tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1361707852475028592024-02-07T06:10:08.777-08:00The Part-Time MermaidHillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-67513272121065913402014-02-15T10:34:00.000-08:002014-02-15T10:34:21.121-08:00From Russia with love<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Valentine's Day was not forgotten here in Sochi. Early on in my time here, my boss asked the Russian students if they celebrated Valentine's Day. "Lovers' Day?" they'd respond. From that point on, we knew we would celebrate in some way. I just had no idea I would find this when I walked into the office yesterday:</div>
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We were feelin' the love.<br />
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Life got a little more complicated when each of the workers in our compound had to recite "I love you" in Russian before getting their meal. Let's just say that my years of Latin and Chinese didn't exactly prepare me for having to teach Canadians and Koreans how to speak Russian. I was much more forgiving than my Russian counterparts when it came to judging if the recitation was adequate enough to eat.<br />
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Somehow this image of one of the Russian students surfaced among all of the Valentine's Day chaos. I don't know where it came from, but now we basically have a patron saint of the office.<br />
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Apparently this boy's father is the director of many of the students' school. They have decided that if they get in trouble for what I'm about to show you, that I will get thrown under the bus for it and they will pretend they know nothing. Thanks, guys.<br />
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There's more where these came from.<br />
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-32963981642329096412014-02-14T03:39:00.000-08:002014-02-14T03:39:10.676-08:00Black Sea Adventures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello!<br />
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Yesterday was the first day since I've been here that I have had any amount of time off, so Phillip and I walked to the Black Sea. It's about a mile from where we are staying.<br />
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The weather has been great and visiting the sea was relaxing. As we approached the sea, I was immediately reminded of why the Black Sea is called the Black Sea: its sand!<br />
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The sand is a thicker texture than the sand near the Atlantic. It felt exceptionally gritty between my toes. As we approached the water we left the sand area and moved into rocks. It was definitely different from any beach I'd ever been to before.<br />
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I found a small sliver of green sea glass.<br />
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As with any body of water, I felt the need to put my feet in. While the surrounding air was pleasantly warm, let me assure you: the water was frigid! <br />
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We really enjoyed our time sitting by the sea. It was nice to get away from the park and experience something so very familiar but so very different.<br />
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-22617800706274763452014-02-01T10:34:00.001-08:002014-02-01T10:34:50.413-08:00Transitioning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This morning was early. Very early. We left the apartment suitcases in hand at 5:45 a.m. to take the metro to the airport. Our grogginess was evident because we went the wrong direction at a stop and went through the turnstile the wrong way. Luckily the lady metro attendant let us through without purchasing new passes.<br />
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We met Kyle at our favorite metro stop, Rimskaya, or as we call it, the Roman Babies. This stop is themed after Romulus and Remus. It is an easy landmark for us. Once we were all together, we boarded the metro until we reached the aero express.<br />
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The sun doesn't rise until 9ish here, so I felt like I was in a crazy dream sitting on the bus. We arrived at the airport and didn't have any major problems. Phew.<br />
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Once we got to Sochi it was very different. We were greeted like in the movies with a sign held up. We got our bags and went through the various processes required to work here. Once completed our driver took us to our hotel, which isn't exactly finished. It's a work in progress.<br />
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I arrived at my room and my door wouldn't close. I couldn't shut the door. When I tried to pull it close to seem closed it would open fully. I left some of my stuff there and put some of my more important stuff in Morgan's room. We met up with our group and took the bus to the International Broadcast Center where our professor gave us a tour and we ate McDonald's (not a lot of food options here).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNKAtM8TGJcU_GvakV0wkpY9PI-BNxNtkwf0c32-wPoNPRbWTk0QR_OR2V0gNcqFZ76KuJqAU9xACR_u0qByx0wqcu2hw3dEIs0kA-GhUsIm_XhrNPVC25kqa6s1C2pukIlOSGeN7kXk/s1600/IMG_1243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDNKAtM8TGJcU_GvakV0wkpY9PI-BNxNtkwf0c32-wPoNPRbWTk0QR_OR2V0gNcqFZ76KuJqAU9xACR_u0qByx0wqcu2hw3dEIs0kA-GhUsIm_XhrNPVC25kqa6s1C2pukIlOSGeN7kXk/s1600/IMG_1243.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the culprit. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Once I got back I realized that someone else had left their stuff in my room but wasn't there. I waited and eventually she returned. I thought I'd end up rooming with another Asburian because most people here end up together. Instead, I am rooming with Olga, a lovely Russian student who is finishing her master's in multimedia journalism. She's from Siberia but goes to university in Moscow. We are working the same job in the same place so we should have plenty of quality time.<br />
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Olga was instrumental in us getting moved into a new room WITH A CLOSING DOOR! When I asked previously, the front desk said they'd fix it within the day. Olga asked and we got moved. It's much better, really!<br />
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Tomorrow's our first day of work. Wish us luck! </div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-81274827359801086512014-02-01T10:18:00.000-08:002014-02-01T10:37:49.625-08:00Moscow: Day 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This is our last full day in the city and surprisingly, I am really sad about it. I've enjoyed my time in Moscow and it's weird to actually have to transition my thinking to going to Sochi. <br />
