IM OFF! ...after a small "not off" glitch

"you can have either freedom or stability"
-dr norton.



instead of catching the 655 am plane to okc i caught the 1305 plane which put me into town seven hours later than planned. did mention this was unplanned? however they served dried fruit and ritz cheese crackers on the first leg so i forgave the situation soon into the flight.

i got off the plane in kansas city ((which is built on the border of two states and the cops have to turn on their lights in pusuit before they cross the border to arrest someone- i learned that from my seatmates, both from kansas city.)). stepping off the plane it was 87 degrees.. at 7 o'clock at night! it was like stepping into anther world. i left the airport and stared at the setting sun- i could actually see the movement of the sun the horizon was so far away. it felt like what i imagine africa to feel like. i've never seen so much.. nothing. It makes me a little nervous actually, i mean what if someone was shooting at me? where would i hide? i guess ive been watching too many scary movies lately.
so i sat in the waiting room all alone with my pink corsage, my pink cake, and my backpack ((not pink)) with the nfl blaring out of the tiniest tv ever. The corsage was to make me feel lovely and was a gift from a lady at church, the cake was also a gift from a lady at church to be saved for my birthday, and the backpack i bought with my mom. the game i watched with something close to manic intensity- it was my last monday night game before i leave after all. also my first. so thats kansas for me.

the second flight had seats made of leather, slippery and cold. the flight attendant for the back half of the plane, all ten of us, snuck me an extra blanket because i smiled at his offer of a gourmet dinner of honey roasted peanuts. the guy next to me shivered the whole flight, he should have been nicer to danny ((that's what i named the flight attendant cause he didnt have a name tag)).



so now im in OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! klahoma. I'm staying with a friend from back home which is nice, it makes being here more cozy.
The week at OCU is full of lots of things but mostly getting to know everyone and listening to lectures. lots and lots of lectures. the rochester group is smaller than expected so there are only six people going who arent from OCU. everyone is so nice though, weve already blended into one big excited group. all morning people asked me if i was the delayed person and it took me two or three times to figure out last night someone must have referred to me as being delayed from the first session. glad i figured that out!







"awe"ful moment: taking my first step into the little hallway leading to the plane. that was the first time it really hit me that i was really truly leaving. and not just to portland or even to the other side of the us.. but to the other side of the world!

funny moment: the very first lecture i sat next to this guy who had a southern drawl and a constant monologue and after the speaker mentioned lunch being catered ((chic-fil-a, subway, etc.)) he says, "well thats right! thats what im paying the big bucks for. dont want cat food. shoot."