The girls and I took a trip to Charleston this weekend. What a fabulous city! There is so much to do and so much to see! But I’ll get back to how amazing it was in a minute...
Being poor recently college graduates and living off of our 100$ per week stipend, naturally we attempted at making this the cheapest little vacation ever. We decided to save our money for shopping and instead of splitting a hotel room so we split a private room at a local hostel called Not-So-Hostel. It was only 60$ total for one night so 20$ a piece; sounds like a pretty sweet deal right? Wrong! Because it was a private room rather than staying in the larger room with bunks and a bunch of randoms, we thought it wouldn’t be so bad. It was pretty bad. I walked in the entry way to check us in and imagine this as my first impression of where we were to be staying that night: 1.) An elderly woman sitting on the couch complaining to the lady at the check in desk (if you can call a coffee table with a laptop on in a check in desk) about her bags being stolen. 2.) A guy walking around the corner claiming to have seen a strange man walking upstairs with bags that could have possibly been the woman’s things. 3.) The lady at the ‘check in desk’ offering to call the police. I reluctantly took our room key and walked outside to meet the girls to grab our things. After sharing with them my lovely little encounter we couldn’t help but burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. We said we wanted an adventure, and an adventure is what we got!
So back to how amazing Charleston is. Check in time wasn’t until after 5pm so when we drove into town around noon we found street parking and made our way to Kings Street. We had been told Kings Street was where all the prime shopping was and I had read that it was supposed to be the happening place. So of course that’s where we were headed first. We pit-stopped at a Starbucks and you will never guess who I met…. MICHAEL JORDAN! … Ok, just kidding, but at least I know you’re still reading :-) The guy working at the counter said he was from Seattle so I said ‘oh me too!’ Then he proceeded to tell me he is really from Cle Elum but always says Seattle because no one has ever heard of it. I was like ‘no way! I’m really from Bainbridge Island but always just say Seattle too!’ I told him I went to CWU in Ellensburg and was just there a month ago for graduation! We couldn’t believe it, we both knew where the other was from, and I had spent time in his town/in another small town right near his. I swear this world continues to get smaller and smaller.
Kings Street was phenomenal; shops lining both sides of the street for miles. The girls and I literally shopped until we dropped. I’m pretty sure we went non-stop from noon until 5 and finally sat down somewhere for dinner. We then headed to our Not-So-Hostel to check in, and you already know what happened next. We napped for a couple hours in our Oh-So-Hostel, puny room (with one twin bed for the three of us) then decided to see what the Charleston nightlife was all about. Long story short, the nightlife there is spectacular! So many different clubs, bars, lounges, etc… No matter what you’re in the mood for there is somewhere to go and something to do. We had a blast!
Sunday morning we didn’t waste any time peacing out of our luxurious accommodations and continued exploring the beautiful city. I took about 100 photos between Saturday and Sunday. We saw so many things; the city has so much to offer I wanted to document it all. The homes are spectacular! We walked along the seaside boardwalk looking at all of the side-by-side mansions. The parks were so green with fun statues and fountains. I wish I could post all of my fun photos but my laptop is still out of commission!
That’s all for now, keep it touch y’all!
PS: please pray for me that after my internship I end up exactly wherever I’m supposed to be. As of now I have a couple places interested in talking/meeting with me in San Diego and in Portland. This is a very fun, exciting, and scary time for me and just could use some extra guidance!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Surreal
Another week down here on Hilton Head Island; I still can’t believe I only have 5 weeks left! This whole experience has, and continues, to fly by. I have created a bucket list of things I must do before I leave this beautiful and fun area. I can’t believe how much there is to do, how much I have done, and that there is still so much on the list!
As usual this weekend was loads of fun. For the 4th the girls and I headed to Harbor Town which is right on the water where a bunch of yachts are docked. The sizes of these yachts are, for a lack of a better term, amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing! I’m not sure they can even be qualified as yachts; “mansion that happens to float on the water” would suffice. A friend of mine that I met down here said that one year he saw a “yacht” that had two jet-skis and a HELICPOTOR on it! Ridiculous.
We spent the evening walking around the marina and popped into all of the cute, touristy shops. There was live music, fun games, and plenty of food to celebrate the holiday. Before the fireworks we watched the sunset over the horizon. I have some incredible photos that I will try to upload ASAP! This sunset was like no other one I had seen before; truly stunning. Vibrant blues, pinks, and yellows streaked across the sky as though I had dipped my finger in paint and pressed it directly over the clouds.
There is so much going on here at the institute it is near impossible to sneak away for some alone time. Every couple of days when I bike down to the beach after work and see that the sand and ocean is once again waiting for me I can’t help but smile. This is the most incredible way to spend a summer; lots of work accompanied by lots of play! The sand feels like flour between my toes and the water as warm as bath water. As I watch the waves crash over evening swimmers and the diving pelicans chasing their dinner, I can’t help but think how surreal this whole experience has been. Before I left Washington I kept saying, “it hasn’t hit me yet that I’ve been accepted to something this amazing, I can’t believe I’m going there!” Now that I’m here, and have been here for 11 weeks I find myself continually saying “I can’t believe I have been accepted to something this amazing, I can’t believe I AM here!”
Be looking for photos, I’m going to try and post them soon! Love and miss everyone bunches!
As usual this weekend was loads of fun. For the 4th the girls and I headed to Harbor Town which is right on the water where a bunch of yachts are docked. The sizes of these yachts are, for a lack of a better term, amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing! I’m not sure they can even be qualified as yachts; “mansion that happens to float on the water” would suffice. A friend of mine that I met down here said that one year he saw a “yacht” that had two jet-skis and a HELICPOTOR on it! Ridiculous.
We spent the evening walking around the marina and popped into all of the cute, touristy shops. There was live music, fun games, and plenty of food to celebrate the holiday. Before the fireworks we watched the sunset over the horizon. I have some incredible photos that I will try to upload ASAP! This sunset was like no other one I had seen before; truly stunning. Vibrant blues, pinks, and yellows streaked across the sky as though I had dipped my finger in paint and pressed it directly over the clouds.
There is so much going on here at the institute it is near impossible to sneak away for some alone time. Every couple of days when I bike down to the beach after work and see that the sand and ocean is once again waiting for me I can’t help but smile. This is the most incredible way to spend a summer; lots of work accompanied by lots of play! The sand feels like flour between my toes and the water as warm as bath water. As I watch the waves crash over evening swimmers and the diving pelicans chasing their dinner, I can’t help but think how surreal this whole experience has been. Before I left Washington I kept saying, “it hasn’t hit me yet that I’ve been accepted to something this amazing, I can’t believe I’m going there!” Now that I’m here, and have been here for 11 weeks I find myself continually saying “I can’t believe I have been accepted to something this amazing, I can’t believe I AM here!”
Be looking for photos, I’m going to try and post them soon! Love and miss everyone bunches!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Store Bought Jam
Hey y'all!
Last week completed my 10th week here at Hilton Head Health. I can't believe I have been here that long already and only have 6 more weeks to go! Throughout the 10 weeks I have spent time in the different departments of the company; fitness, nutrition, lifestyle management, guest services, marketing, and program development. Starting this week I get to choose which department I'd like to spend the remainder of my time here. I have chosen to stay in the fitness department so I am excited to see what new things I continue to learn and be exposed to. Each intern is also responsible for coming up with, and completing a final project. I haven't decided what I'll be doing yet but some ideas have been tossed out there, so we'll see what I can come up with!
The girls and I continued to have a blast this weekend with nights out meeting new and interesting people. We met people from Holland, Norway, Argentina, and more from places all around the United States! It continues to amaze me how far people come to vacation in such an amazing place. I guess Americans travel all over outside of the U.S. but it seems different to be meeting people who are coming to our country instead of us going to theirs.
As most of you know, the institute provides meals for the interns. These meals are spectacular but sometimes during the week all we crave is something simple and easy to throw together. We're never without the ingredients for a quality snack; pb and j are essentials in the intern house. Over the last 10 weeks I have been eating store bought jam... I know, big news. All my life I have had the pleasure of being spoiled by my mother's AMAZING homemade jam. Even during college I would bring jam back to school with me after visiting home; heaven forbid I would ever have to purchase jam from a store! *gasp!* Anyway, my point is store bought jam just doesn't cut it. Yes it gets the job done; when a pb and j is needed store bought jam will suffice. However, the sandwich just isn't the same!
Last week completed my 10th week here at Hilton Head Health. I can't believe I have been here that long already and only have 6 more weeks to go! Throughout the 10 weeks I have spent time in the different departments of the company; fitness, nutrition, lifestyle management, guest services, marketing, and program development. Starting this week I get to choose which department I'd like to spend the remainder of my time here. I have chosen to stay in the fitness department so I am excited to see what new things I continue to learn and be exposed to. Each intern is also responsible for coming up with, and completing a final project. I haven't decided what I'll be doing yet but some ideas have been tossed out there, so we'll see what I can come up with!
The girls and I continued to have a blast this weekend with nights out meeting new and interesting people. We met people from Holland, Norway, Argentina, and more from places all around the United States! It continues to amaze me how far people come to vacation in such an amazing place. I guess Americans travel all over outside of the U.S. but it seems different to be meeting people who are coming to our country instead of us going to theirs.
As most of you know, the institute provides meals for the interns. These meals are spectacular but sometimes during the week all we crave is something simple and easy to throw together. We're never without the ingredients for a quality snack; pb and j are essentials in the intern house. Over the last 10 weeks I have been eating store bought jam... I know, big news. All my life I have had the pleasure of being spoiled by my mother's AMAZING homemade jam. Even during college I would bring jam back to school with me after visiting home; heaven forbid I would ever have to purchase jam from a store! *gasp!* Anyway, my point is store bought jam just doesn't cut it. Yes it gets the job done; when a pb and j is needed store bought jam will suffice. However, the sandwich just isn't the same!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
My Fellow Wahing-tonians
If I can’t come to Washington, Washington will come to me! Last week a woman approached me and asked if I was Laura. I told her yes and she proceeded to hold up her name tag and ask “can you pronounce this?” Underneath everyone’s name is the state and city of which they are from. However their name is in large bold writing where their hometown is in smaller, regular text. Naturally my eyes focus on her name. Her name was a short, simple name and easy to pronounce. I won’t mention her real name but for story purposes lets use the name Liz. I looked at her confused and responded “uh…Liz?” She shakes the name tag (as if I was I was completely missing the point) so I redirected my attention to her hometown. E… e-num…ENUMCLAW! I shouted in disbelief. She started laughing and said “nobody has 1. ever heard of it, and 2. can never pronounce it.” Somebody had told her I was also from Washington so I was able to share with her that I too am from a place people have never heard of. Finally somebody who knows where I’m really from! I told her I had just graduated from CWU and used to play basketball tournaments in Enumclaw; she was thrilled to hear that I had spent time in eastern Washington.