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Today we started with an agenda: go to the Tretyakov Gallery. We met early and spent time walking around the historic streets surrounding the gallery before viewing the art.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXPFvIJFpLvoIW9AbUJP4WRXuv92VuPR5vVNm0zJoKNeKso5rx3AKKLnWf5TvGxwQjlk5NsHUYpZm-0lhfLBfGrDHymptHoX1uRdiHI9CYEzwBtoH7vPAqB8oHHEv7m5koD5vdeoEAsg/s1600/IMG_1134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXPFvIJFpLvoIW9AbUJP4WRXuv92VuPR5vVNm0zJoKNeKso5rx3AKKLnWf5TvGxwQjlk5NsHUYpZm-0lhfLBfGrDHymptHoX1uRdiHI9CYEzwBtoH7vPAqB8oHHEv7m5koD5vdeoEAsg/s1600/IMG_1134.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was on a side of a building. Interesting, right?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsH5VE5yLp47DWcAZm3uzTHvLcyDntyjF5vuXXf2Lv-NCcuFeGxh2TA0KOZ7xxVCJ_q24jgg5TX8obkV5JphPBfsvDXrvwbQAloApfyPgnJIDQVFop2D915r__387LmYn0o9kgZBW0BA/s1600/IMG_1149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsH5VE5yLp47DWcAZm3uzTHvLcyDntyjF5vuXXf2Lv-NCcuFeGxh2TA0KOZ7xxVCJ_q24jgg5TX8obkV5JphPBfsvDXrvwbQAloApfyPgnJIDQVFop2D915r__387LmYn0o9kgZBW0BA/s1600/IMG_1149.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of the gallery's side entrances.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATAxXBp2P70RPVzcJgkh76PZGs3O1bNKwE7WJ8OBSLUAkRfI1zXIH2iVNwI_cIMmUtlTzQAYar8ait8-CvbavddaCzSwNQF0SVOGFRDZsW87sAoGUmITR32_K4hfLbPP7K5FLTnsGeFU/s1600/IMG_1153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATAxXBp2P70RPVzcJgkh76PZGs3O1bNKwE7WJ8OBSLUAkRfI1zXIH2iVNwI_cIMmUtlTzQAYar8ait8-CvbavddaCzSwNQF0SVOGFRDZsW87sAoGUmITR32_K4hfLbPP7K5FLTnsGeFU/s1600/IMG_1153.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the front of the gallery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1udIcN-mB9WM46WTsBRHYIEEHgfqZoyLlyBHfDgKIgnS3_WFUk592zaRSNJYwC_vTMqBNg6UsFux3BffR9O3H0gBhZStxgsltgnfMLvujEmROdgqOUnSIMVqLSAA-3vqYC5zmpfBK54/s1600/IMG_1203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1udIcN-mB9WM46WTsBRHYIEEHgfqZoyLlyBHfDgKIgnS3_WFUk592zaRSNJYwC_vTMqBNg6UsFux3BffR9O3H0gBhZStxgsltgnfMLvujEmROdgqOUnSIMVqLSAA-3vqYC5zmpfBK54/s1600/IMG_1203.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of the many beautiful cathedrals.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The gallery was huge and it seemed like every time we thought we had seen it all that there was another room. One particular painting of the return of Christ was particularly amazing to me. It took the painter 31 years to complete. Talk about dedication! Maybe he thought Jesus would come back before he finished?<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQuQzk6vv66lB2LI-qnx4RJW2i4a2i05NkYIlJCHBRuR06eJcWYpNeH7XnkKae1Kpq9K2Tc1d5d8ZW-jpaqNrUJ3rfWwjGGR3dcdZewLSI1Mp2n8FkNuU0xcbyBpSG0xDS9olJHnTc80/s1600/IMG_1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbQuQzk6vv66lB2LI-qnx4RJW2i4a2i05NkYIlJCHBRuR06eJcWYpNeH7XnkKae1Kpq9K2Tc1d5d8ZW-jpaqNrUJ3rfWwjGGR3dcdZewLSI1Mp2n8FkNuU0xcbyBpSG0xDS9olJHnTc80/s1600/IMG_1144.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this painting and this family was so funny to watch! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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After the gallery we met up with some more of Morgan's Salvation Army connections and toured Arbat street (a tourist district) after eating at Johnny Rockets. They consider Atlanta home but have been in Moscow for 5 years as Territorial Commanders. They later took us on a car tour of the city at night and I learned so much from hearing them talk about their time here and about Russian history in general.<br />
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We stayed out late and packed our bags quickly. Tomorrow's an early morning. To Sochi we go!</div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-22652229711778611712014-02-01T09:44:00.003-08:002014-02-01T10:50:05.661-08:00Moscow: Day 2 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Unique observations about Moscow:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Toilet
paper can be and is colored and scented in some places. Both the apartment
we are staying in and the Salvation Army’s district headquarters had colored,
scented paper. The pastel green paper at the apartment is scented like apples. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Russians
take their fur very seriously. Most women I have seen have knee-length fur
coats in all varieties. Some appear more natural, and some are dyed colors like
purple, red and teal. They like to wear fur beanies also. Russian men sometimes
have full-length fur coats, but I have observed that at the least they have a
fur collar to their coats. The fur hat is very popular among men. Even children
wear some fur. I’ve seen lots of furry pom-poms on top of knit beanies.(Aside from fur, can we please discuss how precious these children are in their winter outfits? Much better than the ones in "A Christmas Story.")</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Russians
are very quiet people in comparison to westerners and generally keep to themselves. The noise of the metro area is
mostly just the metro. It was eerie at first for us to ride on the metro
because no one spoke or looked at each other. Now we’ve caught the knack of
sitting quietly while averting our eyes. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Do
not touch a stranger on the metro, even if it’s an accident. There have been a
few close calls here. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Like
my time in England, it is customary to stay to the right hand side of the
escalator when riding to allow for people in a rush to climb by on the left. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>If
asking for directions in English, ask a younger person. The older generation
wasn’t taught English like the younger generation.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>In
major intersections, there are no crosswalks for pedestrians. Moscow traffic is
crazy. Instead, there are underground tunnels that go underneath the roads to
protect pedestrians and keep traffic moving.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Lots
of vendors have enclosed shops along the underground tunnels of the metro, and
the variety is interesting. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.)<span style="-moz-font-feature-settings: normal; -moz-font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span>Different
metro stops have different themes. One of our common stops is themed after
Rome’s beginnings, having statues of Romulus and Remus. Another is a tribute to
the revolution. At this station it is considered good luck to lay your hand on
the statues as you walk by. In the metro, Russia’s past is still visible.
Lights with the hammer and the sickle as well as murals still abound. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Today was a slower day
because we got off to a late start. The other group’s power went out in their
apartment, so they weren’t able to contact us as we planned. Because of this we
waited for them until 3:30 p.m. before starting our day. We ended up meeting them at
Subway (accepts Visa and has wifi) and eating some interesting sandwiches. The vegetable selection was way
different than the states’. My lettuce was more like cabbage and well, you get
the picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Meg and Kyle
befriended some Russian men while waiting for us. They talked for two hours through Google Translate. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meg and her friends.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Afterwards
we went to the Red Square and took some night pictures because it is beautiful at night and the sun sets
earlier here.We went to a nearby market and I
bought some nesting dolls (</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="st">matryoshka)</span>. I love them. I’ve always wanted some and they are so
neat. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMd-y1KFAfOQzDlU5g9tsUIw2uo8Qewdn5EVWYfI8s9H1KqDirVv-VlH1wsB-ZfXsQX3VoGBxAXDGiZoAeRAx4nrRPjuWJmFI6uIP02oK9WfpqkZId6z2Sh47tqmj5HzhK9sQFkJtdlXI/s1600/IMG_1116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMd-y1KFAfOQzDlU5g9tsUIw2uo8Qewdn5EVWYfI8s9H1KqDirVv-VlH1wsB-ZfXsQX3VoGBxAXDGiZoAeRAx4nrRPjuWJmFI6uIP02oK9WfpqkZId6z2Sh47tqmj5HzhK9sQFkJtdlXI/s1600/IMG_1116.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matryoshka</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Afterwards we came back home and settled in for the night. Julia leaves
for a work trip tomorrow to Georgia to visit some cadets, so we said our
goodbyes. She and Natasha will be in Sochi for the Olympics with the Salvation
Army. We hope to connect again there. Tomorrow’s our last day in Moscow. Hope
it’s a good one! </span></span>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-75817780102590505952014-02-01T09:34:00.001-08:002014-02-01T09:34:22.783-08:00Moscow: Day 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today was our first full day in Moscow. It also was the
coldest day of the winter season in the city, coming in at -19 degrees Celsius.
