The Journey Here

Or ”the world’s longest move ever” as we have been calling it! R is on his way here and he, along with the fabulous Aunt M, should be here sometime tonight. Method of transport? A 22 foot long diesel Penske truck with a car tow. Nice, right? Especially for an almost 1000 mile journey ending with a drive up a mountain. My journey here was relatively easy: a plane ride and collecting a few boxes we shipped here. R has been the trooper of this duo and really deserves a shout out (and my undying gratitude) as I abandoned him in the never ending move to come to Flagstaff earlier in the month to start my training. As referenced in my previous post, residence life departments provide long, intensive training to prepare their staff. This meant it was impossible for me to slip away for the 4 -5 days it would have taken for me to travel there, help load the truck, drive for two days and unload the truck. So, enter students extraordinaire, B and B, who helped R load the truck Tuesday night for an amount of money much smaller than they deserved, and Aunt M who agreed to embark on this journey and help husband keep his sanity intact along the way!

But driving our stuff 1000 miles isn’t why it is the world’s longest move. It is the world’s longest move because we have been moving since the beginning of May. Yes, you read that right. May. Beginning. Yes, it is now the end of July. You do the math. See, we had to be out of our previous apartment by May 30, and our new space in Flagstaff would not be available until about July 8, oh, and Robert’s work contract went until July 19. Can you start to see the beginning of the many dilemmas we were facing? After many half-serious jokes on my part about living temporarily in a cardboard box, RLSH very kindly agreed to continue providing me with a paycheck and us with a roof over our head, but it just couldn’t be in Boaz Hall. Okay, great. So in the midst of studying for finals and closing my building, I also started packing and moving bit by bit to storage. The aforementioned new roof over our head was a small furnished graduate apartment which meant that the bulk of our belongings needed some place else to go.

Enter AMS’s mom van. Yay mom van! We made countless journeys in the mom van to ferry our many belongings (even after ruthless donating and throwing out many items) to storage. Then the fun of figuring out how to make it all fit in storage began. I am seriously not exaggerating when I tell you that we pulled the bulk of the items out and rearranged a minimum of 15 times to make it all fit (in a non-air conditioned storage building with temperatures typically in the 90’s or higher). We sweated a lot. We also realized that we would need a second storage unit (yay, spending more money), which thankfully we only rearranged once at the beginning of July. Other fun expenses? We went through at least 6 rolls of packing tape and more yards of bubble wrap than I care to think about, and that stuff ain’t cheap! Luckily, boxes were not something we had to purchase or seek out. We had pack ratted quite a few from previous moves and I pounced on some brand new ones that students hadn’t used and left behind after move out.

So, that brings us to the end of May, right? At that point, after multiple bruises, a smushed foot, a few tears and temper flares, we moved some “essential” items as well as those that we just couldn’t deal with anymore to our temporary space. For a month, we ignored the fact that we still had some more packing and organizing to do, but then it was down to a week or two before I was destined to head to Flagstaff and we had to face the reality of dealing with the remainder of our stuff. As tempting as it was, throwing it out the window was just not an option. So, more packing and more AMS mom van journeys to storage, and more rearranging and panics of how the heck are we going to make this all fit? Miraculously, we did, and then I left husband for Flagstaff.

So it pretty much ended for me at that point, at least until husband and stuff arrives later today. For poor R, it has continued. He had to collect the last few random items from the Hawk apartment, take them to Aunt M’s, sort through them before she returned home from vacation, and find places for them in storage or possibly the car. Then Tuesday night, he spent over 4 hours loading the truck; Wednesday morning, putting the last few items from Aunt M’s in the car or truck and then started his journey here. I have a Fat Tire Ale waiting for him when he gets here. It’s not much in the way of expressing my appreciation, but it is a start! I have also promised a trip to a local burger restaurant that is supposed to be amazing. And I don’t EVEN want to start thinking about the unpacking process just yet! Eventually, we will settle in and the world’s longest move will be over, right?

What’s It Like Working Here, So Far?

