The German Experience

The day started at 7:25 AM in Atlanta, Georgia. Thao and I were sharing a hotel room and were awakened by Shanti calling our hotel room. We got ready and met Alfredo Chan-Law in the lobby of our hotel to eat breakfast before heading to Emory University for a campus tour.

Our campus tour started at 9:00 AM and we were first greeted by Timothy Fields who introduced us to Emory University by showing us a short video that depicted student life and activities on campus during the year. Afterwards, we went over the application process, what they looked for in incoming students, and information about majors and classes at Emory University. In 2014, there were 17,822 applications to Emory University and 26.8% were admitted. 

Emory University

Emory University

Emory University

Dooley the Skeleton

Delicious

After the first hour in a room listening to information about the university, the whole group was split up into smaller groups to tour the actual campus. Our tour guide was Kari Burdzinski and she was great. She toured us past a beautiful, large library that looked amazing as well as through the dining hall and dorm rooms. The library is called MARBL, or Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library. The campus at Emory University is really pretty and green, which is a bit different from what I’m used to in the Bay Area because of the drought we’ve been in for many years. I am a fan of the coastal California weather though, because in Atlanta it was well into the 90s and humid.

Our tour guide introduced us to the official mascot, Swoop the eagle, as well as the unofficial mascot Dooley who is a skeleton. The hour went by quickly, and we soon finished and were driven back to our hotel to pack and check out.

After checking out, we were driven back to the airport to catch our flight to Washington, D.C. While our first flight from San Francisco to Atlanta was five hours, our second flight was a measly two hours which was a welcome relief. When we arrived in D.C., it was raining and warm which I actually enjoyed a lot. I had forgotten how nice rain is!

After we were shuttled to our hotel, we were all waiting in the lobby while Alfredo checked us in. A very kind hotel employee pointed out to us that there was free ice cream that we could have and all of us jumped at the chance. That ice cream was probably one of the highlights of the afternoon! 

We all settled into our hotel rooms and met back downstairs for dinner. At first we couldn't decide where to go, then we decided to go to Old Europe, a German restaurant a few blocks away. Little did we know this would be one of our best decisions ever. 

We walked into the small restaurant and we were greeted with live German music played by adults in full German outfits. We were delighted and kind of surprised at first, for sure! After we had been seated for a few minutes three men stood up and began dancing which was surprising and awesome. They were doing ninja kicks and jumps and it was amazing even though it only lasted about three minutes.

After all that excitement, we finally settled down to order dinner. I ordered a Zwiebelsteak which was sauteed sirloin steak with roasted onions and gravy, with potatoes and a salad. It was so good and I couldn't eat it all, so Thao helped me out. The meat was tender rand delicious and I was so full afterwards. 

Old Europe was a great experience and I would definitely come back. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was great as well. Today was definitely an exhausting but fabulous day.

Two Worlds, One Day

The car ride to the meeting point seemed especially long today. During our weekly trip from Hercules to El Cerrito, I would close my eyes and find myself in front of my dance studio the next moment. The car was quiet today, aside from the occasional murmur from my drowsy grandma or mother. My sisters, the usual yappers during the trip, weren’t with me today—they had class in the morning and decided against seeing me off at 3 in the morning. I stared out the window, seeing the familiar scenes for the millionth time but discovering it for the first. The thought of not seeing this path until a month later was still surreal. My eyes switched from the window to the clock every other second. Each minute was filled with an eternity of reminiscing and at one point, I asked my mother why she was driving so slowly.

“Honey, I’m driving at the speed limit just as always. I think your mind is going over the speed limit.”

We arrived at the meeting place at 3:45 AM, five minutes before our decided meeting time. Our cohort huddled together, hands stuffed in our pockets to hide away from the freezing winds. Once the group was gathered, Don ran the ritual.  Don lined us up in front of the El Cerrito building and we stood holding up the Cornell flag once more, grinning ear to ear while trying to keep our teeth from chattering in the cold. Don briefed us on the trip, reminding us about the blogs and loaner items once again while we stocked up on red vines and other snacks for the trip. Finally, after months of meetings and waiting, a broad, reassuring smile formed on Don’s face, and he assured that we would have fun.

Last picture together in the Bay

Unloading on the Airport

The bus came soon after. We all gathered around the large black van, everyone rolling their luggage up to the van to be piled in the back. We said our final good-bye’s to our parents, bringing them in for the last hug and final kiss on the cheek. Our cohort all boarded the bus, waving to our parents one last time before collapsing into our seats.

