Harry Potter

I love Harry Potter. I have read ALL the books twice and will now do it again beginning Thanksgiving weekend. (Ok maybe after I take the NCLEX). I still remember being in 8th grade and checking the book out from the Churchill Junior High library (our librarian sang in MoTab and I always looked for her during conference-so cool!). I have always loved reading, and still do, but the excitement of reading Harry Potter and thinking of nothing else is wonderful. When you're reading HP, everything you do is so that you can read. You do your homework faster, or not at all, you get your chores done, you miss meals, it doesn't matter what happens, you MUST keep reading. It becomes consuming, but it's SOOOOO great!!

The first part of the 7th movie came out last night and I cannot wait to see it!! No joke, I woke up this morning dreaming that I was in some HP book and trying to get to Diagon Alley. (Those of you who know me know this is very significant, I never ever ever dream and I can count on one hand the number of dreams I have had since I have been at college and I can tell you all of them). Anyways, I was trying to think of a particular spell and couldn't, it was so frustrating. Of course, the first thing I did when I woke up was google the spell, thank goodness for google. But that is how excited I am about this movie.

I also found out that the bell tower at BYU has been playing the Harry Potter theme!!! How cool is that??!! I love BYU. In honor of the movie, they played the Harry Potter theme every hour on Thursday between 8 and 6 and again today at noon.




On a less positive note, I took a dumb facebook quiz and it said my HP boyfriend would most likely be Fred or George Weasely. Facebook knows nothing. It was a slight shower on my Potter Parade, but I won't let it get me down. I know I deserve better, like Harry. Even Ron. He's kindof a dope sometimes, but incredibly endearing and hilarious. I'll find my Harry, someday.

Also, there was a fun article in the Daily Universe in relation to Harry Potter. It's called Sorting BYU Majors into Hogwarts houses. I really liked it, but they left out the Nursing program. Hello? For real? We have the highest GPAs on campus, we are incredibly resourceful, driven, competitive, and compassionate (just to name a few of our outstanding qualities). Even though she forgot us, it's ok, I still like the article. Enjoy!

Thank You, Internet

Current videos I am loving:

This is so sad and so emotional, no I'm not depressed, emo, or anything of the sort. (I hate the word emo). Anyways, it's beautiful, lyrical, I could watch it a million times, and I love it.




And this is one of those really cool things that happens somewhere in the world that people should know about.

In the city of Tarragona, Spain, castellers gather every two years to see who can build the highest, most intricate human castles. This uniquely Catalan tradition requires astonishing strength, finesse, and balance. Not to mention courage.

Isn't it amazing what things people do and we don't even know about it? This is why you need to get out and explore a little. You find cool things! Enjoy!

Casteller from Mike Randolph on Vimeo.

1 month!!

Do you know what today is? Today is exactly 1 month aware from the day I'm done with school!!! Well, I still have to take the NCLEX, but I'm just going to overlook that for a second. So, these are the things I'm going to do when I graduate!

-Buy clothes, mostly so I can look cute on my days off! :)
-Wash my car more often
-Get pedicures
-Buy a beach cruiser
-Study art history more often
-Travel
-Watch movies in the middle of the day
-Learn how to ice skate
-Go rock climbing
-Ski
-Learn how to snowboard
-Go on lunch dates with my mom
-Scrapbook
-Join and be active in a professional nursing organization
-Dress up and celebrate Halloween
-Blog
-Go sky diving
-Buy shoes
-Take bubble baths
-Learn how to put on make up (maybe even work at the make up counter at Nordstroms on the weekends?)
-Read. A lot.
-Sew?

Basically, when I graduate I will have SO much more time and I plan on taking great advantage of it! I can't wait for December 17!!

