Teen Mania: Round 2

     Well, I'm here!! And the best news I have heard all day is that the WiFi works in my longhouse!!! We left the house about 12:30pm yesterday afternoon, and after getting a drink from Race Trac and lunch from Sonic, we were on our way.

     I was texting Karen the whole way, letting her know when we had gotten off the highway, and when we had arrived. She never responded to me though. Hannah and I arrived about 2:35pm, and pulled up to the gate. Hannah awkwardly rolled her window down to talk to the young lady at the booth.

     When she asked who we were, Hannah just gets this deer in the headlights look, and doesn't say anything. So I intervened. "Hi, we are here to volunteer and our names are Hannah and Mikayla."

     The girl responded, "Oh, you were here last year weren't you? I thought I recognized you!! I am actually your volunteer supervisor! My name is Sarah. I'm waiting for a package to arrive, so you want to meet at my office about 3 o'clock to register?" She was so bubbly and enthusiastic!!

     I said sure. Sounds good. I was actually planning on meeting Karen in the caf. So we pulled through, parked near the caf, and got out of the car. As we entered the caf, I looked around for Karen, but didn't see her.We headed to the restrooms, but they were closed. So we step outside and start heading back to the car to drive down to the longhouses.

     All of the sudden, Sarah pulls up next to us in her car. "Hey, my package just got here, so would you like to go ahead and register now?" We said sure, and then hopped into her car and drove to her office. It was the easiest 10 minutes of my life. All we did was hand her some forms and filled out some other forms. Then we were done.

     I asked her were Karen might be, and she said probably in the lounge. So we headed back to our car and drove to the lounge. I asked Hannah to walk in first since Karen didn't recognize her and I wanted to surprise her. So Hannah opened up the door, and the inside was dark, so we couldn't really see. Hannah just stops at the door and doesn't go in.

     So I entered. I heard a movie playing, and then an "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" And I see this figure jump from the couch and run towards me. Karen practically jumped into my arms (it was super awkward for me). We stand there hugging for like 5 minutes. Another girl gets off the couch. Her name is Jennie, Ulises' sister. We hug. It was a nice reunion.

     They come outside and help unpack some of the car, and take us to the dorm. Karen is just talking, talking, talking. Which I was perfectly okay with because I just love her accent...I could listen to it for days! So we end up back in the lounge, just talking and catching up. Then Karen puts her movie back on (Mama Mia) and we watch about the last 30 minutes or so. And then we start talking again.

     About 4:30pm or so, we head to the caf so that Karen can go to work. Me and Hannah just sit in the caf watching people eat. Awkward, I know. I see all sorts of people that I recognize, though. I just keep pointing them out. And then I see Aimee. I grew up with her, and she is one of the reasons I ended up at Teen Mania.

     We talk for a few moments and then I see someone else. Rachel L. She volunteered with me last year and we became really good friends. So I start talking with her and we talk probably for a good 15 minutes or so. Then she had to leave and I go and sit back down with Hannah.

     We are sitting there for several more moments when I see another girl that I know. Rowan. She was my CA (Core Adviser) when I came to Campus Preview Weekend (CPW) last November. So we talk for a little bit, but then she has to go as well. Wow, how cool. I knew all of the ladies, but wasn't expecting to see them at all on my first day, and here I see all three in under an hour :)

     When dinner has closed, and after Karen does all of her closing jobs, we all head back to the lounge. They start watching a movie, and I go outside to call Mariam, because she was planning on arriving today as well. She didn't pick up, so I called my mom just to let her know we made it safe and everything. During that call, Mariam called.

     So when I got off the phone with my mom, I called Mariam, and we talked for a while She isn't doing well at all, so she said she would try to make it, but not to get our hopes up. I was sad. I am so ready to see Mariam again!! So I go inside and tell Karen what had happened and then after all of that, we start decorating for a surprise birthday party for one of Karen's girls.

     We blow up balloons, turn off the lights and wait for her to come. And wait. And wait. And wait. I thought she would never come. But when she did, we threw the balloons at her and started singing and dancing. She started crying. It was such a good party. It was kinda funny though because me and Hannah were the only white people.

     After the party, me and Karen go for a run with some other girls. Although I didn't run, I rode a bike, but that was still pretty intense. I am sooo out of shape. After the run, we go into the lounge, finish our movie, and go to bed.

   
     First day? Success.