GO BLUE!

Since last time I updated, I have been to two football games in the Big House and let me tell you, it is BIG. It is so big that the field looks small, and well unless you follow the ball from the very beginning of the play (and even then it's hard) good luck trying to find it. The Friday before last weekend, aka the Friday before my first game, Kate and I drove by the local high school while out and about and there were campers and RV's camped out and ready to tailgate and cheer on Michigan. It felt like it was out of the movies. These people travel from all over the state, park their RV's at the local high school (only a few blocks from the stadium) or wherever for that matter, families in tow to participate in the legacy of Michigan football. Walking to the game there are hundreds of people and people of all ages, the young the old alike wearing their maize and blue and more than likely drinking beer and screaming "GO BLUE." Once you actually make it into the stadium it is like you are in a whole other world. At my first game there were 110,187 people in attendance. That is nearly the size of Ventura. Wow. The student section stands the whole game throwing people in the air periodically and cheering at the top of their lungs. To experience it has been a pleasure.

Courtney (one of my roommates) and I before the game.

An another note, fall is coming! The leaves are starting to change colors and I am loving it. It is seriously so pretty and other than the mess the leaves falling everywhere leave it is beautiful.

Kate took this picture while we were driving and from my phone so it isn't the best but it is what a lot of the trees look like right now. Every once in a while I will pass a tree that is completely red or orange and it is kind of breath taking. I think I am going to like this season!

When I ended my internship last year I never could have imagined how much I would miss doing social work. For some people seeing the awful and unjust things that are common in the field leave them feeling defeated and sad. What I have realized after taking a break this summer and now being back in it for the past two weeks is that it makes me feel alive in a way that I'm unsure words could explain. On my first day I attended a case consultation and though the cases that were presented were frustrating, hard, and even tear jerking I could feel a part of me waking up. A part of me that had gone into hibernation over summer and a part of me I didn't realize I had missed as much as I had. It is easy in my everyday life to forget about what else is out there and while the things that remind me are hard to both see and hear I am happy to be reminded.

Suttons Bay Weekend

This past weekend felt like the perfect way to end the summer. In California it seems we measure our summer months by when school ends and when school begins. In Michigan summer seems to end when the 90 degree days suddenly turn into 60 degree days. This past weekend really felt like the end of summer as Kate's (my roommate) parents started pulling the boats and dock out of the water for the winter, and we started digging through the coat closet to pull out what would be needed for the months to come.

On Friday, Kate and I stocked up on road trip snacks and began the four hour journey that would lead to a weekend filled with new experiences! Before we left Kate had told me that her dad wanted to take us fishing. I have never been fishing, that I can remember, and I was excited to try it. When we got up there we packed up a cooler and set out to do some "trolling." Both of her parents seemed pretty sure that we would not be catching any fish. Maybe it was beginners luck but I caught a 18 pound Salmon! It was both exciting and way more challenging than I had through. I still have a bruise on my stomach from where the pole rested.

Kate's dad telling me what to do!

I have to admit I got a case of the giggles

After we caught him we tied him to the side of the boat and I was starting to feel bad for him, who actually ended up being a her. Her mouth was moving and the poor thing took forever to die.

Kate and I after the successful catch!

There she is!

Trying to hold this thing was the hardest thing ever! It was slimy and very very heavy!

So we ended up smoking the salmon but this is before that whole process. There was so much!

On Saturday it rained the whole day so we explored the town a little bit in the morning and then watched the football game (GO BLUE!) and relaxed. That night we went to a restaurant where I tried smelt fish for the first time. Good thing it was fried because apparently when eating smelt you eat the whole fish minus the head aka tail and all ewww, but I had to try it!

Sunday was a little windy but a beautiful day so I was able to take some pictures. So here is where I spent my weekend and will be spending my Thanksgiving!

This is from the stairs right across the road from Kate's house.

And this is zoomed in a little bit but is taken from Kate's deck. The water is unbelievable! The teal water is really shallow and goes out for quite a while. Then, the point that is dark blue is the drop off point. I can't wait to swim here next summer!

Heading North

I am almost done with my first week of real life here in Michigan. I have gone to internship for my 16 hours a week and I have gone to two of my four classes. I have one more class tomorrow and then I am going on my first little weekend adventure to see the northern part of Michigan.

I will be traveling to a little town that looks something like this

My roommate Kate is from Suttons Bay and is being gracious enough to take me home with her for the weekend. I have looked at some pictures of this lake front town and have been itching to check it out, not to mention be by some body of water again, even if it is a lake and not the ocean. While I am very excited to go I am finding a side of me that is surprisingly going to miss my new home/room in Ann Arbor. I have only been here for two weeks now but apparently I am more attached that even I was aware of.

Here are just a few little peeks at my humble abode

It is actually quite difficult to take a good/whole picture of the room so hopefully this paints somewhat of a picture.

See you on Sunday Ann Arbor! I will miss you!

"It's a Michigan thing"

I have been living in Ann Arbor for 12 days and while at first I wanted to get on the plane back to California with my mom, I am growing to love it. I am learning all the Michigan things, like weird hanging lights, indoor tracks at any and every gym, Michigan time (aka your classes start 10 min past the time they say they start), the subtle accent that now my roommates are insisting I have. My school is only a short walk from my house and in between is pretty much everything I need. Thus once winter comes I will only need to drive to and from internship and to and from the grocery store, hopefully I can survive that much.

Last Friday my wonderful roommate and I roamed around the city and she introduced me to Cupcake Station aka my safe haven for the next year.

Peanut Butter cupcake! Yum

On Saturday I went to my first football game and realized the full blown craziness that occurs on home game days here in Ann Arbor. The streets were filled with people and there are parties, music, and maize and blue colors everywhere. The whole day was super fun and I am looking forward to the next game!

Today was my first day of internship and while I am absolutely terrified to drive there in the snow I enjoyed my first day and I am very excited to start. Kate took this "first day of internship" picture of me :)

Also today, Kate and I went on a little shopping/dinner date. I bought some snow gear which I am beyond excited to wear.

Tomorrow classes start and I am excited and looking forward to them!!!!