Blogs from Lawrence, Kansas, United States, North America

After a year and a half of working my way onward through the application process, I am finally going. Note to the wise, cross your t's and dot your i's during the application process or it will bite you in the butt. Because of a missing date on a medical form, I was delayed another 3 months before getting my invitation. And this is my ideal situation! I will be absurdly busy with my three main projects in Zambia which are agricultural sustainability (going from village to village assessing needs and developing solutions), environmental education (working with school teachers to create environmentally focused clubs to help cut back on the deforestation), and micro-entrepreneurship (shadowing merchants and creating working as well as supporting successful ones). I can't tell you which one I am more excited for, because ... read more

I haven’t really thought this trip through as much as I have others. I just don’t feel as if I am fully prepared for the adventure. For example, Sunday night as I began to feel daunted by the errands and packing I had some twelve hours to accomplish, I of course stopped doing what needed to be done and called a friend. His attempt to encourage me demonstrates my state of mind: “Well Erika, all you really need is your passport, right? And you have that.” At which point I had to get up from the bed upon which I had decided to deposit my daunted self and add ‘passport’ to the list. Then I went to bed. I was a bit wound up the next day, complete with timed schedule of things to do, but ... read more

Here are some links to marching videos when we performed for the Heart of America Band Festival. The pre-game is incomplete, but we only did half of it for this show. I am mostly back field, sorry the films are a bit far away. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpnkxWOBr5w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4G12C-UZb4 and here is a picture link http://www.kansasdrumline.com/index/09photos.html#10 I have also added some pictures of my apartment, outings with friends, and of course from marching band. We had a senior day where all of the band seniors stood on the field and had their names announced over the loud speaker. I have been quite busy this semester and band had actually taken up most of my time. I am about to begin second semester and will be taking some new courses and working at the Study Abroad Office. Everyone, I hope ... read more

4 JUNE 2009 - Friday So it was Friday, I had arranged to be off all 3 days of the weekend and wanted to spend it riding. I thought to start it off I would head to Lawrence KS and get my 1 point in the ABCs of Touring for the KS HOG Rally. I would spend the rest of the day collecting other ABC points and riding SE KS. Up by 10am I am shortly on the road and heading to Lawrence. I could take the interstate, a toll road, but I hate paying tolls so I head off on US24 and take the scenic route. This way will take be by the HD Dealer. At most rallies the only real worth time thing is the vendors who always seem to have the same stuff, ... read more

Hey Everyone! As most of you know I've spent the past year clerking for Judge Deanell Tacha in Lawrence, Kansas. Unfortunately my time there has come to an end and today I'm taking off for five weeks to backpack through Europe---one last attempt to avoid the inevitable arrival of the "real world." I start private practice in DC this fall. I'll be overseas until September 10 and my itinerary is pretty flexible at this point. Possible destinations include Krakow, Vienna, Budapest, Croatia, Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, French Riviera, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, London. I obviously won't have a cell phone so I will stay in touch with everyone through email. Hopefully this website will also help me keep you all updated during my travels! I'm not sure how often, and if, I'll be able to update this, ... read more