First Week- Pros vs. Cons & Everything in Between.

Dear Arizona,

Let me begin by saying that I may be in debt for the rest of my life, but money doesn't mean a thing because- so far- this is the place for me. I'm currently sitting in one of the apartment style housing buildings, listening to vinyl records ("Daaaance to the mu-sic!" and before we were listening the Why?.) with the guys making some sort of meal out of the mushrooms they picked earlier. There are potted plants on the table and shelves, six bouqets of flowers hanging upside down from the ceiling, and when I look out the window I see Evergreens. It might not be for everyone, but for me this is like a dream come true. Need more explaination? Good. Because here it comes.

My really awesome week in detail:
The first night I was here, last Saturday, was like most people said it would be: a roller coaster.
Waking up in the hotel and knowing that I was about to see the new room I'd be living in for the year was nerve-wracking but made me extremely giddy. Turns out, my dorm room is the smallest dorm on campus (Harry Potter, under-the-stairs status, man.) so my excitment had a momentary pause and lapse into disappointment. But my parents helped me get situated and eating dinner in the Greenery with them and two of my suit-mates bumped my enthusiasm back up.
 However, the best part was not finally putting my super-soft zebra blanket on my new bed, as imgined for months, nor meeting the five girls I'd be sharing space with, but walking through the forest to the beach at night with new people and (now) friends.
Do you have any idea what's it's like to walk over a stream on a fallen log covered with carpet-soft moss in the middle of the night? I do. Or, to see a washed-up jellyfish (RIP) on the beach? No, scratch that; two jellyfish? I do. Or just getting your knees all muddy by crawling under logs or pushing through unseen ferns in the dark or looking out onto the Puget Sound at night? Because, yeah, you guessed it. I experienced that. I even was able to take a trip to the police station for snacks and chill out in a common room with new friends. And on the first night, even. This is a feat in my mind. And incredible, fantastic feat. But, like most roller coasters, you don't just get one rise and/or drop.

Walking back into my room, dirty and exhausted after a day of moving in and walking everywhere, you'd think the only thing on my mind would be sleep. But here's a little fun fact about Washington: it has a million spiders. Everywhere, all of the time. And a fun fact about me? I have a stupidly severe case of arachnaphobia. So the thought of being in the closet size dorm room with spindely-legged crawlers with dripping fangs of doom (oh, wait, was that a little dramatic?) was enough to keep me awake with that sweaty, uncomfortable kind of anxiety until 4 in the morning. So not only did I experience one extreme amazing ups this place can offer, but I was able to experience also a really shitty (sorry Mom) down. In a weird way, I also consider this a good thing. But! there's been way more to this week than just the first night. (Although, I promise, most of it won't be explained in such a dense way. Most. Insert mischevious winky face here.)

Sunday consisted of running around with my parents and de-spidering my room. Thank you peppermint and lavender scents; now, really, thank you so much. Monday was difficult because I had to say goodbye to my parents. (See post below this one.) Which, can I just say, is still really weird and pretty sad for me. (Miss you all, family and friends. Constantly thinking of you guys when I see and experience really cool things.) The days are starting to blend toegther, even this early on. There were school events I passed on to go into the forest or sleep in late or go into town, although two were mandatory and really made me appreciate my surroundings. Arizona, I love you, but your systems could really take a hint from the open-mindedness this place.

Just so many extraordinary things that I couldn't totally describe so I've compiled a very vague list. Ahem. Meeting both incoming and older students, hookah, surprisingly no rain until today, a pet baby mouse, many raccoons, good dogs with lots of energy, all animals in general, beautiful impromtu jam sessions, lots of tea and coffee, the gym, a rope swing and tree houses in the forest, so much food, etting loose with my curly hair, the gym, people walking barefoot everywhere, hairy lady legs (I advocate, btw), a comical man informing us new students about the truth of drugs and alcohol, parties, bus trips, mini walks in the forest and long adventures, making a fire in the forest at night, having a window, peoples' warmth and sincerity, so much flannel, good rap and grooving to it, the silence of the forest and just totally awesome, good vibin' people.
The humidity is a little much sometimes, especially on days like yesterday where we take long hikes. Speaking of, we hiked to this tree that looks like it was hit by lightening, because the middle of the trunk all the way to the top was hollow and ashy. About eight (?) of us were able to fit inside of it.
Like I said, this place is not for everyone. I've been hearing a lot of "dirty hippie" references which is, yeah, you know, could be pretty accurate. But I'm down with that. I like that my out-of-control hair fits in, I like the people I've met, and I like that I woke up this morning to rain on my window.



The pros out-weigh the cons, I do miss home but I'm stoked on being here, and my program starts Tuesday.
-Emily.

PS. Here are some more pictures.
PPS. Sorry about the layout of this blog. Still not very used to it, and the pictures are all crazy. Also, I promise that the upcoming posts will not be as compacted and actually have a moral, opinion, logical thought, point, etc... as I will be updating more frequently and all that jazz.

"Smokers' Pit" on campus.

Forest close-ups.

Max playing guitar.

Free wall in Downtown Oly.

Tree-house in forest.

So many creatures.