Packing

I did it! I packed everything I will need for the next 10 weeks in one suitcase and one backpack:

It's hard to believe that I'm leaving tomorrow morning! My flight to NYC leaves RDU at 10:20 a.m., and I'll arrive at JFK around 11:50 a.m.

Once I get to the airport, I have to find my way to the Alma Matthews House, where I will be staying for the week with the rest of the interns. The Alma Matthews House is a facility of the General Board of Global Ministries Women’s Division. While almost of all of the interns were put in groups of 3 or 4 to meet at the airport and go over to the house together, I get the opportunity to trek all the way there by myself. The only other people flying into JFK are those who are taking a red eye from the West Coast, and they will get to there around 7:30 in the morning. I am excited though! I have never done any of this stuff by myself!

Well, I better get some sleep for tomorrow--it will be a crazy/long day!

Peace,
Meredith

First Thoughts

During the first couple weeks of January, I began trying to figure out what I was going to do between the summer of my freshman and sophomore year. I had been talking to my dad quite a bit about the many things I could do, and one day he received an e-mail that mentioned a summer internship offered by the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM). GBGM is an organization of the United Methodist Church that does a lot with mission work and helps promote justice and peace in the world. I actually had the opportunity to visit GBGM last year and that's part of the reason why I thought this internship--which is framed for 12 young adults to gain experience in the mission setting--would be pretty cool.

So, I applied, got my recommendations in, interviewed, and I got it!! The internship consists of a week of training in NYC (June 1-7), 8 weeks at a placement site (June 7-August 3), and a few days of reflection back in NYC (August 3-7). It's not your ordinary internship, but it's what I wanted. While I knew I received one of the internship positions, I anxiously awaited my placement site. I could have gone ANYWHERE in the United States.

I was studying for my Spanish exam on the second floor of Witherspoon when I got the call--I'd be going to Cookson, Oklahoma--a town with no traffic lights and one stop sign. It is also 18 miles from the nearest city, 54 miles from the nearest mall, and 85 miles from Tulsa. Can you believe that? Ok. I'll admit...I was a little shocked and not expecting Cookson, but I'm actually surprisingly excited about it now. It'll definitely be a culture shock; however, I'm feeling more and more at ease, which I think is a sign that it's what I'm meant to do this summer.

While in Oklahoma, I will be working at the Cookson Hills Center, a United Methodist organization that does a lot of work with the poor in Northern Oklahoma. Although I'm not quite sure what I will be doing, I am going with another intern, Anna, who is a music major from Texas. Even though excitement and butterflies have been flowing through my body, I know that this summer will open my eyes to many new things.

Well, maybe I should I have written this early on, but I am writing this blog for you to read about my summer experience and also so that I can reflect and look back on later. I hope you enjoy reading about my journey and I will update and post pictures as often as I can!

Hasta luego,
Meredith