I warn you, this is a long one… It captures my feelings and impressions to date over the past two plus weeks (two more to go… we do love to train in res life!)

Especially within the Residence Life department, I am finding some remarkable similarities to SMU. The philosophy and the atmosphere has a very similar feel to RLSH, just about twice as big. Which makes sense as they are anticipating housing about 7100 students in 21 residential communities this year. We kicked off the first day with ice breakers and a lunch time potluck (that definitely felt like SMU!) and then we toured the office in groups to meet everyone and get a business card with a brief list of their responsibilities on the back (great idea!).

Within the Hall Leadership team (of which I am a part), I work with a very diverse group of people, and I am not the oldest one! There are married and not married; some with kids, some without; some are full-time and some are grads. Some, like me, have been here for 2 weeks and some have been here for over 20 years! They come from all over, so it is fun to learn about their backgrounds and stories.

Here are some interesting stories that have stood out to me so far. One is an African American woman who I am guessing has to be at least in her early 50’s and is the RHD for one of the family housing locations. I look forward to learning more of her story and how long she has been in residence life and what keeps her in this role that we tend to look at as a “starter position.” Another co-worker lived on a Navajo reservation for part of his life. In general, we have a rather large Native American population, and I am excited to learn more about this culture. Another co-worker is in a wheel chair, but is more physically active than me! She plays competitive ice hockey, is trying out for the Paralympics and has completed several half marathons! Having dealt with physical limitations for over a year after our car accident and knowing how much it affected me both physically and mentally, I have a greater awareness and appreciation for those who do not accept that they have limitations and find ways to move beyond what most assume they are capable of. Another just returned from spending 5 years working at a Christian college in Uganda, Africa, and has the sweetest little 14 month old. And that is just the tip of the iceberg, but those are the ones who stand out to me as I am writing.

It is interesting working with graduate hall directors, assistant hall directors, full hall directors, and specialty grads like myself. There is a variety of interests, backgrounds, and experience levels. Training has been both the same and different from what I experienced at SMU. In many ways there are many similarities and consistencies in practices and policies that I am used to already. For me, it is neat to see how universal so much of what we do can be and reaffirms that we truly are a profession that should be respected and recognized. It is a little weird hearing some of the same things come out of the mouths of completely new people! Training is also a little weird because I am required to attend all of it, but I would say over half has no direct application to my responsibilities. In fact, I don’t even have to attend all of RA training. It is weird to hear everyone else talking about the stresses and work of prepping for RA training and opening their building… and I don’t have any of that… not that I am complaining!

I won’t lie I have had my ups and downs with the training experience. It is so hard sometimes to sit through a 2 or 3 hour training session that has no application to my work responsibilities. Now, of course, I recognize the importance of knowing how things operate in the department. There will be those rare, all hands on deck instances where it may be crucial for me to step in and help. Even without being a Hall Director, I may encounter a student in crisis and need to refer appropriately. (These are all things I tell myself when I feel really grumpy) But it is just hard some days. Our supervisor has been making some adjustments recently and releasing us from some training sessions, which is nice because then we can focus on preparing for our CM (Community Mentor) training and setting our processes into place and getting a handle on what we will really be doing. I work hard to remain positive or find something to be optimistic about, but whew, that is hard work too! During discussions, I also sometimes find myself in the weird position of having suggestions and ideas to contribute (which are welcomed) from my previous professional experience, but feeling self-conscious and awkward and wondering if people are going to see me as a “know it all” grad who should just let the “experienced” full-time people share their wisdom? I want to be a team player and be a resource for my peers, but I still find myself holding back sometimes as I figure out my place in this group.

