Out with the '13, In with the '14!

Well now that we're about three weeks into the new year, guess there's no better time to recap I ushered in the glorious 2K14...

Before I headed home for the holidays, six of us (Cassie, her boyfriend Ryan, Hallie, Phetsada, Tyrell, and myself) decided that we would all meet up in Savannah to ring in the new year. This was received with immediate excitement and helped make the last few weeks before break fly by. Since I was going to be flying back south prior to New Year's Eve, it was decided that I would fly into Atlanta, get picked up by Phetsada, and then ride with her and Hallie to Savannah. At the same time, Cassie, Ryan, and Tyrell would then come up from Florida and meet us.

Said plan was almost ruined...

As everyone knows, the Midwest during the winter months is horrendous. Snow, freezing rain, and blustery winds are always possible. One day it may be 60 - the next it will be 4 (true story - actually happened while I was home). To try and cut down on any delays, I ended up staying with Kevin the night before I flew out. He lives approximately 10 minutes from O'Hare, so getting to the airport proved to be no problem. Now the plane that we actually took was another story...

Chicago --> Charlotte. 1 hour 30 minutes layover in Charlotte. Charlotte --> Atlanta. Pretty straight forward when everything is one time and runs as scheduled. If only I could've been so lucky. From the time that I checked in for my flight, I knew that it was delayed. How long that delay was remained unknown until I reached my gate. Instead of leaving at 6:00 as planned and relaxing a bit in Charlotte, we were now scheduled to leave at 6:40. Not horrible, but definitely not ideal.

Instead of actually leaving Chicago at 6:40, we started boarding our plane at this time. While we were boarding, those little fluffy flurries started to fall from the sky. Just what we needed! This of course caused the plane to begin to ice, which meant the de-icing truck had to come and spray down the entire plane with greenish-blue gel so that we could finally leave. Gone was my 1 hour 30 minutes lay over in Charlotte. Potentially gone were my chances of making it to Atlanta that night - only time would tell...

As we descended into Charlotte, it was about 10:10. My flight to Atlanta left at 10:25. In what may or may not have been a record deplaning effort by all involved, I was able to make it to my connecting flight with a few minutes to spare. Even though some sprinting and small child hurdling were executed, I was on my way safely to Atlanta. Upon landing in Atlanta, I was picked up by Phetsada and spent the night at her house, eager to make our way to Savannah the next day.

As the sun graced the horizon on New Year's Eve, Hallie came and picked both Phetsada and myself up and we made the 4 1/2 hour trip south without any incident. We got all checked into our hotel, which was located about 1/2 a mile from the downtown area where many of the night's festivities were going to take place. Eventually, our other three compadres joined us and we started the celebrations. One of the great things about Savannah is the fact that alcoholic beverages are allowed to be consumed out on the streets. This makes nights out a lot cheaper as pregaming takes on a whole new meaning!

We ordered some pizza, had some beverages, and then prepared ourselves for a great night out. The streets were teeming with hundreds of people, excited to bring in the new year correctly. Sequin glittered and spirits soared as everyone was ready to say "Goodbye" to 2013! We ended up down by the Savannah River around midnight to take in a very impressive fireworks show. When it was all said and done, 2014 had graced us with its presence!

The rest of the time spent in Savannah was unfortunately in the comforts of our hotel room as the weather decided not to cooperate on the first day of the new year. Dreary skies and rainy conditions forced us to take in some college football (darn!). We did end up heading out for dinner that night to a pretty awesome restaurant called Spanky's that has some amazing chicken tenders! Following dinner, we attempted to create a night scene - but to no avail. We ended up playing some darts, having a few drinks, and then heading back for an "early" night.

2014 was brought in with some pretty wonderful people in a pretty awesome place. This year promises to hold many big things for me. Many of them are still in the works, so as they unfold, I'll be sure to share them here. At this point, finishing up my current year of AmeriCorps strong is priority number one! Here's to a great 2014!!

The crew ready to head out!

Cassie, Phetsada, and Cassie 

Ryan, Ty, and myself

Dart time @ Social!

Home for the Holidays

The holidays are always a special time. Festive music fills the radio waves and malls. Bright, twinkling lights illuminate neighborhoods and public buildings. Hot cocoa and a roaring fire help keep inhabitants nice and warm on those cold, snowy days. (Well, that last one is more or less for those that live in the tundra that is the Midwest and Northeast of this country...)