One of those days

One of my favorite childhood books is "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". It's a good story if you're ever in the children's book section of the library. My day hasn't hit that mark yet, but it's definitely been "one of those days". We all have them, they don't kill us, but they're not always the best either. Oh well! This has been my day so far . . . I had the best intentions of waking up early and going to the gym (even though I have averaged 5 hours of sleep every night, I totally thought I was super woman, I often think I'm super woman, it doesn't usually turn out so well) ANYWAYS, I didn't. Instead, I did the "snooze" thing (which I hate, you're just awake the whole time wishing you could be asleep), and ended up waking up late. Not a good start. Due to the late wake up, I didn't get to wash my hair, again, and ended up wearing a semi-lame outfit - no comments if you see me. I also had the choice of doing my make up or eating breakfast. I chose breakfast. Needless to say, by 8:00 a.m. I was quite flustered already. I was on time for class, but I didn't look too great, my hair was grody, and I had to do my make up in my car. Then I got to class and realized I hadn't forgotten to finish not one, not two, but three assignments! I had a paper due, which was already written but I had forgotten to print it off, I had a dumb reflective writing assignment that I semi-spaced but wrote very quickly before class started, and then for bridging we usually watch movies and discuss a particular principle (ex: leadership, delegation, accountability, etc. - most fabulous class ever) and I forgot my movie! No need to worry though, we didn't have time and I am presenting another time! Then we went to a lecture in the Mazer building and on the way out we were walking down a spiral stair case (4 flights of stairs from top to bottom) and my water bottle somehow flew out of my backpack and through the middle of the spiral, and managed not to impale anyone on the way down! The water bottle has even lived to tell the tale. (Not to mention I didn't even notice it took flight, some girl behind me had to tap me on the shoulder and tell me! Ha!) Major dork moment. My friend, Rose, and I came back and were eating lunch and I realized I forgot the chicken for my chicken tacos. I had corn tortillas with salsa, corn and black beans and learned I don't want to be a vegetarian. Then I spilled the salsa from my lame tacos on my jeans. To recap: I have dark circles under my eyes, look slightly homeless, have uneven mascara due to the fabulous lighting in my car, made myself look dumb in front of too many people, am low on protein, and smell like a Mexican restaurant. I'm not mad, everything is fine, it's just been one of those days.

The best of . . .

I got to vote yesterday, which is something I get pretty excited about, and it got me thinking. When I vote, my favorite part is getting the sticker that says "I Voted". It's not so I can show the world how great I am (mostly everyone knows already, ha!), but maybe it's a childhood sort of love for getting stickers? I don't know, but here are a few others. The best part of:

-Giving blood = the Lorna Dune cookies and juice you get after
-Going on vacation = coming home
-Going to the gym = leaving knowing you did a good job
-Attending any mormon function = there's always treats!
-Making your bed = getting in a nice bed that night

What are some of yours?

Fuzzy Faces

The disadvantages to not wearing contacts . . . I have contacts but they don't change my vision all that much. If I'm watching a TV from far away I squint a little, in class I sit near the front (partly because I'm such a great student and partly because the notes get blurry if I sit far away), and I frequently think I see someone I know and say hi to a complete stranger because it wasn't really my friend that I was greeting. Ok so maybe they are really helpful but they get dry, you have to remember to put them in and take them out, and if you forget to put them in and already have make up on you can kiss your mascara goodbye! I look super dorky in glasses so I've been trying to be better about actually wearing my contacts (see mom! I'm trying!) and I make an effort to actually remember them. Side note: I passed the driver's license test without them so really I'm just fine, it's just a little tweaking. However, I realized this morning that there is a common event in my life that happens a lot and it's quite embarrassing! I will be in the library or somewhere where there are boys (not nursing class) and I will think "oh, that boy is cute", but because he is so far away and because I can't really see, it's quite a jump considering I don't really know what his face looks like. Then he starts walking closer so I look at him so I can actually see his face as it comes into focus. This is part of my thought process . . . "oh look, he's walking closer, I wonder if he really is cute . . . ok not bad . . oh wait! Look away! Don't let him catch you staring at him for prolonged periods of time! He thinks it's because you think he's all that and a bag of chips and really it's only because he was fuzzy! Look busy! Talk to someone! Who do I know?!" as I fumble around in my backpack, put in my headphones, or get a drink. This may or may not have happened today. Super embarrassing. Moral of the story? Wear contacts. On that note, wear contacts, wear sunscreen, floss, turn the lights off, and shave your legs - all things that will greatly improve your happiness, well-being, and life span. This is kinda what it's like . . .

