Woops...

I got so caught up in life I forgot to settle down and take some time to write. Writing isn't only a great way to let your friends, family, and other acquaintances know what you've been up to; it's also a great way for you to see what you've been up to.

Since somewhere in June I've mainly been busy starting up a new period in my life. The period in which I try to break away from the college life and the constant running around; the period in which I try to settle down and get some stability; the period in which I...I...I...grow u...uuuuu...UUUUU...behave a bit more like an adult.

So currently I'm in Madrid where I just finished the CELTA course - a course that teaches you how to teach English to people who don't speak English. If that makes any sense. I'm living with Claudia in her grandparents' apartment, where I get more "bless you"s than the lord does on an average day, thanks to this old down comforter and it's inability to keep its feathers inside. Aaaaanyway...

So what's been going on? Well, in a nutshell: I went to Holland, went to the US, flew to Spain, went back to the US, moved to Garrett in Mt. Vernon, WA, found out that I could do a CELTA course in Madrid and work here as an English teacher, flew to New York to meet up with Claudia, flew back to Madrid with her, and now I'm living here. In between those things there was some surfing in Somo, Spain, a bunch of wakeboarding in Benidorm and Madrid, some partying and a bunch of studying. In all, it's been busy but nice.

Depending on how bored I get and how much I want to see what I've been up to, I may start keeping this up again. If not...see you in half a year!!!

Dear Jetlag,

you wake me up at absurd hours...

Adios good friends and grumpy people...

OMFG! Why won't my clothes fit in these bags?! Once again, I'm trying to fit more in my random collection of bags and suitcases you'd think physically possible. Contrary to what you may think, I've found that getting really mad and stomping on clothes has actually proved itself beneficial multiple times.

There were three reasons for me to come back to the Netherlands:

1. To attend classes and let the professors know that I would be in Idaho, not in class

2. To see my friends

3. To get some things over here that I didn't bring when I left a year ago

Going to class was actually fun again. I haven't had classes for well over half a year now, and it was nice to just hang out and hear what the professor had to say, rather than having to think for myself.

Seeing my friends was even better. It's fun to see how little people change in a year. Sure, they may be wearing different clothing, have a different job, but in the end, they're still the same friends I left a year ago. And even though I like to think that I too achieved some personal growth and made some changes over the last year, I fit right back in and had just as much of a good time.

Now, trying to pack the stuff I left behind was a bit tougher...but I'm sure if I push hard enough, all of it will fit and hopefully the airline won't complain about the bags being slightly overweight.

It was weird to be back...fun, but different. For some reason, it didn't feel like home as much as it used to. I love being able to take a tram from each street corner and never really having to walk; I love the food and the cheap fresh vegetables; I love the "snackbars" where you can get the best fastfood; I love the kebab places; I love hanging out and partying with my friends at the Grote Markt and 't Paard. But I don't love how grumpy people seem to be; I don't love the weather; and most of all, I don't love the price of a beer...

Lots of people are less friendly than people are in the U.S. When I got on the train, it seemed like nobody wanted to scoot over a bit so I could sit next to them. And then when I did sit next to someone, all he did was look angry about it and stare out the window. It seems like people in the states are more willing to start up a conversation. People here seem to be in some crazy hurry -- they're always doing something. Of course, not everybody is like that, and there's some really awesome people around here...but sometimes you have to generalize if you want to make a comparison or a choice. I made the choice to not come back and live here. It stresses me out. The U.S. is home for me now. The Netherlands and the rest of Europe can be my vacation destination!

I'm going to be back somewhere near the end of March. When I come back I expect to see leaves on trees, a sun in the blue sky, and people smiling because spring has begun.

And for everyone back home, I'm gonna be back in a couple days, so I expect a belated birthday party! I don't want present, but I do want my friends to be there to hear about what's been going on in Moscow. David said it was post-apocalyptic.

Friends, futons, lolcats and bars...a week at UConn

Sitting on the Greyhound bus and waiting for it to leave, I might as well take the time to tell you all about my week (or what was supposed to be a week) at UConn.

