On Valentine’s Day, I wasn’t waiting on any hot dates or roses, but something that means a great deal more to me. I was waiting with great anticipation when a yellow jeep pulled into the driveway around 11 a.m. The dogs started barking and I ran out in the 20°F cold in my T-shirt and pajama pants. One of our postal workers is a woman of lacking integrity who prefers to do the bare minimum. She typically pulls halfway down our driveway, honks her horn, and pulls back out without waiting long enough for an Edward Cullen type to make it to her vehicle. So, I sprinted outside because I certainly didn’t want to miss this package! Two days earlier, I got a call from Hana. She sounded like she was smiling and she told me ... read more

I was waiting on my visa and Fulbright. Days were ticking by slowly and I needed to get away. So I decided to commit to taking my bff out for lunch on her birthday and seeing as many of my Ann Arbor friends as possible in the process. I rented a car (with a little help from my mom who actually has car insurance) and Ava and I left early Friday morning to hang out in Ann Arbor for the weekend. Friday was great! I had a final wine night with my typical crowd at JingJing’s house. It lasted until 2 a.m. because none of us wanted to leave each other. Great, great times with lots of laughs and the common bond of our MATESOL program. Also, I received an email congratulating me for making ... read more

Well friends, Ava and I are missing church this morning. Usually, the end of January would bring snow days here in Boyne Falls, but today we have an ice day. Not only are the roads covered with a glassy sheen of death, but the dogs can barely walk on the slippery deck. Our young boxer doesn’t know how to walk on the ice and we are worried that he will break something out there. My younger sister had a tough time walking to her car this morning on the ice. However, she still attempted to drive and ended up in a ditch less than a mile from her home. My brother started up his four-wheel drive truck, and after scraping the ice off his windshield, pulled her out of the ditch and she continued on her ... read more

Driving mom's minivan down the expressway at 60 mph with two mattresses and two bikes strapped to the top, I hit the blizzard around Grayling. Normally, I would only be about an hour from home, but I had to slow down to 40 mph due to the weather. My neighbor packed most of my stuff into the van (bless him!) and I couldn't see anything but a red suitcase behind my head. I had planned to take two suitcases and a backpack home, but that obviously didn't work out. Instead, I packed way more stuff that I will ever need with the lifestyle I will have. As I drove with white knuckles down the expressway, I thought about how much I will miss my amazing friends that I left in Ann Arbor. And I also thought ... read more