Dark Knight Running

So . . . running on the treadmill today watching "The Dark Knight" in the Cardio Theater (thank you Gold's!), there were probably 15 people cardio-ing and enjoying the flick. There is a particularly jumpy part and I hate scary movies, and I screamed! Out loud! Just a short, quick, but very audible "Ah!". I looked around and everyone was staring. Oh well! It's what everyone was feeling, right?

Swimming Lessons

This summer I taught swimming lessons in my backyard. I love swimming, I love teaching, and it was so much fun to have little people come and hang out with me every morning. During lessons I heard some pretty funny things, here are some of my favorites:

Jack saying "over there" . . . it sounds like "obah day"

Jensen: Are you bringing us treats again tomorrow? (Sometimes I wish I could ask this question too!)

Daisy: Why do you wear your hair like that?
Me: It stays out of my face like this
Daisy: Oh. It just looks kinda weird.

Zach: Do you know that one guy?
Me: What one guy?
Zach: That one guy who goes to the gym and has no hair but little short hairs and looks like me?

Molly: Mom, Daisy has to go to potty
Daisy: No I don't!
Molly: Yes you do!
Mom: Daisy, do you have to go potty?
Daisy: No
Mom: Molly, why do you think Daisy has to go potty?
Molly: She keeps holding her bum!

Here are just some, among many, that I can still remember a month later! Thanks to all my little friends this summer, it was so much fun!!

Last Semester!!

This is my last semester at BYU (hooray!) and I am so incredibly excited I don't even know words to tell you about it. I'm doing my capstone semester at the Surgical ICU at the University of Utah and it's going to be fabulous, I just know it. My preceptor seems way nice, I love the hospital, the floor was recently remodeled, and it will put all of my nursing thinking skills to work - I can't wait!!!

I have now been at the BYU for 5, yep, 5 years!!! After this semester it will be 5 1/2 and as much as I have loved it, I might be ready to not come back after Christmas (which is probably good because they probably wouldn't let me!). While at BYU, I have completed 168.5 credit hours, made it through the nursing program, finished my art history minor (it's actually Art History and Curatorial Studies, but who says that?), know where all the bathrooms are on campus and which ones are cleanest (except for maybe the ones in the Clyde building, but I don't go in there, it smells funny), have dedicated half of my life to the 5th floor of the library and chosen favorite tables and spots at those tables, know where to find the fastest internet, can locate the vending machines with string cheese in them, can navigate much of campus indoors - useful for the snowy months, and know when various teams are getting out of practice to avoid the entire Richards Building/Smith Field House/parking lot area-or not, depending on the team, and many other things.

It being my last semester, I have focus, drive, and dedication to finishing it out strong. I need good grades, I need a job, and I need to pass the NCLEX - big deal things. I also want to improve my running, maintain my sanity, and have a lot of fun. I have made it through BYU without getting married (I graduated all by myself, thank you very much! Oh, and thanks mom!) and I don't anticipate it happening within the next 4 months either, so really, I have no one to impress and I have things to do! So, if you have questions about my dating life, you can ask, it's just not very exciting sometimes! Those coming home from their missions can date my sister, I don't want to pay for your education. Those who have been at BYU for too long because they're looking for a wifey can stop taking 6 credit hours per semester and continue looking, it's not me. Those who are somewhere near graduation, have possibly applied to med school or something else great and are driven, motivated, and shower regularly, we can go out. And those single grad students who wander campus looking like zombies and playing midevil times on the grass by the WILK, please stop talking to me, we have nothing in common. With this focus and excitement for my last semester, if I come to campus looking like I have just run 6 miles and thrown on an outfit and some deoderant, that's probably what happened. And please still be my friend. Night shifts, weird schedules, football games, buying more BYU paraphernalia (you can never have too many t-shirts), and 1:00 church - BYU Fall 2010 here I come!!