After arriving in DC and taking a shuttle bus to the bus station I was proud to see that in DC buildings serve multiple purposes. In the case of the Greyhound station, it serves as a bus station and a homeless shelter. Way to use your resources efficiently! Now, if you check out Greyhound.com, you’ll see some awesome looking Greyhound buses. Buses that scream legroom, TV’s, and overall comfort. I never saw those buses. The buses I saw screamed GHETTO. The people on the buses screamed ghetto, too. Even the stations we stopped at screamed ghetto! And weaves! My ride on the bus definitely gave me a new perspective on life. Spending nine hours on that bus gave me an idea of what some people have to go through on a daily basis…and it ain’t fuckin’ cool. Buttttt luckily, nine hours later I got to jump off that bus and say ‘hello’ to the beautiful little world of UConn.

I hopped off the bus, grabbed my bags, Michelle, my favorite sorority girl, picked me up, and off we went for a campus tour. Now, UConn is a cold place...literally. It was snowy, windy, and freezing. I think that in my haste to get out of the cold I wasn't paying attention to which bags I grabbed when I got off the bus, because after about half an hour I was called by an upset lady who's bag I had. Fortunately, she had mine, so at least I didn't lose my pillow...since that's pretty much all I had in it. She drove down to UConn, we traded bags, and all was good again.

Now, I'd been traveling for a good twenty-something hours, so I can honestly say that I felt far from clean, awake, and ready to party. Luckily, Megan and Leanna were nice enough to let me and my stuff stay in there room. A liquor store run, a shower, and a nap later, I was ready to go! That night we went to Shaun's house for a little reunion. After a bottle of rum, a couple rounds of beer pong, and a great time seeing all the people from the ATL trip, it was time to head home.

Now, I don't quite remember everything (I think I may have blasted my short term memory that night), but awesome as she is, Megan was kind enough to remind me that on the drive back I insisted they let me out of the car so I could walk back. Walking back in negative degree weather, intoxicated, and without a clue where I was will definitely be added to my list of "great ideas while drunk". After Meg let me out and asked me how I was going to get home, and after I pointed out that I would take two lefts and then be there (really it turned out to be a left and a right, so I wasn't that far off), she was kind enough to walk with me. I was dropped off in Michelle's room where I slept on the futon, did some midnight wandering, made some drunk calls, and woke up with pizza crust on me. Good night!

That night pretty much set the tone for the rest of the days. Every day I would wake up either at Megan's, Nia's, or Sean's place, get some of that good ol' dining hall food, spend my day laughing at lolcats (to Leanna's displeasure...), and go out at night.

Sunday night it was time for a reflection/reunion dinner for the people from the trip to Atlanta. And, it was time for warm and fuzzies! What? WARM AND FUZZIES! Yeah...I had no clue either. Everybody was sent a list with everybody's name on it, and behind each person's name you would write something positive about them. During the dinner, everybody made a little bag with his or her name on it in which everybody would put their little note about that person. And, as Kerrie put it, when you read those notes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Well, it sure made me feel warm inside.

Writing the notes was a lot of fun, and though I was joking around a lot of times, I can't think of anything negative to say about anyone in the group. All those hearts are exactly in the right place. It was great seeing everyone that night, including Matt and Paul; two people who I think everybody can learn a lot from. These guys know so much and have so much to tell...I can only hope that one day I and everyone around me turns out to be as good and kind hearted as the two of them.

Fast forward through all the partying, futons, dining halls, and local bars...and all of a sudden BOOM, it's Sunday and it's time to leave. After a night of partying and sleeping on Sean's futon, it was time to get up at 6.30 AM and head out to the Greyhound station again. Of course, bad news WOULD hit me right before I leave -- I heard that DC had been hit by a massive snowstorm. Well, heck, I figured I'd just hop on the bus and if all flights were cancelled, I could always stay with someone from GWU (I met those people on the ATL trip, too). Boy was I wrong. Sean dropped me off at the station and about ten minutes later I found out that all buses between NY and DC had been cancelled...nice. "Dude...can you pick me up again?"

So back to UConn it was. I stayed there for another night and left on Monday night...I think. My days kind of became a blur and I lost track of time somewhere during the week. Anyway, I arrived here at the station, and I have to say I'm going to miss UConn. Once again I learned that people really can be pretty awesome. People who had only known me for a week gave me a place to stay, took me along with their friends, and helped me out when I needed it. I can't say how much I respect these people for that. Things that may seem so minor, but when you think about it, it would have been so easy to say no, yet none of them did.

As the Greyhound's engine starts rumbling and the whole things starts rattling like an old fan, I can't help but wish I was still sitting around on Sean's comfy futon (or screwton), trying to find out what exactly happened the night before, how we got home, and why my shoes were covered in mud splatters. The bus starts moving and my stomach turns...yep, my body is still pissed at me about that last beer...or pitcher of it.