I’ve only been to the SF Airport twice—once when I was a year and six months for China and another during the Spring of my freshman year for a trip to China. This is the first time I’m here without my family. The clock struck 5:20 when we arrived. We unloaded our bags from the van and proceeded to the check-in where we said goodbye to our luggage for the time being. Afterwards, we checked ourselves in, though it was a lot different from just dumping ourselves on a scale and pressing a few buttons. We whipped out our ID’s and led our carry-ons through a scanner. Both Shanti and I were pulled to the side when we walked through the gate. A security guard told me to hold out my hands and he proceeded to wipe them with a small tissue. I was dismissed a little later. As we walked down the hall, I reminded myself to wash my hands before I boarded a plane.

We had a little over half an hour to spare before our boarding time, so Mr. Chan-Law took our group in for an early breakfast at Willow Creek Grill. Our diverse taste buds unveiled themselves when everyone’s laps were decorated with different dishes. Each person was occupied with a breakfast burrito, pasta, quesadilla, pancake, or sandwich and refreshed with orange juice, chocolate milk, Fanta, or water.

Finally, the boarding time came. Our cohort packed ourselves in the center of the plane. I got the privilege of occupying the window seat. Thao and I waited anxiously for the plane to depart. After an eternity and five failed recordings, the plane was off the ground. I stared out the window to be greeted by a sea of clouds, though this time, my sister wasn’t there to comment about how it would feel to fall on the seemingly fluffy masses. 

Take the quiz yourself.

Thao and I occupied ourselves with a magazine quiz on the ideal pet for each of us. It was then that I discovered that I am a deformed cat lover and Thao is a race horse. Seeing that Helen was catching up on her sleep, Thao and I threw our heads back for a nap. An hour later, we woke up to neck pain. Our first response was to check the time, and seeing that we had three hours left of the plane ride, we unpacked our laptops to check the media offered by the airline and outlined our blogs. 

The plane landed with a heavy thud, earning a gasp from all the passengers and even giving Mr. Chan-Law a good wake-up scare. Other cohort members, Justice and Shanti, were discussing the failed landing in the movie Flight just as the plane smacked the ground. No student nor chaperone is safe from airplane landings. We got our first taste of Georgia the second we stepped out of the plane. The jet bridge provided insight on the scorching environment.

Wall of art.

Believing that the luggage claim would not be far, our cohort decided against taking the tram. The stroll took us across five moving walkways and a total of ten minutes. Although we had to drag our forty pound baggage toward the baggage claim, the walk itself was rewarding. The Atlanta airport was uniquely decorated with photographs, timelines and sculptures. As a passenger makes their way across the five sections, they are first met with a series of color photographs from across the city. As I stood on the moving walkway, my eye caught an image on the television displayed above. I panicked. It showed a monochrome photo of a little girl with dark skin standing in front of a water fountain, her head shamefully facing the floor. On top of the water fountain, a sign neatly printed “whites only.” When the screen faded to show yet another example of discrimination in America, I realized what I was looking at. Atlanta, the home of Martin Luther King and the site of many of his famous sermons. A timeline of the civil rights movement stretches across the room, accompanied by brilliant photographs and descriptions. Another room includes a series of abstract green statues representing the Olympics and another on the birth of the Trans-continental train. I thought it was brilliant to make use of a conventionally undecorated wall to enlighten visitors of the rich culture and history of a site.

Four star burger joint.

Meeting the shuttle bus confirmed the suspicions about the scorching heat. By the time we got into the bus, everyone had already lost a bucket of sweat. We arrived at the Hotel Inn. Everyone threw off their bulky jackets from the morning and slipped into the shorts and t-shirts. Our cohort met took a ride to downtown, where our dinner was waiting at Ted's Montana Grill.

Rule of thumb: You can never go wrong with mushrooms.

Yelp ranked the restaurant a four star, but our cohort would be the judge of that. We were first hit with the chilly artificial air upon entering the diner. The setting itself was remarkable for a burger joint—the ceiling was low, lighting dim, creating a perfect classy yet comfortable setting. We were taken to the back, where a round table greeted us. Everyone’s eyes squinted once we read the menu. The dishes seemed conventional enough. There were simple BLT combinations accompanied by a variety of other mixes of vegetables and sauces, but at the side of each order was the option of a beef or bison patty. Our cohort was taken back by the new meat, and the waiter explained that Bison was more tender and nutritious. Being a fan of mushrooms, I couldn’t help but order the Swiss and Mushroom Bison Burger. The meat was definitely tenderer, but the sour cream on the side did not please my taste buds. The burger overall was enormous, but each bite was worth it. The burger was, overall, delectable; it is indeed a four star. The fries on the side were a little too crunchy for my tastes, but I only got to taste a handful before a waiter came by and took my plate.