So Long Sweet Summer

I LOVE summer. I can't even tell you how much I love it, I love it so much. I look forward to it all year. It makes me happy. I think I'm just a better person between the months of May and September because it's warm and pleasant outside. Summer and I get along well (no, I will not be naming any of my children Summer, I don't know how I feel about naming children after seasons). I don't mind running errands or driving around or leaving the house or going back to the house because I forgot something - which happens a lot - I just love doing whatever I have to do because it's summer outside! However, with the last week of summer approaching and school starting on Tuesday, I'm realizing that summer is almost over. There was a moment last week when I realized that my last summer of "I'm going back to school in the Fall" is almost over! From here on out I will be part of the "real world", I will have a "real job" and summer vacation no longer lasts 4 months. It made me sad to think that it has passed so quickly, but at the same time, it's been a great summer. I went to Tonga, I was able to spend time at home, and I enjoyed the time away from school. Thinking back, some of my favorite things about summer have been (and still are):

• Sunshine
  
• Laying out
• No school
• Strawberries
• Swimming
• Sleeping on the trampoline
• Playing 4-square in the driveway
• Watermelon
• Swimming
• Snow cones, Real games, cheap tacos, the Pie, and the weird gas station in Salt Lake (thank you Jon)
  
• Warm nights
• Not scraping snow off my windows
• Getting into a hot car (I like that first couple of seconds when you realize that it's so hot outside that the inside of your car is hot - another reminder that it's not winter - maybe it's weird, but I like it)
• Boating
  
• Staying up late and being ok if you wake up a little late too
  
• Swimming
• S'mores
• Weddings and wedding invites
  
• Barbecues
  
• Summer rain storms
• Lake Powell
• Family vacations (NOT including the road to Hana - I have another name for this drive)
• Basically, doing anything during the summer is better than doing the same thing in the winter simply because of the fact that it's SUMMER!

My little sisters and their friends summed up for me what summer is all about, especially during high school, I hope they don't mind me sharing this and I hope you enjoy! Oh, and thanks Rose, Kelley, Taylor, and Madeline, it's fun having you guys around and I sure will miss you!! Good luck at the U, Rose, you're going to do great!!

"First Half of Summer"

Candwich?

"Mark Kirkland, of Salt Lake City, Utah, has dedicated more than a decade of his life to a single concept: The sandwich in a can."

Yes, there is someone making pb & j that fits in a can. I don't know how I feel about this, it's super convenient, could be used in many situations, but it sounds a little sketchy. It comes out in August if you want to try!

Check out the full article here! (Yes, another "Today Show" find)

Tips at Tucanos

I work at Tucanos. I have been a server here for a couple of years and it's a really good job. It's hard work, I run around a lot, and I buy hideously ugly Walmart shoes because they always get ruined. (My current pair looks like old lady dance shoes with little studded rhinestone thingys on the sides - no one, and I repeat, NO ONE, should ever have to wear these shoes for any function other than knowing they will be trashed and it's not worth spending more than $7.99 on a pair of "will get spilled on soon" shoes). I have worked in Provo since I was hired, but when I came home from Tonga and didn't want to drive all 40 miles to work every day, I started working in Salt Lake at the Gateway. At first I wasn't too sure how I felt about it. The people were different (anything is different from Happy Valley) and I didn't feel like I fit in very well. However, I have come to love it. My co-workers are great and I really enjoy working with them, the people aren't as needy as they are in Provo, but they drink a lot more, and the server station is HUGE! (Ginormous! Gigantic! Spacious! Wonderful!)

