Monday, September 03, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Alber-Crazy!!!
Well, Where do I start...
The past few weeks have been crazy and the next few are just as bad.
So Friday I left work early to go to Albuquerque, wit Brooke to visit I an a friend of hers out there.Some flights were delayed because of some storms but I had my fingers crossed and Ian had is eyes crossed.
The flight was delayed by about an hour and then we finally got on the plane to sit there for a further hour. I was supposed to meet Brooke in Minnesota where I was hoping the planes were also delayed. Brooke just managed to catch it but I missed it.
So arrive in Minnesota at about 10.30pm bearing in mind I was supposed to be in Albuquerque at 11 and it was a 3 hour flight to ABQ.
So got of the plane with my fingers crossed that the personalized re-booking packages got me to ABQ in the next 3 hours. Te next flight was 11.34 AM!!! THE NEXT DAY.
So not knowing whether to cry or kill the flight attendant, I decided to make the most of being in Minnesota.
I got some random tram to where the ground transportation was, at this time no one was around the airport was practically deserted. There were a couple of guys just finishing up at the car rental place.
I told them that I was stuck there for the next 12 hours and did they want to take me for a drink, so half an hour later, I am in some random bar in some suburb in Minnesota with a couple of guys buying me early birthday shots. Unfortunately the bars close there at 2am, so they dropped me back off at the airport about 2.30am and I still had about 8 hours to kill.
By now I had find a 24 hour McDonald's that I could use the $10 voucher I ad been given and made friends with DJ, a mechanic at the airport who was originally from Senegal.
Wandered around a bit more, made friends with a cleaner, played on some slot machines, won $2 on a scratch card, listened to the same 7 adverts play on a loop, tired to sleep.
BY this time now it is abut 6am and the place is starting to get busy. As I though I would be getting in at 11pm and going straight to the bar, may make up was now smeared all over my face. Fortunately Minnesota airport is pretty much like a mall, so at 7am when the Body shop opened, I ran in trying all the face wipes, moisturizers, concealer, face shimmer etc to make my self look slightly presentable!
Finally my plane was ready to board, after being stuck there for 12 hours, I thought I deserved bumping up to 1st class, so I asked. and got bumped up!!
So had drinks in an actual wine glass before we took off, a posh salad on a china plate, chocolate ice cream and all kinds!
So finally made it ABQ 13 hours after I was supposed to!
ABQ is sooooo different from NY, it deserty but foresty
So off to camp in some Indian Reserve
We camped Saturday night,
Then got stuck in flipping Minnesota AGAIN for 3 hours on the way back.
But all in all it was a very sort but fantastic weekend away!
The past few weeks have been crazy and the next few are just as bad.
So Friday I left work early to go to Albuquerque, wit Brooke to visit I an a friend of hers out there.Some flights were delayed because of some storms but I had my fingers crossed and Ian had is eyes crossed.
The flight was delayed by about an hour and then we finally got on the plane to sit there for a further hour. I was supposed to meet Brooke in Minnesota where I was hoping the planes were also delayed. Brooke just managed to catch it but I missed it.
So arrive in Minnesota at about 10.30pm bearing in mind I was supposed to be in Albuquerque at 11 and it was a 3 hour flight to ABQ.
So got of the plane with my fingers crossed that the personalized re-booking packages got me to ABQ in the next 3 hours. Te next flight was 11.34 AM!!! THE NEXT DAY.
So not knowing whether to cry or kill the flight attendant, I decided to make the most of being in Minnesota.
I got some random tram to where the ground transportation was, at this time no one was around the airport was practically deserted. There were a couple of guys just finishing up at the car rental place.
I told them that I was stuck there for the next 12 hours and did they want to take me for a drink, so half an hour later, I am in some random bar in some suburb in Minnesota with a couple of guys buying me early birthday shots. Unfortunately the bars close there at 2am, so they dropped me back off at the airport about 2.30am and I still had about 8 hours to kill.
By now I had find a 24 hour McDonald's that I could use the $10 voucher I ad been given and made friends with DJ, a mechanic at the airport who was originally from Senegal.
Wandered around a bit more, made friends with a cleaner, played on some slot machines, won $2 on a scratch card, listened to the same 7 adverts play on a loop, tired to sleep.