We spent the rest of the day touring the city. My leisurely time on the airplane allowed time for me to watch a twenty minute video on popular sites in downtown Atlanta, and I’m glad to say we saw most of them, from the outside. Many of the sites closed when we finished our meals at five, but we had the luxury of visiting the sites from the outside. We strolled through the Olympic Park, played Frisbee in front of the Coca-Cola museum, admired the Atlanta museum and spotted the CNN museum.

Cornies on the Olympic symbol

We spend the rest of the evening in Justice’s and Stephen’s room. The television played the Warrior’s game in the background as everyone updated their blogs. After months of waiting and a day of travel, the day ends with our group from the bay area. I wouldn’t want the day to end any other way.

And it Begins...

July 16th will be marked down in the book as the day our journey starts. It’s just “Day One” of the remarkable adventure that we will experience. 

Today I rushed my sister and I to get to El Cerrito High School at 3:50 AM. I quickly threw my luggage in the trunk and drove our way toward El Cerrito. When I arrived my cohort was circled around the table Don set up. After some time, we checked the weight of the luggage and proceeded toward our next activity: taking pictures.

The Very Classy, Willow Creek Grill

The shuttle bus came around 4:40 AM. We put the luggage in the van and said our goodbyes to our parents. Then we made our way to the San Francisco Airport. At the airport, we went through the regular check-in and rushed to our gate, which was Gate 25. Since we had a little time before our departure time, we got some breakfast to go. We went to Willow Creek Grill, which was located right across our gate. Although there wasn't much variety in the menu, we found satisfaction in each and everything that we chose to eat. I, for one, enjoyed my breakfast burrito that had all my necessities varying from protein to carbs.

When our gate finally opened, we grabbed our things and hurried on. Mr. Chan-Law warned us that the airlines overbooked the airplane. Since I don't fly much I didn't know what that exactly meant. Finally when we boarded the plane and found our seats, we were able to relax just a bit.

The plane ride was around 4 hours. I sat next to Justice, one of my cohort members, and this women who for most of the duration of the ride was sleeping. I didn't want to rudely wake her up to greet her so I just waited. Since I had time on the plane, I decided to start blogging. After jotting down a few words, I began to get a bit tired, leading me to fall asleep. Fortunately sleeping on airplanes is quite uncomfortable, so I didn't get much sleep. After dozing off and getting up a couple of times I finally gave up on resting. Soon enough we only had 30 minutes of the flight left, to my surprise my neighbor was awake. I was determined to make conversation with her. I started the conversation talking about the weather, then we began to discuss other issues. My neighbor's name is Valerie I asked her why she was visiting Atlanta and she said that she lived there and she was just visiting family in Santa Rosa. Then she asked me why I was visiting Atlanta and I said I was part of this AMAZING program that allowed students to experience college life in the East Coast as well as go on various college tours. Surprising enough she is a nurse who specializes in the radiology department who works in a hospital the is right across from Emory University. Valerie gave me great insight on Atlanta and Emory College. I was so delighted to have had her as my neighbor. When it was time to leave she wished my luck and hoped I had fun for the rest of my journey. 

We finally got out of the plane and made our way to the baggage claim. Since the Atlanta Airport is extremely big, it took us a long time before we could reach the baggage claim. After getting our luggage we started making our way outside. Right when I stepped outside, I felt this overwhelming heat wave. My skin was burning. After some time of being in the sun, I got used to the sun and let my body adjust to the heat. We didn't have to stay in the sun for too long since we had our shuttle. 

The Lobby of the Holiday Inn

When we rolled up to the the Holiday Inn, I had one thing on my mind. What can I observe from this particular hotel to take back to Cornell to my Hotel Management class? As I walked in I used all the knowledge I learned from Isadore Sharp's autobiography called Four Seasons:A Story of a Business Philosophy, to spot different things that I read about in the book. The Four Seasons Hotel was known to be the trend setter of the hotel industry. For example having shampoo and conditioner bottles in the bathroom and having a front concierge desk. I began to pick apart certain aspects in the hotel that was familiar to me from reading the book like the homey classy ambiance of the lobby and the placement of certain furniture in the rooms. I began to note down these things to compare with the other hotels we will visit soon.