When I was working in Provo, I learned how to maximize my "tip potential", or TP for short. People usually come in with all 26 of their children (under the age of 12, of course), order waters all around, make a mess, and have 4 birthday cards. If they could get paid to eat here, rather than paying to eat at the Tucan, they would. If you keep tons of water on the table, bring over extra napkins, and comment on how cute their boogery children are, they are happy and will leave you a generous $5 in the check. Oh, and don't bother with the dessert tray, the children will just stick their hands into whatever is closest and the parents will glare at you for letting their children know that there is sugar here, you just have to pay extra for it - something they will not be doing.

In Salt Lake, people like to feel like they are being taken care of and that you actually care about them. Their tip reflects your hard work and offering any kind of alcoholic beverage is appreciated. After my first day in Salt Lake, I didn't do as well as I wanted to, so I turned to some of my more successful fellow servers and asked for tips to increase my TP. Here are some of their suggestions:

• Offer to put alcohol in anything - even lemonade
• Ask them about themselves and their lives
• Always make sure they have available refills for their drinks
• Keep the table clear
• Play off of the meat server, they like to feel like they are involved in some kind of witty insider Tucanos club banter
• Flirt - shamelessly (Thank you, Kate, although I struggle with this - maybe someday!)

So far things are looking up! Tips are increasing, I know way too much about people who sit at my tables, and the shoes are holding up! Any other tips for things you like at restaurants, please let me know! I'm always looking for ways to do better!

Oh, and PLEASE don't ask for the birthday song, I'm terrible at drumming.

Pick City

One of my guilty pleasures is the "Today Show". I love it. I have a minor crush on Matt Lauer and hope that when I get married, my husband is like him (including his awesome taste in shoes). I usually watch it when I work out, unless, of course, I'm there so ridiculously early that it's not even on yet. Every day Al has the "Pick City" of the day, where they chose a city from around the country and tell what their weather is like that day. I've always thought it was so cool and hoped that they would pick Salt Lake City someday. I realized that the chances of Al choosing Salt Lake, having that 2 second weather update on, and me being there to witness it, were slim. Well, today is my day. The "Pick City" was Salt Lake City and I was on the stair climber watching it! I was unusually excited and I think I frightened the very sweaty onion-smelling man next to me, but it was great! Thank you Al! And thank you "Today Show", you never disappoint me. (I am also looking forward to "Today Throws a Wedding", if I didn't plan on getting married in the temple I would be all over applying for that, maybe I could ask Matt to be my maid of honor . . . )

iWin

I'm being good.

Goal: No sugar for 12 weeks. So far, week 5 = perfectly sugar-free. I know, amazing. (Especially considering we have celebrated Father's Day, my mom's birthday - happy 29th!, the 4th of July, and other sugar-inviting occasions, I'm impressed - if I do say so myself.)

Problem: Need to make cookies for various reasons (one of which includes making cookies for my boss who gave me a weekend off when I, along with everyone else, asked for it off and I was definitely the last person to ask - oops! Thanks Chad!)

Tonight I made these.


Cookies. Perfect chocolate chip cookies. They were moist, chewy, smelled amazing, baked flawlessly, and everyone who tried them loved them. I was not one of those who tried one . . . or two or three . . . I tried none. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Did I miss them? Yes. Do I know that I can make them some other time and they will be just as great? Yes. However, this was not an easy feat. I have come off conqueror, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Well, for tonight at least.


I'm good.

I Bleed Blue

I love BYU. The campus is beautiful, the boys are cute, and it's a unique educational experience. There was an article in the Deseret News about how valuable this particular education is, enjoy!

BYU Ranks 77th in Country for Degree Value

PROVO — Only 76 schools in the country offer a degree worth more than one from BYU, according to a report compiled by Bloomberg Businessweek.

The University of Utah ranks 281st.

