Week # 9 - Statesboro, Georgia

      This week has flown by extremely fast but  at the same time  has been a really long, tiring week emotionally and physically. We had a long travel day on Monday( about 9 hours on the bus) and saying goodbye to our “Super Family” was not easy. We were all tearing up and my younger host siblings and host dad were full out crying! It had been a week full of fun, and thus it was hard to leave. Alas, we had Statesboro Georgia waiting for us just across the border so we had to leave sunny Florida and keep moving. I had been in  Florida for 2 months so it felt odd to say goodbye but the memories will no doubt be with me forever! So we loaded the buses and said goodbye! I had a number of bus dates and a bit of an off day, but after talking to the people around me and working through it, I was ready for the week!

            When we arrived in Statesboro Georgia, we were greeted by some delightful children whom I had the pleasure of teaching a World Dance Class to later in the week. There was also an “Elvis Presley” who sang for us and I was not sure if it was creepy or amazing! Haha. My new roommate was Jessica (she is 18, from Mexico and a second semester student). When we found our host family a sweet little 5-year-old girl and her mother greeted us. Instantly I knew it would be a good week. Her name was Nastalia and she loved us right away. She was eager to show us the house and I snuggled and read her a bedtime story on the first night. Supposedly she had never met a stranger before and had been waiting for weeks for us to get there. Our host parents Michelle and Daniel were wonderful too! They took great care of us and we had awesome conversations and delicious meals and an incredible host family day. I will most definitely miss them. On our host family day (Sunday) we went to Savannah Georgia and walked on Riverstreet by the river and walked through the gorgeous shaded squares and ran into many other Uppies of course. It is hard to avoid when there are so many of you. It was so relaxing and exactly what we needed after our super long week. I was feeling a little under the weather for the first time on the tour so a good morning of sleep and a walk in the sunshine with the family was perfect. We had our last dinner together and shared stories while laughing and soaking up our last moments. Nastalia realized we were leaving very soon and she got pretty upset. Departure could get emotional, after such a great week. So grateful for yet another fantastic host family.

             During UWP this week we had a very intense and busy schedule. On Tuesday we had a private show for the students at Georgia Southern College. We set up the whole stage, performed and then took it down all in one day. On Wednesday we had an internal day where I had FSC Study Abroad and also a Global Series where we learned all about Bully Awareness. It was a very emotionally charged workshop and then  we headed into a Cultural Fair for the college students. I taught in the World Dance Class. We had 3 sections, Mexico, Japan and Africa (me). It was a lot of fun. On Thursday we had a CI day and I went to an elementary school and taught 5 World Dance Classes. Very fun, but exhausting. Then on Friday and Saturday we had show days with a lot of rehearsal in between. By the time it got to strike on Saturday night I was going down hill fast and I hit a bit of a wall, but a good amount of sleep cured me. I woke up fresh today and am ready to take on our last city in the USA before I leave to Europe and then Mexico and then Cuba. My  immediate family, some relatives from Alaska and friends( Reese Westerhoff, Betsy and Aidan Farrell) are coming to see the show and visit me in Atlanta so I am very excited for that before I leave the country. I could use an adjustment and some family energy!

            Lastly I decided to finally purchase a Life Is Good shirt for one reason. I have always wanted one, but for some reason could never bring myself to spend money on one. But recently I have been using the phrase “Life Is Good” a lot lately and I finally felt justified to buy one because I truly feel like that phrase has perfect meaning to me right now. It is the best way to describe how I feel about my life right now. Simply put, but also so perfect. My shirt says “Life is Good, Enjoy the Ride” and that is exactly how I feel.

            Cheers to one more week in the USA – then off I go! Here we come Atlanta!