new city. new experiences.

new semester. new city.

I was up late packing on Friday night because of course I saved it until the last minute. I planned to wake up around 5:45 AM Saturday to finish up some things but I either didn’t set or missed my alarm. Our plan was to leave at 8 but since I didn’t wake up until after 7 we didn’t leave until after 9. We pulled up to the building around 11 and I checked in and got all my keys for everything. Then I moved my stuff in which didn’t take too long because there were people to help. Bekah was already moved in but she wasn’t there while I was moving in. After moving in I said bye to my parents and headed off to the first orientation session. We listened to the RD speak and we were then sent off to campus tours. I had a fun group and it was a lot of fun to see the campus. ITS BIG! Blocks and blocks long in every direction, I feel like. At 4 we listened to a Temple Police officer speak about how to be safe and then we were introduced to the staff. Then it was time for dinner, which we got to choose a restaurant to go to. Bekah and I went to Thai food with 4 other students and 3 staff members. We were also introduced to public transportation as we took the subway into center city. I keep calling the subway, the metro because that was what it was called in Greece. I get so excited when the voice comes on to announce the next station but when it isn’t the Greek lady; I remember I am in the states. It was very fun and neat to get to hear lots of stories about Philly.

Sunday morning started off with church which we got to by taking the city bus. We were given a list of churches to sign up for and I went to Spirit and Truth Fellowship. It was different than what I am used to but it wasn’t anything crazy. Hey Liz, one of the songs we sang was in Spanish. It started raining right before we left for church so that was messy. However, after church it was raining pretty hard and we missed the bus because church ran longer than expected. Our options were to wait for another bus which wasn’t going to come for a half hour or walk like a million blocks to the subway. One of the girls with us who attended that church last semester called a man Jose who she became friends with this past fall. So he came and brought a van to take us all back because we had to get back to eat lunch and leave for bowling. The van pulls up and there are 7 seats in this utility type truck. There are 17 of us!!!! We piled in, and I have to say that we had so many laughs on the way back to campus. We got back to MCPC and ate pizza which was followed by our first SAB trip to Lucky Strike, this very classy bowling alley. We bowled and hung out all afternoon. Arriving back we ate dinner at Johnson and Hardwick the equivalent of Lottie. So different though because it is bigger. We had another orientation meeting after that for about an hour and then we headed for dessert in the city, which we signed up for at orientation. My group went to Naked Chocolate…filled with chocolate candy, chocolate drinks, and chocolate fondue. It was fantastic!! The rest of the night was just spent hanging out!

As we all know Monday was MLK day so our morning started off with service projects. Six of us went to Berean Presbyterian Church across the street to help out there. The church is very old but beautiful. We dusted, swept, mopped, wiped, put together a bookshelf, moved furniture around, and set up the new youth office. And when I say new I mean they recently cleaned out
an old storage room and we put a desk, a computer, and a printer in there. We did that from about 9-12 and then we ate lunch at J&H. Then 3 friends and I went to the bookstore to buy books! So much money! After that we checked out the library to see what it was like and it is so different from our library at Messiah! Then we had a meeting followed by dinner and our Town Hall Meeting. At this particular meeting we discussed our community and we as a group decided on the rules. Our visitation hours are from 10AM-4AM with doors open or closed based on personal preference. So there are only 6 hours of no visitation! We aren’t in Grantham anymore! Quiet hours are also shorter although I can’t remember the exact hours. We decided to make attendance at Community Gatherings (chapel) on Monday nights required but not recorded because we all knew we would have to go to them and it’s really not a big deal and I hear they are fun! The debate lasted for 2 hours and by 8:45 we were all ready to get out of that room! Another meeting with our RA came after that! The meetings never end here! After the meetings finally ended a few of us just hung out for a little and then I got organized for the start of classes the next day.

IF YOU ARE STILL READING THIS…THANKS! (I know it is very long!)

A random fact I learned was that approx. 47,000 cars drive in front of our building everyday!

Ah, the first day of classes has arrived! Tuesday was our first day and my first class was bright and early, 8AM. I have counseling theories, although it isn’t called that here. Ricki Vallana is also in the class so we went to it together and there were about 3 people waiting outside the room so we ask a girl with her back turned to us if she was waiting for counseling and she turned around and it was Amber Henry! What a surprise! We talked to her for about 15 minutes, we got there a bit early ;) As more students show up, still no professor. Alas, at 8:05 she comes down the hallway. Her name is Marquita Williams and she is this vibrant African American woman. The class goes as you would expect; introductions, syllabus, etc. Prof Williams talks about her class and her education background. She seems like a very intelligent woman and will be getting her Ph.D. in May. Also weird to have a professor who doesn’t have a doctorate! After about 30 minutes she ends class! So strange to get out early! I feel as though at Messiah we would be jumping right into the material! Not at temple, I suppose. Ricki and I went back to the book store to buy our books for our MCPC World Views class and then we walked back to the dorms. I then changed my clothes and headed over to the nearby elementary school where I am hoping to get an internship in the guidance counseling office for this semester. I met with Ms. Flores the head of the counseling offices and I will be going back on Thursday at 10 with my child clearance forms, resume, and letter of introduction. I walked back, which is only two blocks and met with Debi Peterson, who is in charge of all our internships/field work. I talked with her about the internship and she was very positive about the opportunity. We will have to see. Tuesday evening I had my MCPC course. We take it right here at our campus and it’s in my section so I don’t even have to go outside to get there! I may drop it depending on the internship because if I get that then I will take the class that goes along with that. We took a break for community dinner. Monday – Thursday, a lady brings over food for us to eat and we are allowed but don’t have to attend. It’s pretty convenient though. That pretty much sums up the first day of classes. Later that night Jake and Larry came over and we hung out and they helped me reorganize the music on my computer! What good new friends!

This morning I had three classes all in a row. My first one at 9 was History and Systems of Psychology. The much dreaded upper level class for psych majors! It doesn’t see as though it will be too bad. Our midterm and final are take home essay test! And we have a research paper. My next class at 10 was human sexuality. I’m fascinated! The teacher seems great too! We jumped right in talking about sexuality. The final class of the day at 11 is Schooling and Education in the Third World. All we did today was talk about how the class is going to be run and my professor went on and on about class participation. I am not really sure what we will be learning so I can’t say much about that course yet. That’s enough about classes because they just started. With the first two days of classes out of the way that only leaves one thing left...homework!

Thank you so much for reading this, I know it’s a lot. I hope I was able to portray a small view of what my semester in Philadelphia will be like!