California- New Friends

Ok guys, I am going to get into a really detailed description of my weekend with the Quest Scholars Network, (if you haven't figured out, this is also a journal of sorts), feel free to skip or browse, but don't say I didn't warn you.

When Christina dropped me off I was a little nervous, I was going to meet all of these new students that have probably been bonding all day, what was I, a senior?, doing with these younger people. Fortunately it was not horrible as I feared, I checked in, and got to know a few of the liaisons. Anyway, we headed over to the Quest offices, which is a house not far from the Stanford campus, or the hotel. It was nice to get a look into the organization that is responsible for my being at Vassar- I have no delusions about that, Vassar is an amazing school but I would have never heard of it had it not been for Questbridge. The building has some history too, the Beastie Boys used to live there and at one point it was a hostel, so clearly, a multipurpose building. And it is a magical building, the things that go on there every years ensure that many hundreds of high-achieving, low-income students attend a wonderful university, debt free, every year. (As you can see I am a little biased). It was nice to visit the various offices in the building and discover what was necessary to keep the organization going.

After touring the offices, more of the liaisons turned up, and we headed out to the Standford campus. There we got to know Nancy, the director, a little better- she said that we would all be friends for life at the end of our time together, I was a little skeptical then, but I know now, with 100 percent certainty that if I call any of them and need a place to stay, that I will have a place (spoilers, sorry).



One of our first activities was to go tour the art museum on Stanford campus, which I can admit, I did not mind at all. I had fun interpreting a contemporary piece for some of the other students, and later on walking through a giant maze of 2" steel. My favorite though were the Robin's, I never know that the thinker was part of a larger piece based off of Dante's Inferno. I just love the sculptures, there are so many angles and its another kind of beauty.

Quest fed us well that night, we had a great mixer with pizza on the "Oval" which is kind-of the center of the Stanford campus. Simply gorgeous, after Texas's heat it was great to sit on thick grass in 60 degree weather, now that is something that I could get used to. All in all, it was a great omen of things to come.

 

Old friends, New Friends- California

This weekend I was in California to receive training as a liaison for the Quest Scholars Network, and off-shoot of the Questbridge program. (look it up- it changed my life and continues to change it- http://www.questbridge.org/).

I was met by an old friend, well actually the first friend I have seen (asides from Becky) since I have returned to America. It was Christina, my neighbor from New Zealand, she picked me up from SFO- it was really cute because she made a sign that said "Welcome to California Jerry!" It was very pink and wonderful. I also had to do a running start to our regathering, as was instructed via text.

She took me to a beautiful Manor in the hills around the bay called Fiorollo (or something similar to that) we had a beautiful picnic and walked the Gardens, thus all these pictures.

Afterwards, because we were feeling nostalgic for New Zealand, we drove out the Pacific Ocean, I now officially have been from "sea to shining sea." The pacific, as usual, was great... and cold. We thought of the other side, where New Zealand is, and spat in it then, and our spit will one day reach NZ, albeit in a very diluted form.

Another thing about it that was great is that we skyped/phoned some of our friends we have made in New Zealand, it was like a Mini gathering.

Time runs short, and so did time for our meeting, eventually I needed to head back for training (there's where the "new friends" comes in). But it was great to see her, and I look forward to reuniting with the rest of my friends from abroad, (if I keep up this rate of traveling I will be the first to meet each of them from NZ in America.)

Treehugger

Flowers! 

Flower pretty.

tall....

Picnic!!!

Ah... the Pacific!

When one door closes, a window opens. 

Well I guess I can say now that I have been to "The South"

Last weekend I made a trip, a 14 hour tip in fact, to see my beloved sister Becky (who is the first sibling I have seen since returning from New Zealand. I covered over 650 miles and passed through the towns of Dallas, Little Rock, and Memphis. Fortunately I have able to check out Memphis for a little bit. I did not, however, visit Graceland, why do that when I could get to know the Mississippi better? Getting on to Memphis. It is an interesting town, there is a pyramid located some distance from downtown on the riverfront, it is imaginatively named "The Pyramid," there also some skyscrapers. Becky and I visited the pub street- Beale Street, at 8 AM. As your can imagine, it was a little slow. There is also an amazing thing on Mud Island, its a scale model of the lower portion of the Mississippi river! It goes all the way down the gulf. Eventually I did get over to Arkansas. 

On the ride, Becky told me about the wonders in living in Arkansas. She lives in the Town of Jonesboro (70,000 people), its has the highest density of churches, restaurants, and banks in the world I think. I now know what is meant by the term "The Bible Belt." One corner has 4 churches on it! She also told me about some local practices. One is called "frog jiggering" to do this you drive along the road until you spy a nice damp ditch and then you get our your specially sharpened stick, find a bullfrog and stab it! And then... you grab it by its legs and slap it again the ground until its dead. Another activity is possum kicking, apparently if you see a possum, you should get out of your car run after it and try to kick it- or so I've heard. There are also some poorly names towns, such as Weiner, and Oil trough. They also have tax-free weekends, awesome, right?

During my time with Becky we did dine finely. I had my first BBQ since getting back! Thanks Becky! And then we went to a Japanese steak house where they slice and cook the food in front of you- pretty cool. Our chef made a volcano out of Onions! Oh, and we also went to Panera- so good!

All in all, not a bad weekend, It was good to catch up, and the South isn't too bad either. 

"The Pyramid"

The King and I

Dick Van Dyke!

Going there in a little over a week! 

Becky on the Delta!