Naturally, we wanted to explore after getting our first full rest. We were
ready to go, cold and all. </div>
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We have been staying with Captain Julia and her friend
Natasha through the Salvation Army. She has been very hospitable to us, housing
us for our stay here and providing meals for us. Tonight she made borsch, a
Russian staple. After hearing people tell me all about it every time they hear
I was going to Russia, I was surprised that I liked it. According to one of the
other Salvation Army officers, Julia makes the best borsch. </div>
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Today Julia didn’t really have much to do at the District
Headquarters, so she accompanied us to our visit to the Red Square. It was
relieving to have a guide and to not have to navigate the busy metro with our
suitcases. After standing outside in the freezing cold to snap pictures, we
checked our bags (you have to) and visited Lenin’s tomb. It was a surprising
experience because a.) I didn’t realize we were going there at the moment and
b.) The tomb was eerie. </div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After going
through security checkpoints after checking our bags, we walked to the tomb.
The tomb is guarded by military men who stand expressionless, but ready to
react if you make the wrong move. Once you enter the tomb, you have to take off
your hat and gloves. Photography or any kind of electronic device is not
permitted inside the tomb, and must be checked with the bags. Once you descend
the stairs to the room containing Lenin, you must not make any noise as you
walk around the preserved corpse contained inside a glass box. I am assuming he
has been cryogenically frozen. There is little lighting in the room with the
corpse. The only lighting is shining on the corpse itself, and it is red
tinted. Our visit was brief. </div>
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Once we got back outside, most of us went to a nearby
upscale shopping mall that caters to tourists because we really had to use the
bathroom while Morgan and Julia unchecked our bags. The mall was three stories
and very beautiful architecturally. It was interesting to see some familiar
stores juxtaposed against unfamiliar ones. While Russian winter wear is vastly
different than the States’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(hello,
PETA!), everyday wear is different but somewhat similar. </div>
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When we reunited with Julia and Morgan we went outside again
into the cold and took pictures in front of the iconic buildings at the Red
Square. It was surreal to stand in a place steeped in so much history that I
wish I knew more about. </div>
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After our quick photo-taking spree, we walked to what is
supposedly the largest McDonald’s in the world. Honestly, I am skeptical about
the claim because Orlando claims to have the largest one and so did the 2012
London Games. Anyways, it was nice to get out of the cold, eat some familiar
food (I wasn’t brave enough to try anything new with my dairy allergy) and
access wifi. At the apartment we are staying at, there is none, so
communication has been spotty. </div>
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After lunch, we hopped on the metro and went to the
Salvation Army’s district offices where Captain Julia works as a teacher in
their training school. We toured their facilities and got to spend time with
the Officer there. He asked us questions about the states, and we had many
questions for him as well. It was interesting to hear what he had to say when I
asked him about the changes in Russia over the course of his lifetime. He said
that with the end of the communist era, Russians lost one of their largest
commonalities: each other. When everyone is under the same mindset, he said,
the relationships among people are better. He added that with the change of the
political climate, now that people fend for themselves, there is less concern
for the greater good. He likes the freedom, however, because as he said, “Now
we have Jesus.” While the church is regulated by the government (cannot have
members until the age of 18, etc.), it is active in Russia. He said that his
corp (church) fluctuates around 30-60 each Sunday and they also have daily
homeless outreach. </div>
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Tonight at dinner in our apartment, we got to ask Julia more
about her life. She is from Southern Russia closer to Sochi. She has only lived
in Moscow for 5 years because of her appointment with the Salvation Army. She
claims that her English is bad, but we’re impressed. Julia came to know the
Lord after tagging along with her older sister to a Salvation Army church when
she was 13. Since that time, she always knew she wanted to be a part of the
church’s leadership. She went to university and training school simultaneously
and also had her own corp. She was a busy lady! </div>
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The various corps in Moscow have had problems surviving, so
they all have combined into the one we visited today. </div>
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Julia has told us that Russians really love tea, and I
completely understand. It’s cold here. After our meal we had black tea and jam.
This jam had soft walnuts in it that had been picked when they were green and
combined with honey. It was surprisingly good and the nuts were surprisingly
soft. The jam is not native to this area, it was a gift from one of her friends
in Georgia. A few hours later she made us herbal tea with biscuits and honey.