The fun doesn’t stop there. This week as I’m doing arriving guest’s screenings, there were FIVE people from Washington! Three from Spokane, one from Vashon Island, and one from Port Orchard! I couldn’t believe it. Besides those from Spokane, people were arriving that were from places closer and closer to my home! I was so excited to tell them I was from Bainbridge Island and that I know people from the places where they are from. They thought it was so cool I found my way all the way here to Hilton Head. Besides the lady from Redmond my first couple weeks here, I was yet to meet anyone else that had come from as far as I had (within the country.)
I had to share that with y’all. It was too exciting! : -) Yayyy Washington!
The fun doesn’t stop there. This week as I’m doing arriving guest’s screenings, there were FIVE people from Washington! Three from Spokane, one from Vashon Island, and one from Port Orchard! I couldn’t believe it. Besides those from Spokane, people were arriving that were from places closer and closer to my home! I was so excited to tell them I was from Bainbridge Island and that I know people from the places where they are from. They thought it was so cool I found my way all the way here to Hilton Head. Besides the lady from Redmond my first couple weeks here, I was yet to meet anyone else that had come from as far as I had (within the country.)
I had to share that with y’all. It was too exciting! : -) Yayyy Washington!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Nerd Alert
So just in case y'all thought I was exaggerating about just how hot and humid it is down here, check this out. Monday: heat index was 110, Tuesday heat index was 112; need I go on? For those of you that wear, or have ever worn, glasses know that occasionally when you walk INside the lenses fog up for a few seconds before they clear up. Well not in South Carolina. My glasses fog up when I step OUTside; and not just for a few seconds. We're talkin' minutes here. Sunglasses, eye glasses, anything with a lens will take at least 5 minutes for the fog to subside. Quality nerd alert I tell yeah when I ask people to wait up so I can see while we walk.
H3I has a company blog and there is a new posting every week Monday - Friday. Each day a different staff member is responsible for the posting. For this week's rotation I am in the marketing department; whoever was in charge of this Monday's posting doesn't have a free moment to post their blog so I was asked to come up with something. It won't be posted until Monday 6/21 but I submitted it to the marketing coordinator yesterday. Here is the link to the H3I blog, so if you have the chance, check out my posting on Monday! http://www.h3daily.com/
I also recommend checking out this blog every few days because there are awesome postings about everything you can think of health and fitness related! I'm excited to have some of my work posted on the company site!
Anyway, here are the rest of the photos from graduation! : -) Again, it was so much fun sharing the day with my family and friends. We had an amazing time and it felt so great to see everybody!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Graduation Weekend
I have just experienced the quickest, yet at times slowest, 48 hours of my life. How is this possible you might ask? Well, my journey started at 5am Friday morning when I got up to go to the Hilton Head Island airport for my 6:50am flight to my connecting flight and then on to Seattle. Long story short, my flight got canceled, causing me to miss my connecting flight. I was shuttled to the Savannah airport in Georgia where my plane finally took off at 12:30pm (by noon I was supposed to have already landed in Seattle and have been on my way to Ellensburg). At 6:00pm I finally landed in Seattle and got picked up by my wonderful parents and brother! Couple hours later we were in Ellensburg and I was able to spend time with my wonderful girls! I can’t explain how good it was to see them and be able to catch up. The passed 8 weeks have flown by but at the same time I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve been able to catch up with and hang out with my friends.
Saturday morning was graduation! I have posted photos of Kristen, Sarah and I waiting in line to walk into the stadium as well as while we were sitting through the ceremony. We had a beautiful day for an outside graduation. It wasn’t too hot; sunny with blue skies, no wind, no rain. I’m so happy that I was able to come home for this experience. It was amazing sharing the moment with my family and closest friends. I couldn’t stop smiling and yes, there were a couple glistening tears here and there. After graduation we joined Kristen and her family at her boyfriend Jason’s house for sandwiches. It was so hard to say goodbye to Sarah and Kristen and their families : -( I miss everyone so much; it was such a treat to come back even for just one day. After all of the photos were taken, and most of the food was gone, we traveled back to the Westside to spend the rest of the afternoon/evening at my Grandparents house on Lake Washington. What a treat to see both sets of grandparents on my graduation day! It was fabulous lying out in the sun, sipping on lemonade, and catching up with Grandma and Papa. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end this short and sweet visit to Washington State. (When in the south one must clarify they are talking about Washington State rather than Washington D.C.)
At 9pm Saturday evening there I was at the airport once again flying south. I didn’t want to leave Washington; I wasn’t ready to leave the Pacific Northwest during this beautiful time of year. These are my favorite months to be in Seattle; on the lake, walking around the city, on the ferries… I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to my friends and to college. Even though I haven’t been in Ellensburg since December, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the last 4 years of my life that have been so good to me. I have missed Washington State more than I ever thought that I would. Even though I was only back for a short time, it was what I needed; it was refreshing and a tiny break that I needed to push me through the next 8 weeks away. Thank you so much to my family and friends for making it a phenomenal 24 hours and a fantastic experience! I love you all so very much.
Anyway, my redeye flight heading south went smoothly. Left Seattle Saturday night at 11:30pm and arrived at Hilton Head Island at noon on Sunday. The time on the planes and waiting in all the different airports went by painfully slow, but the time I had with my friends and family went all too quickly. I couldn’t believe I’d flown across the country, graduated, and flown back all in just over 24 hours. On that note, I’m exhausted and am going to bed. Enjoy the photos, there are more to come of me and the fam once my daddy e-mails them to me : -)
WOOT WOOT Central Washington University Alumni!
Saturday morning was graduation! I have posted photos of Kristen, Sarah and I waiting in line to walk into the stadium as well as while we were sitting through the ceremony. We had a beautiful day for an outside graduation. It wasn’t too hot; sunny with blue skies, no wind, no rain. I’m so happy that I was able to come home for this experience. It was amazing sharing the moment with my family and closest friends. I couldn’t stop smiling and yes, there were a couple glistening tears here and there. After graduation we joined Kristen and her family at her boyfriend Jason’s house for sandwiches. It was so hard to say goodbye to Sarah and Kristen and their families : -( I miss everyone so much; it was such a treat to come back even for just one day. After all of the photos were taken, and most of the food was gone, we traveled back to the Westside to spend the rest of the afternoon/evening at my Grandparents house on Lake Washington. What a treat to see both sets of grandparents on my graduation day! It was fabulous lying out in the sun, sipping on lemonade, and catching up with Grandma and Papa. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end this short and sweet visit to Washington State. (When in the south one must clarify they are talking about Washington State rather than Washington D.C.)
At 9pm Saturday evening there I was at the airport once again flying south. I didn’t want to leave Washington; I wasn’t ready to leave the Pacific Northwest during this beautiful time of year. These are my favorite months to be in Seattle; on the lake, walking around the city, on the ferries… I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to my friends and to college. Even though I haven’t been in Ellensburg since December, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the last 4 years of my life that have been so good to me. I have missed Washington State more than I ever thought that I would. Even though I was only back for a short time, it was what I needed; it was refreshing and a tiny break that I needed to push me through the next 8 weeks away. Thank you so much to my family and friends for making it a phenomenal 24 hours and a fantastic experience! I love you all so very much.
Anyway, my redeye flight heading south went smoothly. Left Seattle Saturday night at 11:30pm and arrived at Hilton Head Island at noon on Sunday. The time on the planes and waiting in all the different airports went by painfully slow, but the time I had with my friends and family went all too quickly. I couldn’t believe I’d flown across the country, graduated, and flown back all in just over 24 hours. On that note, I’m exhausted and am going to bed. Enjoy the photos, there are more to come of me and the fam once my daddy e-mails them to me : -)
WOOT WOOT Central Washington University Alumni!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Y'all listen up!
Because I am returning to Seattle tomorrow I thought it would be appropriate to blog about slash warn y’all about one of my new found southern habits. I say y’all. There. That’s it. My big news. So y’all better get used to it! It’s definitely not one of those things where I was like “that sounds really cool, I want to start saying that.” It just started happening without me even realizing it. The first time it came out of my mouth it honestly surprised me and I stopped for a moment, waiting for someone to point out the fact that I had just said the word y’all. Then I remembered that I am in fact in the south where people would be more inclined to look at you funny if you say “you all” rather than y’all. So yes, I am expecting a few giggles, smiles, or snickers here and there when I’m trying to get everyone’s attention or ask what y’all have been up to. But at least now you can’t say that I didn’t warn you : -)
That said, I am SOOOO beyond excited to be coming to Washington TOMORROW! And I most certainly can’t wait to graduate and see my family and friends!
See y’all TOMORROW! YAY!!
That said, I am SOOOO beyond excited to be coming to Washington TOMORROW! And I most certainly can’t wait to graduate and see my family and friends!
See y’all TOMORROW! YAY!!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Worst Idea... EVER
Another fantastic week interning at Hilton Head Health Institute! This week I was in the Lifestyle Management department so I attended a few lectures offered by the onsite psychologist. Obviously I can’t share what I heard or what people felt comfortable contributing to the discussions, but I can say that I admire each and every individual who allowed themselves to open up in such a vulnerable setting. Often times tears found their way to the corners of my eyes and was truly happy that these guests found their way to H3I. Everyone comes with a story and experiences that have molded them into who they are today.
At the end of the week a guest who has been at the institute for 3 weeks sat down with myself and the other interns to tell us about his experience here. He expressed his thanks and gratitude for our energy, motivation, support, and encouragement during his kick start to a longer, healthier life. His cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, measurements, and triglycerides are the lowest they’ve been in over 30 years and he couldn’t be happier about the results he’s already experienced. We couldn’t stop smiling at his excitement to get home and continue the healthy habits he’s learned here. Before we said goodbye, he said that we assisted in adding at least 10 more years to his life, and for that, he is eternally grateful. I’ve said it before, but I keep saying it to myself everyday; God couldn’t have blessed me with a more rewarding or fulfilling experience. I still can’t believe how much I learn every single day and all of the opportunities that arise even when I least expect them to.