Living in Florida means that I don't get to see my family that often. The majority of them are back in the Midwest, spread out between Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Day trips back home aren't really an option, seeing as that drive is a lovely 22 hours and some change. So I get to settle for seeing them during that magical, special holiday season.

It's been exactly one year since I was last in the great state known as Iowa. This summer I spent taking an epic three-week road trip out East with Cathy, so I wasn't able to fit in a trip back home at that time. But with Kevin and Erin visiting the week before break started, the perfect opportunity to visit home presented itself to me, nicely wrapped with a bow on top.

Now anyone who has ever lived in a state without any major metropolitan areas knows how expensive it can be to fly into small, regional airports. Round trip tickets from West Palm Beach to either Cedar Rapids, IA or Moline, IL were well over $500! The AmeriBudget doesn't quite allow for that type of expense! So I had to get creative. Luckily for me, both Kevin and Erin live in Chicago. A plan was hatched.

It was decided that I would buy a one-way ticket to Chicago, taking the same flight back as Kevin and Erin, and spend the night with Kevin. Then the next day, I would board the Megabus bound for Iowa City. This 4-hour ride would get me home with plenty of time to spend with my family and friends before having to head back down south. Everything worked out smoothly! The flights went well and the bus ride was very uneventful (minus the excessive amount of heat escaping the vents - but then again, I was back in the Midwest!) My parents picked me up and my vacation was underway!

One of the big differences between Florida and Iowa is that of the weather! The thickest article of clothing that I have in Florida is a zip-up hoodie, definitely not enough for the cold winds and blinding snow that seems to doom the Midwest every winter.This change in climate definitely played havoc with my sinuses and eyes, as the dry conditions and wicked temperatures caused my body to go haywire.

While I was home, I was able to see a lot of family that I hadn't seen since my last trip home. It was a pretty quiet Christmas Eve/Day. We put our tree up, decorated it with handmade ornaments that Matt and I made when we were little, and called it good. Lots of card games were played (I'm pretty sure I never won - not sure that's how that's supposed to go) and pans of homemade cinnamon rolls were devoured. Let's say that it was good to be home!

One of the definite highlights was being able to spend a little bit of time with  Brandon. I met Brandon in college through Camp Adventure. My last year in the program he was in my small group (let's just say that I'm responsible for all the awesome knowledge that he had before heading out for his summer in Japan). He's currently enlisted in the Navy reserves and spent about 8 months over in Afghanistan. The last time that I saw him was when I came back from Korea, so it had been about a year and a half. Being able to catch up with him was great! Can't wait for him to make a trip down to Florida!!

My time home wrapped up with a trip to Wisconsin and Illinois to see my mom's side of the family. My aunt lives in Madison and she treated my dad, brother, and I out to her favorite pizza place (which was delicious BTW!). While in Illinois, I was able to visit with my grandmother, which was great! She's still going strong and raking in the winnings at her weekly Bingo games! It was nice to catch up with everyone!

The holidays are always a time for families to reconnect. They enable those of us that are far away the opportunity to come home and be a complete family again. I'm hoping that it won't take until next Christmas to get me back home to the Midwest...

Familiar Faces Flood Florida!

During my first year of service with AmeriCorps, I met some pretty fantastic people. The group that was assembled last year was definitely one of a kind and had an overall positive attitude that was absolutely contagious. When it was finally time for last year's group to go our separate ways, tears were shed and long hugs were exchanged. Knowing that there was always a chance to be reunited with some of those familiar, friendly faces has helped make this year go by so far. Luckily, that opportunity came sooner than later!

The time in between Thanksgiving and Christmas is always a short one. There's about 3 weeks in which work still happens, service is still complete, and things are still done. Those three weeks become more bearable when people visit you from afar. That was the case this year. Sara, Kevin, and Erin, all members from last year's group, made the trip down from Vermont and Chicago, respectively, for a much needed visit. It was great to see them and have them around. This did make for a full apartment, but it was filled with lots of laughter, reminiscing, and catching up.

Thanks for the visit guys! Until next time...

Volunteer Jackpot!