Adios UConn and thanks for an awesome week! See you in April for spring weekend :)

Yay for spontaneity!

Yes...more random trips!

As some of you may know, even though I'm living in Idaho, I'm still enrolled in the University of The Hague back in the Netherlands. I do most of my stuff online, but throughout the semester I'll have to visit the university to talk to professors, do exams, give presentations, etc. I also have to attend the first couple of classes during weeks six and seven, so that's from the 8th of February till somewhere around the 19th.

Now, all work and no play makes Michael a dull boy, so I decided to add some fun into the trip...during my trip to ATL I met a bunch of really cool people from DC and Connecticut, so why not visit them before I head out to Holland?!

Those of you who know me, know that I don't always plan ahead or think things through very well. So, once again, it was kind of a last minute thing, and I really didn't know where I was going to stay or what I was going to do until today, the 24th -- I'm leaving the 28th, so...yeah...I'm glad I let people know I was coming well ahead of time.

I'll be leaving Moscow on the 28th, and I'll arrive in DC around 11:00 pm. I'll spend the night at the airport and then take an el cheapo Greyhound bus to CT, where I'll stay until ????? and sleep on futons and couches. And, just so you huskies know, I expect to have an awesome time!

Then on the ????? I'll head back to DC where I'll spend the weekend before I leave to Holland, where I'll stay for two weeks.

I hope everything goes well...I will keep you updated. Three days to pack, make plans, reserve bus tickets, and work a bunch. Awesome :)

Idaho in the ATL...

After a ten hour trip, I arrived in Atlanta on Tuesday at 6:30 AM. I was picked up by Candace, the volunteer coordinator from Community Collaborations International (CCI), who let me know what would be going on. She told me about the cold that had hit Atlanta, and about the fact that, because of the low temperatures, we wouldn’t be able to do much construction or deconstruction work. Instead, many of the projects we would be assigned to would involve working with homeless shelters, after-school centers, the red-cross, and other non-profit organizations. Sounded fine to me!

Around 7 o’clock we arrived at what would be my new home for 11 days -- an old church in an area of Atlanta called the Old 4th Ward. It seemed like a nice little neighborhood with a lot of history. Later, I learned that only two blocks away from the church I stayed in, Martin Luther King spent a large part of his life. Pretty cool, huh?

I picked up my bags out of the back of Candace’s truck and headed inside where a group of about 50 people from George Washington University was having breakfast, together with a small group of students from Wisconsin who had, coincidentally, arrived only seven hours before I did. The group from GWU had already been there for two days.

So I got myself some breakfast (eggs and sausage) and sat down at a table with a group of GW students. They were so welcoming, and I instantly got involved in some interesting conversations about Jersey Shore and Teen Mom. After breakfast Candace let me know that, if I wanted, I could join the Wisconsin group that day and go out to work on some projects. Initially I was kind of hesitant – I’d been awake during my entire trip, was tired, and didn’t know any of the people from this group yet. But after thinking about it I decided, why not?

Candace introduced me to the group I would be working with that day: Ollie, Holly, Adrianna, Seamus, Sean, Fei, Sing, and Ashley. We heard that we would be going to City of Refuge, a center where they basically do EVERYTHING, from handing out clothing, to serving food to homeless people, and offering daycare for kids. So we set out in two mini-vans, and Ollie almost killed us on the way there by deciding, last minute, that he wanted to take an exit. Now, for anyone that has ever tried to make a sharp turn at high speeds with a mini-van, you might know that it’s not the brightest thing to do. Luckily, this mini-van, unlike my previous car, DID keep its wheels on the ground. When we arrived we were brought into the clothing sorting section, where we started out sorting clothing, which turned out to be more fun than I could have imagined. Crazy 50’s outfits, the tiniest baby clothes, and sketchy underwear made it into a pretty good time.

After having sorted clothing for a couple hours it was our time to go entertain the kids. Awesome. These kids were so grateful to have someone to play with and had more energy than they (or we for that matter) knew what to do with. We ended up playing twister, playing basketball, doing endless piggyback rides, doing relay races, and so much more. Hugs abound, balls flying everywhere, the craziest dances and songs – it was crazy. I loved it. Without a doubt, this was one of the best days of the trip. It was also a great opportunity to get to know more of the volunteers a bit better, which I gladly did.