As usual the weekend was a blast! It consisted of the usual dancing the nights away and spending the days at the beach or pool. I wish I had some spectacular story for you all but this weekend was relatively low key compared to the last 6. Although the weekend consisted of fun in the sun, it also brought a new experience I’ll never forget… in a bad way. I’m pretty sure we’ve all had bad ideas throughout our life but I can assure you I had the worst of them all this morning. Over the passed 7 weeks here I have been doing a lot of running outdoors. Not to point out the obvious, but the last 7 weeks were not in the month of June. Choosing to do any sort of physical activity outside during the summer, in the south, any time of day is by far the worst idea anyone could have. I stepped out into the morning sun (and immense heat) at 11am today. I set out on my usual 5.5 mile loop; out of the plantation, down to the beach, along the beach, and then back onto the plantation back to my villa. A route I’ve never had to stop to walk on forced me not only to slow down to a sorry excuse for a jog, but also to come to a slow walk not once, not twice, but three times before I reached my front door. Looking like I had just participated in a baseball throwing dunk contest at a carnival I finally returned home. Shaky hands reaching for my water bottle I decided that my days of running outside here are over. Why not get up early and run before 8am you might ask? Oh no reason, just because it is JUST AS HOT AND HUMID AT 5am AS IT IS ALLLLLLLLLL DAYYYYYYY LOOOOOOOONG!
Anyway, I am super psyched to return to Washington next weekend for graduation! I can’t wait to see my family and friends and take a million pictures of me and my friends GRADUATING COLLEGE! YAYYY!
I love and miss you all. I’m sorry I’m unable to spend more than 24 hours in Washington because I would love to see each and every one of you! But unfortunately I’m literally landing, driving to Ellensburg, graduating the next morning, and driving back to the airport to fly back to Hilton Head. However, I have already completed 7 of the 16 weeks so at this rate I’ll be home before we know it!
Keep in touch, I love hearing from everybody.
At the end of the week a guest who has been at the institute for 3 weeks sat down with myself and the other interns to tell us about his experience here. He expressed his thanks and gratitude for our energy, motivation, support, and encouragement during his kick start to a longer, healthier life. His cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, measurements, and triglycerides are the lowest they’ve been in over 30 years and he couldn’t be happier about the results he’s already experienced. We couldn’t stop smiling at his excitement to get home and continue the healthy habits he’s learned here. Before we said goodbye, he said that we assisted in adding at least 10 more years to his life, and for that, he is eternally grateful. I’ve said it before, but I keep saying it to myself everyday; God couldn’t have blessed me with a more rewarding or fulfilling experience. I still can’t believe how much I learn every single day and all of the opportunities that arise even when I least expect them to.
As usual the weekend was a blast! It consisted of the usual dancing the nights away and spending the days at the beach or pool. I wish I had some spectacular story for you all but this weekend was relatively low key compared to the last 6. Although the weekend consisted of fun in the sun, it also brought a new experience I’ll never forget… in a bad way. I’m pretty sure we’ve all had bad ideas throughout our life but I can assure you I had the worst of them all this morning. Over the passed 7 weeks here I have been doing a lot of running outdoors. Not to point out the obvious, but the last 7 weeks were not in the month of June. Choosing to do any sort of physical activity outside during the summer, in the south, any time of day is by far the worst idea anyone could have. I stepped out into the morning sun (and immense heat) at 11am today. I set out on my usual 5.5 mile loop; out of the plantation, down to the beach, along the beach, and then back onto the plantation back to my villa. A route I’ve never had to stop to walk on forced me not only to slow down to a sorry excuse for a jog, but also to come to a slow walk not once, not twice, but three times before I reached my front door. Looking like I had just participated in a baseball throwing dunk contest at a carnival I finally returned home. Shaky hands reaching for my water bottle I decided that my days of running outside here are over. Why not get up early and run before 8am you might ask? Oh no reason, just because it is JUST AS HOT AND HUMID AT 5am AS IT IS ALLLLLLLLLL DAYYYYYYY LOOOOOOOONG!
Anyway, I am super psyched to return to Washington next weekend for graduation! I can’t wait to see my family and friends and take a million pictures of me and my friends GRADUATING COLLEGE! YAYYY!
I love and miss you all. I’m sorry I’m unable to spend more than 24 hours in Washington because I would love to see each and every one of you! But unfortunately I’m literally landing, driving to Ellensburg, graduating the next morning, and driving back to the airport to fly back to Hilton Head. However, I have already completed 7 of the 16 weeks so at this rate I’ll be home before we know it!
Keep in touch, I love hearing from everybody.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Blogger Wanted
Please accept my apologies for being absent in the blog world for a week. I have received some comments from certain individuals that they have been upset with my lack of blogging over the last couple of weeks. You have my word that I will try to keep up on sharing my every waking moment with you : -)
Last week I experienced some truly touching moments. For those of you that don’t know, some people who come to Hilton Head Health Institute come here to make life changing decisions. Up until their arrival they haven’t lived healthy lives either at all or not for many years. Some have serious physical limitations either orthopedic and/or diseases that prohibit them from engaging in certain activities. Others have chosen, for whatever their personal reasons are, to remain inactive and consume an extremely unhealthy, unbalanced diet. It is a huge step for all these types of people to even choose to come to Hilton Head Health; I can only imagine how intimidating it might be for them. Changing the way you live your life is no easy task, for anybody.
Among the other interns and professional staff at the institute, everyday I have the chance to positively impact somebody’s life. Sometimes these chances come about in an obvious way, other times I haven’t realized just how much we assisted in changing, even saving, someone’s life. Friday afternoon after a class I taught I was approached by a man who was with us for about 3 weeks. I had watched him work hard in every class he participated in and caught him in the gym on his own numerous times. He wanted to say goodbye and thanked me for all of our help and support; that he couldn’t have done it without us and that he appreciates us and what we do more than words could express. Before I knew it I was embraced in a hug from a man who, unbeknownst to me until this moment, probably wouldn’t have lived another 5 years if he hadn’t made life altering changes to improve his health. He began to tear up and shot me an ear to ear smile as he scurried out the door. Later that evening after dinner, his friend approached us girls at the intern table and reiterated just how much we had helped his friend. He told us that he had quit smoking before he came here and had quickly put on a lot of weight; adding to his already unhealthy conditions. We were informed this man has a 4 year old daughter and was determined to be around to not only raise her, but be actively involved in her life for many years to come. It was an amazing feeling knowing that I played even the smallest part in changing his life around; not only for his sake but for his loved ones as well.
On a lighter note, the girls and I went kayaking on Saturday afternoon. It was low tide so we got to navigate through a maze of oyster beds. The sand bars and oyster beds were so tall we couldn’t see over them; it was truly a maze full of wildlife. We saw fish jumping, all sorts of birds, and crab pots that had been stranded on the sand waiting for the tide to go back out. We felt like we were on the discovery channel or on a photography mission for National Geographic. After over an hour paddling (against the wind) we decided to head back. Being the smart young ladies we are we decided to go against the wind on the way out so the paddle back would be a breeze. Yes pun intended. Anyway, of course the wind decided to completely die at the very moment we were ready to turn around. We were exhausted and starving so it was a rather interesting/cranky paddle back to “Water Dog” where we’d rented the kayaks. At least we got a killer upper body workout out of the deal!
I have posted some photos of Saturday and Friday night. Friday we just went to a local bar down the street from us called the “Big Bamboo.” They always have live music and a casual beach front atmosphere. After the Big Bamboo we walked across the street to the “Frosty Frog;” another local fun spot with loud music and all sorts of fun fruity drinks to choose from. Saturday night we went out to Savannah, Georgia to check out the club scene we’d been told so much about. Savannah is a fun city only about an hour away from us that we spent the day in a couple of weeks ago and had a blast. So this time we decided to check out the night scene and see what it’s all about. We had an amazing time being around tons of people and experiencing new fun places to go. It was extremely warm out so the walk around the city from one place to the other was quite pleasant.
We are about to head out to a bbq we’ve been invited to by a couple of locals we met Friday night. Should be a lovely way to end the weekend! Keep checkin’ in, I’ll try to write again in a couple days! : -)
Love and miss you all TONS!
Last week I experienced some truly touching moments. For those of you that don’t know, some people who come to Hilton Head Health Institute come here to make life changing decisions. Up until their arrival they haven’t lived healthy lives either at all or not for many years. Some have serious physical limitations either orthopedic and/or diseases that prohibit them from engaging in certain activities. Others have chosen, for whatever their personal reasons are, to remain inactive and consume an extremely unhealthy, unbalanced diet. It is a huge step for all these types of people to even choose to come to Hilton Head Health; I can only imagine how intimidating it might be for them. Changing the way you live your life is no easy task, for anybody.
Among the other interns and professional staff at the institute, everyday I have the chance to positively impact somebody’s life. Sometimes these chances come about in an obvious way, other times I haven’t realized just how much we assisted in changing, even saving, someone’s life. Friday afternoon after a class I taught I was approached by a man who was with us for about 3 weeks. I had watched him work hard in every class he participated in and caught him in the gym on his own numerous times. He wanted to say goodbye and thanked me for all of our help and support; that he couldn’t have done it without us and that he appreciates us and what we do more than words could express. Before I knew it I was embraced in a hug from a man who, unbeknownst to me until this moment, probably wouldn’t have lived another 5 years if he hadn’t made life altering changes to improve his health. He began to tear up and shot me an ear to ear smile as he scurried out the door. Later that evening after dinner, his friend approached us girls at the intern table and reiterated just how much we had helped his friend. He told us that he had quit smoking before he came here and had quickly put on a lot of weight; adding to his already unhealthy conditions. We were informed this man has a 4 year old daughter and was determined to be around to not only raise her, but be actively involved in her life for many years to come. It was an amazing feeling knowing that I played even the smallest part in changing his life around; not only for his sake but for his loved ones as well.
On a lighter note, the girls and I went kayaking on Saturday afternoon. It was low tide so we got to navigate through a maze of oyster beds. The sand bars and oyster beds were so tall we couldn’t see over them; it was truly a maze full of wildlife. We saw fish jumping, all sorts of birds, and crab pots that had been stranded on the sand waiting for the tide to go back out. We felt like we were on the discovery channel or on a photography mission for National Geographic. After over an hour paddling (against the wind) we decided to head back. Being the smart young ladies we are we decided to go against the wind on the way out so the paddle back would be a breeze. Yes pun intended. Anyway, of course the wind decided to completely die at the very moment we were ready to turn around. We were exhausted and starving so it was a rather interesting/cranky paddle back to “Water Dog” where we’d rented the kayaks. At least we got a killer upper body workout out of the deal!
I have posted some photos of Saturday and Friday night. Friday we just went to a local bar down the street from us called the “Big Bamboo.” They always have live music and a casual beach front atmosphere. After the Big Bamboo we walked across the street to the “Frosty Frog;” another local fun spot with loud music and all sorts of fun fruity drinks to choose from. Saturday night we went out to Savannah, Georgia to check out the club scene we’d been told so much about. Savannah is a fun city only about an hour away from us that we spent the day in a couple of weeks ago and had a blast. So this time we decided to check out the night scene and see what it’s all about. We had an amazing time being around tons of people and experiencing new fun places to go. It was extremely warm out so the walk around the city from one place to the other was quite pleasant.
