Random Musings

Hey hey

So as I head off to bed on my last night in Minneapolis, I'm having a look back at my experiences so far and what I'm taking with me. 

I've really been looking forward to this trip as an opportunity to let go of things that have really been weighing me down in the last 6-12 months. My midyear adventure I hope is really going to help me look at what I find important and how to go into life after year 12. So there will hopefully be a few blog posts that instead of recounting the day, I will use as a record (for those keeping updated and also for me to look back at) of how this incredible experience hopefully helps change my life. 

Today's post comes as a reflection on walking. As someone who does very little exercise in any form, I've been noting the amount of walking that I've done this week and will continue to do for the weeks to come. 

Honestly, I've never really been a fan of walking, I've found other ways to get places or managed to avoid the trip. But walking in such incredibly beautiful neighbourhoods and places I've never been has made me realise that just walking, even just to walk, can be incredibly rewarding. Yes, I then come home very tired, but it's satisfying to know that I went somewhere amazing without the sole purpose of practicality. 

Walking places with someone is really what made me think of writing about the subject. I've noticed as we walk that it's not particularly difficult to fall into step with someone next to you, but also if you have slightly different walking paces it can become really difficult to stay in time. 

With some of the difficulties I've encountered with maintaining friendships and connections with people I've once been really close with, thus reflection came as somewhat of a revelation. To me, I realised that yes (as cliche as it is) life really is a journey. For me at the the moment it's a journey on a footpath. Not matter where I walk, some people will join me, some will leave and others walking in completely the opposite direction. For those that walk beside me, we fall into step and it can last for a very long time, there are people who have walked in step with me my entire life. Then there are others who I only manage to fall into step with for a while, a year or so. Now I'm not amazing at realising when other people's path doesn't follow the same route as mine, I struggle to try and stay in time as they change they're pace to go somewhere else. But what I've realised in the past week is that I really need to see that as ok. Some people I can manage to take a little jumpskip and end up back in step with, but others I'll just end up spraining an ankle just trying to keep up. 

This has been something that I haven't been able to grasp since I left college and I still think that I'll need a little help from people next to me to remember. But I'm getting there, I'm letting go and I'm starting to be ready to take the next fork in the road and end up with a healthier frame of mind. 

It's a bit hard, cause my familiar pathetic is on the other side of the world, but each new step is a step closer to the change in my life that I really think I need after some difficult few months. 

I'm growing, I'm grateful, and I'm so darn excited for the next step. And who knows, some walks give you excellent views. 

Last night in Minneapolis. 

Justine

New Experiences

Hey hey

So Friday involved another trip to a lake, however this time we went to one with a beach. 

Although rather weirded out by the whole concept of swimming in a lake and lazing on its beach (thanks to the wonderfully untrustworthy lakes at home) I did end up wading and really enjoyed the afternoon. We had lunch including a very simple hot dog and a BLT. 

On Friday evening we went out to see Naomi's horse, Ranger, and I watched her riding lesson. In this past week I've really loved getting to see the different aspects of life here and I'm so, so happy that I've been able to come and visit. 

Saturday ended up being a very long day, we made it to an event at the Germanic American institute, another grad party and then to part of the all-night arts festival Northern Spark. 

The event at the GAI was interesting, it mainly involved people sitting around drinking and eating as they listened to a band play German music. A comment as we left may have been something like "It would probably be more interesting if we could drink the beer."

The neighbourhood that the GAI is in though is ridiculously wealthy. The houses are more like small mansions and they all have impeccable front lawns. Partly made me realise just how young things in Canberra are, and that's even without seeing the thousands upon thousands of year old buildings mum and dad have seen in Europe. 

The concept of graduation parties initially seemed a little foreign to me. Finishing high school (year 12) in the USA is such a major event as its often when kids then move out of home an very often interstate. So as I've managed to accompany Naomi to a small handful of grad parties I've found them with such a positive vibe that it's just been so lovely to meet some new people and slowly realise what a big step college/university is. Plus we got corn on the cob. It had cheese on it. 

We headed out for Northern Spark a bit after 8, before the sun set. The festival was taking place all over Minneapolis, so there was a lot of walking (especially when we kept walking too far and having to double back). The event was a really interesting experience, I got to do a fair bit of sight seeing as most main landmarks had some sort of event happening. We called it a night around 1:30am as I was just too exhausted to keep walking through the night, but what we managed to see was really awesome. 

Just a couple of photos including listening to multiple different musicians, sitting inside effectively a large balloon and icing styrofoam cakes. 

Minneapolis. 

Justine

Art and Music

Hey hey

So Thursday was a day for seeing some of the art side of Minneapolis. 

We went to the Walker art gallery which was really nice to see. I didn't take any photos inside but there was one piece I found really interesting which was dog tags hanging off a section of fence creating a map of Afghanistan. With it was a list of names of people who had served. 

We had lunch at the Cafe before having a really quick look at the sculpture garden. Where Naomi showed me Minneapolis' spoon bridge piece. 

