Wild and Wonderful (We Believe It)

We are home

THE END

                 WE WERE FINAILLY ON TIME TODAY (as usually the inhabitances of room 2 were ready before room 1), but we all made it out the door by 10. It was an uneventful night, except for my sleep moans and Mark’s snoring (no attempts were made on his life last night). As the others and I packed our belonging into our bags, I had mix emotions that I believe the other members in the group felt. I was excited to be going home, but I did not want to leave. I did not want to leave the hospitality, the home-cooked meals, my new family, and the wonderful students, teachers and nonprofit volunteers we have met this week. I did not want to leave a place that believes in always making time for the ones around them. I did not want to leave an environment with so much pride in their culture and state. But, I wanted to go home to my state and the people I love to make time for.

              We finally got our bags packed and divided into two groups. One group got the opportunity to ride in the creepy white van one last time (this group was being dropped off at the metro station). The more fortunate group members got to ride in the smaller van (a Cadillac compared to the creeper van). We loaded our belongings into the vans for the final time. Lien handed the keys to the Scott’s Run House over to Sarah and we were on our way back to Maryland. The drive back to Maryland was the shortest drive we had all week. It took us six hours to get to Welch (future home of Taylor). It was five hours from Welch to Scott’s Run. The drive home was the usual winding roads and climbing of mountains (Clare had a tuff time on the ride home, her ears would not pop). We made a pit stop at McDonalds  for lunch (finally Erica got to eat McDonalds). We briefly ate and continued discussing our experiences we had this week. At McDonalds we said our good-byes because each van was dropping people off in different locations. We hugged and talked about plans for reunions (one being the Rough n Rowdy event next March). As we were driving home, I began to think about what I have learned this week. Here are some of the things I have learned this week:

1. To find a mate:

               a. Have shiny shoes. If your shoes are ugly, then there is a good chance you are ugly (life lesson taught by Al Anderson. On tour this summer with his sweet dance moves and is old time rock n roll).

              b. Never take the last piece of food from a plate. If you do so, you will never get married.

              c. For Women, if you want to marry, you must learn how to cook for a group of 12 by age nine (or don’t move to Kenya)

2. If you don’t recycle, you get beaten and Polar bears die (for more information on recycling, please feel free to contact Lien).

3. You know you are true friends when you can discuss poop.

4. Never walk up to unmarked buildings, you never know what you might find (I found inmates, what have you found?).

5. Stereotypes are crushed when you take the time to get to know someone.

6. Everyone has their own idea of success.

7. Our homelife, race, and SES affects our progress in life.

9. The people of Appalachia take pride in their mountains, families, religions, music, food, history and are the most welcoming and loving people I have every had the opportunity to meet.

10. There is not one cause of poverty.

11. Students in rural areas have many of the same struggles that students in urban settings have.

12. Coal companies still have a strong hold on communities and decide the futures of towns.

13. 12 people from different backgrounds can come together and make a difference in a community.


Sarah, the one with super woman abilities

P.S. Shout-out to MopSickMom