What a blur! We're already midway through December (more or less) with Christmas and New Year's breathing down the necks of panicking consumers looking to score that one gift or stunning outfit for the festivities. While others are gearing up for the holidays, we in AmeriCorps keep ourselves busy with service project after service project. Here's the recap of the past two weekends:

December 6-7: Camp Treasure

I once again had the awesome opportunity to participate in Camp Treasure, a two-day overnight camp hosted by the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY). Last year's experience definitely helped get me ready for what to expect this year. Despite some staffing changes, camp went over really well. It is always exciting to see these kids have the chance to be kids and not have to worry about taking care of a loved one for a weekend. They do so much for their families; two days off is the least that can be given to them!

December 7: EdVenture Charter School Holiday Party

While this actually doesn't count as a service project, EdVenture had their annual holiday party at a local sports bar, Bru's Room. Kevin, Leah, and I made an appearance at the bash. It was nice to be able to socialize with everyone that we serve with in a more informal setting. The night was filled with free food (the best kind), karaoke, and enough college football to keep any sports fan happy.

December 8: Palm Beach Marathon

Being functional before the sunrises is never a thrilling task. It's especially a daunting one coming off of a long couple of days chasing children around a campsite, making sure they stayed safe and didn't hurt each other. But, lo and behold, as 4:45 am rolled around, I found myself standing in line to check in and receive my assignment for the 10th Annual Palm Beach Marathon. I was placed at water station D with DeShaun, which was an awesome pairing! After being dropped off at our station, we helped set up and fill cups with water and Gatorade. The theme of our placement was the North Pole. We were given elf gear by the people in charge of the station and prepared for the runners and cyclists to come our way. We were one of the earlier water stations, so the runners were still pretty clumped together when they came our way. At one point, there were mobs of runners on both sides of our table. It was a bit chaotic to say the least, but by 8:30 am, all of the runners had passed and we were headed back to the finish line! We ended up helping hand out water to the finishers as well. All in all, despite the early start, it was a great project and helped re-light my personal fire to complete a half marathon before I leave Florida!

December 8: AmeriCorps Holiday Party

So following a long day of handing out water, we were rewarded with a nice holiday dinner down in Boca Raton at a upscale Italian restaurant called Maggiano's. We had our holiday dinner here last year as well and it didn't disappoint. Between the great food, grab bag gifts, and Target gift cards, the night was a great way to cap off a long day of service.

December 13: Mandel Public Library Polar Express

This weekend was filled with holiday themed service projects. The first one that we participated in was at the Mandel Public Library, a site that two members serve at, working with adults, teens, and youth in various areas, including computer literacy and homework help. The pavilion outside of the library was transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with Santa, his reindeer, elves, and a multitude of crafts and activities to keep the more than 1500 participants busy for multiple hours! Hallie, Jordan, Cassie, and I took on the role of Santa's little helpers and assisted children in the making of a small wooden train (and by assisting, I mean helping them color a train engine with paint pens). Our station was swamped with children and parents vying for one of the those coveted little trains from the start of the event. The constant waves kept us busy and helped the time fly by!

 December 14: Adopt-A-Family Santa's Workshop

Today marked the end of the tirade of projects over the last few weeks. Adopt-A-Family hosted their annual Santa's Workshop event, in which families that are associated with this non-profit have the opportunity to come and get some gifts for the holiday season. Not only did we help kids pick out gifts for their families, we also assisted in the wrapping of these gifts, and helped man various activity stations. Kids went home with not only some things to put under their trees at home, but also a brand new picture frame, reindeer antlers, candy cane ornament, and enough holiday cheer to get them through the next couple of weeks!

Even though the multitude of service projects is starting to wind down, life in general is still going at full speed. This upcoming week if the last one before the holiday break starts. Some members from last year (Sara, Kevin, and Erin) are making their ways down here to South Florida to visit. It'll be nice to see some familiar faces from last year before we all head our separate ways to celebrate the holidays. For me, that means heading back to the blustery, chilly conditions of Iowa to see friends and family for a week before heading to Savannah to ring in the new year! 6 more days till a much deserved break! Can't wait!!

Celebrating, Running, and Feasting!

A month long hiatus is inexcusable, I know and apologies are in order. However, the past month of November has been a hectic one filled with tons of gatherings, events, and projects. Here's the much awaited for recap:

- The month of November was littered with numerous birthdays, especially during the first week! These hectic seven days witnessed 5 members gain another year of life - yours truly included! Year number 27 was ushered in with a Day of the Dead (or Dia de los Muertos for my Spanish speaking peeps) party. I had the pleasure of sharing this joyous day with Melissa. It was followed up by birthday's for Andrea, Sam, and Cait - all before the 7th of the month! Quite the way to jump start the month!