Since we had a reasonable amount of time to "chill" in Atlanta, we decided to go out and see what Atlanta had to offer. We drove to the Centennial Olympic Park and walk around to see what restaurants were good to eat at. Mr. Chan-Law yelped this one restaurant called Ted's Montana Grill, which received amazing reviews. As we walked there we saw that Atlanta was such a beautiful city. It was so peaceful and fun. There was so much to do, for example, there was an aquarium, a ferris wheel, a museum for Coca-Cola called The World of Coca-Cola, and the CNN offices right there in reach of the Centennial Olympic Park. Unfortunately all the tours for these attraction were all closed. Instead of sitting in the park looking at the trees the cohort and I decided to play some Ultimate Frisbee in the park.

Modeling at its best

Centennial Olympic Park

"Squading with my crew"

Around 8 PM we got picked up from the park and went back to the hotel. Since half the cohort are die hard Warrior fans, we decided to meet up and Justice and Stephen's room at 9 PM to watch the game. 

Today was an amazing day. It was the perfect day to start off this journey. I cant wait to see what tomorrow has to offer. 

Going to Gorgeous Georgia

I suddenly wake up to the sound of my dad--quickly checking my clock to only find the time to be 3:10 AM. As I try to snap out of “zombie mode,” I swiftly change into my sweats, t-shirt, and light jacket. I leave the house at 3:30 AM and arrive at El Cerrito at exactly 3:50 AM with my three bags, greeting my fellow friends who were freezing in the Bay Area weather. The cold wind would pass ever so often, and we would warm up our bodies by exercising. Staying bundled together; we were listening to Don’s last speech. He gave us the colorful itinerary and delicious snacks for the long plane trip. It was exciting to be the first group to leave the Bay Area, and I couldn’t wait to arrive at Atlanta, Georgia. When the shuttle arrived, we all were saying our last good-byes to our parents. I hugged my mom and my dad saying the last “I love you” to them and saying that I would call when arriving at the airport. Our shuttle bus had these amazing lights, with different colors such as, neon green, blue, and purple. It was very interesting to be able to stand perfectly in the bus, because the roof was a good couple feet above my head. I am talking about lights because just moments before, Don was taking fabulous, high quality pictures of us. I believed that we were models during that short amount of time. But back on track, we were on the bus heading to SFO Airport. Still tired from waking up early, I tried to get some rest on the bus but I was just closing my eyes from the lights illuminating the highway. Once arriving at the airport, we stood in line to get our bags checked in, and off we were to the security check. It was my first time going through the TSA Pre, and it was high-paced. I placed my two bags and my jacket in the machine, and voila, I was done. I waited for the others to get done, and we were going to get breakfast.

Breakfast was delicious and filling. I had a breakfast sandwich that was definitely too much for me, but it was tasty. Afterwards, we were getting ready to board the plane. It seemed forever before we actually got seated, so to pass the time, we were talking about the Hunger Games. The new trailer, along with the mentioning of our favorite movie filled the hallway before we arrived on the plane. Shanti and Helen were discussing about the monkeys, and I jokingly said that the monkeys in the Hunger Games were called “Hungry Monkeys.” They looked at me with serious eyes that I couldn’t help but continue on with the joke. Then Shanti said that the movie should have had Hungry Hippos. I found it hilarious. I imagined during the middle of an intense scene, an ad would pop up and announce, “This game is brought to you by Hungry, Hungry Hippos…” Hippos would then rise above the water and soon disappear, a sign that the action should resume. As the image replayed in my head, we boarded the plane, and lifted off. I sat with Julie on my left, and Helen on my right. The five hour flight from San Francisco to Atlanta began at that moment. 

As the flight comes to an end, we left the plane in search of our check-in luggage; figuratively across the country. It was a long, humid, hot walk from our gate to where the domestic luggage; but once we found our luggage, we left the airport to be greeted by “Hotlanta.” I was wishing to arrive at the Holiday Inn as quickly as possible, but the drive was really long. The humidity rested on my skin, a feeling that I once forgot long ago. It kept attacking me, making me fatigue with every hour until I entered the air conditioned hotel. A sigh of relief escaped my lungs, and I am rejuvenated with every passing minute. 