There are four of us specialty grads that are lumped together into an area of sorts, and right now they are my favs to spend time with. All my co-workers are great, but they are the ones that I have connected with the most. J. is in the Sustainable Communities program with me which is awesome. She is like a fusion of several friends I know from Louisville, very laid back, and what I would call “an old soul.” A. works directly with me and he is such a sweet and kind person. I think we will balance each other out well and will hopefully be able to share an office without killing each other over the next two years. He has also worked as a full-time RD, so in some ways we are on the same level with regards to knowledge and experience. He is here to pursue is Master’s in Student Affairs and Counseling. V. is one of those exuberant, larger than life people that always says what’s on her mind and enjoys being the center of attention. She is also very fun and I can tell will be a loyal friend. She is an Aggie and a Texan and proudly wears her ring and an A&M pendant (as well as lets out a whoop every now and then). Both V and J are twins, which I find interesting and love to talk to them about their experiences as twins.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post where I get all geeky and talk mission, values, guiding principles, etc J

My First Flagstaff Adventure: Sunset Crater Volcano

Last weekend, my new friends and co-workers, J and A, called me up Sunday afternoon asking if I wanted to go on a sunset hike with them... so, I said sure! I mean, what else was I going to do besides hang out in my apartment that currently consists of a pile of books, my beloved netbook, a bed, and a borrowed camp chair and table? Did I mention I am using an overturned laundry basket as a night stand? Good practice in minimalist living for me over the past two weeks. Who knew how much you could miss having a microwave??? Yes, that is a little embarrassing to admit, but I digress. Where was I?

So off we went about 20 minutes out of town. This place was pretty indescribable. This is where my lack of descriptive writing skills will probably begin to fail me. We found the point to hike up to the crater and across from where we parked was what I imagine was an old lava field? For as far as I could see, there were these large black discs/chips/I don't know of what must be old lava. It was the most interesting terrain I have EVER seen. I tried to take a picture, but my little phone camera was not up to the task of capturing the texture.

The hike itself was a fairly brief 1 milish hike up a moderate slope. Really, the hardest part was walking on the cinders that make up the path. I should mention that get everywhere! When I got home my toes were covered in black dust despite wearing socks and tennis shoes! Ewww! Once we made it to the top, we took a few pictures and then just hunkered down to talk and enjoy the sunset. In general, sunsets have been pretty spectacular in Flagstaff. There is usually some cloud cover to reflect the setting sun which leads to some gorgeous colors to enjoy.

Knowing it was a volcanic crater and not "just a valley" was pretty cool! I think you will be able to tell from the pictures what it is. What I really find mind boggling is that this happened like 2000 years ago! I mean, there is still so little vegetation that has grown after all this time as you will see in the pictures. It really shows the long-term impact and destruction of this natural occurrence.

It was a lovely way to end my first weekend in Flagstaff. It was peaceful, and it was a nice time to sit back and start really getting to know some of the people that I will be working with closely for the next two years. More about J and A to come.

Here is a link to website that tells a little more about where I was:

http://www.nps.gov/sucr/index.htm

Here is the link to the pictures. If you have any trouble accessing them if you aren't on Facebook, let me know and I will stretch my technical skills to figure out how to post them here.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2189900&id=18808643&l=367e89dcf8

Random Flagstaff and NAU facts I have learned so far

For my Strengthsquest buddies, Learner is my number 6, so it should be no surprise that I have already starting accumulating little factoids that I find interesting.

• Railroad tracks go through the middle of town and a large number of trains pass through Flagstaff daily. I hear them rumbling all the time. However, a noise ordinance was recently passed that prevents them from using their horns except in emergencies.
• There is an airport, but it is so small that the person that checks you in shuts down the check in desk at a certain point and then runs security, so running behind is not suggested!
• Historic Route 66 goes through town
• Two cemeteries border NAU’s campus. Apparently this is unique enough to warrant a Trivial Pursuit question. It can also be an issue with Native American residential students who are not comfortable with a view of “dead people” from their window.
• The mascot is Louie the Lumberjack. Frankly, I find him a bit scary looking and I am not sure why anyone would want a t-shirt with him on it.
• The school colors are blue and sage green with touches of gold, however, the athletic colors are blue and gold because they cannot find sage green in uniform colors.
• The original campus buildings are made out of this beautiful red sandstone brick that I have never seen before. It looks like giant roughly carved stones. It is called Coconino Sandstone, which is also the name of the county I live in (which according to Wikipedia, it is the second largest county by land area in the 48 contiguous states.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconino_County,_Arizona
• I was told that the current mayor of Flagstaff is the first woman elected and she is younger than 30. Wow!
• Mid-July (and my arrival time) marks the start of Flagstaff’s monsoon season. What does this mean you ask? It leads to regular afternoon thunderstorms through mid-September. If you really want to know the technical weather reasons, go here: http://www.arizona-vacation-planner.com/monsoon-season.html
• The Walk Up Skydome, where they play football, is the 3^rd largest wooden dome in the country and held the record as the largest from 1977-1983.
• The Arizona Cardinals football team are currently on campus for their summer training camp.
• The scientist that discovered the origin of the anthrax that was being sent through the mail after 9/11, is at NAU.
• Pluto was discovered at the Lowell Observatory here in Flagstaff. There are also special light pollution ordinances in the city due to the presence of this observatory.