BY this time now it is abut 6am and the place is starting to get busy. As I though I would be getting in at 11pm and going straight to the bar, may make up was now smeared all over my face. Fortunately Minnesota airport is pretty much like a mall, so at 7am when the Body shop opened, I ran in trying all the face wipes, moisturizers, concealer, face shimmer etc to make my self look slightly presentable!
Finally my plane was ready to board, after being stuck there for 12 hours, I thought I deserved bumping up to 1st class, so I asked. and got bumped up!!
So had drinks in an actual wine glass before we took off, a posh salad on a china plate, chocolate ice cream and all kinds!
So finally made it ABQ 13 hours after I was supposed to!
ABQ is sooooo different from NY, it deserty but foresty
So off to camp in some Indian Reserve
We camped Saturday night,
Then got stuck in flipping Minnesota AGAIN for 3 hours on the way back.
But all in all it was a very sort but fantastic weekend away!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Volunteer
All the volunteers from the Building Bridges Coaliton Event on Sunday spelt out the word volunteer!!!
I am the bottom part of the first E - red top, black trousers!!!
I am the bottom part of the first E - red top, black trousers!!!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
One year Anniversary!
Well, Everything has been a bit crazy, I got back from the UK about a week ago and have not stopped since.
I can't believe it's been a year since I first came over. I literally flew back on the the exact same day that I first came over a year ago.
It was so nice to know that as I stepped off the plane I had a place to go to, a bank account to get some dollars out of, a US phone to let my US friends know I was back.
The past year as gone so quickly and I can't believe how well everything just dropped into place. Granted it took about 6 months to sort my visa out, 2 months to get my social security number. But I managed to find a pretty decent apartment with extremely cheap compared to the rest of Manhattan rent. I have got 2-in-1 new positions that are brand new so I can really shape it how want. I have fantastic friends over here who are always there for me. Life is good!
There is still much that I haven't done though and my new aim since coming back from the UK is to make the most of my time here - who knows where I will go next!
So getting back in the American way of life I went to my 1st baseball game. It was really good fun. We had nosebleed seats, in that we were about 15 rows from the highest point. We could practically see the writing on the planes that flew over. The atmposhere was sooo funny. It was the Mets( A NYC team) against the Reds (form Ohio). Any Reds in our section really got abused hurled at them - not very sportsman like at all!
On Sunday I made it out of the city to Philadelphia PA. It was the launch of the Building Bridges Coalition.
The Building Bridges Coalition, a project of the Brookings Institution’s Initiative on International Volunteering and Service, is a consortium of leading international volunteer organizations, universities and colleges, corporations, and government agencies working collaboratively to double the number of international volunteers serving abroad by 2010.
Check out the website at It was a really good afternoon. Extremely hot but it really reiterated why I am doing this job. The work that I do is about 90% a desk job so sometimes you lose site of why you are there.
We had a fantastic story of Adil our Morocco Country Director. One of the placements we have in Morocco is in a juvenile Detention centre. One of the inmates was involved in a Terrorist suicide bombing in Casablanca and his target was Americans. Most of our volunteers are Americans so this guy would not talk look or take part in any of the activities that the volunteers arranged. This guy hated Americans. Slowly he began taking part in English lessons, music lessons and began talking the volunteer. When the volunteer left, the guy - who previously tried to blow himself up because he hated Americans that much hugged him and said he would miss him! That is what we are about. CCS is about fostering cultural understanding and educating and empowering people to better their lives and situations. You often lose site of the fantastic work we do, the lives we change and it's always good to be reminded of this.
We do change lives, we change the lives of the communities we work with, we change the lives of our volunteers - even I am proof of that - I moved half way across the world to work for them. Even though CCS is doing so muc there is still so much more to do and that is why I was proud to be at the Launch of the Brookings Initiative, because of everyone makes the effort to volunteer domestically or internationally things can really happen.
Ther was an amazing speaker at the launch, His speech was fantastic. It was something about if you do things for yourself and selfishly, when you die, it all dies with you. But if you volunteer and help other people, when you die this lives on and is immortal. You shouldn't measure your life and success by the size of your paycheck but by the impact you have on other peoples lives.
So that's my sermon over!
I can't believe it's been a year since I first came over. I literally flew back on the the exact same day that I first came over a year ago.
It was so nice to know that as I stepped off the plane I had a place to go to, a bank account to get some dollars out of, a US phone to let my US friends know I was back.