We are about to head out to a bbq we’ve been invited to by a couple of locals we met Friday night. Should be a lovely way to end the weekend! Keep checkin’ in, I’ll try to write again in a couple days! : -)
Love and miss you all TONS!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
A Taste of Seattle
Today was a beautiful day here down south. The sun was shining, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the ocean was as warm as bath water. Doesn’t sound like Seattle weather to you? Didn’t think so, but see if this rings a bell. Pouring down rain and the sound of water dripping off the roof onto the trees and ground below sound a little more like it? This is a sound that I have grown to miss. Shocking to some of you maybe, but I speak the truth. The rain falls differently here. It doesn’t sound the same as Washington rain. It is also extremely warm here WHILE it’s raining, another new phenomenon I have grown accustomed to. After a gorgeous day of sunshine, the sky and surrounding air transformed into a thunder and lightening storm. The thunder is so powerful it feels as though the house shakes. The lightening lights up the sky so bright it looks as though it is daytime. Unlike Washington thunder and lightening, here it is continuous; it goes on and on for hours. Jagged bolts paint across the canvas sky illuminating the world beneath it. The thunder rolls and starts quiet, gradually becoming so loud you can’t help but think to yourself the earth might explode. Have you ever seen the movie Fantasia? The lightening here mimics the scene of the Greek Gods fighting against each other; throwing lightening bolts at one another. So vivid are the toothed bolts all across the sky.
Even though it is warm outside as this storm rolls through, I am loving my small taste of Seattle. Drip, drip, drip; a sound I haven’t fallen asleep to in over a month. Tonight it is once again my lullaby.
Even though it is warm outside as this storm rolls through, I am loving my small taste of Seattle. Drip, drip, drip; a sound I haven’t fallen asleep to in over a month. Tonight it is once again my lullaby.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Photos!
I don't have time to write just yet, but I wanted to share some more photos with you all! Some are from when the girls and I went to Savanah, but the others are from our day boating and day at the beach! The top photo was shot before Brigid and I went out for a night of dancing. We are having a blast and getting along great, a girl couldn't ask for better!
Love and miss you all. Thinking of you always.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Strong WOman Competition
Last week and this weekend were absolutely amazing. I continued to teach classes and got to know some of the new guests. A father and son are here from Dubai; it’s been great getting to know them and hear about where they are from. The father has a very thick accent and is sometimes difficult to understand, but he is so sweet and is always smiling during my classes. I still can’t believe I’m meeting people from all over the world. Without traveling I’m getting the opportunity to learn about their different cultures and what brought them to the United States and Hilton Head Health Institute.
Over the passed couple weeks I have watched a boy who is 19 years old and a man who is in his late 30s come from two different worlds and develop a father/son relationship with each other. They are both amazing individuals with energy through the roof and a childish sense of humor I can’t help but condone; laughing every time they do or say something totally silly and outrageous. They motivate each other and push one another in all of their fitness classes and also support each other to succeed nutritionally. I watched them walk away from one of the only desserts we’ve had on Friday night without even a second glance or a longing stare at those who were indulging. Not to mention, dessert here at the institute is the healthiest “dessert” one could ever consume. They are so proud of themselves, as they should be, about how far they have come and how much they have learned. I look forward to them attending my classes everyday and to hearing what crazy thing they are going to say next. A smile creeps its way across my face every time I listen to their excitement about their workout and/or what they learned in lecture that day. Whether it is about nutrition, exercise, or a personal issue they are so thrilled to share with you what they have learned and how they plan on applying it to their new healthy lifestyle. What they don’t know, is that I am learning just as much about myself from them as they are from me and the whole H3I staff. Their upbeat attitude and energized ways help motivate me to continue to be a positive influence in their lives.
This weekend was surreal. Friday evening the girls and I went to the “Bad Bamboo” bar down the street on the beach for a few beers and live music. We ended up making friends with a group of men on their “Man-Cation” (yes that’s what they referred to their vacation as) and had a blast getting to know them.
Saturday was boating day. The manager of the maintenance department at the institute took all of the fitness and culinary interns out on his boat for the day. We spent about two hours just cruising around the island looking at all of the MASIONS on the water. These homes are like nothing you would believe. Oh my word. I can’t believe people own these kinds of homes let alone have them as their second, third, or fourth homes. As we were boating dolphins were swimming around so occasionally we got to see fins here and there diving back into the ocean. The man we were with is a local so he knew of the “hot spot” to go if you have access to a boat or jet-ski. We arrived at a sand bar just off the island in the middle of the ocean that is only visible when the tide goes out. All along the sand bar boats are anchored and blaring music. This secret place is one long beach party all along the sand bar. It was so cool; music, drinks, games, people, dogs, and sunshine. Throughout the afternoon jet-skis would cruise by and boats would circle the sand bar looking for a place to “park” as people jumped into the water and made their way to the secret island. It’s so weird to think about this party spot disappearing when the tide comes in. This afternoon wasn’t all fun and games however. On our way to this special spot our boat got stuck on an under water sand bar that snuck up on us. Oh it was a sight to see; four girls in bikinis pushing a boat across a sand bar. Butts in the air, heels digging into the sand, muscles rippling while getting our tan on as we invented a new Strong Man Competition event, speed boat pushing across a sand bar. Truck pulling, keg tossing, and lifting stones that are over 200 pounds may be the usual strong man competition events that cause viewers to ooh and awe at the capabilities of the human body. But I guarantee watching us push a boat for 45 minutes was way more entertaining and a true test of muscular strength and endurance.
Sunday the girls and I went to Savannah, Georgia. This fun town is only an hour away from us and we’ve heard nothing but great things about it so we decided to make a day of it and make our way out there. We shopped, ate, and took pictures as we walked around the town and down by the river. Most of the shops are river front and cater towards tourists. We stopped for lunch at a bistro that was on the fourth floor of one of the river front buildings so we go to look out over the river as we ate. It was a gorgeous day and super duper hot! I discovered the coolest place EVER. It is called Wet Willies and it’s a bar that serves frozen mixed drinks. Doesn’t sound so cool? Just wait, here’s the kicker. You know what the slurpee machine looks like at 7 Eleven gas stations? Different flavors spinning around and around. Ok, so this whole bar has a gigantic slurpee machine full of frozen alcoholic drinks! I know, so cool. I posted a couple pictures for you so you can get the full effect. No blenders, no measuring out alcohol versus juice ratios. With a simple pull of the lever out comes a perfectly blended frosty mixed drink; so refreshing. Each station had a different drink and lever to pull; the drinks all had fun names such as call-a-cab, attitude adjustment, white Russian, shock treatment, Bahama mamma, monster melon, etc… Oh ya, and you might be curious as to what in the world we are wearing in the first photo here. We stopped at a vintage shop to see what special treasures we could find. And oh did we find some special treasures! haha, take a look at those dresses. Ooof! We had a blast playing dress up.
All in all it was a fabulous weekend. I am in love with it here. The weather is amazing, the experiences are unreal, and I definitely couldn’t have asked for better!
Love and miss you all.
Over the passed couple weeks I have watched a boy who is 19 years old and a man who is in his late 30s come from two different worlds and develop a father/son relationship with each other. They are both amazing individuals with energy through the roof and a childish sense of humor I can’t help but condone; laughing every time they do or say something totally silly and outrageous. They motivate each other and push one another in all of their fitness classes and also support each other to succeed nutritionally. I watched them walk away from one of the only desserts we’ve had on Friday night without even a second glance or a longing stare at those who were indulging. Not to mention, dessert here at the institute is the healthiest “dessert” one could ever consume. They are so proud of themselves, as they should be, about how far they have come and how much they have learned. I look forward to them attending my classes everyday and to hearing what crazy thing they are going to say next. A smile creeps its way across my face every time I listen to their excitement about their workout and/or what they learned in lecture that day. Whether it is about nutrition, exercise, or a personal issue they are so thrilled to share with you what they have learned and how they plan on applying it to their new healthy lifestyle. What they don’t know, is that I am learning just as much about myself from them as they are from me and the whole H3I staff. Their upbeat attitude and energized ways help motivate me to continue to be a positive influence in their lives.
This weekend was surreal. Friday evening the girls and I went to the “Bad Bamboo” bar down the street on the beach for a few beers and live music. We ended up making friends with a group of men on their “Man-Cation” (yes that’s what they referred to their vacation as) and had a blast getting to know them.
Saturday was boating day. The manager of the maintenance department at the institute took all of the fitness and culinary interns out on his boat for the day. We spent about two hours just cruising around the island looking at all of the MASIONS on the water. These homes are like nothing you would believe. Oh my word. I can’t believe people own these kinds of homes let alone have them as their second, third, or fourth homes. As we were boating dolphins were swimming around so occasionally we got to see fins here and there diving back into the ocean. The man we were with is a local so he knew of the “hot spot” to go if you have access to a boat or jet-ski. We arrived at a sand bar just off the island in the middle of the ocean that is only visible when the tide goes out. All along the sand bar boats are anchored and blaring music. This secret place is one long beach party all along the sand bar. It was so cool; music, drinks, games, people, dogs, and sunshine. Throughout the afternoon jet-skis would cruise by and boats would circle the sand bar looking for a place to “park” as people jumped into the water and made their way to the secret island. It’s so weird to think about this party spot disappearing when the tide comes in. This afternoon wasn’t all fun and games however. On our way to this special spot our boat got stuck on an under water sand bar that snuck up on us. Oh it was a sight to see; four girls in bikinis pushing a boat across a sand bar. Butts in the air, heels digging into the sand, muscles rippling while getting our tan on as we invented a new Strong Man Competition event, speed boat pushing across a sand bar. Truck pulling, keg tossing, and lifting stones that are over 200 pounds may be the usual strong man competition events that cause viewers to ooh and awe at the capabilities of the human body. But I guarantee watching us push a boat for 45 minutes was way more entertaining and a true test of muscular strength and endurance.
Sunday the girls and I went to Savannah, Georgia. This fun town is only an hour away from us and we’ve heard nothing but great things about it so we decided to make a day of it and make our way out there. We shopped, ate, and took pictures as we walked around the town and down by the river. Most of the shops are river front and cater towards tourists. We stopped for lunch at a bistro that was on the fourth floor of one of the river front buildings so we go to look out over the river as we ate. It was a gorgeous day and super duper hot! I discovered the coolest place EVER. It is called Wet Willies and it’s a bar that serves frozen mixed drinks. Doesn’t sound so cool? Just wait, here’s the kicker. You know what the slurpee machine looks like at 7 Eleven gas stations? Different flavors spinning around and around. Ok, so this whole bar has a gigantic slurpee machine full of frozen alcoholic drinks! I know, so cool. I posted a couple pictures for you so you can get the full effect. No blenders, no measuring out alcohol versus juice ratios. With a simple pull of the lever out comes a perfectly blended frosty mixed drink; so refreshing. Each station had a different drink and lever to pull; the drinks all had fun names such as call-a-cab, attitude adjustment, white Russian, shock treatment, Bahama mamma, monster melon, etc… Oh ya, and you might be curious as to what in the world we are wearing in the first photo here. We stopped at a vintage shop to see what special treasures we could find. And oh did we find some special treasures! haha, take a look at those dresses. Ooof! We had a blast playing dress up.