The Holiday Inn Haven

The moment Helen and I entered our hotel room, we were greeted by the air conditioner. It was blissful to walk in and place all of our luggage off of our shoulders. Mr. Chan-Law has mentioned that we will be able to have about an hour to relax before going back down to the lobby for dinner. Helen and I are watching Deal or No Deal, when a knock is heard. It was Julie and Shanti. They decided to come and join the blog party in our room. The show continues and we are all critiquing each player's decision of choosing, "No Deal." It was absurd to watch each contestant refuse the banker's offers every time, only leading them into a downward spiral. As 5:20 PM approaches, all six of us arrive at the lobby to Mr. Chan-Law for dinner. 

We take a van to downtown Atlanta to find ourselves surrounded by CNN, The World of Coca Cola, and the Centennial Olympic Park. Once arriving at the park, Mr. Chan-Law quickly searches for a place to eat. He suggested Ted's Montana Grill, a 4 star restaurant on Yelp. We walked in the 90 degree weather to the restaurant, and the food there was delicious. I never had a bison burger before, and I'm glad to have had it at Ted's. It was juicy, moist, and tender. The barbecue sauce dripped down from the burger, and the bacon and the onion rings added a nice crunch to the burger. I definitely enjoyed it, but I was struggling to finish my meal. The patty was really big, and took a good third of the entire burger. I really think this restaurant deserves a 5 star review for it's food, and it's service.

Chilling with the Coca Cola Captain

After the hefty dinner, we decided to walk off the pounds. We walked over to the Olympic Park to take photos and to play frisbee. I enjoyed our game of frisbee, but the true players were Helen and Justice. They had the skills and the rest of us were trying to learn their technique on throwing a frisbee. At the end of our game, I was profusely sweating. The heat was not helping either, and I was wishing to get back to the cool hotel A.S.A.P. Luckily, the van arrived a few minutes after we stopped playing and we were on our way "home." 

When we finally arrive at the hotel, we are excited to watch the Golden State Warriors v. the Cavaliers. The seven of us will be supporting our Bay Area team and hopefully Stephen Curry's shooting skills will be on point. I also can't wait to see what LeBron James has to offer, and see what the outcome of the game will be. This game will be the game to see. 

The First of Many

5 Hours of Packing Later...

After months of waiting, the day of departure has finally come.  No more obstacles stood in our way.  No more introductions.  No more School Board Meeting.  No more dinners.  No more orientations.  No more applications.  No more packing.  No more school.  And last, but not least, no more stress (hopefully).  All that awaits is a strange, new land known as the East Coast, home of Atlanta, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and, of course, New York.

I only got around three hours of sleep because sleeping proved to be a difficult task, as the excitement of today robbed me of the sleep of yesterday.  Upon waking up around 2:30, I didn’t feel tired; in fact, I had tapped into some fountain of energy, which was fine with me. The sound of my incredibly loud alarm, conveniently placed next to my ear in order to ensure that I woke up on time, might have had something to do with that.  Following the initial feeling of shock and the ringing in my ear that the alarm provided, I rose out of bed, woke up my mom, and got ready for the long day I had ahead of me.  After I threw on my clothes, brushed my teeth, and put on my contacts, I did one more final luggage check to ensure I would have everything I needed for my adventure and sure enough, everything was in place.  I grabbed an energy drink out the fridge and hopped in the car onward to El Cerrito High School, ready for what this memorable June 16th had in store for me.

The 2015 Cornell Cohort

My mom and I arrived at El Cerrito High School at around 3:30.  To my surprise, we were the first ones to arrive, other than Don, who looked as if he had been setting up shop for quite sometime.  Greeting us was a table full of granola bars and red and grape vines, along with luggage tags and permission slips to fill out.  The rest of my cohort started to pool in one by one and we chatted it up with one another about the day that we had in front of us and where we could expect to go.  We all took a group photo, but not before a camera malfunction where the flash on Don’s camera did not want to work properly.  The first couple pictures had no flash at all, resulting in a completely black photo.  Don replaced the batteries and now the flash was blinding, resulting in pictures that were nearly pitch white and a couple sore eyeballs.  Don gave us one last pep talk regarding our trip.  When the shuttle bus arrived, we loaded up the bus with our luggage, said bye to our parents one last time, then hopped on for our 7 o’clock flight.  