As it was raining we decided to go home and hang there until the music concert in the evening. 

As my first music concert, I wasn't sure what to expect. It was two folk musicians, Lucy Kaplansky and Richard Shindell. I really enjoyed the night and the music was awesome. It was interesting that Naomi, her friend Medha and I definitely sat below the age demographic. But the evening was still heaps of fun. 

Minneapolis. 

Justine 

Out, About and Around

Hey hey! 

So this morning we rode to Lake of Isles and back and I must admit it was probably the longest rise I've done resulting in about what Naomi estimates as a 19.5km ride. But definitely worth it as it gave me the opportunity to see the twin cities front the Greenway (bike highway). Incredibly brilliant idea and a pretty easy ride. Plus I had an awesome time being able to just catch up with Naomi and talk about a whole range of subjects. 

In the afternoon Naomi had work so I used the time to make my way to the Mall of America, thus beginning the journey of Bilbo the Butterfly. 

So the mall has had a massive build up of reputation in the lead up to my trip. It once being the largest mall in the Northern Hemisphere (I don't think it still holds that title). But it sure was massive. I needed new shoes to ensure my feet don't die in the next two months, but it makes it more difficult to find some when there's 400 shops and of those, 30 different shoe stores that all have a very large range. 

The center of the mall is called Nickelodeon Universe which has at least 3 different rides. Like a roller-coaster and a log ride. 

 

Plus there's a Lego store 

So after a few hours I'm pretty sure I managed to walk past every shop. But there's every possibility I missed a few when the map looks like this. 

P.S they changed the name of the theme-park-like area. 

Oh I'm now a master of the twin cities metro light rail system. Yay!

Quiet night tonight, feeling a bit sore after today.

Minneapolis. 

Justine

Back to School

Hey hey

Tuesday was Naomi's graduation day!!! I joined Naomi for her last day at school. We went to the farewell assembly and a there was a whole moving forward ceremony which was really awesome to watch and made me think about people who have been around me while I was still at school. 

Seeing Naomi's school was super interesting. People were really lovely and I got to meet a few of Naomi's friends. People are super friendly in Minneapolis. 

After school we went and had lunch before going to a grad party. 

Graduation was in the evening and I sat with Naomi's mum. 

Each of the (50) graduating students did a 60sec speech and it was really cool to hear what people were thankful for and what they had learnt that they would take with them from the school. 

Dinner was Ethiopian food. Which is a first for me. Very good very interesting. :) 

But I don't know if it beats my breakfast. 

Minneapolis. 

Justine

Initial Observations

Hey hey,

So I've had over a full day here in Minneapolis now. Everything is going really well. Jet lag isn't too bad and I slept pretty well other than the confirmation that I do have a mild reaction to cats. Yay. So that's fun. 

But today has been pretty good, had a few errand to run after getting up I then spent most of the afternoon with one of the many contacts I have been so graciously been put in touch with.

Haven't done any sight seeing, that will probably come later in the week. In total I've walked about 3.5km today which I know is only going to increase over the course of my trip. But the public transport of the twin cities is fantastic. Lots of catching the light rail and buses are so regular, plus bikes are super popular here. People are super friendly and I'm looking forward to meeting more people.  

Couple of pics from my not so exciting day, but the root between where I'm staying and the light rail station is lovely so here we go. 

Minneapolis. 

Justine

Arriving in the USA

Hey hey. 

So as I type this (obviously with no internet so I'll post later) I've already been on a plane for around 9 1/2 hours I think. Canberra time would be 7:30pm, LA time is 2:30am and by brain has no clue but is sitting somewhere in the middle... I think. 3 1/2 more hours to on this plane before my transfer to Minneapolis. 

It's been a pretty good flight, I've slept a fair bit, watched a few movies and there's been no one in the seat next to me so I've been able to get a little more comfortable. There's been more food than I expected which is good. 

Everything is still pretty surreal at the moment. First time travelling by myself and it hasn't quite hit me that my family isn't at the other end of the flight. 

On the screens tracking our flight, land is now actually in the corner so we're not just surrounded by ocean heading towards only ocean. 

LAX was better than expected. Customs was quick, all went well. Biggest issue at stop over 1, took me a long time to open the SIM card slot in my phone. But after that, and managing to contact parents saying all was well, had a few hours on uncomfortable airport gate seats, but I'm on the flight to Minneapolis. Mainly been reading Song of Ice and Fire. Played Bejewelled on the other flight but the touch screen on this one is terrible. So I gave up. 1 1/2 left and I think I'll nap. 

Minneapolis!!! Here! It's really started. 3 years and I finally got to see the wonderful Naomi :D 

Met a few of her friends, walked a fair bit and hand some repeated discussions about the differences in language that confuse us both a little. All in all, absolutely fabulous to be here. 

No photos today sorry. 

Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean

In the air over USA

Minneapolis

Justine