All in all it was a fabulous weekend. I am in love with it here. The weather is amazing, the experiences are unreal, and I definitely couldn’t have asked for better!
Love and miss you all.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Death By Jelly Blob
Hello all!
I haven’t had the chance to write in a few days but my parents and I had a blast spending time together here down south. I was sad to say goodbye but am so grateful for the time we had. Over the weekend we spent time at the beach and in the ocean where I experienced my first jelly blob attack. I was swimming under and over the waves, minding my own business, when out of nowhere this massive jelly blob leapt out of the water, teeth bearing, tentacles waving in the wind, bee lining for my face! Okay…not really. BUT it really did come out of nowhere and I hit it with my hand. I felt something squishy, screamed, and rode the next wave into shore.
One perk that comes with making friends with one of the security guards at one of the entrance gates is that I was provided with a guest pass for my parents. This way, they could come and go to the plantation as they please without having to convince whoever is working at the gate that they aren’t up to any funny business. Good thing too because my parents totally look like the type to cause mischief : - ) Anyway, the photos of us on our beach cruisers was from the morning we rode around the plantation and toured everywhere I work. We biked down to the beach I take the guests when I lead sunrise beach walk, out to the golf courses where the gators hang out, and to the institute where I teach classes, workout, eat, and where our offices are. I loved being able to show them everything so they can picture where I am when I tell them what I’m up to. They even got to meet one of my bosses and some of the guests that I have gotten to know pretty well. It was a very fun afternoon!
I also posted some fun photos of us on the beach and from our nightly walks to the plaza for ice cream. We took a lot of photos that I don’t have the space to post so here is the link to a website where my dad has posted all of the photos! You should check it out because it has some pictures of where I work. I still want to/need to walk around and take more photos of where I’m living and where I work but looking at the ones my dad took you will get the gist of it.
http://picasaweb.google.com/kwkirkwood/2010HiltonHeadVisitingLaura#5469068256903325378
It was a fabulous week and a true blessing to be able to share this experience with my parents. I’m sad that Billy wasn’t able to come check it out, but we were thinking of him wishing he was with us!
Love and miss you all,
More to come as the week continues!
I haven’t had the chance to write in a few days but my parents and I had a blast spending time together here down south. I was sad to say goodbye but am so grateful for the time we had. Over the weekend we spent time at the beach and in the ocean where I experienced my first jelly blob attack. I was swimming under and over the waves, minding my own business, when out of nowhere this massive jelly blob leapt out of the water, teeth bearing, tentacles waving in the wind, bee lining for my face! Okay…not really. BUT it really did come out of nowhere and I hit it with my hand. I felt something squishy, screamed, and rode the next wave into shore.
One perk that comes with making friends with one of the security guards at one of the entrance gates is that I was provided with a guest pass for my parents. This way, they could come and go to the plantation as they please without having to convince whoever is working at the gate that they aren’t up to any funny business. Good thing too because my parents totally look like the type to cause mischief : - ) Anyway, the photos of us on our beach cruisers was from the morning we rode around the plantation and toured everywhere I work. We biked down to the beach I take the guests when I lead sunrise beach walk, out to the golf courses where the gators hang out, and to the institute where I teach classes, workout, eat, and where our offices are. I loved being able to show them everything so they can picture where I am when I tell them what I’m up to. They even got to meet one of my bosses and some of the guests that I have gotten to know pretty well. It was a very fun afternoon!
I also posted some fun photos of us on the beach and from our nightly walks to the plaza for ice cream. We took a lot of photos that I don’t have the space to post so here is the link to a website where my dad has posted all of the photos! You should check it out because it has some pictures of where I work. I still want to/need to walk around and take more photos of where I’m living and where I work but looking at the ones my dad took you will get the gist of it.
http://picasaweb.google.com/kwkirkwood/2010HiltonHeadVisitingLaura#5469068256903325378
It was a fabulous week and a true blessing to be able to share this experience with my parents. I’m sad that Billy wasn’t able to come check it out, but we were thinking of him wishing he was with us!
Love and miss you all,
More to come as the week continues!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Firsts...
Hello all!
This week has been truly amazing. I cannot believe everything I have gotten to experience in just 3 weeks of being here. Everyday is a dream come true and I can’t wait to see what the next 3 months has in store for me. I got to start teaching more classes this week and I have to say that group fitness instructing is the best high there is. I can’t express the feeling I get inside every time I’m up in front of a group of people encouraging and motivating them to push themselves to their limits. Loud music, adrenaline, everybody hooping and hollering, and being thanked for a great class and a hard workout is the most rewarding experience. God has lead me here to find myself and to help people who need that extra push. The time I spend with guests on beach walks, between, during, and after classes are times I look forward to every day. Watching them transform into individuals who smile and are happy about exercising and being healthy is truly amazing. Most of the guests are so incredibly psyched to get home and teach their spouse and children healthy habits and use each other as a support system.
Another fabulous experience this week has been spending time with my parents and being able to share my time here with them. I love riding my bike down to the condo they are staying in when I’m off work and getting to spend time with them. We have taken walks on the beach, gone out to dinner, and have had drinks at the Tiki Hut as the sun sets over the ocean. Over the passed few weeks I have experienced a lot of “firsts;” each one different from the other but equally exciting and fun. This afternoon’s ‘first’ consisted of me going on a run on the beach and spotting my mamma sunning and reading a book. This may not sound that exciting to you, but I couldn’t help but smile that one, I was running along the beach in the scorching heat in the most beautiful place I have ever been to, and two, that I saw my parents on the very same beach I was running on clear across the country from where we’re from. On my run I also ran passed a couple getting married right on the water’s edge. There were only two bride’s maids, a groomsman who was filming the ceremony, the priest, and the couple. It was so simply beautiful.
Speaking of simply beautiful, on our beach walk this morning we saw another pod of dolphins. Again I didn’t have my camera but it seems like dolphin sightings might start becoming a regular event around here. They are such amazing creatures. After realizing some of the guests wanted to take their picture, the dolphins made their way closer to shore and starting playing. They splashed each other and were swimming over one another. It was very fun to watch : - )
There is so much more I want to share with “all ya’ll” (in case you didn’t know that’s plural for ya’ll) but that’s all I have time for. It’s 10:00pm and way passed my bed time. I love and miss you all. I wish you were hearing sharing this weather with me; I’ll try my best to send some sunshine and warmth your way.
Until next time…
This week has been truly amazing. I cannot believe everything I have gotten to experience in just 3 weeks of being here. Everyday is a dream come true and I can’t wait to see what the next 3 months has in store for me. I got to start teaching more classes this week and I have to say that group fitness instructing is the best high there is. I can’t express the feeling I get inside every time I’m up in front of a group of people encouraging and motivating them to push themselves to their limits. Loud music, adrenaline, everybody hooping and hollering, and being thanked for a great class and a hard workout is the most rewarding experience. God has lead me here to find myself and to help people who need that extra push. The time I spend with guests on beach walks, between, during, and after classes are times I look forward to every day. Watching them transform into individuals who smile and are happy about exercising and being healthy is truly amazing. Most of the guests are so incredibly psyched to get home and teach their spouse and children healthy habits and use each other as a support system.
Another fabulous experience this week has been spending time with my parents and being able to share my time here with them. I love riding my bike down to the condo they are staying in when I’m off work and getting to spend time with them. We have taken walks on the beach, gone out to dinner, and have had drinks at the Tiki Hut as the sun sets over the ocean. Over the passed few weeks I have experienced a lot of “firsts;” each one different from the other but equally exciting and fun. This afternoon’s ‘first’ consisted of me going on a run on the beach and spotting my mamma sunning and reading a book. This may not sound that exciting to you, but I couldn’t help but smile that one, I was running along the beach in the scorching heat in the most beautiful place I have ever been to, and two, that I saw my parents on the very same beach I was running on clear across the country from where we’re from. On my run I also ran passed a couple getting married right on the water’s edge. There were only two bride’s maids, a groomsman who was filming the ceremony, the priest, and the couple. It was so simply beautiful.
Speaking of simply beautiful, on our beach walk this morning we saw another pod of dolphins. Again I didn’t have my camera but it seems like dolphin sightings might start becoming a regular event around here. They are such amazing creatures. After realizing some of the guests wanted to take their picture, the dolphins made their way closer to shore and starting playing. They splashed each other and were swimming over one another. It was very fun to watch : - )
There is so much more I want to share with “all ya’ll” (in case you didn’t know that’s plural for ya’ll) but that’s all I have time for. It’s 10:00pm and way passed my bed time. I love and miss you all. I wish you were hearing sharing this weather with me; I’ll try my best to send some sunshine and warmth your way.
Until next time…
Sunday, May 2, 2010
The Oatmeal
Despite the research to back up that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I have never been much of a breakfast eater. Until college I hardly ever even ate breakfast. All through college and up until I came to Hilton Head Health the biggest breakfast I ever consumed was yogurt or a banana, and occasionally both. Another fun fact about myself is that I am not much of a morning person; not much of a morning person being a gargantuan understatement…just ask my mother. I have also been known for sleeping until the very last minute before I absolutely must get out of bed; even if that means no breakfast or grabbing something on the go such as a yogurt or banana. Mornings being difficult for me, what I am about to share with you all will shock and amaze you, are you ready for this? I eat a large breakfast every single morning 7 days a week here. *gasp!* That’s right, I said LARGE and BREAKFAST in ONE sentence. We’re talking oatmeal with raisins, fresh fruit with yogurt, and possibly a small, or medium, possibly large, bowl of Go Lean Crunch cereal with skim milk. Oh yeah and a smoothie and a small muffin, or two, when it’s smoothie and muffin morning here one day a week. Ok so now that we’ve gotten over the shock of learning about my breakfast habits, here is the real kicker. I set my alarm on Saturday AND Sunday mornings (our only 2 days off) to be up in time to make it to breakfast. That’s right, I said ALARM on Saturday and Sunday MORNINGS to make it time for a LARGE BREAKFAST! Even when we go out on Saturday nights and are up until about 3 or 4am you better believe we are in line for oatmeal first thing when we wake up. The oatmeal is what keeps us going. After dinner every evening, which is always delicious, we are already excited knowing that our next meal will be oatmeal just a few short hours away. I’m tellin’ ya, this oatmeal is like no other oatmeal you’ve ever had before.