We are unexpectedly getting the royal treatment. It’s a blessing.</div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-88019208317268503372014-02-01T09:34:00.000-08:002014-02-01T09:34:09.993-08:00Arriving in Moscow<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today has been very full. We flew from Frankfurt to Moscow after a long flight to Frankfurt from Atlanta. These pictures are from when we were still fresh. <br />
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Shortly before we boarded in Frankfurt, Jessica realized she didn't have her passport anymore. We ended up having to leave her in Germany so she could visit the consulate there to receive an emergency passport. It isn't possible to enter Russia with only a photocopy of a passport. She should arrive in Sochi tomorrow.<br />
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Once we landed in Moscow, I was surprised how disorganized and relatively easy the process was to get through customs and to get our bags. We said goodbye to Chase and Phillip who flew directly to Sochi. We then spent a while walking back and forth in the airport, getting stared at while trying to exchange money, find an ATM and buy metro and aero express tickets. <br />
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The ride on the aero express was surprisingly beautiful. Like the true Asburians we are, we kept exclaiming "it looks like Narnia!" when we saw the perfectly snow-dusted pine trees.<br />
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The metro was very busy, and was very reminiscent of London, only with lots of black coats and fur. Pushing through the crowds with our suitcases was nerve-wracking, and we were worried with our lack of navigational skills. Suddenly, a young Russian woman came at the right time and she guided us through the Metro. <br />
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She said that she had a special place in her heart for Americans because she married a Texan. She helped all of us until part of our group had to stay in another part of town from the group I was in. My group went further to stay with Julia, a <span id="goog_641698372"></span><span id="goog_641698373"></span>captain in the Salvation Army that lived at the end of the line. Once we got off the subway, it was very challenging to find her. We were running behind and did have a designated meeting place, but we couldn't find her there. When we walked out it was dark and cold (-15 degrees C) and we saw no one who appeared to be looking for us. We then happened upon a shopping mall called Metro Market. We walked back and forth from the metro to the mall, hoping to find our host. We couldn't find her.<br />
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At one point we saw one man push another, older man out of the metro station. It was shocking to see his white-haired head hit the frozen ground. After a while of no contact, with Captain Julia, Ben and Morgan decided to buy a SIM card for their phones. I waited for them with the bags outside the shop. Eventually, after many hassles, the SIM card worked and we were able to get through to her.<br />
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Julia's friend, Natasha, a petite Russian woman with dark hair found us at the phone store. We were so relieved to meet one of our hosts. Natasha walked us back to their apartment and we were pleasantly surprised by its comfy charm and Julia's warm hospitality. She made us dinner: beef, buttery noodles, cucumber and tomatoes. She then served us black tea saying, "Russians love tea." She also made crepes that we ate with strawberry jam. </div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-14362611189370237442014-01-27T06:07:00.002-08:002014-01-27T06:07:19.052-08:00Today's the day! One of my favorite swim coaches used to proclaim "today's the day!" on the mornings of bigger swim meets. It's the only phrase that comes to mind as I look at all of our mostly-packed suitcases around the house. Today is the day. Today we will fly to Russia. Crazy.<br />
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We left school and drove to Atlanta (where Phillip's family lives) to fly out of the international airport. We had a caravan of sorts and it was a puzzle to fit everyone and our stuff in the tiny cars.<br />
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Because of our different start dates, we have been leaving in waves. On Saturday we explored Atlanta, eating at the Varsity, walking downtown, visiting Centennial Park (from the '96 games) and Little 5 Points. Most of our group hadn't explored the city, so it was exciting to watch them discover the same places have grown to love over the past few years.<br />
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But today we're leaving. We fly from Atlanta to Frankfurt to Moscow. Some fly straight to Sochi, others of us (like me) are spending a few days in Moscow to explore and see the sights. <br />
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Today's the day! <br />
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-35518430314167547022014-01-22T17:22:00.000-08:002014-01-22T17:22:28.102-08:00Preparing for Russian warmth?Honestly it's embarrassing how infrequently I utilize my blog (sorry, Aunt Mary Ellen!). Since I last posted so much has changed in my life, and if you're in the Hillary-news loop, you probably know that I'm about to embark on another adventure: Russia!<br />
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When I first made my blog, I thought I'd be more dedicated. Instead, this has mainly turned into a way for me to process my days when I travel, and to keep my family and friends updated on my whereabouts. I hope you enjoy it!<br />
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When I tell people that I'm going to Russia, their first response is usually something along the lines of "You better be ready to bundle up." While my time in Moscow will be cold, my time in Sochi will not be that bad because of its location on the Black Sea.<br />
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To put it in perspective, here is a comparison of Wilmore, my little college town, and Sochi:<br />
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This morning it was -4 when I walked to class! I'm pretty sure it was the first time my Floridian body was subjected to the negatives. One of my friends pointed out C.S. Lewis' comparison of the cold to the devil. I think he was on to something. Even though I consolidate my trips around campus in this weather, and I like to say "say no to snow," I decided today was the day that I would play in it for the first time since being in college.<br />
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Phillip, my fiancé, and I sledded down the hills of our school's athletic building and I actually had fun and wasn't completely miserable. One of my roommates made soup for dinner and it definitely hit the spot!<br />
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Ironically, I'm actually hoping to avoid the winter when I'm in Russia. I will try to post as frequently as possible while overseas. I'm excited and nervous and appreciate your prayers. <br />
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HillaryHillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-47384687813965884812013-07-22T18:45:00.001-07:002013-07-22T18:45:59.182-07:00Yes, I'm Pursuing a Communication Degree, and Yes, I Plan to Use It I hate when well-intentioned people ask what I study at school. I'd rather they didn't ask at all. When I answer "Media Communication and Journalism," I usually get a contrived answer of encouragement that leaves me feeling a little less than encouraged.<br />
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Today was no different. During my doctor's appointment, the doctor asked what I was studying at school. To minimize the awkwardness of the situation, I quickly responded "Communication" to which he laughed. Not just any laugh. It was a deep belly laugh.<br />
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After he regained his composure, he apologized. He claimed that his son studied communication and he couldn't do anything with it. "Communication is the new English major," he said, claiming it was a degree relatively useless to have. I wanted to point out that English is still very much a major, but instead I told him my goals. They exist. I'm not just floating through an expensive school for the fun of it (even though it is fun). In fact, I've had some great experiences in college. I've reported from the London Olympic Games. I have an awesome internship. I'm excited for things to come.<br />
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Honestly, it's not any better when I throw in the Journalism tidbit. Watergate may have put the profession in the spotlight in the 70s, but the decline of its vehicle, the newspaper, has led people to falsely believe that journalism is in decline as well.<br />
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According to Merriam-Webster, journalism is defined as "the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media." While historically a large component of journalism, newspaper is not synonymous with journalism. <div>
