love will find a way

As much as I joke about how Raleigh is this huge hick town and how it is not a city like LA by any means, I actually almost love it haha! Raleigh isn’t LA (and never will be), but from the get-go I’ve pretty much made sure I make the best out of it while I’m here because seriously, when else is this city/beach girl gonna live in the country? I imagined eating peaches every day like the band, Presidents of the United States told me, but that is far from the truth. I’m the community member who asks to go out every night (mainly to people watch because it is the BEST here), but also just to get out of the house and explore. Sometimes my roommates will come out with me and sometimes they won’t but I’m always down to have a great time.

I’ve met a good friend who wants to show me the true North Cackalacky (yeah what the hell is that) and who is trying to get me to admit I like the country better than LA (never ever my friend). In my adventures so far, I have met and seen some crazy people. For example: a hippie woman leaned up against a pole in a bar playing a rubiks cube, some guy saying he’s a lesbian trapped in a man’s body (yeah what a GREAT pickup line), a very large woman scarily singing the heavy metal song “LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOR” in karaoke, and even some guy wearing a cowboy hat asking if we’ve ever met a real cowboy then giving us the day he gets paid and his email, and I just picked those out of a hat so there are many more. I’ve tried some chicken place named Bojangles (yes this is it’s real name) and I actually liked it (though I totally pretended I didn’t haha), I’ve met some southern boys with real southern accents- some are disgustingly uneducated and make me want to cry but others are quite cute haha. And I have to admit I’ve had more McDonald’s than I care to admit.

But goodness gracious I am missing me some real Mexican food. True food from the Gods. I made chicken enchiladas, pinto beans, and spanish rice (all from scratch!!) by myself like 2 weeks ago because I missed it so much, but it just wasn’t the same. There was probably no lard in it or whatever true Mexican people do to make it taste so delicious. I have already told my momma and a few friends that when I land at LAX we are hitting up El Tarasco’s right away. My LMU peeps know what I mean. When I have clients who speak Spanish I gladly bring them in to my office so I can pretend I am back home- even if I’ve got the Google English-Spanish translator open on my computer to make sure I’m saying everything right. haha

With Thanksgiving this past weekend, I totally missed my fambam and friends. I caught myself wishing I could hug my momma and younger siblings (okay fine, maybe even Heather), and then quickly remembered I hate hugs and almost vomited (yes, Nick Velazquez, I hate unnecessary and prolonged hugs). It was my first year ever in my 22 years of life away from my family/friends on Thanksgiving and boy did I feel it. It was also my first year in like 8 years where I was able to eat turkey- yep I’m a carnivore now (or as Jordan Oslin would say, I’ve got my soul back). Honestly though, I’m so sick of turkey because all the dinner volunteers think they’re all going to be that really cool group and bring turkey and mashed potatoes with canned green beans- but they all fricken do it so they’re not being original. Just gimme some damn beef.

My community members and I went to one of our support person’s Anne’s for Thanksgiving dinner and on the way to Durham (where she lives) I was totally sad knowing that I wouldn’t be eating with my fambam. Then when I got in to the house, I was so stoked to be welcomed by so many faces and some BOMB food that us JV’s can’t afford (like pita chips with brie cheese). I was mostly excited that I wasn’t sitting at the kid table and was so happy to just feel like a part of Anne’s family. We had a “Pilgrim Tournament” which was just a ping pong tourney (unfortunately it wasn’t beer pong) and I lost in the first round to the oldest man who I swear was in the Olympics with Forrest Gump- there was just no way I could have ever beat him. It was a riot.

Going back to work today was a little bit of a heartbreak. I was reminded that I’m not the only one who got homesick because 5 of my women left this past weekend with no goodbye. I hate goodbyes and never say them, so I am just pretending they are doing what I would do. I was immediately thrown back into the reality of life’s struggles and needs and had one of the longest days of work yet. I can’t imagine what it will be like when I go home for 11 days over Christmas and New Years. How many empty beds will I come back to work to?