The girls and I spent the weekend getting our tan on at the pool and beach. Saturday was pool day and today was spent diving under waves and laying on the warm sand. The ocean is as warm as bath water and is extremely refreshing to escape to when we get too hot. Half way through out strenuous afternoon we made our way to the Tiki Hut; a bar that is outdoors and the tables and chairs are in the sand. We people watched and enjoyed the live band that plays there daily as we sipped our daiquiris. The photos I posted are of the girls and I at the Tiki Hut. This was an amazing way to end the weekend before we attack the busy week ahead of us. Now that my orientation period is over, I start taking on more duties and responsibilities this week. I am very excited to continue teaching new classes and learning more and more each and every day. The staff here is extremely knowledgeable and I try my best to not take one second for granted. There is so much to be learned and I’m trying to be a sponge; continually soaking it all in. I thank God everyday for this opportunity, sometimes I still feel like I’m in a dream.
My parents are coming to town tomorrow and I am SO excited to see them! I can’t wait to show them around so they can picture where I am when I tell them about all of the different things I have been doing. To all my friends and family back home, I miss you very much. Love you.
More to come…
The girls and I spent the weekend getting our tan on at the pool and beach. Saturday was pool day and today was spent diving under waves and laying on the warm sand. The ocean is as warm as bath water and is extremely refreshing to escape to when we get too hot. Half way through out strenuous afternoon we made our way to the Tiki Hut; a bar that is outdoors and the tables and chairs are in the sand. We people watched and enjoyed the live band that plays there daily as we sipped our daiquiris. The photos I posted are of the girls and I at the Tiki Hut. This was an amazing way to end the weekend before we attack the busy week ahead of us. Now that my orientation period is over, I start taking on more duties and responsibilities this week. I am very excited to continue teaching new classes and learning more and more each and every day. The staff here is extremely knowledgeable and I try my best to not take one second for granted. There is so much to be learned and I’m trying to be a sponge; continually soaking it all in. I thank God everyday for this opportunity, sometimes I still feel like I’m in a dream.
My parents are coming to town tomorrow and I am SO excited to see them! I can’t wait to show them around so they can picture where I am when I tell them about all of the different things I have been doing. To all my friends and family back home, I miss you very much. Love you.
More to come…
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Losers!
Another week down and I can’t believe how fast it’s going already! This week on one of the sunrise beach walks I lead we saw a pod of dolphins. Just as the sun was rising over the ocean one of the guests pointed them out to us but they were pretty far out. Eventually a few of them decided to follow us down the beach. They came into shallower waters and seemed to be pretty curious what we were up to. It was amazing seeing first hand how playful they really are. Of course I didn’t have my camera with me, but hopefully I’ll get to see these magical creatures again!
Throughout the week I attended more lectures and got to teach a couple more classes. I find so much joy in pushing people during fitness classes and watching them work hard. Seeing them smile and laugh while exercising brings me a joy that I wasn’t expecting to feel inside. The energy in the room is an amazing adrenaline rush and I love being a part of it. The opportunities offered to the guests, and interns, here at Hilton Head Health are never ending. Everyday brings new situations to learn from and new people to get to know. Whether we are exercising throughout the plantation, or instructing by the pool edge, being able to teach classes outdoors and enjoy the heat and sunshine is a dream come true. Even when we are in the office working on projects, in a meeting, or running errands, this whole experience is by far the most positive way to start my career.
This week I met a woman from Redmond, Washington so I was finally able to tell someone where I’m really from rather than just saying Seattle. Just after week two, it amazes me how quickly bonds can be made between guests as well as between guests and interns/staff. We get to know each other so quickly and it’s a good feeling when guests tell you they are looking forward to attending your class or beach walk again.
No matter the time of day, rain or shine, it’s hot out and I love it! We go to the gym around 5am and the air is already warm enough for shorts and a t-shirt. After work and before dinner, around 5:30 we ride our bikes to the beach for a bit and the water is still warm. Even when it’s windy it is rarely ever cold. So far besides lack of sleep there is not one thing I could find to be ungrateful for.
You know you’re an adult when two of the guests, who we have come to know and enjoy, asked what we are up to on their last Friday night and our response was “I’ll be asleep by 8:30!” This may seem like an exaggeration but I kid you not, Brigid and I were passed out by 8:30 last night. On our walk back to our villa from dinner, those two men in their convertible zoomed passed us. While our plans were to catch up on sleep, they had a more eventful agenda. As they cruised toward their fun filled evening they called out “LOSERS!” It was a hilarious scene. We couldn’t stop laughing both at the silliness and reality of the situation. Even now as I’m typing I can’t help but chuckle. It was priceless. :-)
Everyday I think of you all. Being so busy helps keep me from feeling homesick. I appreciate everyone’s support and effort to keep in touch with me!
More to come…
Throughout the week I attended more lectures and got to teach a couple more classes. I find so much joy in pushing people during fitness classes and watching them work hard. Seeing them smile and laugh while exercising brings me a joy that I wasn’t expecting to feel inside. The energy in the room is an amazing adrenaline rush and I love being a part of it. The opportunities offered to the guests, and interns, here at Hilton Head Health are never ending. Everyday brings new situations to learn from and new people to get to know. Whether we are exercising throughout the plantation, or instructing by the pool edge, being able to teach classes outdoors and enjoy the heat and sunshine is a dream come true. Even when we are in the office working on projects, in a meeting, or running errands, this whole experience is by far the most positive way to start my career.
This week I met a woman from Redmond, Washington so I was finally able to tell someone where I’m really from rather than just saying Seattle. Just after week two, it amazes me how quickly bonds can be made between guests as well as between guests and interns/staff. We get to know each other so quickly and it’s a good feeling when guests tell you they are looking forward to attending your class or beach walk again.
No matter the time of day, rain or shine, it’s hot out and I love it! We go to the gym around 5am and the air is already warm enough for shorts and a t-shirt. After work and before dinner, around 5:30 we ride our bikes to the beach for a bit and the water is still warm. Even when it’s windy it is rarely ever cold. So far besides lack of sleep there is not one thing I could find to be ungrateful for.
You know you’re an adult when two of the guests, who we have come to know and enjoy, asked what we are up to on their last Friday night and our response was “I’ll be asleep by 8:30!” This may seem like an exaggeration but I kid you not, Brigid and I were passed out by 8:30 last night. On our walk back to our villa from dinner, those two men in their convertible zoomed passed us. While our plans were to catch up on sleep, they had a more eventful agenda. As they cruised toward their fun filled evening they called out “LOSERS!” It was a hilarious scene. We couldn’t stop laughing both at the silliness and reality of the situation. Even now as I’m typing I can’t help but chuckle. It was priceless. :-)
Everyday I think of you all. Being so busy helps keep me from feeling homesick. I appreciate everyone’s support and effort to keep in touch with me!
More to come…
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Directionally Challenged
So as most of you know, I am pretty much the most directionally challenged individual on the planet; yes the entire planet. Today I was sent on a mission to pick up a guest who unfortunately had to go to the emergency room this morning. He tore his Achilles tendon in a cardio kick boxing class and it was only he and his wife’s second day of their first visit to Hilton Head Island. Anyway, it is super easy to get to the emergency room and last week I drove there with my supervisor to make sure I knew how to get there, and I was indeed confident that I knew how to get there. Well this afternoon I was given a map from one of the ladies at the front desk and she highlighted the route for me to make it easier; it didn’t make it easier. I don’t know how many of you have ever been to Hilton Head Island but none, yes I mean none, of the street signs are in the MIDDLE of the traffic lights. They are ALL either to the FAR left or to the FAR right of the intersections or side roads. Even with my glasses or contacts in I seriously cannot read the signs until they are passing me or I just miss them altogether. So I was driving along, map in hand, and I noticed on the map a road that was supposed to be right before my turn off so at this point I knew I was in the right place. Well the road I was supposed to turn on never came up so I kept driving straight; passing roads on the map that I could see were clearly beyond my turn point. I knew that I was heading in the wrong direction so I turned around and started heading back the way I came. Only somehow I wasn’t on the road I had been driving on. Honestly I have no clue how that happened because I made a U-turn at the light I was turning around at. It amazes me how somehow I ended up on a different road, heading in an entirely different direction. But leave it to me to have this sort of super natural direction change phenomenon happen to.
Long story short I ended up going the wrong way at least 3 more times, over the same toll bridge 4 times (which was never supposed to be crossed in the first place) before I actually made it to the emergency room. I apologized profusely to the couple waiting for me and especially to the man who had already experienced enough pain and annoyance for one morning. Praise the Lord they were extremely nice, friendly, and understanding. I told the man I was so sorry that he got injured; his response was “thank you but it’s my fault for letting myself get to this point; being so out of shape that I get injured this easily.” I thought it was an amazing outlook on the situation. They asked how long I’d been on the island and when I told them a week and a half they laughed at me. They said that my total directional incompetence was no big deal because I was still getting used to the area. Also, I got them to the nearest pharmacy and back to the institute without getting lost… again… so I think I scored a few extra points.
Thank God the rest of the day went well. I lead sunrise beach walk and the afternoon beach walk so I was able to mingle with some of the new guests that arrived on Sunday. I have met some of the most amazing people with incredible stories. Learning about where they are from, what they do for a living, their families, etc…is truly fascinating. I continually remind myself every time I get one on one time with these individuals to not take the short time for granted. I taught an ULTRA circuit class today, and transported guests to their tennis lesson at the tennis pro club a mile down the road. Because only 3 guests signed up, I got to participate in the private lesson. It was a blast and it’s amazing how people can improve so much in one session when you make exercising fun.
The photo I posted with this entry is from a hip hop dancing class the girls and I took last week. The move you see us so gracefully performing is called the “Little Miss Sunshine.” This move is complicated and takes serious skill. Ask me to show you the full movement sometime and I will be delighted to :-) The movie Little Miss Sunshine really wasn’t that good, but if you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend you watch the very last scene where the little girl performs her final dance. This move is a classic and everyone must know how to do it. It’s a quality move that guarantees laughter and/or some serious awkward stares in your direction. I know this because Brigid and I went out to the bars here on Saturday night and took it upon ourselves to share this move with the public of Hilton Head Island. We did indeed provide laughter and plenty of awkward stares.
I love and miss you all.
More to come…
Long story short I ended up going the wrong way at least 3 more times, over the same toll bridge 4 times (which was never supposed to be crossed in the first place) before I actually made it to the emergency room. I apologized profusely to the couple waiting for me and especially to the man who had already experienced enough pain and annoyance for one morning. Praise the Lord they were extremely nice, friendly, and understanding. I told the man I was so sorry that he got injured; his response was “thank you but it’s my fault for letting myself get to this point; being so out of shape that I get injured this easily.” I thought it was an amazing outlook on the situation. They asked how long I’d been on the island and when I told them a week and a half they laughed at me. They said that my total directional incompetence was no big deal because I was still getting used to the area. Also, I got them to the nearest pharmacy and back to the institute without getting lost… again… so I think I scored a few extra points.
