One week down!

OLSBURG, KS - Well, my first week of camp at Broken Arrow Ranch is over. In similar news, I am sick of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

After arriving about a week late to my 2nd summer working at BAR, I was tossed back into the fire of counseling during Blind Camp week. While it is probably the most intense camp in regards to taking care of people, it is most definately the most rewarding. When I look back at everything I experienced working here last year, I remember my blind campers - Jordan, James, "Tyle" - and smile. Some experiences (making two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a meal for campers who don't like veggie-meat, trying to communicate to someone who has no idea of what colors are, having to walk them literally EVERYWHERE, etc) make the job a bit more stressful, but in the end, becoming friends with them makes it al worth it.

Next up: Friendship camp. These are typically non-Adventist kids that come from pretty rought backgrounds. Last year I had the "black cabin," where all but one of my campers were black. While it was a little tiring having to chase them around and force them to stop fighting the congrgation of Russian campers that also come to this camp, it was still an experience i wouldn't trade if I could.

Well, today is my day off, and I'm about ready to head off to have some fun. I realy do plan on writing more consistently soon, promise! Miss you all!

-cw

The Rules of the Trip

You've waited...

===Rules of the Trip===

1) Follow the crowd
2) Do what powerful women say
3) It could always be worse
4) Katrina shouldn't fiddle
5) Lose 50 lbs and marry anorexic before joining Mile High Club
6) Statuatory rape is the jaywalking of sex crimes
7) Being in Italy is the most authentic Italian thing you can do
8) Don't threaten me
9) Rule #1 is Rule #Fun!
10) Details make writing come alive
11) No one can turn down a ninja
12) Gelato is just ice cream in italian

Oui Oui, Paris!

PARIS, FRANCE - So i am finally on the last leg of myjourney - Paris! So awesome. I really enjoy this city. it is big and reminds me of rome, but it's more laid back and has an almost party feel to it. Yesterday when we got in and all that, we took off to the arch d'triumph and stood at the top of it. pretty cool, i must say! then we walked down the avenue past all the cool shops to the concorde, then into the big gated area in front of the louve. we didn't go in, but we are planning on doing that today. we walked around that area a while, grabbed some (really really good) supper, and took off to see the mos famous sight in paris: Hank's Irish Pub and Grill. HA, just kidding. the Eiffel Tower! It was beautiful. we were up there for two hours and we saw the sunset from it. then when we came down (at around 11:00), the whole thing lit up with these little flashing lights that made it look sparklinng. It was wonderful. so we did all that, and it was great. Today, the Louve and some of the other historical sights around. I am writing this from my palm pilot, hoping that in the first few minutes i leave the hostel, i see a litle sign for free WiFi and i can send it off. Expect posts (and back posts, too - check the archives!) coming more often in the next few days. Miss ya all!

-cw

Back at home!

JUNCTION CITY, KANSAS - Finally, I am back! Just dropping a quick line to say that man, my bed is comfortable! Will write more later today!

-cw

Where is my boat?

VENICE, ITALY - Ok, so despite what you might have heard about this city, it is way cool. I have been here a little over two days now and haven't seen one car, just boats. Everywhere! Ambulance Boats, police boats, even UPS has a (brown) boat. So cool.

So i am sitting here at a bookstore that charges a million dollars a minute for internet usage, but i wanted to drop a line to people back home to let yall know i will write again soon, but this time, from SWITZERLAND! That's right, this is my last day in Italia, and i will miss it. Anyways, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE send me emails and reply to my blog posts - i would love to hear from ya. later!

-cw

HE'S ALIVE!

LAKE COMO, ITALY - So finally, after years of no updates, i am back!

It's friday evening here, right now, and we will spend Sabbath hanging around this place, Lake Como. It's this nice little area nestled between the Italian and Swiss border. Very pretty!

Quick rundown - Over the last week i have been on the island of Capri, off the coast of italy. I have been in Naples, home of the most perverse (yet oh so cool) museums in all of Europe. I have been in Rome, standing in the Colesseum. I took part in mass in St. Peter's Basillica in the Vatican (the Christ Cracker tasted like styrofoam). I went to Pisa for the 2nd time, ate gelato on the ocean on the Italian Riviera, and walked the 7-mile straight-up-and-down Cinque Terre Trail.

All in all, i am having an incredible time!

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday will be spent in Venice, soaking up that incredible city. From there, Switzerland and France!

Just writing a really quick note here to let the people reading this know that i am ok, and i miss you all! I am having a great time, but i am excited to come home and show you pictures of everything. Please keep praying for our safety and all that over here, and i hope to hear from you (and even more, to TALK to you) again soon!

-cw