 - Service Projects also littered the month. We assisted with the inventory at a non-profit that recycles and distributes medical equipment to needy patients called Clinics Can Help. A Jewish temple in Boca Raton had us helping out with a Mitzvah day in which members of the their congregation did good deeds to help those less fortunate in the community. The holidays brought ample opportunities to not only give back, but also enjoy delicious food. The Florence DeGeorge Boys and Girls Club and Vita Nova, a non-profit the helps foster youth who are about ready to age out of the foster care system stay on a productive path, enabled us the opportunity to chow down on some great food and carry on some lovely conversations.

- The month wouldn't be complete with some fun social activities either! Country night was enjoyed at Cowboys. Line dances, mechanical bulls, and cowboy hats littered the bar as old memories were revisited! Nick, Hallie, Zoe (Hallie's sister) and I all participated in the Electric Run, which was such an awesome experience! It was like the Color Run, only at night and minus the powder element. We raved, danced, and partied all night long like we just didn't care! Jordan, Leah, Cassie, Phetsada, Hallie, Zoe, Nick, and I also were able to attend a Miami Dolphins game. Even though they lost to the Carolina Panthers, the game was entertaining!

The month of December promises to be just as hectic and exciting! Numerous service projects dot the schedule. Visits from old friends from last year highlight the last week before break. A much desired and exciting trip home to Iowa helps wrap up the month! Stay tuned for more updates (and hopefully they'll be more frequent than last month!)

Shootout Shenanigans!

Hockey has never really interested me. I didn't understand the rules. The smashing of each other into the boards seemed a bit barbaric.The puck was so small and moved so fast that even the camera man had trouble following it sometimes. Also, being from Iowa, hockey isn't really a big deal. With no pro teams to root for or college teams that play it, hockey was always that obselete sporting event that no one really cared about. Let's just say that all of those sentiments of mine have changed over the course of the last year or so...

My roommate last year, Kevin, and his girlfriend, Erin, were both huge hockey fans. Being from Chicago, they worshiped the Chicago Blackhawks and followed their every move (even following them on Instagram and Twitter - obsessive, I know). So when the season was almost cancelled last year to do the lockout, I thought they were both going to lose it. I did my best to try and figure out who the players were, but really had no real interest/investment in the sport. However, once the playoffs began, my tune changed.

The Stanley Cup is one of the most electrifying championship series in sports today. Anything can happen. Lower seeded teams constantly upset the favorites. Games are won and lost by mere centimeters. The hits are harder and the fans are rowdier. A small group of us (Erin, Kevin, Phetsada, Cathy, Brad, and myself) started watching the games together. Hockey became our life blood. Every other night we were either at Bru's Room or Brad's house, taking in the games and watching the Blackhawks slowly make their way towards hoisting the Stanley Cup.

The final series was filled with nothing short of thrilling games. The first game went into 3 OTs, blood was spilled on the ice, and tempers flared. In the end, the Blackhawks took home the cup in dramatic fashion, scoring two goals 17 seconds apart from each other. Pandamonium rained down upon the 6 of us as the ultimate goal was finally achieved. My love for hockey had been officially solidified and I couldn't wait until the next season began!

With the beginning of October came the start of hockey season. The first thing that we did once the schedule was announced was see when the Blackhawks would be making a trip down to Miami to play the Florida Panthers. The fateful day ended up being Tuesday, October 22nd. Brad was able to score Phetsada, Cathy, and I awesome seats in the ADT suite (the same place that I watched my first hockey game earlier this year with the $1,000 seats). We weren't a complete 6, but Erin and Kevin were with us in spirit (and through SnapChat/Instagram/Facebook/Text Messaging). Gotta love that technology!

The game itself was a super exciting one. The Blackhawks were up 2-0 going into the third period, then allowed the Panthers to tie it up with two goals of their own. With the score knotted at 2 a piece, the game headed to overtime. No goals were scored, so this led to the always exciting shootout! The Blackhawks ended up winning the shootout 2-1, a result that sent the pro-Blackhawks crowd into a frenzy. It also sent the mom's of the players (who were sitting a couple of boxes over from us) home with high spirits and smiles on their faces.