Thank God the rest of the day went well. I lead sunrise beach walk and the afternoon beach walk so I was able to mingle with some of the new guests that arrived on Sunday. I have met some of the most amazing people with incredible stories. Learning about where they are from, what they do for a living, their families, etc…is truly fascinating. I continually remind myself every time I get one on one time with these individuals to not take the short time for granted. I taught an ULTRA circuit class today, and transported guests to their tennis lesson at the tennis pro club a mile down the road. Because only 3 guests signed up, I got to participate in the private lesson. It was a blast and it’s amazing how people can improve so much in one session when you make exercising fun.
The photo I posted with this entry is from a hip hop dancing class the girls and I took last week. The move you see us so gracefully performing is called the “Little Miss Sunshine.” This move is complicated and takes serious skill. Ask me to show you the full movement sometime and I will be delighted to :-) The movie Little Miss Sunshine really wasn’t that good, but if you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend you watch the very last scene where the little girl performs her final dance. This move is a classic and everyone must know how to do it. It’s a quality move that guarantees laughter and/or some serious awkward stares in your direction. I know this because Brigid and I went out to the bars here on Saturday night and took it upon ourselves to share this move with the public of Hilton Head Island. We did indeed provide laughter and plenty of awkward stares.
I love and miss you all.
More to come…
Friday, April 23, 2010
Dessert at last
My first full week has come to an end and I am exhausted. Praise the Lord we get weekends off even though we still have to make it to breakfast by 8am. The days are long but they go by quickly; this week flew by. As the work piles on each week it looks like the days and weeks will only go by faster and faster.
I taught my first Hydro Circuit class on Thursday afternoon. Cones are placed around the edge of the pool with signs on them with a different exercise at each cone. Everyone picks a station to start at and when the music gets started each station lasts 2 min before it is time to switch. The class is long enough to go through each station once at 2 min each and then again at 1 min each. All I had to do was explain how to perform the exercise at each station, turn the music on, and cue them when to switch. It was a gorgeous day so it was fun dancing around the pool edge cheering everybody on. I love watching each guest sing along to the music and working hard. At the end of class I lead them in some stretches and that was about it. It’s pretty much the easiest class to teach; hence the interns being in charge of instructing it.
Every meal here is made by a professional chef and is healthy and delicious. Each meal is portioned and the calories and grams of fat are calculated; even all of the snacks have signs next to them with how many calories and grams of fat it contains. Friday night dinners however are “gourmet dinners” so this evening because it was so nice out we had our gourmet dinner out in the courtyard. The meal is still healthy and there are still calorie and grams of fat signs placed next to each food item but it is buffet style. This way we are allowed to go back for more if we wish; instead of having our dinner given to us portioned out on a plate. We even got dessert (3 flavors of gelato)! The guests went nuts because there is no junk food, dessert, convenience foods, etc… on the grounds. If the guests want to adhere to the program they are not allowed to go out on their own and consume any liquid or food item that is not provided by the institute.
Anyway, tonight was a Hawaiian theme so many of the guests showed up with flowers in their hair, Hawaiian clothing, leis, etc… A few of the men were wearing coconut style bras over their t-shirts except instead of coconuts they were a bunch of flowers pasted on a cup. The men that wore them are some of our favorite guests. We are told not to pick favorites but how can you not? These men have the greatest sense of humors and are great conversationalists. Some of them are doctors, lawyers, businessmen, and are extremely smart. Interns are to sit at their own table away from the guests and we are served after all of the guests are served. Usually by the time we are finished with our meals the guests have gone but because we were outside this evening many guests remained in the courtyard enjoying the comfortable warmth of the evening shade. This gave us a chance to sit and chat with some of the group that we have bonded with over the last week. I have to admit I haven’t laughed as hard as I did this evening in some time. There were so many jokes and wise cracks about the flower man-bras we couldn’t contain ourselves. One man couldn’t get his untied in the back so he ended up shimmying it down around his ankles and stepping out of it like you would a pair of jeans. Oh the jokes that followed his clear lack of skill of knowing how to take off a bra. All ages, cultures, and walks of life sat around one table laughing, joking, and enjoying each others company.
A phenomenal way to end the week; laughter and gelato!
I taught my first Hydro Circuit class on Thursday afternoon. Cones are placed around the edge of the pool with signs on them with a different exercise at each cone. Everyone picks a station to start at and when the music gets started each station lasts 2 min before it is time to switch. The class is long enough to go through each station once at 2 min each and then again at 1 min each. All I had to do was explain how to perform the exercise at each station, turn the music on, and cue them when to switch. It was a gorgeous day so it was fun dancing around the pool edge cheering everybody on. I love watching each guest sing along to the music and working hard. At the end of class I lead them in some stretches and that was about it. It’s pretty much the easiest class to teach; hence the interns being in charge of instructing it.
Every meal here is made by a professional chef and is healthy and delicious. Each meal is portioned and the calories and grams of fat are calculated; even all of the snacks have signs next to them with how many calories and grams of fat it contains. Friday night dinners however are “gourmet dinners” so this evening because it was so nice out we had our gourmet dinner out in the courtyard. The meal is still healthy and there are still calorie and grams of fat signs placed next to each food item but it is buffet style. This way we are allowed to go back for more if we wish; instead of having our dinner given to us portioned out on a plate. We even got dessert (3 flavors of gelato)! The guests went nuts because there is no junk food, dessert, convenience foods, etc… on the grounds. If the guests want to adhere to the program they are not allowed to go out on their own and consume any liquid or food item that is not provided by the institute.
Anyway, tonight was a Hawaiian theme so many of the guests showed up with flowers in their hair, Hawaiian clothing, leis, etc… A few of the men were wearing coconut style bras over their t-shirts except instead of coconuts they were a bunch of flowers pasted on a cup. The men that wore them are some of our favorite guests. We are told not to pick favorites but how can you not? These men have the greatest sense of humors and are great conversationalists. Some of them are doctors, lawyers, businessmen, and are extremely smart. Interns are to sit at their own table away from the guests and we are served after all of the guests are served. Usually by the time we are finished with our meals the guests have gone but because we were outside this evening many guests remained in the courtyard enjoying the comfortable warmth of the evening shade. This gave us a chance to sit and chat with some of the group that we have bonded with over the last week. I have to admit I haven’t laughed as hard as I did this evening in some time. There were so many jokes and wise cracks about the flower man-bras we couldn’t contain ourselves. One man couldn’t get his untied in the back so he ended up shimmying it down around his ankles and stepping out of it like you would a pair of jeans. Oh the jokes that followed his clear lack of skill of knowing how to take off a bra. All ages, cultures, and walks of life sat around one table laughing, joking, and enjoying each others company.
A phenomenal way to end the week; laughter and gelato!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Pale Faces (aka ME)
To my fellow Washington pale-faces: (ya that’s right I’m using a term from Twilight)
Multiple times I have been approached by guests either on a beach walk or during a fitness class and have been told that “darlin’ now you have very pale and fare skin.” I want to fire back “yeah lady like I didn’t know I’m pasty but thank you for pointing it out.” But I politely smile and say “yes, well I am from Seattle, Washington where we get sun about 3 days out of the year.” This makes them laugh and respond “oh yes, well if you’re from Washington that explains it. And doesn’t it rain a lot up there so far north?” Yes, yes it does.
On that note, I am loving the sunshine down here. It did rain last night for the first time since I’ve been here (a whole 5 days) but during the days it’s been sunny and hot! We spend about half the day inside and half outside doing different activities always remaining active.
I have gotten to participate in numerous fitness classes including Zumba, belly dancing, water fitness, resistance band training, cardio kick boxing, cardio tennis, Pilates, and many more. Some of these classes are super easy for me in terms of a cardio workout but I continually remind myself that this time is not for me. I’ve already witnessed guests enjoying exercising now more than they ever have in their lives. Watching them smile and having a blast while being physically active is a spectacular experience. Two men joined a fitness studio full of women in a Zumba class this afternoon and were just having a great time. We couldn’t stop laughing while we all tripped over ourselves trying to keep up with our Latina instructor who had a noodle for a body.
Every single individual here has a story. A story of why they are here and like everyone else, experiences that have molded them into the person they are today. I’ve met people from all over the country/world who have shared amazing information with me and the other interns. They look up to us for support and guidance; I can’t express enough the satisfaction I feel when I have pushed them just a little further during an exercise and get to see the excitement on their faces that they accomplished something new. An enthusiastic high-five and a statement like “you did great! Nice hustle!” goes a long way with some of the guests here. You can tell that you made a difference in their day and maybe in their journey to living a stronger and healthier life.
Interns are in charge of leading SUNRISE and afternoon beach walks. That’s right. Not only am I up before sunrise, but I’m dressed, beautified, and have driven to the beach BEFORE the sun as come up. I have posted some photos from the sunrise beach walk myself and the other interns lead yesterday morning. Watching the sun rise over the ocean is truly spectacular. The girls who have already been here for their 4 months and are leaving this weekend say that the beauty still takes their breath away. Also, down here they don’t call jellyfish, jellyfish. They are better known as jelly-blobs. So I have posted a photo of a jelly-blob as well. Jelly-blobs are conveniently located all over the hard sand like land mines; blobbed everywhere.
That’s all for now, I must try to get some sleep before another long day tomorrow. I love and miss you all.
More to come…
Multiple times I have been approached by guests either on a beach walk or during a fitness class and have been told that “darlin’ now you have very pale and fare skin.” I want to fire back “yeah lady like I didn’t know I’m pasty but thank you for pointing it out.” But I politely smile and say “yes, well I am from Seattle, Washington where we get sun about 3 days out of the year.” This makes them laugh and respond “oh yes, well if you’re from Washington that explains it. And doesn’t it rain a lot up there so far north?” Yes, yes it does.
On that note, I am loving the sunshine down here. It did rain last night for the first time since I’ve been here (a whole 5 days) but during the days it’s been sunny and hot! We spend about half the day inside and half outside doing different activities always remaining active.
I have gotten to participate in numerous fitness classes including Zumba, belly dancing, water fitness, resistance band training, cardio kick boxing, cardio tennis, Pilates, and many more. Some of these classes are super easy for me in terms of a cardio workout but I continually remind myself that this time is not for me. I’ve already witnessed guests enjoying exercising now more than they ever have in their lives. Watching them smile and having a blast while being physically active is a spectacular experience. Two men joined a fitness studio full of women in a Zumba class this afternoon and were just having a great time. We couldn’t stop laughing while we all tripped over ourselves trying to keep up with our Latina instructor who had a noodle for a body.