A BYU graduate can expect an almost $800,000 return on his or her college investment over 30 years, the report said. The return for a graduate of the U. is estimated at $434,000.

A degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the most valuable, with a return of $1.7 million. According to the report, a typical college graduate grosses $1.95 million over 30 years (or $65,000 a year), which is $670,000 more than a high school graduate.

Utah State University ranks 333rd in the list of 554 schools, and Weber State University is 449th. To see the list, visit businessweek.com

— Paul Koepp

This is also another reason I love BYU:

The Newspaper

I don't enjoy reading the newspaper. The pages make your fingers black and they feel weird, most of it is full of things I don't need to know, the obituaries are no fun, and no, I don't need a refrigerator. Basically, I usually have no clue about what is going on in the world, and I'm ok with it! During school I have enough to worry about and Provo is a bubble anyways, besides who wants to read after staring at textbooks all day? Not I. When I go to the gym in the mornings it's too early for the Today Show (I love the Today Show), so I think I have watched most of all of the episodes of "Saved By the Bell", and there is no way I'm going to watch CNN.

However, yesterday I was eating breakfast and my mom had the newspaper opened to the back side of some section and the front page of the sports section (both of which I would usually disregard completely), but there was an opinion column about the Jake and Vienna spat from The Bachelor on Monday night, which of course I watched. I read the entire column and thought "ya, you're totally right! That's exactly what I thought!" and had a bit of a connection with the world and this particular author and the newspaper-pretty cool! Then I thought "I might actually like reading other columns like this" and to my right was the column on the whole "where is everyone going in the NBA?" thing. That writer also had some very insightful points (I think now I know why these people get paid to write and why people read it). The best part came at work when people were actually talking about the things I had read - and I actually knew a little bit about what they were saying!! I know, it sounds ridiculous but I thought it was great. Remember when Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped? I had no idea she was even gone until the day they found her and everyone was making such a big deal and I had noooo idea what was going on. When I asked my mom she looked at me like I had been in a hole for the last year, which, I basically had been.

This morning on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and the Early Show, they were talking about all the things I had read about. And to think, I only spent about 10 minutes reading while I was eating breakfast, and now I'm part of the world! This just might have to happen again . . .

P.S. LeBron James is going to play for the Miami Heat - on Good Morning America this morning he said he picked it because it "felt right", good answer.

Tonga

Malo e leilei! I just spent the most amazing month in Tonga and here are some pictures and updates from our exciting adventure.

First stop, New Zealand! We flew to Auckland and stayed for a couple of days. Thank goodness there weren't very many people on the way there and we got a whole row to ourselves - so comfy.


After the very long flight (13 hours and 10 minutes), we arrived bright and early for a day of touring Auckland. We stopped on a small island (I think it was called Raingototo or something) and the ferry only stayed for 10 minutes before it whistled for us to come back. Some of the group didn't make it back on time and we were separated for a couple of hours, but they were ok. Oh, did I forget to mention that there was no shelter on the island and it rained while they were stuck? Ya, they were ok, wet, but ok.

Kelsey, Danielle, Emily, and Me on the island

Downtown Auckland . . .
(beautiful picture courtesy of Emily)


. . . to Tonga!


This picture is from a hike we took to the highest point on Vava'u

We started the next morning working in the Prince Ngu Hospital. The different "wards" were Pediatrics/Obstetrics, Medical/Surgical, Outpatient, Antenatal, Dental, and Community. We rotated through the different areas of the hospital and got to know everyone very quickly. We were really excited to learn and to get involved and the nurses really appreciated it. By the end of our 2 weeks on Vava'u we had developed some great friendships with the nurses and learned a lot about how the medical system works in such a small place. They have so little and do so much with what they have. Nurses are involved in everything from "womb to tomb". They deliver babies, care for patients (although I don't think there were more than 10 at this hospital during our stay), and care for bodies when someone has died. Everyone on the island knows who the nurses are and really respect their opinion and advice. I really appreciated how hard the nurses worked and how innovative they were in caring for patients.

