What I'm Doing This Fall

Most of the participants in the program + our hall director at Edgewater Park

This Fall semester is a little different from any other fall semester I have had. I will not be attending class or staying on campus at BWU. Instead, I am living the college life in Cleveland. My university has a program called The Urban Semester Program.

10 students live in a living-learning community house in downtown Cleveland. The goal of the program is for students to develop a multidisciplinary understanding of urban issues and diversity. We will complete an urban studies minor over the semester with multicultural psychology, urban politics, urban health disparities, and urban life as our focus. To expound on our classroom (in the living room) learning, we are required to intern at a non-profit organization. Starting next week, I will be the communications intern with Esperanza (an organization that works with the hispanic, latino youth of Cleveland).

We are not only learning together, but living together. The 10 of us share the responsibilities that come with living in a house. We have to budget money for food, plan meals, and go grocery shopping. The house is not taken care of by university cleaning services, but by us! The chores are done daily and weekly to keep the house looking clean and in good shape (especially because professors and BW staff are frequent visitors).

Overall, it is a program created to help us grow and develop personally and professionally in an urban environment. I am very excited to be a participant in this program and seeing the growth throughout the program! If you want to know more, check it out here.

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From A to Z

My A-Z to learn a little bit more about me. 

A // Available or Taken?
Taken by the most handsome man I know, Nathan. It has been 2 years and 3 months. He is hard working, kind, and has the sweetest laugh.

B // Book?
Well, I never really have a favorite, but, right now, I am finishing, "What Would Audrey Do?"

C // Cake or pie?
Cake. I like desserts very sweet. The thought of warm, yellow cake with chocolate frosting and a glass of milk makes my mouth water. 

D // Drink of choice?
Hands down, Diet Coke. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. I love my Diet Coke. Signs of a Diet Coke addict

E // Essential item?
My planner. I would probably be a hot mess without my planner that organizes my entire life. 

F // Favorite color?
PINK! I just adore the color pink, any and all shades of it.

G // Greatest hurdle?

Being able to communicate with my host mom and dad in Spain. At first, I was terrified to speak with them in Spanish, but as time went on, I thoroughly enjoyed the conversations and made an effort to talk to them more.

Carmen and Miguel

H // Hobbies?
playing ukulele, reading, writing, using social media, traveling and creating goals.

I // Indulgence?
Spending time with Nathan. We are both very busy people with work, school, and family so seeing each other seems like an indulgence.

J // Job?
Selling one of the most over-priced products in America, popcorn, at the local discount theater.

K // Kids and names?
No kids, but I do have names that I love: Lily Joy and Rowan Michael.

L // Life is incomplete without...?
Laughter, an open mind, and a nap.

M // Music group or singer?
Any acoustic tune has a way with my heart. 

N // Number of siblings?
Too many. I am the oldest of 9! Yes, that was not a typo, oldest of 9 in a blended family! The youngest is 6 and everyone else falls in between. Here are just a few of them:

O // Obsession?
Blue skies: sunshine, clouds, and colorful sunsets 

P // Place?
Cleveland, Ohio
Before I went to college, I didn't know much more about Cleveland than the stereotypes: dirty, stinky, etc. But ever since I have lived 15 minutes away and have had many opportunities to explore downtown, I have loved this up-and-coming city filled with so many opportunities. It is not the grimy, old city it used to be. 

Q // Quote?
"Inspire the woman. Impact the world." -Alpha Gamma Delta

R // Reason to smile?
Everything. I am thankful for the many blessings in my life that keep me smiling.

S // Season?
Fall: the weather isn't too hot or too cold, pumpkin picking, apple cider, colorful leaves, carving pumpkins, dressing up for Halloween, hay rides,.....just everything    

T // Tattoos?
I do not have any, but I wouldn't mind having this........NO8DO. It is the motto of Seville, meaning, "No me ha dejado" (It did not leave me). It means to me the time that I spent in Seville and the unfailing support I felt throughout my time there.

U // Unknown fact?
I received my first and only F in my first semester of college. I thought I wanted to be a music teacher. Failed Solfege.  Found different career path.

V // Vegetables you love?
snow peas, carrots, green beans, corn

W // Worst habit?
Getting on Facebook and wasting my day away. It just sucks me in!

X // X-rays you've had?
My teeth, but other than that I'm not sure. 

Y // Your favorite food?
Tacos, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and eggs.

Z // Zebra stripes or Cheetah print?
Cheetah print in small amounts. One of my favorite scarves is black and white cheetah print.

You can take the A-Z challenge too. Leave me a link in the comments section so I get to know you as well as you got to know me.