Missing Road Signs

Today was orientation day at NTS. It was a good ol' time, but I was definitely feeling overwhelmed with information and just regular anxieties of moving to a new place and starting school. Orientation included breakfast and lunch as it started at 8 am and ended a little after 2 pm. NTS seems to be overran by NNU-ers this year although there are several other colleges represented. I have high hopes for my time here although I know that greatly depends on how much I put myself out there.

Later this evening, I got an invite from some friends to have dessert at the Cheesecake Factory. I wasn't going to go for financial reasons but decided I needed to make a sacrifice in order to be social. I got directions and was on my way. As far as how I got there, let's just say that I returned home much more quickly compared to how long it took me to find the restaurant. I blame it on the fact that the first street I was supposed to turn right on was broken off. This mistake was followed by many others. I added to the situation by making u-turns in the form of going around several blocks rather than just turning around on the same street. I never got frustrated though; I was able to just laugh at myself and hope that the next street or the next turn would take me to where I needed to go. And so, I did eventually get there, and I had a good time. And now, I know the efficient way to get from the NTS-area to the Plaza. :)

I have always said that if there is a wrong turn to be made, I'll make it (at least once). But that's how I learn the roads. It also brings back memories of all of my outing adventures in Sofia. Oh man... it keeps me humble.

We drove through Kansas today, Todo

I began the day in Colorado, and I ended it in Missouri. Most of what happened in between we call Kansas. The drive wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. If I had to choose to drive through Kansas or Wyoming, I would definitely choose Kansas although driving through the state in the winter months may change my opinion.

I completed the 9ish hour drive by myself and several cds. My highlights of the drive were definitely the billboards. If I wasn't in such a rush to get to KCMO, I would have stopped to take pictures, but I have put it on my something to do in the future list. My highlights aren't listed in order of amazingness but rather in order as I saw them.

Highlight 1: World's Largest Prairie Dog along with the Russian boar.

Highlight 2: A picture of a wheat field with a rather large and disturbingly mis-proportioned head of Jesus popping out of the wheat next to the also large and disturbingly mis-proportioned hand raised and clenched with wheat. Only the head and hand were visible out of the otherwise normal looking wheat field.

Highlight 3: Several billboards of a glowing and well-primped Jesus with the caption of "I trust you, Jesus".

Yep. Someday I would like to stop and see the prairie dog and the five legged cow which I once heard was there. As for now, I will be busy trying to figure out how this new chapter of life will go. I am sure as I begin to navigate around the city I will again experience my awkward moments as I did in Bulgaria. At least this time I can ask for directions personally, and they can answer in the same language. :)