It was great to finally see the Blackhawks play in person. The end result definitely was what we wanted and the game didn't disappoint. I'm super excited to see where the season goes and how far the Blackhawks can make it this year. So far, things are off to a good start and hopefully the boys will keep it up!

Next goal: watch the Blackhawks in Chicago in the United Center with Kevin and Erin. Bring it on!

The Super Six at graduation last year (Kevin, Phetsada, myself, Cathy, Erin, and Brad)

Zombies Invade Miami!

The Walking Dead. World War Z. Zombieland.

A common theme in today's media centers around zombies. People are creating action plans for what they would do is a zombie apocalypse were to occur. Supplies are being stocked up that would help sustain the population in case we were ever faced with these flesh eating monstrosities. Not only has this become an obsession that TV and movies have taken and run with, it's also being incorporated into other aspects of life. One such example of this was held last Saturday, October 19, 2013 in Miami.

The Zombie Rush 5K is an event that is sponsored by Ultimate Combatant and involves people dressing up as zombies chasing after participants, trying to pull flags that represent their lives. It's an event that I hadn't participated in prior to this event, so the anxiety levels were pretty high leading up to the actual race itself. I really had no idea what to expect. Personally, people/things jumping out of hidden places is not a favorite pasttime of mine - hence my dislike of haunted houses. Needless to say, the car ride down to Miami was a bit tense.

                                  

Once we got to the race location, Nick, Hallie, and I picked up our race packets, pinned on our numbers (some of us with greater ease than others - right Nick?), looped our flag belts around our waists, and started to amp ourselves up. We had about an hour before our heat took off, so we walked around for a bit and took in the sights and sounds. The race itself started in an old, "abandoned" storage unit that had been spray painted with warnings about upcoming zombies and dangers ahead on the course. It definitely helped to set the mood for the race.

Finally, 9:30 am rolled around and it was time for us to begin! We were greeted with piercing sirens and clouds of smoke as we emerged from the storage unit. Also waiting for us was the first round of zombies. Dodging through grasping, flag-grabbing hands and stumbling runners, I was able to make it through unscathed with all three of my flags still securely attached to my belt.

As the race progressed, obstacles that had been strewn throughout the course were encountered. Mud pits, ladders, walls, tiling tubes, and sand pits were amongst the various objects used to slow down and challenge us runners. Along with the obstacles, groups of zombies were spread throughout the run, which called for random bursts of speed in order to survive. I managed to make it through all of the obstacles without losing a flag (I donated one to Nick because he continually lost his flags due to his lack of elusive moves/stupidity). That is until we reached the last group of obstacles.

By the end of the race, we were all exhausted. Between the random sprinting, daunting physical tasks, and the Florida sun/heat/humidity, energy levels were low and a precious commodity. The end of the race was comprised of a pile of tires, sand pit, water slide, and mud crawl before finally reaching the finish line. As we approached the pile of tires, we were met faced with 4 zombies all between the ages of 8 and 14 (aka small-children-with-ample-amounts-of-energy-chasing-tired-runners-and-ruining-their-no-lives-lost-streak). My luck had finally run out.

As we crossed the finish line, thirst-quenching bottles of water were grabbed, the rinsing off of mud and grime commenced, surviror tags were handed out, and t-shirts were attained. The race itself was a lot of fun and not as stress inducing as I had pictured it to be. Following the race, we headed over to Nick's sister's house for a proper shower and clean-up. From there, we grabbed some lunch at an awesome sub shop and then headed to our hotel for the night. We were meeting our friends Cassie and Jordan that afternoon and heading to a beer festival in nearby Coconut Grove.

After checking in, Nick, Hallie, and I strolled around South Beach for a bit, scouting out a possible plan of attack for later that night. When Cassie and Jordan arrived, we hailed a cab and headed to Grovetoberfest! I went last year and had another great experience this year as well! We met up with our friends Ashley, Ali, and Jen and enjoyed the over 200 various craft beers and ciders that were available for sampling. Three hours and ample amounts of free samples later, we were all ready to head back to the hotel to prepare ourselves for a night out in Miami.



We finally made our way out of the hotel around 11 pm after taking in a couple hours of college football and fighting over covers to keep from turning into icicles in the hotel room. The night started at Wet Willie's with a round of slushies that never disappoint! We then met up with Phetsada, Vanessa, Javelle, and Ali at The Clevelander, where we made our way up to the rooftop. The sights of Miami at night provided a nice background to the thumping beats and dancing bodies that littered the rooftop. The night was capped off with some fantastic pizza. All in all it was a great way to end a long, fulfilling day!

