Practical Exam & the Trip Home
The second week of class was even more fun and interesting than the first. We learned how to probe our way out of a minefield if we wind up in one by mistake, emergency medical procedures, including how to give IVs, and got to do some off-road driving during the practical exam (which also included probing our way out of a minefield, and giving an IV to one of our teammates).
After I got out of class on Friday, it was time to head for "home" (given that I've only lived here 6 months, and in that time have spent two full months and a lot of weekends away, it doesn't really feel like home, and I'm moving out before I head to Africa). I hit a few drive-by dashpoints before I went to sleep in a motel near Emporia, Virginia. I've been having odd experiences waking up in the middle of the night lately, during which, in my sleep-addled state, I feel like I'm supposed to do something or call somebody to check in. It's happened three or four times, and I'm not sure what it means.
In the morning, I got up and headed toward DC, with the intent of getting there in time to meet my friend Jess and take her to the airport. Unfortunately, a traffic jam interposed itself between me and DC, so by the time I got to the Beltway, she had already left for the airport. I considered meeting her at National, but I decided that it didn't make much sense to go in to the airport to spend half an hour visiting with her, especially since I'll be in DC in early January, and we'll have plenty of time to visit then. So I called Marty & Paola and told them I'd be a bit early, since I wasn't going to be waiting for Jess's plane to leave.
The time spent with Marty & Paola and their kids was wonderful. I always enjoy the time I spend with them. As I pulled up, two of the kids came up and dragged me to the field to play soccer with them. Since the whole family was playing, I could hardly refuse. The way the teams broke out, I wound up doing a lot of running and ended up pretty tired, but I managed to score a great crossing shot while Marty was in goal. I didn't get nearly the feeling of accomplishment when I put one in against his eldest daughter, since she's 10. Afterwards, we went in and had a fantastic dinner. Homemade pasta (which I got to help make), deep-fried rice thingies (which are much better than my feeble descriptive abilities are capable of telling about), asparagus and salad. Afterwards we spent some time playing music and then partially decorating their tree.
Sunday, Marty woke up sick, so I went to church with Paola and the kids. Afterwards I helped her with her Sunday school class, which was a lot of fun.
After I left, I hit a few more drive-by dashpoints, two of which my teammate Greg hit earlier in the month. I got pictures, which he wasn't able to do since he hit them in the middle of the night. Along, the NJ Turnpike on the way back home, I was overflown by a jet on the approach to Newark airport. Big jets at night are really cool to watch, especially when they fly right over your head.
After I got out of class on Friday, it was time to head for "home" (given that I've only lived here 6 months, and in that time have spent two full months and a lot of weekends away, it doesn't really feel like home, and I'm moving out before I head to Africa). I hit a few drive-by dashpoints before I went to sleep in a motel near Emporia, Virginia. I've been having odd experiences waking up in the middle of the night lately, during which, in my sleep-addled state, I feel like I'm supposed to do something or call somebody to check in. It's happened three or four times, and I'm not sure what it means.
In the morning, I got up and headed toward DC, with the intent of getting there in time to meet my friend Jess and take her to the airport. Unfortunately, a traffic jam interposed itself between me and DC, so by the time I got to the Beltway, she had already left for the airport. I considered meeting her at National, but I decided that it didn't make much sense to go in to the airport to spend half an hour visiting with her, especially since I'll be in DC in early January, and we'll have plenty of time to visit then. So I called Marty & Paola and told them I'd be a bit early, since I wasn't going to be waiting for Jess's plane to leave.
The time spent with Marty & Paola and their kids was wonderful. I always enjoy the time I spend with them. As I pulled up, two of the kids came up and dragged me to the field to play soccer with them. Since the whole family was playing, I could hardly refuse. The way the teams broke out, I wound up doing a lot of running and ended up pretty tired, but I managed to score a great crossing shot while Marty was in goal. I didn't get nearly the feeling of accomplishment when I put one in against his eldest daughter, since she's 10. Afterwards, we went in and had a fantastic dinner. Homemade pasta (which I got to help make), deep-fried rice thingies (which are much better than my feeble descriptive abilities are capable of telling about), asparagus and salad. Afterwards we spent some time playing music and then partially decorating their tree.
Sunday, Marty woke up sick, so I went to church with Paola and the kids. Afterwards I helped her with her Sunday school class, which was a lot of fun.
After I left, I hit a few more drive-by dashpoints, two of which my teammate Greg hit earlier in the month. I got pictures, which he wasn't able to do since he hit them in the middle of the night. Along, the NJ Turnpike on the way back home, I was overflown by a jet on the approach to Newark airport. Big jets at night are really cool to watch, especially when they fly right over your head.