The past year as gone so quickly and I can't believe how well everything just dropped into place. Granted it took about 6 months to sort my visa out, 2 months to get my social security number. But I managed to find a pretty decent apartment with extremely cheap compared to the rest of Manhattan rent. I have got 2-in-1 new positions that are brand new so I can really shape it how want. I have fantastic friends over here who are always there for me. Life is good!
There is still much that I haven't done though and my new aim since coming back from the UK is to make the most of my time here - who knows where I will go next!
So getting back in the American way of life I went to my 1st baseball game. It was really good fun. We had nosebleed seats, in that we were about 15 rows from the highest point. We could practically see the writing on the planes that flew over. The atmposhere was sooo funny. It was the Mets( A NYC team) against the Reds (form Ohio). Any Reds in our section really got abused hurled at them - not very sportsman like at all!
On Sunday I made it out of the city to Philadelphia PA. It was the launch of the Building Bridges Coalition.
The Building Bridges Coalition, a project of the Brookings Institution’s Initiative on International Volunteering and Service, is a consortium of leading international volunteer organizations, universities and colleges, corporations, and government agencies working collaboratively to double the number of international volunteers serving abroad by 2010.
Check out the website at It was a really good afternoon. Extremely hot but it really reiterated why I am doing this job. The work that I do is about 90% a desk job so sometimes you lose site of why you are there.
We had a fantastic story of Adil our Morocco Country Director. One of the placements we have in Morocco is in a juvenile Detention centre. One of the inmates was involved in a Terrorist suicide bombing in Casablanca and his target was Americans. Most of our volunteers are Americans so this guy would not talk look or take part in any of the activities that the volunteers arranged. This guy hated Americans. Slowly he began taking part in English lessons, music lessons and began talking the volunteer. When the volunteer left, the guy - who previously tried to blow himself up because he hated Americans that much hugged him and said he would miss him! That is what we are about. CCS is about fostering cultural understanding and educating and empowering people to better their lives and situations. You often lose site of the fantastic work we do, the lives we change and it's always good to be reminded of this.
We do change lives, we change the lives of the communities we work with, we change the lives of our volunteers - even I am proof of that - I moved half way across the world to work for them. Even though CCS is doing so muc there is still so much more to do and that is why I was proud to be at the Launch of the Brookings Initiative, because of everyone makes the effort to volunteer domestically or internationally things can really happen.
Ther was an amazing speaker at the launch, His speech was fantastic. It was something about if you do things for yourself and selfishly, when you die, it all dies with you. But if you volunteer and help other people, when you die this lives on and is immortal. You shouldn't measure your life and success by the size of your paycheck but by the impact you have on other peoples lives.
So that's my sermon over!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Introduction to my Hood!!
Well after many complaints off my Mum about the photos on my blog being of me in bars etc, I thought I would introduce you to my hood!
Currently living in the apartment are Bonnie and Tyler my roommates and....
3 tortoise
3 snakes (I think - Tyler has just brought some back from his school)
1 sugar glider
1 bird
1 dog
So there you go! The Upper West Side!!
Currently living in the apartment are Bonnie and Tyler my roommates and....
3 tortoise
3 snakes (I think - Tyler has just brought some back from his school)
1 sugar glider
1 bird
1 dog
So there you go! The Upper West Side!!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Show me the Money!!!
I had a dream last night that I was at a family function party thing in this posh hotel in England. I sat on this sofa and found some money (Which I believe may have fallen out of Uncle Ste's pocket!!) and kept it. OK but it was $35 - which I think is quite significant as I was obviously in England but was dreaming in dollars - Have I been here too long........
Monday, May 28, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Partnerships and Alumni Relations Coordinator!! - My official title
Well, Karen left last Wednesday, so finally had chance to breathe. As lovely as it has bee having all my UK buddies over, there is only so much my bank account and tiny room can take.
Saying that the 1st weekend I had to myself was super busy! Friday went out with some of the girls and didn't get in until about 3. Then Saturday was shopping all day. Then in the evening went for dinner with a girl I met on my Brazil program. It was sostrange seeing her in NYC but was really good to catch up. Then had a call off Pete and ended up meeting up at the Lions Head - our local pub which is dark and divey but cheap, close by and really laid back. Some how got sucked into to do jager bombs and was another very late night.
I was supposed to go to Ikea but have 2 very eventful nights, I ended up sitting in the park all day in the sun with the dog!! It was soooo nice to have some time to myself.