First Impressions

I am playing a bit of catch up here. This is the email I sent out to some of my friends after arriving in Flagstaff:

Well,
I have now spent a full 24 hours in Flagstaff. Gosh, is it beautiful and different. The flight from Phoenix to Flag had some amazing scenery and I also saw the effects of some of the recent forest fires that occurred in the area. It was a balmy 72 degrees when I arrived - nothing like a 30 degree drop in one day! Today was beautiful, sunny, and the 80's. I think I am experiencing a touch of altitude sickness, so trying to stay hydrated. The campus is sooooo much larger than any of I have ever worked on or gone to school, but doesn't seem to overwhelming and still very walkable. It is beautiful, too. In a much different way from the traditional architecture of SMU. So far everyone has been nice and friendly. You would be jealous of the food options I will have during the school year. Now it is like us, and pretty minimal. The Arizona Cardinals start their training camp here next week so that should be interesting. I start training tomorrow, and we go through the first week in August - so they definitely believe in as much training as we do! I think it will be very interesting training and prep. As a "specialty grad" (you guys always tell me I am special!) I have a lot less prep to do and a lot of the training will not directly impact what I need to know for my job (required to attend as more of an FYI and not keep us separate from the larger group). The apartment is going to be interesting. It has some interesting pros and cons. It has no central heating or cooling. It has no AC at all, but that really doesn't bother me, especially not with these temperatures. We will see how this heating unit (that is only in the living room) goes... It is a true apartment with its own exterior entrance, so that feels really nice. I think I mentioned it is in family housing... there is definitely families all around... with lots of wee ones running around. Perhaps I will be engaging these recently brushed up babysitting skills more than I anticipated! It is has patios with patio furnitures and gas grills right outside our apartment!! How exciting is that? We just have to walk down a short flight of stairs to throw something on the grill. The kitchen leaves a lot to be desired and will require some creativity. However, the bathroom was just renovated and it has new carpet and tiling in the kitchen and bathroom... so, I think we can make it work, especially knowing it is temporary. Well, I guess that is enough for now. Will keep ya posted. Feel free to pass onto others who ask how I am doing. Just didn't want to bore people who are not necessarily interested. Miss you already!

Why Flagstaff?

I have lived in cities of more than 500,000 people for the last 15 years or so of my life, with the past 5 years spent in Dallas, Texas living in the “toniest” zip code working for SMU ( Southern Methodist University), which is sometimes is given the unfortunate and not completely true nickname of Southern Millionaire’s University. So, the decision to pick myself and hubby up and move to a western, fairly isolated mountain town of about 60,000 people at almost 7000 feet is a going to be a bit of a lifestyle change, to say the least.

Why Flagstaff, Arizona? Because I wanted to attend a Master’s program in Sustainable Communities at Northern Arizona University. I thought I would tap into the popularity of the blogs to play around with one and chronicle my adventures for myself, family, and friends. This may be the most different place I have ever lived and I am going through a major life transition as I return to school for the THIRD time, so hopefully it can be fun for my readers and force me to stop and smell the roses every so often.