Pinch me
So it's 11pm back home and 1am here in Broomfield, CO (just between Denver and Boulder). To sum up my experience since my last post, I'll say "whirlwind" (especially since I deboarded the plane). UWP reps greeted me at the baggage claim with great, broad smiles. All energy and enthusiasm. I met a few other students (who sadly I cannot remember their names nor their origins) and coordinators for the program. Since then, I have spent almost every minute talking. Mind you, I'm not a big talker. I'm an observer. I listen and watch and chime in when I feel comfortable. NOT TODAY....Actually, I think I'm going to be doing a lot of talking over the next few weeks, if not the next few months.
Anywho. So from the Airport we were bussed to a community center where we checked in and began the process of meeting our fellow participants. It was an overwhelming feeling. Would I meet them all today? Would I be able to remember everything about them? Would I be able to hold up my side of a conversation and not pass out (I did not sleep well last night or on the plane).
Strangely, I found a flow. I just walked. Whomever I encountered, I introduced myself to. This system worked well. After a while I took the opinion that I did not need to meet everybody today. I will have an entire 6 months. Let's just focus on the people in front of me. I spoke to people from all parts of the U.S.(including the next town over from where I grew up. YIKES), Mexico, China, Nepal, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and more. Everyone with such different stories, but all with genuinely positive outlooks on life. How refreshing. Though I wanted to take out my camera to take photos of everyone I met as I met them, I decided that doing so would make for an awkward introduction. I regret that I do not have much to post for today as far as photos, I promise there will be some soon coming.
Once the majority of us had arrived to this initial orientation, we were introduced to our host families. I must say, our first families are a hearty bunch, especially as we will be staying with them for nearly a month! Though I don't have any real basis of comparison, I will still make the statement that I think they are the best :) They are highly intellectual, highly educated, incredibly generous, well traveled, multilingual, AND welcoming and down to earth to boot! Help yourself to food and wifi, just clean up after yourself. With their permission, I'll post more details about them later.
Well sports fans, it's time for this club kid to get to sleep. We have one day off, tomorrow, and then we start orientation and training on Monday. I'm hoping to get to know my housemates better. I met one during check-in. He works for UWP and currently lives in CO. The other, JUST got in from The Netherlands. I think if he wakes tomorrow it'll be a miracle.
G'night all. It's wild to think that I'm here, doing this "thing" called Up WIth People. Six years of waiting. I feel like it's a dream; as if I fell asleep on the couch one eve on a long day after work. Soon Stryker (my roommate's chiuahua) will hop on the couch and wake me up.
Or maybe not....
Anywho. So from the Airport we were bussed to a community center where we checked in and began the process of meeting our fellow participants. It was an overwhelming feeling. Would I meet them all today? Would I be able to remember everything about them? Would I be able to hold up my side of a conversation and not pass out (I did not sleep well last night or on the plane).
Strangely, I found a flow. I just walked. Whomever I encountered, I introduced myself to. This system worked well. After a while I took the opinion that I did not need to meet everybody today. I will have an entire 6 months. Let's just focus on the people in front of me. I spoke to people from all parts of the U.S.(including the next town over from where I grew up. YIKES), Mexico, China, Nepal, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and more. Everyone with such different stories, but all with genuinely positive outlooks on life. How refreshing. Though I wanted to take out my camera to take photos of everyone I met as I met them, I decided that doing so would make for an awkward introduction. I regret that I do not have much to post for today as far as photos, I promise there will be some soon coming.
Once the majority of us had arrived to this initial orientation, we were introduced to our host families. I must say, our first families are a hearty bunch, especially as we will be staying with them for nearly a month! Though I don't have any real basis of comparison, I will still make the statement that I think they are the best :) They are highly intellectual, highly educated, incredibly generous, well traveled, multilingual, AND welcoming and down to earth to boot! Help yourself to food and wifi, just clean up after yourself. With their permission, I'll post more details about them later.
Well sports fans, it's time for this club kid to get to sleep. We have one day off, tomorrow, and then we start orientation and training on Monday. I'm hoping to get to know my housemates better. I met one during check-in. He works for UWP and currently lives in CO. The other, JUST got in from The Netherlands. I think if he wakes tomorrow it'll be a miracle.
G'night all. It's wild to think that I'm here, doing this "thing" called Up WIth People. Six years of waiting. I feel like it's a dream; as if I fell asleep on the couch one eve on a long day after work. Soon Stryker (my roommate's chiuahua) will hop on the couch and wake me up.
Or maybe not....
posted by Erik at 10:07 PM
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