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In fact, <a href="http://nz.nielsen.com/products/documents/MagazineComparativesQ22012-Q12013.pdf">magazine readership is up</a> largely due to niche marketing, <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324482504578454693739428314.html">online readership is becoming more and more popular </a>and people are still turning on their televisions. </div>
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In May, when I graduate with my bachelor's degree in Communication, I will graduate with a cross-platform skill set much different from the journalists of the past. Because of our multimedia culture, journalists have to be jack of all trades. Recently, The <i>Chicago Sun-Times</i> f<a href="http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/214954/sun-times-will-train-reporters-on-iphone-photography-basics/">ired its photographers to train its reporters in iPhone photography</a>. It's not good enough to be a one-trick pony, and that's exciting. </div>
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You see, my degree doesn't come with a set job. It is what I make of it. But isn't that how life works?<br /><div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-79168185392598297992013-06-18T08:59:00.000-07:002013-06-18T08:59:26.063-07:00JetlaggedYou may have seen my Facebook posts of pictures from the West and cryptic statuses posted from odd locations, and then posts from home and then from California again. The whiplash you're feeling from that sentence is the feeling I have right now, as I reflect upon the last month of my life. <div>
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Phillip's internship is in Los Angeles (super cool, right?), and we had to get there. In 3 days. Plans changed and I ended up going last-minute. We flew to Kentucky to get Phillip's car. Stayed with my roommate and her family and took off the next morning to Nebraska, where my aunt Sally lives. </div>
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From there we drove to Colorado Springs, where Cindy, my first cousin once removed lives. </div>
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Because it was our shortest driving day, she and her husband drove us around the Air Force Academy and Garden of the Gods. Phillip had never seen the Rockies before and fell in love with them and their snowcapped peaks. </div>
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He was a little cold in his shorts.</div>
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We then had our longest, most awful driving day through Utah, Arizona and Nevada to Los Angeles. We stopped at a lot of the scenic stops in Utah. The rock formations were beautiful in their own way, but my skin missed its humidity. A lot. </div>
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I flew out the next morning (Sunday), and we each started our internships on Monday. What a whirlwind! </div>
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But I'm not done...</div>
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I had already booked a ticket to come and visit Phillip previous to knowing that I would be his cross-country traveling companion. Last weekend my mom and I flew out to San Diego because of a Christian Librarian Conference she had there. We drove up to LA to visit Phillip and David. I stayed in LA for a few days.</div>
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It was a good visit. </div>
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My sleep pattern is still recovering. </div>
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Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-46846211592642289422013-06-04T13:49:00.002-07:002013-06-04T13:49:52.172-07:00I'm Back Let's just say, this school year was busy. When it all ended a few weeks ago, I found myself asking "Where did the time go?"<br />
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At family gatherings I was asked why I hadn't blogged since August. While a big part of the reason is personal laziness, here are a few other, little reasons why I have neglected my blog (in no particular order):<br />
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1.) <b>Club Swim</b><br />
One of my talented friends created an online mockumentary miniseries for an independent study that has been syndicated on <i>Swimming World </i>magazine's website and has gained attention from the swimming community. You don't have to be a swimmer to love it, too! Visit <a href="http://clubswimshow.com/">Club Swim's website</a> for episodes, additional information and a super interesting blog. Seriously, read the blog ;)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Logo courtesy of Club Swim, LLC</td></tr>
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2.) <i><b>Collegian</b></i><br />
The <i>Asbury Collegian </i>had another great year, <a href="http://www.asbury.edu/academics/departments/journalism/news/2013/05/02/18912">winning several national awards</a>. It's always a good time in the News Bureau.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK, so these aren't our national awards. Photo courtesy of Melissa Landon. </td></tr>
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3.) <b>AU Swimming</b><br />
Collegiate athletics take up a lot of time, but most of the time it is worth it. I finished up my last season with Asbury as a <a href="http://www.asbury.edu/athletics/men/mens-swimming-diving/news/2013/03/01/18290">NAIA Scholar-Athlete</a> and Appalachian Swimming Conference Scholar-Athlete.<br />
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4.) <b>This kid. </b><br />
He's the best.<br />
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<br />Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-28670557392057769222012-08-19T18:21:00.000-07:002012-08-19T18:21:58.672-07:00Taste of Home<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After my London adventure, I was lucky enough to be able to go home for a little over a week. Only, my parents had moved so "home" became more of a concept instead of a location. Even though we live fairly close to where I grew up, I had a hard time adjusting. I had to use my GPS to get everywhere, and I still missed turns. As always, we crammed a lot of activities into my short time at home. </span><div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was alarmed when I came home to find a sonogram on our counter. Luckily, it did not belong to any human in our house. Instead, it belonged to Lola, our new cat. When my parents moved, my sister's cat got out and in the process of trying to find it, we ended up with another cat. A week later, we learned of the kittens. On my last full day at home, Lola gave birth to six kittens. My family now has eight cats. They don't need eight cats. If you would like a cat, please volunteer yourself! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food is the best at home. As a tradition, some of our close family friends had us over for our annual Nashadilla feast. Nashadillas are yummy quesadillas with chicken and peppers (and for the cheese eaters of the world, cheese), named after our family friends. Aren't we a creative bunch of people? It was awesome to catch up and eat real, really awesome food. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">We started off with homemade Pico de Gallo. This stuff is the best. I could eat it with a spoon.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">While I was stuffing myself with Pico de Gallo, someone else was hard at work on the Nashadillas!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Alas, the finished product!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spent a lot of time resting, putting my new room together and visiting family and friends. We live fairly close to Rock Springs, so we went tubing in the <i>refreshing</i> spring water (it wasn't as cold as I anticipated). It was beautiful and has been nicely maintained. The water was very clear and very different from the other murky springs that I have been to. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">My friend, Miranda, came with us!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I visited my high school friends, the "success group", back on the coast and we ate breakfast at Louis's and I had the largest bacon egg biscuit that I have ever seen. It was delicious and left me full through our time at Playalinda, our local beach. A lot of my friends were already back at school or are seeing the world, so I was happy to catch up with a few people who I haven't seen since Christmas!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">We eventually got used to the water!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My family also spent the day of my parents' anniversary at my grandparents' cabin in the woods. Bobo, my dog, loves it and loses his laziness and runs crazily while he is up there. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">He likes to stand up when we're driving up the driveway! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was sad to go, but I was blessed by my time at home. I've kind of realized that home is where your dog is. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, and your family, too.</span></div>
Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-83742452353113151152012-08-12T18:08:00.000-07:002012-08-12T18:08:12.875-07:00A few years later<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Happy 23rd anniversary, Mom and Dad! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Taken by Tom Branan at Lee's Lakeside</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 23 years you've:</span></div>
