from that.

I really don't feel like writing out all the hulabaloo we've gone through with the apartment searching except that 1) It has taken up the vast majority of our time so far here in NYC and 2) We have an application in on an apartment and we are waiting to hear back! Pictures will be posted later if we happen to get it. Fingers crossed!

Other than that, I just have to say that I've been to NYC before, and I knew it was big...well, all I explored last time was Manhattan.  Right now I'm staying in Brooklyn and my goodness, NYC is BBBBBIIIIIGGGGG.  You think you leave enough time for subway travel, but really, you should DOUBLE that time you think will be enough, because seriously if you leave only an hour to travel between lower Manhattan and upper Manhattan you are NOT going to make it in an hour.  That's lesson #1 I've learned.

As for the subway system....*grab hair at scalp, pull, and scream*.  SERIOUSLY. THEY COULD NOT HAVE MADE IT MORE CONFUSING. Why couldn't they model after Paris's or DC's subway system?  There is so many exceptions for the late nights and weekends too.  How does one remember everything about it?!  Beats me. Subway Map, be prepared to become my best friend for 15 months.

...yup. This may not look bad, but once you zoom
in, man...IT'S THE BIGGEST PUZZLE I'VE EVER
BEEN GIVEN TO SOLVE.

On my very little down-time, I've so far completed our first homework assignment for the online seminar I'm enrolled in, and Drew and I went to go see the new WTC building and Times Square.  A couple of the people who were showing us apartments gave us some tips on places to eat (that were student affordable too).   I also got to have lunch with my friend BG on Tuesday, and I had a really really REALLY good BLT.  If you come to visit me, I am taking you to the little pub where I had that BLT.  On Wednesday we checked out where Macy's was and ate at a little bar and grill...this is where I discovered 8% tax...bummer.  But the food was pretty good.  A bit overpriced, but then again, everything is NYC is going to be overpriced according to a Midwesterner like me!

I also took the liberty of looking up where the Packer bars are in NYC.  There is NO WAY I'm going to go the whole season without being able to watch a Packer game!  I also need a Badger bar.  I will learn by heart how to get to these magical places.

I guess that's it for now. I absolutely love the hustle and bustle of the city.  In a nutshell, every day I am reminded of a single scene from the movie Madagascar.  Do you remember when Alex dreams of steaks in the zoo?  Well, I'm talking about right before that, when the zookeepers turned on the ambiance sound of crickets chirping and other "nature sounds", Alex says "They forgot to turn off the ambiance again!" and so Marty kicks the speaker which turns off the ambiance, and what you hear is: honk-crash-screechingtires-weeeeeoooooweeeeoooooambulence-hooooooonnnnnnnkkkkkkkkkfiretruck-etc. etc.  (I've been trying for 20 minutes to find a video or something that goes along with this side effect. Nothing does really. Except this I guess.)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CslD_6L4oTs

I'm leaving today! Can't wait to be a part of it...

Hey y'all.
What a week this has been!  So first I'll start with graduation.
For those of you who don't know, my sister Lyla and I graduated on the same day. She graduation from UW Milwaukee with a degree in print journalism with a minor in history.  No, we're not twins ;) but she transferred schools and studied abroad so I think those experiences may have caused some set-back due to degree requirements not being matched or something.  But I'm sure she thinks it was worth it, considering she spent SIX MONTHS IN AUSTRALIA. That lucky girl.  As for me, I got out in 3 years. I like to say I donated my 4th year to Lyla :D

Lyla came to visit Saturday before
commencement. We had a photo sesh ;)

So we both graduated Sunday, May 19.  Her ceremony in Milwaukee was at 9 am, mine was in Madison at 10 am. Dad and Grandpa went to Lyla's ceremony, Mom and Grandma came to mine.  That was really the bummer part about it, that the family had to split up like that. BUT then we had a celebration in Johnson Creek (right in the middle!) and had a lot of family and friends come out to celebrate with us! (It also kind of acted as my going away party too.)  I was able to see a bunch of friends from Madison that I didn't get to hang out with too much over the last year, and it was really great getting to spend some time with them!  My old roommate, Sarah, even got me a bag of the BEST M&Ms ever--crispy!!! (You can't get those in the states anymore. I don't know why. It aggravates me. But I don't need to start a rant.)  So there was a lot of fun and fellowship and swimming and FOOD and laughing and playing games and inhaling the helium from the graduation balloons and singing Les Miserable's "Confrontation" at the end of the night. (I've always said I want to put the cast of Les Mis on helium and then hear them sing...)  So all in all it was a wonderful celebration, but of course it wouldn't have been possible without the hard work and planning by my parents! And shout out to the best party planner I know, my mom! Thanks for such a special celebration :)

T-Rex and I are best buds!

Now, the week.
PACK PACK PACK PACK PACK sit PACK PACK PACK PACK hydrate PACK PACK PACK unpack and re-PACK PACK PACK PACK.  Maybe throw an "eat" in there.  It was a busy week.

This is all coming to NYC.
Not now, but my roommate's parents
are driving out with a U-Haul and they're
stopping by to pick up my pile.  How nice!

And finally this weekend!
A really great couple of friends of mine (well, of our whole family), Holly and Kenny, got married this weekend! It was a wonderful wedding.  It was held in one of the most beautiful buildings in Wisconsin (the Racine Masonic Center) and the food was suuuper good and the music was fabulous and don't get me started on how delicious the white zin was.  This wedding was one of the most fun weddings I have ever been to and I certainly had an absolute blast--what an awesome Wisconsin-y send-off it turned out to be!
So here I am, sitting in the hotel room, my two large FREE checked-luggage bags sitting in the van, my duffel  bag in a huge heap, waiting for me to pack it, my other items kind of strewn about the room due to rushing to get ready yesterday. But I'm super excited for the next adventure I am about to embark on!

Start spreading the news

Hey everyone.

I'm not quite sure how this blog thing is going to turn out.  I mean, it was suggested a few months ago that I should start one, and I figured why not, join the bandwagon of bloggers and give it a try.  And it's not really just going to be about my everyday life.  This blog has a purpose.  It's to give you the chance to live vicariously through my adventures of the largest city in the USA: New York City.

For those of you who do not know, I was accepted into a Master of Arts in Teaching program through the American Museum of Natural History. And also for those of you who do not know, I am graduating (today!) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science in Geology.  Now that's kind of confusing, right? Geology to teaching? Why? How?  Well, the gist of it is, New York (the state) passed some sort of rule or something that required all public school curricula to include earth science in middle and/or high school, and they are just low on earth science teachers.  So the American Museum of Natural History (which I will from this point forth refer to as AMNH) developed this program to provide the state with certified earth science teachers.  It is a tuition-free, stipend-giving program, and in turn I must teach in New York (again, the state) for 4 years after the program in a high-needs school district.  Simple, right? I hope so. We shall see.

So as I said. I'm graduating tomorrow. HOLY BUCKETS BATMAN!  Where have the last 3 years gone?!  While I'm saddened by the fact that my undergraduate career is ending, I'm super stoked for my next journey.  And many people want me to keep in touch. And so I will. And hopefully partially through this blog.

I'll leave my introduction as this.  And I'll definitely try to become a more captivating writer.  Because I don't want to bore my audience.  Perhaps pictures will help.

A graduating sloth.