My father surprised me when I got back with a show out from Halerin Hill on the radio! He and my father have been good friends for years, so it's been really neat growing up and seeing him from time to time.

The picture is the last shot of our crew all together in front of the Medals Plaza. How I miss it already!

Finally Home

What a trip! After 30 hours of travel, I'm have arrived safely and soundly to my dorm room in Wilmore, KY - a mere 2800 miles away! I was blessed to have great travel conditions, and no mishaps. In fact, I saw Asbury students at nearly each step in the journey.

It began at 10:00am when I left my hotel to get some last minute supplies (cough drops, souvenirs, etc.). At 11:00am, I was outside with luggage ready to board a van that would take me to the media buses. From there (11:30pm), the media buses took us from Whistler to the airport in Vancouver (about a 2.5 hour trip). It was a quick walk from where they dropped us off to check-in, and my bag weighed in at a grand 70 lbs! Instead of going through customs at my first US stop, they brought US customs to the YVR airport, which was a good move in their part, I think. The airport staff must have organized our departures well because I hardly waited in line at all even though I passed through several security/customs checkpoints.

The plane from Vancouver to Portland boarded at 5:45pm. While I waited to board, I found Karissa, a fellow Asburian who shared about her Olympic experiences with me. In Portland, I accidentally ran into 3 other Asbury students who were on the same overnight flight to Atlanta sitting just 2 rows in front of me! How cool. I spent that layover working a little on the film and catching up on an episode of LOST I had missed while in Canada. It was also nice to know that I could use my phone again!

The overnight flight was alright - I think it was around 7 hours, and I was asleep for about half of it. By the time we landed, I couldn't tell if it was enough sleep to get me through the day or if I was just running on steam. I soon found out that it was the latter.

In Knoxville, I was greeted by my parents and my precious brother. :) We went to breakfast at Cracker Barrel - a welcome meal after peanuts from the plane, and then headed home to meet my aunt from Indiana and my grandmother. It was so good to see them even though I was nearly asleep when they came to visit. After a much needed nap, I threw in a load of laundry, packed my things, and headed up to KY. It was a nice drive, especially looking out at the snow-covered mountains before Jelico. Just beautiful!

Before I knew it, I was back at school in my dorm room visiting friends(the picture is obviously not my dorm room. They decided to play wall-y-ball, so we went up to the gym). It was like I had never left and it felt so nice to see them all again!

Looking forward to breakfast at 7:30 tomorrow... :)

As for final thoughts on the experience, check out my last couple postings. I know coming back to college and student life is going to be an adjustment for me, but I'm appreciating the life that I have here and the amazing experiences I have had because of this place. I would definitely not be the same person if I had gone to college anywhere else! Thank you Lord!

It's Airport Time Again

This is what I will look like for the next 12 hours! Note: I have 1 check-in bag and 1 carry-on with no personal item! I am amazed that I was able to fit my new uniform and purchases in the suitcase. However, the weight grew from 49 to 70 lbs! But I would rather foot the bill for being over 50 pounds than having to worry about 2 suitcases making it here since I've got 2 layovers (Portland and Atlanta). The tea is for a sore throat that developed overnight, but now that it's midday, it's not so bad. I have discovered the cure for a sore throat: lemon ginger tea with honey! SOOO GOOD. Also, I bought myself a mukmuk to use as a pillow on the plane.

Before I left, I took a final stroll through Whistler. It was eerily empty and very still. Instead of dreading the trip back, I distracted myself on the bus to Vancouver by working through shot lists and final preparations for the movie. Because there is still so much to do, I think I will try to drive back to school Tuesday evening rather than Wednesday morning.

I've been in the Vancouver for a couple hours and have gotten so many hilarious remarks on my hat! Some have no idea what it is, and others (typically older men) ask me if I know what it is! In fact, I was at a little deli grabbing a sandwich and the man behind me in line was talking to me about the band, his age, my age, and travel. Before he left, he strongly encouraged me to travel as much as I can while I'm young. He also told me that he has been to 153 nations (WHAT!) and that it has taught him more than anything else in life! I've taken his advice to heart and hope to travel again in the near future. Anyway, it has sparked some really amusing conversations and got me through security with smiles and strange looks.

To receive school credit, the last thing I have to do is write a short paper on my experiences at the Olympics. After my arrival post, that will probably be the last you all hear from me here. For those of you faithful readers, thank you so much for keeping updated! It means so much to know that you all are thinking and praying about me while I'm here - I know it has helped shape my experience! So thank you :)