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">changed jobs (a few times)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lived in seven houses</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">been instrumental in the life of five churches</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">had three biological children and have helped many others</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gotten some grey hairs </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"made some memories"</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">stayed together</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">put God first</span></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You're the best! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">-Hill.</span></div>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-35139709027669629732012-08-12T05:56:00.002-07:002012-08-12T05:56:28.991-07:00Getting home in one piece<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of you have probably seen snippets of my lengthy travel experience on Facebook. Let me tell you: it was a <i>long</i> day. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It all started out in confusion when the person I was meeting to go to the airport with and I mixed up the times we were going to meet. Eventually we found each other at the train station after each of us hauled our luggage through the tube, switching trains (climbing stairs) several times.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once getting to the airport, I got checked in and my bag barely cleared the weight requirement by .04 kg. My bag was overweight going to London so it took a lot of moving around and throwing out of old things to make the cut. My carry-on items weighed a ton. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The people at my carrier's counter said that we had a brief delay of 10-15 min. After sitting in the gate for over an hour past take-off time, we boarded. I still am not sure where the problem was.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My layover was going to be short anyways, but with over an hour taken out, I only had about 45 minutes to get off of the plane, grab my bag and go through customs and security. I was really nervous about it but all of the people of the Toronto airport assured me that I would have <i>plenty </i>of time multiple times.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an ideal world, I would have had <i>plenty</i> of time. But there was a baggage jam, so I ended up getting my bag as my Orlando-bound flight was taking off. Waiting in the long line of passengers in the same boat, trying to get on other flights was eye-opening. It is amazing what stress can do to the individual. At the end of the line, a woman was screaming at the Air Canada employee who was not meeting her requests. Other employees had to be called in. Around me it was much more calm. I was surrounded by travelers who were exhausted from hours of traveling from India, Vienna and Scotland. The girl, a year older than me, coming from Vienna, had a chance of staying alone in a hotel in Toronto because of full flights. She cried when she overheard the airport officials say this. We all just wanted to go home.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would consider myself fairly fortunate to have snagged a flight for several hours later that night. I had a few hours to burn at my gate, but we boarded right on time. There were a lot of storms and turbulence during my flight but I mainly slept and watched an in-flight movie, <i>What to Expect When You're Expecting.</i> Of the parts I was awake for, I was a little confused. I'm pretty sure international adoptions aren't a candlelight service. I could be wrong, though.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We landed right on time in Orlando. I was anxious to get off of the plane and leave but a voice came over the intercom and said, "Passengers, we have had a situation arise where public officials need to come on board. We need everyone to stay in your seats. It'll take about 30 seconds." </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I immediately plopped back down in my seat as the Orlando Police Department marched on board and arrested a man about 10 rows up from where I was. He was very calm during the whole process, knowing what was coming. I still don't know what he was arrested for even though I have looked. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My bag came on time and I met up with my mom and we drove to our new house, that I have never been to before. It is something else. Yesterday when I woke up I didn't know where I was, and my mom found me frantically searching for my passport.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This story joins other crazy flight situations of missing flights, getting sick on board and meeting other people. My college roommate said to remind her to "never fly with [me]". I guess I have a history of strange airport happenings. It's one big adventure. </span>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-49501543844256783742012-08-09T06:46:00.000-07:002012-08-09T06:46:29.371-07:00London bucket list<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started yesterday, our last day in London, with an agenda. Our bucket list. While we were really optimistic about what we could accomplish, time kind of got away from us. We did knock out some of our activities, though.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We started the day headed to the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. After a late night the night before, it was hard to roll out of bed in time. We were all so yucky and tired so Cassie suggested Starbucks while on the Tube. As a recent Starbucks-convert and a part of a group of eager Starbucks-goers, I didn't need much convincing. We were trying to decide when we should get it but after climbing the stairs from the underground to the street, we decided it was divine providence when we were greeted by a Starbucks employee offering us free mini Frappuccinos and a discount at the store across the street. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Poor Courtney didn't get a name. Also, my name is misspelled! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then went to Buckingham Palace and waited for the guards. Only, the guards never changed. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Here we are waiting. Aren't my friends beautiful? They're also super talented and love Jesus. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The reason why we couldn't see the guards was because the Triathlon was going by! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cassie and I stayed to watch the Triathlon and Courtney and Becca met someone for lunch. Later we all met up at the Westfield Mall, the mall of all malls. It's 3 stories and crammed with people. It is overwhelming. It was neat to be constantly rubbing shoulders with Olympic athletes from all over the world. I can't even begin to<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>name all of the nations represented that I have seen. After buying a few things, and forcing myself not to buy everything from the British equivalent of Vera Bradley, Cath Kidston, we decided to do some more sight seeing. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Don't worry, we took the crosswalk picture. I just don't have it! Photo by Cassie.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We took the tube to see Abbey Road Studios, the studios of the Beatles, this small band that no one's ever heard of. On the tube we were scared by this guy who was on edge, threatening the woman and child who accidentally brushed past him, mumbling under his breath. After we got off, we were so relieved. We joined a group of other crazy people who took turns running out to pose in the famous Abbey Road crosswalk for a picture. Abbey Road is just a street. It isn't blocked off in any way. There were some close calls! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then met up with everyone else at the Tower Hill tube stop to get our last group dinner. We walked across the beautiful tower bridge that has the iconic Olympic rings on it right now for the games. It was starting to rain and the Thames matched the grey sky. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We knew we wanted something authentic and we eventually ended up in a cozy pub, watching the games alongside lots of Team GB fans. Our food hit the spot and we had to go back to clean and pack. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hate packing. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On another note, here are the links to our work:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kentucky Monthly<a href="http://kentuckymonthly.com/category/blogs/"> blog</a> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> -My <a href="http://kentuckymonthly.com/kentributor-blogs/team-mom-for-olympic-team-usa/">Sharrieffa Barksdale article</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LEX18 <a href="http://www.lex18.com/pages/asbury-at-the-olympics/">page</a></span></div>