Every single individual here has a story. A story of why they are here and like everyone else, experiences that have molded them into the person they are today. I’ve met people from all over the country/world who have shared amazing information with me and the other interns. They look up to us for support and guidance; I can’t express enough the satisfaction I feel when I have pushed them just a little further during an exercise and get to see the excitement on their faces that they accomplished something new. An enthusiastic high-five and a statement like “you did great! Nice hustle!” goes a long way with some of the guests here. You can tell that you made a difference in their day and maybe in their journey to living a stronger and healthier life.
Interns are in charge of leading SUNRISE and afternoon beach walks. That’s right. Not only am I up before sunrise, but I’m dressed, beautified, and have driven to the beach BEFORE the sun as come up. I have posted some photos from the sunrise beach walk myself and the other interns lead yesterday morning. Watching the sun rise over the ocean is truly spectacular. The girls who have already been here for their 4 months and are leaving this weekend say that the beauty still takes their breath away. Also, down here they don’t call jellyfish, jellyfish. They are better known as jelly-blobs. So I have posted a photo of a jelly-blob as well. Jelly-blobs are conveniently located all over the hard sand like land mines; blobbed everywhere.
That’s all for now, I must try to get some sleep before another long day tomorrow. I love and miss you all.
More to come…
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Sunday Outing
This morning after breakfast we biked along the beach to a place called South Beach. All along the beach there were beautiful homes that I will have to take pictures of some other time. It astounds me that these mansions with beach front property and personal pools are some people's summer and vacation homes; that most of the year these houses are vacant.
It was truly amazing biking down the beach as the waves were crashing near us and the sun beaming down. We biked about 5 miles on the beach and about 2 on the bike trails until we got to South Beach. At South Beach there were a bunch of different shops and restaurants along a boardwalk and we got our picture taken in front of the famous Hilton Head Island 'Salty Dog Cafe.'
There were wild Macaw Parrots perched on their swings outside a couple of the shops; I posted a photo of them for you all to see :) Their feathers were vibrant blend of reds, blues, and yellows. Down the boardwalk there were jet-skis you could rent and boats/yachts everywhere.
On our way back we stopped at a golf course where this year's Herritage Tournament was going on. We happened to ride up to hole #12 where Brian Gay (last year's Herritage winner) was just walking up to after hitting the ball onto the green. He was about 5ft away from us and we could hear him and his caddy discussing his next putt. I got a couple photos of him but we weren't allowed to have our cameras out so my 'being sneaky taking pictures' didn't turn out that well; I just got him walking to the next hole.
The girls went to the pool when we got back to our villa but I had to get ready to go to guest orientation. I was finally introduced to my supervisor and got a tour of the main building where the gym, fitness studios, lecture rooms, and dining areas are. The outdoor pool is kept at 82 degrees and is right outside the main building.
Tomorrow my first week of the internship begins. Wish me luck! Thank you so much to those who have helped calm my nerves and prayed for me. I have needed your support and appreciate it more than I can express. The girls who are about to finish the internship said they put in about 40-60 hours a week so I will be exhausted by the time next weekend rolls around.
I love and miss you all.
More to come....
It was truly amazing biking down the beach as the waves were crashing near us and the sun beaming down. We biked about 5 miles on the beach and about 2 on the bike trails until we got to South Beach. At South Beach there were a bunch of different shops and restaurants along a boardwalk and we got our picture taken in front of the famous Hilton Head Island 'Salty Dog Cafe.'
There were wild Macaw Parrots perched on their swings outside a couple of the shops; I posted a photo of them for you all to see :) Their feathers were vibrant blend of reds, blues, and yellows. Down the boardwalk there were jet-skis you could rent and boats/yachts everywhere.
On our way back we stopped at a golf course where this year's Herritage Tournament was going on. We happened to ride up to hole #12 where Brian Gay (last year's Herritage winner) was just walking up to after hitting the ball onto the green. He was about 5ft away from us and we could hear him and his caddy discussing his next putt. I got a couple photos of him but we weren't allowed to have our cameras out so my 'being sneaky taking pictures' didn't turn out that well; I just got him walking to the next hole.
The girls went to the pool when we got back to our villa but I had to get ready to go to guest orientation. I was finally introduced to my supervisor and got a tour of the main building where the gym, fitness studios, lecture rooms, and dining areas are. The outdoor pool is kept at 82 degrees and is right outside the main building.
Tomorrow my first week of the internship begins. Wish me luck! Thank you so much to those who have helped calm my nerves and prayed for me. I have needed your support and appreciate it more than I can express. The girls who are about to finish the internship said they put in about 40-60 hours a week so I will be exhausted by the time next weekend rolls around.
I love and miss you all.
More to come....
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Arriving at Hilton Head Health
1.) Flying red eye is super annoying and exhausting. I left Seattle at 11:15pm Friday April 16th and arrived at Hilton Head Island at 12:30pm Saturday April 17th.
2.) It's sunny AND hot here in SC and I LOVE it!
3.) The taxi dropped me off at the resort around 1pm. The very first sign I see opon arrival reads "for your safety, please do not feed the ALIGATORS!" These signs are posted all around the resort by all the water banks.
There was some miscommunication between my supervisor and the front desk so the people working didn't know I was arriving this afternoon. Luckily, 3 of the interns that are already here walked around the corner on their way to the beach. The lady at the front desk said that it was ok if I checked in tomorrow and let me go with the girls. Soooo... I dumped my stuff at our villa (4 of us to a villa) and went to the beach. The beach is only about a 5 minute bike ride from our villa so we went along the bike trails until we got to the beach. I can't even describe how beautiful it is here. The beach was packed with families and college aged kids all playing soccer and volleyball and blasting music. We stayed there for a few hours just talking and getting to know each other. On our way back we biked around a lot of the trails to see more of the resort and there are aligators literally everywhere just chillin' by the water. They walk along the golf course and let you take their picture. We got off our bikes and walked a little closer (but not too close) to take pictures. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me but I will next time and I'll post some photos! For those of you that know what the deer are like on Bainbridge Island, the aligators are like that here at the resort. Crazy. There are also turtles in the creeks and they sit along the banks. When you walk close to the water a ton of them (about 15) at a time will swim toward you hoping you will feed them.
Eventually I unpacked and got as settled as I could before we went to dinner. After all of the guests are served the interns walk back in to the kitchen where the culinary interns serve up our plates. Then we go back out into the dining area but sit seperately than the guests. When we are finished eating we walk back into the kitchen and rinse our dishes.
Two of the girls only have a week left so they are taking myself and the other newest intern out tonight to one of their favorite bars. I'll have to report on the night life later :)
Anywayyyyy... that's all for now....
More to come...
2.) It's sunny AND hot here in SC and I LOVE it!
3.) The taxi dropped me off at the resort around 1pm. The very first sign I see opon arrival reads "for your safety, please do not feed the ALIGATORS!" These signs are posted all around the resort by all the water banks.
There was some miscommunication between my supervisor and the front desk so the people working didn't know I was arriving this afternoon. Luckily, 3 of the interns that are already here walked around the corner on their way to the beach. The lady at the front desk said that it was ok if I checked in tomorrow and let me go with the girls. Soooo... I dumped my stuff at our villa (4 of us to a villa) and went to the beach. The beach is only about a 5 minute bike ride from our villa so we went along the bike trails until we got to the beach. I can't even describe how beautiful it is here. The beach was packed with families and college aged kids all playing soccer and volleyball and blasting music. We stayed there for a few hours just talking and getting to know each other. On our way back we biked around a lot of the trails to see more of the resort and there are aligators literally everywhere just chillin' by the water. They walk along the golf course and let you take their picture. We got off our bikes and walked a little closer (but not too close) to take pictures. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me but I will next time and I'll post some photos! For those of you that know what the deer are like on Bainbridge Island, the aligators are like that here at the resort. Crazy. There are also turtles in the creeks and they sit along the banks. When you walk close to the water a ton of them (about 15) at a time will swim toward you hoping you will feed them.
Eventually I unpacked and got as settled as I could before we went to dinner. After all of the guests are served the interns walk back in to the kitchen where the culinary interns serve up our plates. Then we go back out into the dining area but sit seperately than the guests. When we are finished eating we walk back into the kitchen and rinse our dishes.
Two of the girls only have a week left so they are taking myself and the other newest intern out tonight to one of their favorite bars. I'll have to report on the night life later :)
Anywayyyyy... that's all for now....
More to come...
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Night Before Departure
Hello everybody,
I am new to blogging but decided that it will be the easiest way to keep all my friends and family updated on my new adventure. Tomorrow, April 16th, is the big day. The day that will take me to my new temporary home, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Those of you that know me well know that flying is not exactly my favorite way to travel so a red eye with two lay-overs is stressing me out just a little bit. Not to mention I still haven't started packing for this 4 month outing...
Anyway here is the link to Hilton Head Health Institute where I will be interning for the next 4 months http://www.hhhealth.com/. I am going to try my best to keep up with this blog so everyone will know what I'll be up to but feel free to check out their website to see what this nationally ranked health resort is all about.
My excitement is out weighing the nerves but I can't help but feel uneasy about what my future holds. I shot for the stars when I applied for this internship and I wasn't entirely sure I was going to even land an interview. Anyway, I was fortunate enough to be offered one of three spots as a fitness intern and I am about to experience the adventure I was hoping for. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I can't wait to get started!
Thank you to all of you who have supported me and encouraged me from the beginning of the application process all the way until the pep talks over the last couple of days before my departure. I love you all dearly.
That's all for now...
More to come...
I am new to blogging but decided that it will be the easiest way to keep all my friends and family updated on my new adventure. Tomorrow, April 16th, is the big day. The day that will take me to my new temporary home, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Those of you that know me well know that flying is not exactly my favorite way to travel so a red eye with two lay-overs is stressing me out just a little bit. Not to mention I still haven't started packing for this 4 month outing...
Anyway here is the link to Hilton Head Health Institute where I will be interning for the next 4 months http://www.hhhealth.com/. I am going to try my best to keep up with this blog so everyone will know what I'll be up to but feel free to check out their website to see what this nationally ranked health resort is all about.
My excitement is out weighing the nerves but I can't help but feel uneasy about what my future holds. I shot for the stars when I applied for this internship and I wasn't entirely sure I was going to even land an interview. Anyway, I was fortunate enough to be offered one of three spots as a fitness intern and I am about to experience the adventure I was hoping for. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I can't wait to get started!
Thank you to all of you who have supported me and encouraged me from the beginning of the application process all the way until the pep talks over the last couple of days before my departure. I love you all dearly.
That's all for now...
More to come...
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