Wednesday, October 19, 2011

west virginia, mountain mama

Fall Break was last weekend. No Thursday or Friday classes. Could life get any better?

This year, instead of trying to fly home and spend a few days sleeping and hanging out with my family (not that I wouldn't have loved to do that), I decided to go on Fall Alternative Break...nicknamed FAB...which is not pronounced fob for those of you wondering.

It was wonderful in every sense. We stayed at the South Appalachian Folklife Center in dorms where we cooked all of our own food and got to run around, be crazy, have bonfires, explore the wilderness, and not be stressed out college students for a few days.

We worked on helping to make a house suitable for a couple who had just purchased it. Basically, we painted for three days straight. And we painted everything blue. I was covered in blue paint by the end of the trip.

The service was totally worth going on the trip. It was very rewarding to help these people and give back when I could've been sitting on a couch somewhere catching up on sleep.

But the people and fun activities were what made it. The group that went was eclectic and strange, but we came together and had the best time. I got to step out of my comfort zone and interact with people that I don't talk to on Butler's campus. I know that I have a few more friends walking around and people that I can say hi to on the way to class.

We also went on a hike in a nearby state park and went to a local music festival. I really just was reminded that all of America is beautiful and different. This area reminded me of Colorado so much and reminded me that I really do love the outdoors. So much. I want to be a mountain woman.



So, good choice, Abby. Good choice for choosing to step outside of what felt right and what was easy and doing something that was a little bit "alternative." It always pays off in the end.

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