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-<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Watch the videos on the right hand side, there's lots of good stuff!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Asbury <a href="http://asburyinlondon2012.tumblr.com/">Blog</a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-23797458365613758622012-08-07T17:49:00.001-07:002012-08-07T17:49:33.560-07:00Last day in London<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today was my last full day in London. It's bittersweet. So much packing and cramming activities in. More detailed post to come, I promise. Please pray for safe travels for all of us. Thanks for following :)</span>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-56464398421510431962012-08-06T16:00:00.000-07:002012-08-06T16:00:29.967-07:00London theatre sampler<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have been busy! Aside from traveling around London, I have gotten to see two Olympic events and meet some really cool people. The credentials that we have get us into some press conferences and today I went with Becca to a "A Celebration of London Theatre", a showcase of the West End's best known productions (like our Broadway). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I ended up going last minute in someone else's place, so I wasn't as informed as I should have been. I went in armed with the musical theater expertise passed on by my grandmother, high school chorus friends, and the one on-Broadway play I have attended, <i>The Lion King. </i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Becca and I entered the historic Hippodrome that has been converted into a casino. In its previous life, the Hippodrome hosted entertainers like Houdini and Charlie Chaplin. We were probably the youngest people at the conference but we were in for a treat. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We heard performers from the West End's shows: <i>Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia!, Blood Brothers, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, </i>and <i>WICKED </i>belt out songs. It was fantastic! At the end of their songs, we were able to take pictures and meet them. One person, whom I unfortunately did not get to meet was this guy named Matthew Lewis. You know, Neville Longbottom?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Sadly, 10 feet was as close as we ended up getting. Some other broadcasters were quick to snatch Neville away! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had no idea so many actors and actresses double-dip in both musical theater and film. Several of the others had ties to American film but I didn't recognize them. Here is the group: </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Not the best but everyone was so antsy!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Becca and I ended up talking to the producer of <i>Shrek: The Musical.</i> She will also be producing the first ever stage performance of <i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i> next year. When that was mentioned earlier, the whole room gasped. I guess everyone loves childhood stories.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a pretty cool gig. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-78897866661996710682012-08-05T16:27:00.002-07:002012-08-06T07:04:15.997-07:00British Birthday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today was Amy's birthday! It was her first birthday away from home (New Jersey), so we grabbed Italian food (her favorite) and came back for dessert at our cute house. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Amy is ageless!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The whole cake-baking process was less than stellar. We had to call over the neighbor for help and she didn't quite know what to tell us! Before she left, she serenaded Amy in German, a language that she tutors students from her home. British ovens have different symbols and we blindly picked a setting for our brownies. It was the top-down setting and one of the cupcake papers caught on fire and the brownies were basically lava cakes. Everyone seemed to enjoy them, though!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Lava brownies.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The cake faired a little better:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Two layers of chocolatey goodness.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now for a night of editing.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-86928678164516718472012-08-04T16:54:00.002-07:002012-08-04T16:54:41.126-07:00A few of my favorite things<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While life over here has been great, there are a few things that I am looking forward to when I get back (in order)*:</span><div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.) <b>No mayo</b>! Everything here is slathered with it. So goopy and gross.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2.) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Water fountains</b>. The only one I saw was in Olympic park.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3.) <b>Public bathrooms.</b> That I don't have to pay for. (My friend jokes that McDonald's restaurants are the embassy of bathrooms here.)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4.) <b>Southern gentlemen.</b> It will be nice to not be shoved out of the way or have a door slammed in my face. I had no idea how much I value chivalry! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5.) <b>Bill-based currency. </b>I take an eternity shelling out my coins and feel bad for everyone behind me. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*This list does not account for family members, close friends, my dog and a sweet boyfriend. They're way better than sans-mayo sandwiches and dollar bills. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Sometimes I wonder if I'll get pushed in the gap by a guy in a hurry! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-5826508021919667082012-08-03T17:53:00.001-07:002012-08-03T17:53:26.803-07:00Visiting Robin Hood<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I was a part of the skeleton crew that took a train to Nottingham to visit Taylor Amerman, a Louisville resident who was chosen to run the torch in Nottingham. She attends University of Nottingham and was one of three students from the University to run with the torch. We got to hold it! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">This is on Bathley Street in Nottingham where Taylor ran the torch.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I learned that each torch has 8,000 holes. Each hole represents a torchbearer. Also, torchbearers can choose to keep their torch for 200 pounds. Their issued uniform, however, is free. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We then went to Robin Hood's castle to shoot some footage. Nottingham is home of Sherwood forest (which we didn't go to because it's rundown now) and the fairy tale hero. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">This is the entrance to the castle. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While we were shooting, so many people came up to Taylor to have a photo op with the torch. The Olympic spirit is pervasive no matter where you are in England right now. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">This is Taylor and a mesmerized child. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eventually the photo-seekers went away and we got down to business. With some convincing, I shot the intro and outro with a very classy hat. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">This is where we shot. The "50 shades of grey" ladies were posing with my friend, Robin Hood. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was great to meet Taylor and it was clear that she was picked as one of the 8,000 inspirational torchbearers for a reason. She is deeply committed to helping others in and out of her corporate social responsibility field. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's weird that my time here is coming to an end. So much to do. Thanks for following! :)</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hillary</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-61920965820081241322012-08-02T17:11:00.000-07:002012-08-02T17:11:10.847-07:00Watching history happen<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little while ago, I got back from watching Olympic Swimming. It was incredible. The US had a great night, except for the Women's 100 free where we finished off the medal stand in 5th and 8th places. The hype surrounded the Phelps vs. Lochte showdown (Phelps won), but my favorite part was watching Rebecca Soni break a world record and be the first woman under the 2:20 mark in the 200 m. Breaststroke. It was incredible! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting our tickets, though, was an adventure. It all started yesterday when Courtney and I attempted to scalp them. Then after hearing that more were released, we tried to buy them via wifi on my iPhone. We weren't that successful but we were near the mall so we went to the Apple store and voila! Costar came through. The problem today came when we tried to pick them up at the wrong box office (it was for a different company) and had only a little bit of time to figure out where we were going before the correct place closed. We got there in the nick of time and met a nice Canadian lady in line who had stories from the rowing venue. (BP bought out all of the sausages at the vendor and caused an uproar with the hungry fans in line. Can you blame them?) Tickets in hand, we were good to go!