We got to help deliver babies . . .

. . . ate "labor cake" when one of the nurses offered a little treat.

We had been assisting with labor support when one of the nurses brought in cake. They don't have a lot of gloves so we often just wash our hands a lot, but the nurse was very insistent that we take the cake. So, we ate cake! Something I never would have done (ever, under any circumstance), but I did and I lived!

. . . we bathed babies


. . . and taught children at primary schools how to brush their teeth!

Don't get me wrong, we definitely had a little fun too! The nurses took us to an island, Taunga, on a little tiny boat and we had lunch with them. When we saw the boat we were a little concerned. It fit 8 nursing students, 2 instructors, 6 Tongan nurses, an entire Tongan feast, and a driver. After we made it to our destination (about a 1 hour boat ride), the driver had to take a bucket and empty some water out of it, but hey, "it's ok"! (This was a common phrase in Tonga. If you ordered dinner and they didn't have half of the ingredients, they would make it anyways and say "it's ok". Oh well!) On the way there we passed a huge cave with bats all over the ceiling, it was really cool. The nurses tried to tell us that if we jumped in the water the cave would light up. Ya, like I'm going to jump in dark water in a semi-creepy cave crawling with bats. I don't think so. So one of the nurses took off her shirt and jumped right in! I'm not sure if the cave lit up or if we just wanted her to get back in, but it sure was funny.

Here is the beach with the little boat we traveled in.

These two islands were so close together that we could walk from one to the other and the water was barely knee-deep!


Meleame (the charge nurse) with our Tongan feast-including the roasted pig! We had sweet potatoes, yams (surprisingly there is a big difference between the two), fried rice, crab, coconut, watermelon, pineapple, fried fish, cassava pie, taro with corned beef, clams, and much more! Yum!


Playing on the beach

Being white, or a "palangi" in Tonga, everyone knows you and where you came from and where you're staying and how long you will be there and a whole bunch of other facts that you have no idea where they heard them from, but they know things about you. They also love to give you gifts once they feel like they know you well enough. This was one of my gifts:

What is it you say? Why it's Tongan soap of course! When I was in the antenatal area of the hospital, I got to know some of the nurses pretty well. One of them brought me Tongan soap and told me she made it herself and even chewed it with her own teeth! It smelled awful but I couldn't go without trying it, out of courtesy. I just used it to wash my hands, thought it was the most disgusting thing ever, and promptly washed it off. Surprise-after you wash it off it smells really nice and it makes your skin super soft! I definitely won't be including this into my regular hygiene regimen, but it was worth a try!

This is a high school rugby game-they were so good! Some had socks and shoes, others had just socks, and some had neither! It was a lot of fun though.

Just as we were about to leave Vava'u, a plane crash landed on the big island, Tongatapu. Because of this, all the planes were grounded for about 5 days. Considering we were ready to go, it was hard not to be antsy and ready to head out, but hey, marooned on a paradise island for a few extra days? It wasn't so bad. This is a picture of when the planes were finally cleared to go and we packed our bags and hurried to the airport and the flight was cancelled-back to the Pua!

We did arrive safely in Tongatapu and began clinical the next day. On our first day the princess was coming to the hospital for the demolition of the old part of the hospital. We got to line up with the Tongan nursing students and show respect as the princess came to the hospital for this ceremony. You can also see a huge tapa cloth in front of the nursing students-this is considered a big deal in Tongan culture and a show of respect as well.

At Vaiola Hospital on Tongatapu with one of the staff nurses (in pink) and a nursing student (in blue)

While we were touring the lovely island of Tongatapu we came across trees full of Flying Foxes. Our taxi driver was so great and got out of the car and started making noise to wake up the flying foxes and try to make them fly around. As we were all looking up watching them fly around, Tami got a little too close and was hit with some Tongan Flying Fox treats! Yes, Tami's face was pooped on. It was gross, but really funny too, thanks for letting us laugh with you!

