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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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…

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…

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…