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The one problem was that our seats were nosebleed seats. The view was great, but I am terrified of heights. I was in quite the dilemma. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUdppdB9I5_VO9c1gaBI4qvA8fqc0A5Wnef-Ms5Sr7O6p39c0MswzEvYEJ1WTS8B9pEjj55RshdlBzeL73-IoijwqY3W4gFvEg6BjJ9whYmIRT0MG1d7VAREXxkSArV8Ln4SCDciRLTo/s1600/DSC_1194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkUdppdB9I5_VO9c1gaBI4qvA8fqc0A5Wnef-Ms5Sr7O6p39c0MswzEvYEJ1WTS8B9pEjj55RshdlBzeL73-IoijwqY3W4gFvEg6BjJ9whYmIRT0MG1d7VAREXxkSArV8Ln4SCDciRLTo/s320/DSC_1194.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eventually I got over myself. The night was filled with so many thrills that you'll probably see on delay if you're home in the states. We stood up for our national anthem so many times the facility was bursting with American pride. It was a good night. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hillary</span></div>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-52804980498169688322012-08-01T16:29:00.000-07:002012-08-01T16:29:37.215-07:00Olympic Dream<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I started getting more into swimming, a very prophetic family friend said that I'd go to London. While I never made it in the swimming sense (they are <i>so </i>fast), I came for something else. Who would ever guess? Today a big dream came true when Courtney and I were able to purchase Finals tickets for tomorrow night's events which include the Women's 200 m. Breaststroke (my favorite event to swim) and the Men's 200 I.M., where Phelps and Lochte will compete. We're just a tad excited. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">We're just a tad silly, too.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today we shot human interest stories which included asking people to try an Ale-8 (Kentucky soft drink) and give us their thoughts. From this experience, I realized that I would be a horrible kidnapper because I don't like trying to get people to take food. We got some good shots and everyone seems happy about it, so I would say it was a productive day! One of the guys who tried the Ale-8's name was Raffi, which took me back to the days of this:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Look familiar? This is my brother and me in pre-school.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My brother <i>loved</i> Raffi. I've had <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbNlPWtjkA4">Baby Beluga</a> stuck in my head all. day. long. My friends, who didn't know the song before, do also. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow's the day! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hillary</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-85005740206849860362012-07-31T15:32:00.000-07:002012-07-31T15:34:06.791-07:00Tyson Gay made my day<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today we interviewed </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sharrieffa Barksdale, the Event Manager of USA Track and Field. Because she was with us, we were able to get a great backdrop of the Olympic Village! </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIpkECo2IDTokEUxC05aaXZMXf8WTLsnjtSy_HD6ZuEUBuVXTrkbKO7Owa_Rj_BWEJ_BXLj6qH-4fiI582tPejWuPvr42q4naXbCVRGQtr1hWpn3UexeoJGlMFED2LA9QcGXbuKlNlmc/s1600/DSC_0767.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIpkECo2IDTokEUxC05aaXZMXf8WTLsnjtSy_HD6ZuEUBuVXTrkbKO7Owa_Rj_BWEJ_BXLj6qH-4fiI582tPejWuPvr42q4naXbCVRGQtr1hWpn3UexeoJGlMFED2LA9QcGXbuKlNlmc/s320/DSC_0767.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">This is the Olympic Village. I'm surprised that I never saw it before because it is right by the shopping mall that we go to too often. You have to be with a differently credentialed person to get back here. It was pretty cool! Photo by Becca Price.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">For this segment Will was the talent and I am responsible for the print story. This is Sharrieffa, a former Olympian and current Event Manager for USA Track and Field. Photo taken by Cameron Hassler.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She had an infectious laugh and warm personality and was very inspiring. She is genuine in her beliefs that she qualified for the '84 games by the grace of God. Partway through the setup she mentions that she'll get Tyson to talk to us. Wait. What?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Five minutes later, who strolls by?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Tyson Gay, Sharrieffa and Will. Photo taken by Becca Price. I really wanted to take a pic but I had to stay calm and take notes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He even gave us a <a href="http://www.lex18.com/videoplayer/?video_id=27638&categories">shout out</a>.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day made.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136170785247502859.post-81420666864684131392012-07-30T16:38:00.000-07:002012-07-31T10:19:32.399-07:00Strangely Strange<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somedays strange things just happen. Here are the things that happened to me and my group today:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1.) We were told by city officials how to get alcohol without asking them to tell us. We were simply taking a picture in Westminster. (To be completely honest, we don't want to know!)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2.) We met an Egyptian swimmer who swims for Southern Illinois University, where a friend of mine's dad swam and the coach knew him. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvcOrZr5b1Q9rn5937w_jfBZTqfRS1zG2EMW5blo-HVwjfuDuZkPpgO2TIvF-eG3TCwH4oELeKkeOMJnNrO-OuyVqIek_mhyPJvTnatK4M0BuiEddZmQnjZHcTJ91g-DM3x-r3-067OY/s1600/DSC_0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvcOrZr5b1Q9rn5937w_jfBZTqfRS1zG2EMW5blo-HVwjfuDuZkPpgO2TIvF-eG3TCwH4oELeKkeOMJnNrO-OuyVqIek_mhyPJvTnatK4M0BuiEddZmQnjZHcTJ91g-DM3x-r3-067OY/s320/DSC_0708.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">This is Courtney, Egyptian swimmer </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mazen Aziz, his coach Rick Walker and me outside of Buckingham palace.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3.) We took the wrong way every time. On accident. We were always on the wrong side of the fence!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4.) Becca found her cousin unexpectedly while shooting a segment. She knew he was in London but there were no plans for today!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosdRuDN-E809jZxMOpE3Eo0z2093GTxhUCfBuyAnxYwQS5hRH5iq_IsI5ADV81gLoO491nVoYvoKaCAQP-q9CBhPiBHEdY1T2hMgEmxsmXaRczn3RqnpBQn6LaBQsYjDiBL7cUs7vVGM/s1600/DSC_0725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosdRuDN-E809jZxMOpE3Eo0z2093GTxhUCfBuyAnxYwQS5hRH5iq_IsI5ADV81gLoO491nVoYvoKaCAQP-q9CBhPiBHEdY1T2hMgEmxsmXaRczn3RqnpBQn6LaBQsYjDiBL7cUs7vVGM/s320/DSC_0725.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> This is Becca and her cousin whose name I do not remember.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">5.) While shooting b-roll footage, Garrett Weber-Gale, a 2008 Olympic swimmer who was on the relay that made the comeback, walked by. I didn't realize it was him until it was too late. He was representing his company, Athletic Foodie.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">6.) While shooting a package, a man asked to take a picture with Becca and me because he thought we were Irish. We're pretty sure it was her Ireland sweatshirt and my green cardigan paired with my red hair. After telling him that I wasn't, in fact, Irish he still asked for one for his pub. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse;">7.) After passing a bunch of USA swim fans, I said "swimming!" and a scary man on the corner asked if I was a marijuana user. (Not to disappoint you, but I am not.) The conversation went like this:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Do you smoke marijuana?"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> "No"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"You're American"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Yes"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"So you smoke marijuana" </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"No"</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was then saved by the walking man signal on the crosswalk.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8.) We got an Austrian table tennis player to try Ale-8 for a segment. Of the five people who tried it for us, most people had positive experiences. Ale-8 is a Kentucky soft drink that is essentially ginger ale. Most people were disappointed that it was not beer because they were thrown off by its green bottle. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9.) Our WLEX page is bursting with stuff. Check out this quick <a href="http://www.lex18.com/videos/asbury-university-at-the-olympics-lexington-fencer/">clip</a> on fencer, Lee Kiefer. That may not be strange...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10.) The possibility for purchasing swimming tickets has arrived. Cross your fingers! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hillary</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Hillaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02898521087997432286noreply@blogger.com0