The 2nd week as Partnership and Alumni Relations Coordinator is going well. It's very different from PEM, there is no task list that has to be completed at the end of the day. It lots of projects that are on going and with being 2 people in one its a lot of multi tasking.
I'm working with a group at the moment from the Cartoon Network, the lady I'm talking to is lovely and it all seems to be going well so far and I'm really enjoying it all.
This weekend on Sunday we are doing the AIDS walk whihc we hav to sign in for at 8.30am!! On a Sunday!
So that's news from this end!
Saying that the 1st weekend I had to myself was super busy! Friday went out with some of the girls and didn't get in until about 3. Then Saturday was shopping all day. Then in the evening went for dinner with a girl I met on my Brazil program. It was sostrange seeing her in NYC but was really good to catch up. Then had a call off Pete and ended up meeting up at the Lions Head - our local pub which is dark and divey but cheap, close by and really laid back. Some how got sucked into to do jager bombs and was another very late night.
I was supposed to go to Ikea but have 2 very eventful nights, I ended up sitting in the park all day in the sun with the dog!! It was soooo nice to have some time to myself.
The 2nd week as Partnership and Alumni Relations Coordinator is going well. It's very different from PEM, there is no task list that has to be completed at the end of the day. It lots of projects that are on going and with being 2 people in one its a lot of multi tasking.
I'm working with a group at the moment from the Cartoon Network, the lady I'm talking to is lovely and it all seems to be going well so far and I'm really enjoying it all.
This weekend on Sunday we are doing the AIDS walk whihc we hav to sign in for at 8.30am!! On a Sunday!
So that's news from this end!
Monday, May 07, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
New position at work!!!
As of May 7th I will no longer be a Program Enrollment Manager I will be 50% Partnerships Coordinator and 50% Recruitment and Alumni Development Coordinator. Yes a lengthy title, I will need a huge business card to fit that on!!!
Basically with Partnerships I will be helping to build and maintain relationships with groups, uni's and companies. I will also be involved in doing information sessions and presentations. With RAD i will helping with the Alumni network and things like reference letters etc. I have not even started yet and I will be helping design the layout for a newsletter being sent out about the Brookings Initiative
I am really looking forward to the new positions and think it will be lot more challenging and creative for me. Also it a newly created position so something that I can really get my teeth into.
We have a dance off with work tonight to raise money for AIDS walk which it going to be hilarious. My I have heard rumors of my new supervisor turing in up in some pink, spandexy and cat suit like. I will be sure to take lots of photos!!
Basically with Partnerships I will be helping to build and maintain relationships with groups, uni's and companies. I will also be involved in doing information sessions and presentations. With RAD i will helping with the Alumni network and things like reference letters etc. I have not even started yet and I will be helping design the layout for a newsletter being sent out about the Brookings Initiative
I am really looking forward to the new positions and think it will be lot more challenging and creative for me. Also it a newly created position so something that I can really get my teeth into.
We have a dance off with work tonight to raise money for AIDS walk which it going to be hilarious. My I have heard rumors of my new supervisor turing in up in some pink, spandexy and cat suit like. I will be sure to take lots of photos!!
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Long over due up date...
Well had a constant stream of guests staying which is due continue until May or July.
The first lot were Emma and Sarah there are photos previously of that!
Then last week Laura came for 10 days. Fortunately didn't have to play tourguide as she was extremely happy shopping, shopping a bit more and ooo more shopping!
Sian is coming on Tuesday which I am soooo excited about! I have next Friday and Monday off so really looking forward to having some time off.
The dog we have at the moment is a pitbull called Lady, was a bit scared of her when we when we first got her but she actually the softest dog ever. She is petrified of this huge silver bag I have that has some random Victoria Secret model on. She barks at it continuously!
Have enrolled 24 volunteers this month and its only the 14th!
Well nothing else really new at the moment but watch this space....
The first lot were Emma and Sarah there are photos previously of that!
Then last week Laura came for 10 days. Fortunately didn't have to play tourguide as she was extremely happy shopping, shopping a bit more and ooo more shopping!
Sian is coming on Tuesday which I am soooo excited about! I have next Friday and Monday off so really looking forward to having some time off.
The dog we have at the moment is a pitbull called Lady, was a bit scared of her when we when we first got her but she actually the softest dog ever. She is petrified of this huge silver bag I have that has some random Victoria Secret model on. She barks at it continuously!
Have enrolled 24 volunteers this month and its only the 14th!
Well nothing else really new at the moment but watch this space....
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
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