Week #1 Lakeland Florida

Alright, well my first week in the Up with People (UWP) study abroad educational program was beyond fabulous. Now I could stop there, but I won’t, because there are just so many good things to say. So, from where we left off I had arrived in Florida and was settled in to a wonderful host family. After we arrived we got to start our time off with two host family days, which meant we nothing scheduled, besides spending time with and getting to know our host families. It did not take long for my roommates and I to get to know our host parents. Their names are Kevin and Maureen Browne and they have 3 kids who are all grown up and not at home anymore. Their home is absolutely gorgeous as you can see in the photos, equipped with a swimming pool, gorgeous lakefront view and so much good food and great company! Kevin is well known in the community as Dr. Browne as he is an incredibly accomplished cardiologist. It kind of reminds me of my father in a way because he cannot go anywhere in Lakeland without knowing somebody! They are both very social and so we have had many guests in the short week we have been here. Around the table we have wonderful conversations full of laughter and interesting stories and le me tell you, they are wise as can be. I have learned so much from them in the last week I cannot even begin to explain. They live just a quarter of a mile from the campus so we walk to and from there each day, which wonderful because the whether has been supreme here in Florida, especially for January!

Now as far as the UWP side of things, I am a part of the study abroad group (SA). There are only 10 of us students that choose to take the Florida Southern College (FSC) credit part of the UWP program. We are just 10 out of 100 students that will be traveling. So, how it works is that the study abroad students arrive a week ahead of everyone else so that we can meet with a professors everyday and get a big jumpstart on the courses, because then we leave to tour and we will only skype every other week. So all week we got to know each other very well and we also got to meet the 30 staff members that were there early preparing for the rest of the students to arrive. The week went surprisingly fast and soon it was Friday – ARRIVAL DAY! YAY! On Friday morning our group of 10 SA students did our first community impact (CI) day at the Lighthouse Ministries. It is an organization that serves as a homeless shelter and a sort of religious rehab for women and their children and now men as well. It was very cool to learn how it all works.

Although we were focused we could not wait to return to campus and get all dressed up so we could greet all the arriving students! It was like Christmas morning, where you are trying to focus but you are just to darn excited to open your presents! We were just beyond excited to meet all of our new friends! So the moment finally came when it was announced that the first shuttle was about to arrive! We all rushed outside to welcome them and from that moment I was in heaven. I began to meet so many amazing people and friendships have already begun to form. The room was so full of passion and enthusiasm and laughter and I could just feel the energy in the air and everyone’s excitement about the journey that we are about to embark on! I felt like I was floating on a cloud that night after we left to go home. I felt so extremely blessed to be a part of such an amazing program and I cannot wait to see how it impacts my life and changes me for the better!

            The rest of weekend continued, lots of rest and beautiful weather. It was a rare thing to have so much time to relax, but all that ends tomorrow morning when we start the four intense weeks of staging and orientation! The word “rest” or “free time” no longer exists in an UWP person’s brain or life! Here we go on an adventure of a lifetime! Sunday we went to lunch at Mirror Lake and walked through some beautiful gardens as well and then in the evening we had the Opening Session for UWP where all the host families and UWP students gather to be welcomed to Lakeland Staging and Orientation and for all the students to be welcomed as Up with People Cast A 2013! The ceremony, as I like to call it, was very moving and almost brought me to tears many times. Again I was awe struck by what an amazing opportunity I am getting and that I get to be a part of such an international and well-loved organization. Then the evening ended with a lovely dinner with our host family, delicious food and once again lively conversations, plus many smiles and much laughter to go around!

Enjoy the pictures! And it may be a week before I post again, because I don’t think I will have many spare moments this week! Until next time… love to all!