Day...something

I learned a new word today - Sice (or cise): (v.) to over exaggerate or hype up; used in DC slang.  I'm going to try to incorporate it into my regular vocabulary.  Until, of course, I am still using it and realize that no one else is.

All the campers left on trips today.  Almost immediately after they left we had a morning happy hour by the pool.  Such pleasant weather we're having.  And of course a sip of alcohol (especially at this elevation) is wonderful.  I also got  a jar of home-made rhubarb and strawberry jam.  Our cook is pretty great.

When I went into to town to buy some supplies, I also stopped for some home-made chocolate cabernet saviougn ice cream.  I ate it in the grass in the town square.  Cowboy count: 14

I used the rest of mom's cookies (yay care package!) to 'bribe' the JETs at the beginning of our workshop today.  I think they actually learned something!  I hope it was to do with my teaching, not the cookies, but I can't be sure.  I'm really excited to have the new JETs coordinator here.  He teaches a leadership class at SEED (and is a Life Skills Counselor).  I think its a great fit and I hope I can learn some things from him.

Then we took a trip to Hoback Market which is only about 4 mi. away and they were so excited that I was willing to take them when they asked.  Those boys love eating.  As do I, apparently, as this is the 4th paragraph where I've mentioned food.  Anyway, if a 30 min trip to get snacks is all it takes for them to like me, I'm on board.

I'm exhausted.

My Perspective

Welcome to Broken Arrow Ranch!




The "big house"

 



Inside our house

 




The lodge
(rec room, dining room, and the office)






My horse (her name is Mary)

 



Horseback riding on the trails!



Day 8

A little chilly today - about 65 degrees and cloudy.  When the sun comes out its really nice.  I've yet to be awake for a totally clear night, but I caught a piece of the sky last night to the NE (I think) and the stars are so bright!  It would get any kid interested astronomy.

We went horseback riding the other day.  It was awesome.  I was a little nervous, as I've only been once and I realized that was 8 years ago!  But it was really really fun.  I got a crash course on how to control the horse, when I was already on the horse.  The kids wanted to run which scared me, but I did it! :-)

I've been into town a million times already.  Getting pretty familiar with the place - its pretty touristy, actually.  But I ask the locals as many questions as I can about where things are so I can not go to the touristy places, and discover awesome things like the dollar store and the craft store.  Bess and I ate Thai food the other night (almost as good as a boy telling you you're pretty, is when you're actually trying to look nice and a bunch of 14 year old girls tell you how pretty you are and that you're make-up is perfect, because you know they wouldn't say it if they didn't think it).  And last night I went to see Bad Teacher with the interns and JETs.  Totally innappropriate, we are never taking them to see an R rated movie ever again.

Today is my day off.  So relaxing!  Though I do need to make some posters for the workshops I'm supposed to be running next week.  I'm going to try to upload some pictures somewhere today and send them out or something.

Cowboy count: 3

Day 3

I'm here... there was a crazy build up in the last couple of months - I think I want to be a school counselor, I think I'm going to apply to grad school, omg I have to find a new job, I'm going to WY?! I have to do my grad school apps NOW, I have to take the GRE 2 months earlier than planned... Somehow I pulled through, I took the GRE and the sense of relief was like a high, my grad school applications are completed, my subletter seems totally normal, I packed up, and now I'm in Wyoming.  What the ?

The last 3 days have been pretty cool.  Every day I wake up, walk out the door, look around, and think 'This is ridiculous.'  I will post pictures for you asap. 

So much has happened already, I'll share with you a few mental pictures that I tried to take for myself along the way...

First, these kids are amazing.  I met one kid for the first time in the airport and he told me about how he has 2 jobs, one of which is working with OSSE doing pr/educational events about AIDS and sexual health. He is 17. Awesome.

There are no walkways at the Jackson airport.  Everyone gets off the plane onto the ground and walks through the archway of antlers (true story) in the sliding doors. 

Eloise keeps saying how excited they are to have me here.  I thought she was just a really welcoming nice person.  Then at dinner the first night, someone asked what my role was, I said Office Manager, and Pete (one of the other Directors) said "we are so excited you're here" in such a relieved voice, I really believe them.

Day 2 we went white water rafting.  There was no way I wasn't going to do it, but when they were showing us how to get in the boat, and how you sit on the edge I really thought I was going to fall out, or get hurt, I was not comfortable at all.  I think I blocked out certain parts :-)  I remember the bald eagle sitting on the left bank.  I remember seeing a 5 foot wall of water and all I could think was "are you kidding me?!"  I think I screamed.

Today was my first day in the office.  So far so good.  Lots to do!  And I got to go into town to buy a bunch of stuff.  It was quite the adventure.  I would like Jesse McGee to know that when I got a funny look, I thought to myself "its because they don't have anything like me in Wyoming."  Also I saw 5 black people and 1 cowboy.  So far the cowboys are losing.  I totally intend to keep tally of how many cowboys I see.

So, cowboy tally total: 2