After having explained that I was on this trip on my own, and was the only person there from Idaho, the nickname Idaho Mike was kind of inevitable. A couple days down the line it was cut down to just Idaho. Nice…goodbye identity. Anyway, the groups were awesome and I was adopted and taken into the groups within the first day.
That night, just like every night to follow, dinner was followed by catchphrase, card games, phase 10, and tons of talking talking and talking.

The days to follow included working at a furniture bank where we repaired and sorted furniture that would be given to homeless people or people who lost their belongings in the floods; working on a house where we laid pipe in a ditch and then filled the ditch with sand and gravel; a night at Rescue Atlanta where we served food for the homeless; and a day working at Gateway, an amazing center where they help the homeless, drug addicts, people with mental issues, and kids.

During this first week I was amazed to see how much is going on in Atlanta. What surprised me even more was the mentality of the people we worked with. Even though many of these people had little going for them, they stayed positive. I was never approached in a negative way – each and every single one of them, despite how bad they had most likely been treated by society, gave me a chance and enjoyed my presence.

A lot more went on, but at the moment, I’m kind of over typing…all I want say is this trip was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. Never have I walked away from a trip with so many great memories, and having achieved as much personal growth. I inspired and was inspired; I admired and was admired; I made others laugh, and laughed so much; I listened, and was listened to; I made new friends and was able to be a friend to new people.

I learned that we can all can make a difference. I learned that each of us has the potential to inspire people, that there are always people who look up to us, and that there are people who we can listen to. I learned this week that there are people who can teach us, that there are people who we can talk to and who share our interests, I learned that there are people who we can admire. I learned this from people who I, most likely, would not have given a chance had I been at home, and I bet many of the others wouldn't have either.

I learned this week that everybody deserves a chance. Every person you meet is someone who may change your life, who may be able to teach you something new. Every person is someone you may be able to help, someone who you may be able to offer new insights.

Give people a chance – they might just surprise you. Actually, chances are they WILL surprise you. Don’t say 'no' too much. Don’t ask why, ask why not. Take a chance. It’s so easy to play it safe and not take a risk, but what’s the loss when you do take that risk? You could find out you don’t like this person or this person may not like you. Who cares? It’s only a small loss, if a loss at all. But when you decide to take the risk, there is so much you can gain. You can find a new friend, a partner, or just another person to talk to on campus. Every chance you take will result in a lesson learned, one way or another.

Take positive risks and don’t get stuck in daily routines or habits. Go out of your way to make someone’s life just a little bit better. Do something without putting too much though into it – unless you're on Safari or working with animals (ask Sigfried and Roy)

Saying goodbye to everybody was tough. While everybody will be going back to campus in a group, I go home alone. But while I might leave without my new group of friends, I’ll always have places to stay on the east coast. I’ll have stories to tell my friends back home. I have lessons that I learned and that I can apply to make new friends back in Idaho. I will come home feeling like a better and more fully developed person. I loved this trip. I loved the people, both the volunteers and the people we were there for, for accepting me, for not judging, for teaching me, for inspiring me, and for being my friends.

You all have something amazing to offer this world – you! You’re all amazing people and you all have the potential to do amazing things. I miss you all. Thank you.

Portland Schmortland...

Dude...how boring can an airport be?! After a 50 minute flight from Spokane to Portland, I'm sitting here at gate D7, and will have to sit here for another two hours. This place is mega-boring. Even kids are bored! And I don't think I've ever seen a bored five-year old anywhere...those things know how to entertain themselves like none other. But not in this airport.

The flight was sketchy...fog, clouds, rain...pretty intense. And then I started wondering if planes ever hit black ice when they're landing. lol. The plane driver did good though.

My neighbor during the flight was a platinum blond 40 something year-old with two lip piercings and a tattoo on her chest who used the word 'awesome' excessively. She's heading to Atlanta as well...I now totally understand what they're talking about when they say 'dirty south'. It really is pretty dirty. Jk. She was cool. I guess she's been a waitress for most of her life and came up to Spokane to see her kids for new year's eve. Seemed like a cool ol' lady -- definitely an interesting one.

Well...I might go get a magazine and a butterfinger. Maybe have a beer or two as well to help me sleep on this flight, haha. Though a cup of green tea sounds pretty nice as well. I'll decide on my way to the only open restaurant.

Miguel en aeropuerto numero dos.