Upon arriving at 6 in the morning,  we went through standard airline procedures, checking in our bags, going through security, and finding our gate.  Conveniently enough for us, our gate was next to a small breakfast spot, where we all loaded up for the ride ahead.  We didn’t have to wait too long before it was time to board the flight, as we started boarding at around 6:30.  I was able to snag a window seat so I could enjoy the view throughout the flight (although that view was primarily composed of clouds that looked like an endless white cotton candy field).  I did whatever I could to pass the time on the plane, whether it be catching up on Game of Thrones, re-watching old episodes of Friends, listening to music, or, everyone’s favorite, sleeping.  When I did sleep, I constantly drifted in and out, which left me pretty disoriented.

My home for the next day

We landed a half hour ahead of schedule, which gave us a little more breathing room in terms of scheduling times.  The first thing I noticed when I walked out of the plane was the heat.  The East is no joke; it is hot and humid!  My weather app said it was 90 degrees, but being a Bay Area native, I might as well have been in the desert.  After walking what seemed like forever to get to baggage claim, we grabbed our luggage and caught a shuttle that brought us to the Holliday Inn Express in Emory.  The drive was about 30 minutes long, which allowed us to get a feel of Emory and the outskirts of Atlanta.  What surprised me was that the freeways have a lot of trees and shrubbery on the shoulders, which was a pleasant thing to see.  I was able to see the outskirts of Atlanta, downtown Emory, and a lot of very nice buildings.  We arrived at the Holiday Inn around 3:30, where we were able to relax until 5:20.  The room was relatively standard for a hotel; two beds, an HD television, a desk, a clean bathroom, and a coffeemaker. By far, the best feature of the room was the air conditioning.  It allowed us to escape from the horrible heat and give us a pleasant place to rest.   

The Centennial Olympic Park

We left the hotel around 5:30 and we got dropped in downtown Atlanta to explore what the city had.  First, we got a bite to eat at Ted’s Montana Grill.  Personally, I got the bacon cheeseburger with fries and a shake.  A pretty standard American meal, but fantastic nonetheless, especially because I got a bison burger instead of the traditional beef burger.  After a stuffing meal, we wandered around downtown Atlanta to see what it had to offer.  Because we arrived so late, most of the attractions were closed, such as the World of Coca Cola and the Georgia Aquarium.  We were able explore Centennial Olympic Park, which was a big attraction during the 1996 Olympics.  After a bit of wandering around Atlanta, we headed back to the Holiday Inn, where we are now preparing to watch the Golden State Warriors take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.  It has been a memorable day so far and if the Warriors win, it will be an even greater day.  

Touchdown in Atlanta

The day started off early, as I woke up at 3:23 AM this morning. I rushed through getting dressed, eating some food, and packing my bags into the car. It was cold and windy out in El Cerrito, and I was glad I was wearing a sweatshirt even though later that day it was going to be very hot in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Stephen, Thao, Julie, Shanti, myself, and Justice at 4:00 AM

We all met at El Cerrito High School at 3:50 AM to listen to Don give his last instructions and take his last pictures. We finished the departure meeting and said goodbye to our families as the shuttle arrived to take us to San Francisco Airport. 

We arrived at the San Francisco airport, and after checking bags and traveling through security, we all went to Willow Creek Grill to get something to eat for breakfast. I made the questionable decision to get pasta salad which turned out to taste something like cardboard, old lime, and vinegar. However, I had a muffin and an apple I brought from home that I ate instead. 

We boarded our flight just before 7:00 AM and settled in for a long five hour flight. I slept on and off for about two hours, and watched the minutes tick by. The flight was pretty smooth but our landing in Atlanta was quite rough. Quite rough. As we got off the plane we were hit with the 90 degree air fresh from the tarmac at Atlanta Airport. While we had previously been glad for our sweatshirts and layers, all of us were eager to go to our hotel and change into shorts and short sleeve shirts!

We traveled from the airport to our hotel which was only about 15 minutes away. After setting up in our rooms and relaxing for an hour, we took a taxi to Centennial Olympic Park and walked through it on our way to dinner at Montana Grill.

View from Centennial Olympic Park

Montana Grill was amazing. I had an Avalon burger and it had melted Gruyere cheese, bacon, caramelized onions, garlic aioli, and arugula on top of a bison burger. It was juicy and tender and fabulous. If I ever come back to Atlanta I am definitely going back to Montana Grill.