Tongans LOVE to have their picture taken and will ask you to take their picture. This is a group of students from the Liahona School (the Church school in Tonga) with their marching band uniforms - they were so good!! They performed at the parade celebrating the opening of parliament and did a great job.

This is the house we stayed in at the Liahona School . . .

And the Temple . . .
(right next door!)

One of my favorite parts of Tonga was the trip we took to Eua. It's a little island off of Tongatapu that takes about 2 hours by ferry to get to. It's beautiful and we had an awesome tour of the island.

This is a natural land bridge and it's much bigger than it looks here-it was beautiful . . .

And on the way home there were tons of bags on the deck of the ferry and we weren't quite sure what they were, but then they started moving and one had a nose! People were transporting their pigs from Eua to Tongatapu! Here is one of our little friends . . .


Here we are on the front of the ship on our way home. We got to see the sunrise and everything, it was great.

In Tonga I learned a lot about how to make good use of what you have, that family is most important, and that I can handle a lot more than I thought I could. This experience was such a blessing and I will never forget what I learned, saw, and felt. In conclusion, these are a few of my favorites . . .

The blowholes, you can just sit and watch the waves forever . . .


The sunset on Eua . . .

And, of course, the beach!

Tonga is so beautiful and hopefully I can go back someday! Until next time, nofo a!

NSNA Convention 2010 - Florida!!

So, every year there is the National Student Nurses' Association Annual Convention, and this year it was in Orlando, Florida! It was so much fun and was so nice to get out of the yucky gray weather and into some sunshine! This year I ran for an office - Director (West) - and won!! It was a lot of hard work and I'm so so so excited, it's going to be a great year! On the way to Florida, we had a layover in Phoenix, where the plane broke and we had to wait for 4 hours in the airport. Because of the delay, they gave us $10 food vouchers, which I used at Starbucks to buy gum, don't you think this gum looks like either mints or medicine though? Oh, and when you bite into it there is liquid in the middle, it's definitely a unique kind of gum, it works though!

This is right after the keynote speaker in the Opening Ceremony, which most of us either fell asleep in or whispered to our neighbor. This is Day 1 of the convention and I was SO excited, no campaigning yet, but much anticipation!!! (Pictured left to right: Sondra, Melina, Me, Amy, Whitney, Jim)

One of the Plenary Sessions


In Disney World!!! Soarin' Over California, always a favorite, with all the girls!



Me, Amy, and Rachel doing our best to pay attention during the House of Delegates.

My poster and I at campaign headquarters. It took forever to make and I am so proud of it. Oh, and you can't really tell, but everything on the board that is in color is glitter paper. I know, awesome.


The whole crew after receiving the Outstanding Chapter Award at the closing ceremonies!


Disney World!!!


Epcott-and the building I never went in, I was just so busy!

Riding all the rides late at night! SO FUN!!!


Dinner on the last night! Such a great week!!

Playing in the gift shop after the space ride, I don't remember what it was called, but it made you feel like you were really in a rocket shooting into space and your face would be pushed back and you couldn't talk and it was hilarious. Try picking up your arms in this ride-not possible.


This is when I was nominated and my name is on the screen!! No turning back now!

The Orlando Temple

Last trip to Disney World, what a week!

So, Amy and I had to go to the restroom during one of the meetings. After we discretely snuck out, we headed down the hall. We thought the sign said "Women", which as you can see it does, but when we walked in, it wasn't equipped for women! We quickly ran out and double checked the sign and noticed that it was a temporary "Women's" restroom sign! A little alarming!

Rachel and I after one of the plenary sessions, we were good at keeping each other awake.

Me and Melina, always laughing! Thanks for all your help!!! My trusty partner at the past 2 National Conventions - and our resolution passed this year! Hooray!!!