*All pictures of zombie race signs are courtesy of Ultimate Combatant*

Flying Solo

Teaching is one of those professions that is definitely not for everyone. Having qualities such as patience, organization, and the ability to multi-task are all vital aspects that many successful teachers possess. Being able to roll with the punches, so to speak, and utilize flexibility is another important thing that comes in handy quite a bit. Take my day today for example...

At EdVenture, I team teach with another teacher,Carly. She is the other Language Arts teacher and her and I get a long really well. We compliment each other very nicely and this helps make for a smooth day filled with lots of laughter and memorable moments. We tend to switch off classes and in turn end up teaching about three classes a day each. This helps to save our vocal cords and nerves as our students can be a bit trying at times. It's definitely a great trade off and I'm learning a lot every day.

However, things were thrown for a bit of a loop today when I got to school. I was informed upon my arrival that Carly was sick and was not going to be at school. A tiny bit of panic set in as I've never taught all day by myself yet, but luckily we had the entire week planned out (we're discussing personal hygiene and proper laundry technique - something I feel every high school student should learn about!), so I wasn't worried about the lesson itself. The thing that had me a bit worried was the students themselves.

Carly has been at the school for about 6 years now and has developed some close relationships with many of the students. I'm still rather new on the job (many of students are still learning my name, referring to me as "Sir" or "Mister" or "Dude over there") and am still getting to know the students and their tendencies. Also, new students are being added to classes daily and other changes are being made as well, so cohesiveness hasn't quite set in yet among all of the classes. So being in front of all the classes by myself caused a small spat of nerves to set in.

Since I'm an AmeriCorps member and not a salaried employee, I am not allowed to be alone in the classroom with the students at any time. Due to the nature of EdVenture, there really aren't substitutes that can be called on like the rest of the school district to fill in when a teacher is sick. To compensate for this, the other staff members will step in and provide coverage when needed. So I knew that I wasn't going to be the only one in the classroom - I just knew that I was going to be large and in charge.

Turns out the day ended up being one of the most successful and rewarding ones that I've had at the school to date. The students were amazingly receptive and participated in our class discussions and activity. I was expecting some of them to push boundaries because Carly wasn't there, but I was treated with a high level of respect that most of the time is lacking amongst our student population. Heck, I even made a few of the "hard and tough" kids laugh and smile. That is considered a win in my book!

I received multiple praises and thanks from other staff members for the job that I did today. For me, it wasn't the outside praise that mattered - it was the fact that I was able to make it through the day without wanting to pull my hair out (too bad). I also realized that I have made more progress with some of my students than I didn't thought I had to the point. Today's experience has further solidified the fact that being in front of a classroom full of students is where I'm meant to be. So in hindsight, Carly's absence, which could've been a negative, stress inducing experience, turned out to be a positive, confidence boosting one.

Let's just hope that she's at school tomorrow...
_________________________________________________________________________________

On a side note, I've realized that I never passed along the fact that my address has changed. I moved apartments and have just neglected to share my new place of residence. If you are in the mood to send me mail of any kind (care packages and hand written notes are always welcomed and appreciated!), they can be directed to the following address:

Michael Owen
377 E Woolbright Road
Boynton Beach, FL 33435

Color Me AmeriCorps!!!

That picture above says it all...pretty much!

The Color Run was held this past weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway and you better believe that I was there, participating again in full force! It was once again an amazing experience that I can't wait to do again!

Saturday, 14 of us (Tasha, Kelsey, Krystle, Sam, Chris, Cait, Andrea, Hallie, Cassie, Ryan, Jessica, Courtney, Priscille, and myself) rolled out of the parking garage at Las Ventanas at the dark hour of 5 am and made our way south to Homestead. After the "eventful" 1 1/2 hour drive, we arrived at the Homestead-Miami Speedway before the sun had even peaked over the horizon. Having to still pick up our race day packets, we headed over to the check-in tent hoping to beat any lines. Turns out that we were the very first ones to check-in for the race! Once we picked up our packets, we headed back to the car to get all tatted up and ready to go.