Avalon burger

After everyone had a delicious meal at Montana Grill, we walked back through Centennial Olympic Park and walked past the World of Coca-Cola building which was unfortunately closed but we still enjoyed looking at their statues and building. 

Floating Coca-Cola bottle!

Great advice, Coca-Cola PR team

After we walked through the park we took a taxi back to our hotel. Tomorrow we are going to tour Emory University and then fly to D.C. 

And Today Is The Day

Waking up to my alarm clock at 2:00 A.M was easier than I expected. With only 3 hours of sleep, I expected to snooze my alarm at least 5 times. However, I awoke with excitement and with a lot of adrenaline. Today was the day I left to Atlanta, Georgia, just the beginning of my month long trip. 

 

By 2:30 A.M, the whole house was awake and rushing around in order I could get to El Cerrito High School by 3:50 A.M. Usually what delays my family is the constant fighting for the sinks, the early morning arguing, or the Bay Area traffic. However, the hold up this early morning was the picture taking. At least 50 pictures were snapped before we even left the house. Personally, I hate taking pictures, especially when it's the same picture taken 5 times over, but on different devices. Today was different though. I wanted to take pictures and be able to remember the beginning of my trip. 

 

From left to right, my sister Katherine, me, my mom May, and my dad Dennis

After a 10 minute drive, we arrived at El Cerrito High School with still 20 minutes to spare. However, being 20 minutes early is still not early enough to beat Don and even my fellow cohort member Justice. 

Unloading my few bags took less than a few minutes and before I knew it, it was time to say my good byes to my dad and sister. Instead of saying "Good Bye", I always say "See you later", because it allows me to remind them that I am going to return safely and I will see everyone again. 

After the departure of my dad and sister, my mom and I strolled up to Don and began signing papers and adding name tags to our bags. Once the rest of the cohort arrived, Don weighed everyone's bag, mine weighing in at 41.5 lbs, and gave us a brief speech. I would like to thank Don and everyone else who supported and helped contribute towards the ILC. 

 

My cohort gathering around Don to listen to his infamous speech

The moment the airport shuttle pulled away from El Cerrito High School at 4:51 A.M, a lot of events happened very quickly, back to back. The drive to SFO airport, bag check-in, and getting through security, took less than a hour. By 5:50 A.M, my cohort, chaperone, and I were sitting in front of our plane eating breakfast. by 6:30 A.M, we were boarding our flight, Southwest, to Atlanta, Georgia. 

 

My fellow cohort members arriving at the check-in station.

Being my first airplane ride ever since I was a baby, I was very ecstatic and excited. I ended up sitting away from my cohort due to the fact that I wanted a window seat and I was interested in meeting someone new. My interest in meeting someone new on the plane ride slowly died as a middle age man sat down and ended up sleeping the whole trip. To the left of him was my chaperone, Chan-Law. The take-off was amazing and it felt very different. Being lifted off the ground felt like a roller coaster ride that lasted 4 hours. Once the plane reached an elevation of 7000 feet, seat belts were allowed to be taken off and people were allowed to stand up. However, I was not worried about my seat belt or being sore and needing to stretch. My eyes and attention was focused on the beautiful view outside my window. Flying over the white, puffy clouds made me feel like I was in a new world. Seeing the tremendous scenery, made me question myself which state I was in the further we traveled. 

 

The beautiful view outside my window. Is that space at the very top?!

Our flight landed roughly around 2:45 P.M eastern time. My body clock did not adjust to the 3 hour difference, but one can tell by the attitude and looks of workers that they have gone through a long day already. 

The walk to baggage claim felt like mile after mile after mile. Eventually, we made it to luggage claim 4 and we all claimed our bags. By 3:20 P.M, we were on a shuttle headed to Holiday Inn Express. 

 

Check-in went very smoothly and we were able to settle into our rooms for a complete hour. At 5:20 P.M, the cohort was called down for the taxi ride to Centennial Olympic Park. Upon our arrival, we decided to eat first, than walk around and sightsee. Thanks to Yelp, we were able to locate a restaurant named Ted's Montana Grill. The food was delicious and the ambiance was pleasant and welcoming. Our meal was quick and before we knew it, we were walking the streets toward Centennial Olympic Park again. After the big meal, our walk slowed down tremendously. We strolled around the park, passed by Coca Cola World, Georgia Aquarium, and enjoyed catch with the Justice's frisbee.

 

Cornell cohort jumping in Centennial Olympic Park

Our cohort was picked up at 8:00 and got back to the hotel at 8:20. With a quick shower and clean up, everyone met up at Justice's and my room to watch the Warriors game. Go Warriors!

The Cornell Cohort Heads South and East

They were instructed to be in front of El Cerrito HS at 3:50 to receive last minute instructions for their departure to Cornell.  To a one, though, they all arrived early.  If they’ve learned nothing else from their association with the ILC they’ve learned the value of being on time.

The six members of the Cornell cohort are heading east but they’re detouring south before landing in Ithaca, NY.  They’re first going to Atlanta where they’ll tour Emory University.  From there they head to Washington, DC to visit Georgetown and then to Philadelphia to say hello to Ben Franklin while touring UPenn.

Finally, they’ll head north to Ithaca where they’ll embark on their adventures at Cornell.

This is the first of the six ILC cohorts for 2015 and, as can be seen from the photos, they’re ready.

Goodbye My Dear, Hercules

The "Final Countdown" is over. The moment that I have been anticipating anxiously has finally come. Being the last day to prepare, I thought I was going to be a total chaotic disaster but it wasn't as bad as I thought.

Since I am to wake up early in Tuesday, before the crack of dawn, I decided I would get a lot more sleep in the morning because I knew I wouldn't be able to rest in the final hours of being home. But like most plans there are always unexpected things that occur that interfere with the plans. Instead of sleeping till noon, I was alarmingly awakened by my parents to drop them off to work. Since my elder sister was delayed in the morning by traffic, she didn't make it in time to drop them off.

I wasn't keen on the idea since both my parents' work distance is an hour commute from one place to another. But nonetheless, I woke up, got ready, and dropped them off. When I came home three hours later, I was exhausted. But gladly my sister made it home to take me to Target for some quick last minute shopping. Then we rushed home, for me to pack up the rest of my things. As I checked over my luggage for the fourth time, I felt as if I was unprepared for the trip. I kept on think "Did I pack the correct things?" and "What if I brought the wrong type of clothing?" These thoughts would circle around my head forcing me to recheck all my clothing and things for the fifth time. But even after the eleventh time I was still unsure. Instead of checking for the sixth time, I zipped up my bags and went on with my day.

Earlier this week I made plans with my friends to take a hike. The hike wasn't anything too strenuous but it did get our hearts pumping. The hike was this trail on a hill and although it was a very steep hill, we made it to the top. As I stood there staring down at my home, Hercules, I couldn't help but think this was the best way to spend my last day.

Gazing off to the distance, I realized why I felt so unprepared. Everyone feels a little unprepared when they leave their home. I've been living in this small town for almost all my life, therefore I am deeply familiar with the Bay Area. No matter how much I prepare for this trip I will never fully understand the East Coast and how it is like I do with the West Coast. This realization made me realize my need for this opportunity. It replenished me with confidence and hope that this trip will be the best because I will learn so much about the East Coast. Like a bullfighter, I am ready to take this journey by the horns. 

"Goodbye Hercules... I'll see you later"

Time Really Flies

It has been an adventure starting from a few months ago to now. From the multiple events, such as the interview, the school board meeting, and the orientation, I never knew this day would come by so quick. I didn't think how the hours turn into days, and the days turn into weeks; for me to be where I am now, packing. Packing has not been as stressful as my previous year because I realize that I wouldn't be needing everything in my closet. I have done my best to trim down my pile of clothing, items, and the like into a neat stack which has fit into my suitcase. Hopefully I will be able to fit everything in my suitcase, with extra room for souvenirs. In addition, I am hoping to have a good night's sleep; but I have a feeling that I will have too much adrenaline and anxiety for this trip. As I am packing for this trip, I am contemplating all of the events that will be happening when I go. The meetings with the alums from the different universities, along with the college experience, I know that it will be life-changing. I can't wait to be arriving at El Cerrito High School at 3:50 AM tomorrow, and be at the airport waiting for our plane to arrive. 

Bringing My Buddie Along.

But before I leaving, I celebrated with my friend, and a fellow ILCer, Chiamaka Nwadike. She planned a "surprise party" just a couple hours ago with cider and cake. It was exciting to see her at my house, but at the swimming pool first. She arrived around 5 PM at my house to find me not there and at the swimming pool. It was delightful for her to come over and to have a nice conversation about our trips and our excitement for what will be in store for us. As she left my house, I realized how many hours I still have left, and how time really does fly.