Since we arrived so early, we had plenty of time to kill before the first heat of the race began. We strolled around the grounds, collecting free stuff left and right (backpacks, bandannas, wrist bands, food and drinks). We made multiple trips to the car to deposit our souvenirs and then made our way to the start line. With adrenaline pumping through our veins and music pulsated through our ear drums, we took our place in the first heat of runners, anticipating the start of what promised to be an awesome experience!

The tail end of the National Anthem was eventually replaced with a thundering countdown. Once "1" was yelled, the Color Run was on! One of the really awesome things about this event is the color aspect. Every kilometer of this 5K is marked by a different color zone. Kilometer One was yellow; Kilometer Two was pink; Kilometer Three was blue; Kilometer Four was orange; and Kilometer Five was the after party! We walked/ran/skipped our way through the course, taking in all of the sights and sounds that abounded around us.

Once we hit the finish line, we were greeted with a much needed and appreciated bottle of water and many smiling, colorful faces. Being that we were in the very first heat, we were one of the first ones done, which meant front and center access to the best part of the entire experience - the after party! This mosh pit type gathering involved many free giveaways, including frisbees, socks, sweatshirts, t-shirts, and the most coveted item - packs of color. The makers of this race not only use colored powder on the race course, but they also use them after the race is done. This is where most of the "color" damage is done as every 15 minutes a color throw is executed. Color packs are opened, the powder inside is flung into the air, and mayhem ensues! The video below details what it's like inside a color throw...

After experiencing about 4 of these color throws (and swallowing/choking on our fair share of powder), we decided to head out and find some food. We cleaned up to the best of our ability at the cars, piled all of our clothes into plastic bags, and left in search of food. Naturally, we ended up at the food court of a local mall. You can imagine the looks and stares that we received. 10 20-something-year-old's caked in multiple colors in line for food at random restaurants. It was quite a trip! We finally made it home again and took a much needed nap!

This Saturday we also had the opportunity to attend a BBQ hosted by the president of the Board of Directors at the Literacy Coalition, the parent organization for our AmeriCorps program. This is the first time that any of the AmeriCorps groups have ever had the privilege of being over to Mr. Bob Patterson's house and it definitely did not disappoint. His wife and him prepared a gorgeous meal, consisting of chicken, BBQ ribs, a multitude of salads, rolls, wine, beer, soda, and numerous desserts. It was such a generous offer and was thoroughly enjoyed by all of the members! Thanks definitely does not fully express our gratitude!

This upcoming weekend features the zombie run, Grovetoberfest, and a night out in Miami! Hopefully I'm able to survive being chased by zombies to enjoy some beer samples and Miami nightlife. Wish me luck!

Off and Running...Again

Since coming home from Korea, lots of things have reverted back to how they were before taking a year off from life and living halfway around the world. My comfort foods consisting of cereal, mac 'n' cheese, and meaty hamburgers are back in my life. My favorite shows are available on TV once again (and when I miss them, Netflix and Hulu). I am able to get around by car again and don't have to use public transportation (even though I miss it quite a bit). However, one big change that I've made, especially this year, is that of exercising and running more consistently. It's definitely paying off!

One of the new members, Hallie, and I have been staying consistently active. We are out running at least three nights a week (if not four) and are currently training for a half-marathon in November. In the meantime, we have the following events to look forward to as well:

1. Color Run in Miami (Oct. 12) - I'm super excited to be participating in this awesome event once again this year! There are 13 of us going down and I can't wait to get dirty, sweaty, and color-fied!!

2. Zombie Run in Miami (Oct. 19) - This is just as it sounds - running from Zombies! Hallie, Nick, and I are going to be partaking in this 5K in an attempt to evade zombies that are after flags (not our flesh) before crossing the finish line, hopefully all in one piece!

3. Electric Run in Miami (Nov. 23) - Still haven't decided about this one yet, but this 5K takes place at night under black lights and other glow-in-the-dark apparatuses that promise to make this experience unforgettable!

4. Turkey Trot in West Palm Beach (Nov. 28) - I did this run last year with Kourtney and am planning on taking part in it once again this year on Thanksgiving Day. A low-key fun run around downtown West Palm, hopefully Zoey and Taz (our two canine roommate) will be joining us as well!

As you can see, I've got quite a few runs coming up to look forward to! I'm loving being active again and finding out that I can fit exercise into my busy daily routine! Yay for fitness!!