Lessons on Basketball, Biscuits, and beginning the trip

North Carolina!  Feb 15th-16th

Well it has been a little while since I have updated.  To be honest I finally had som

e time to myself, but spent it in a hot tub, instead of writing.  But I am going to try to sta

rt back tracking and getting some stories out.

I left everyone in VA and decided to drive through rural VA instead of going out of the way to stay on major highways.  This was a great choice.  I saw my first hitchhiker driving west, but before I set out on the trip I decided I would have to give up being friendly in certain ways as safety precautions.  needless to say I have been very safe so far on the trip.  

I also realized passing small church

es, that if I planned the

 trip again I 

would try to stop in churches in different places every Sunday to understand other cultural differences.  My favorite church sign said, "Get in now, before the Easter Rush"  Driving through Alabama I also saw a good one about coming to church no matter where you are in life, because "Moses was a basket case"  (Dad I thought of you and your sense of humor when I saw that.)

And all but one of the days I have been driving have been absolutely beautiful.  

Wel

l when I got to Chapel Hill/ Carsboro, I met up with my best friend while I was i

n Cuba.  And we drove to see wh

ere Jon grew up and meet his wonderful mother.  They started getting me prepared for the amount of sport and college basketball that was immanently coming into my life that evening.  Also they began giving me some tips on being in the south, and I apologise to anyone that has ever come over and I have not had some kind of food ready to offer you.  I am learning though.  Again meeting Jon's mom was a delight.  ALSO they have flowers down there.  (in fact that trend has continued as I have gone south)

Well then David and Jon, avid UNC fans and now Alumni had people over for the UNC game and chili.  Now it was a little to close for all the big fans, I however thought it was a very interesting game.  However the next nig

h

t when another random game was on I decided I had really watched two games at this point, and maybe making dinner and watching a movie was an okay second option. I just wasn't ready for too much of a good thing.

Now because my friends love me, or maybe because they also like southern food, Ellen, Jon and I had a mini Cuba reunion over southern food.  I had explained my need for biscuits and gravy.  Well when I got to that part of the meal the problems started arising.  at first I ju

st started pouring some gravy over the biscuits, which quickly caught th

eir attention.  They explained a biscuit is to be eaten with a fork and a knife.  Understandable so I take off the top half, pour gravy on and replace the top half.  (its okay to laugh at me, but I am used to biscuits and butter and there are far less rules).  Well this again elicited a big reaction and I ended up putting both sides face up, pouring on t

he gravy and finally enjoying a biscuit with a fork and knife the way the south intended.  

I also attended a class with Jon t

o see three Durham Public School Principals speak.  I of course found it fascinating, especially because I only really have DCPS and a little knowledge of New Orleans to compare it to.  And then when you hear how these school districts are going to be facing major budget cuts- its intense.  90% of one of the principals freshman haven't passed the middle school reading competency exams.  That is not just a number and something we can roll our eyes at and say is happening all over the country- however it is.

The next day I decided to cross North Carolina and called a friend I haven't seen since High school and woke him up at 9 am to see him at Gilford College.  And in fact so far I think that area has been the one most effected by foreclosures and then economy.  However they still make good coffee.  I also stopped into a little winery right before Asheville,

 with the help of my GPS device Trev Trev.  And had a nice talk with the guy that explained a family hobby got out of hand and now they are planting for their own v

ineyards.  If anyone would like to take up this hobby with me and then open a vineyard, please know I am interested.  

At this point I began to hit the mountains in North Carolina and detoured a little before Asheville to go to the Folk Art museum on the Blue ridge parkway.  I think I would have picked out a present for all of you in the gift store that sells the guilds work, if I had been able to afford it.  I had a great time looking through the glass work, and carving, and etchings, and weaving and etc.  

Then I ventured into Asheville and wandered around into book stores and to look at other art and talked to various artists.  Doesn't seem like a bad place to live.  I had decided to go to Austin to see my friend Ari, but as she was out of town, I think I made the right decision to go anyway.  As luck would have it, my friend Ethan's Aunt and Uncle took me in for the evening and spoiled me with a lovely meal and conversation.  And I was driving to their house through the mountains at sunset and it is an incredibly beautiful place!  

Also I think I am ready to adopt the Blocks as my own aunt and uncle and truly lucked out on how wonderful and fun they are to spend an evening with and talk over where I am in life.  

I definitely got two different sides of North Carolina, but absolutely beautiful places.  Turns out there are a lot of pretty places in this country, but we'll get to that in the next installments.  

Cheers,

Hannah

"I had the feeling I could be someone"

Newport News, VA. Feb 11th-14th

Someone asked me if I was nervous about going on a road trip by myself. I explained I am visiting people throughout the trip, so it feels like I am going home to an extent. While I really dislike being farther away from some people and having to drive away- driving toward great people is a very good distraction. That and the excitement factor of the adventure I have embarked on and seeing the country.

Well the first stop especially felt like going home, because I went to stay with two of my best friends for a few days. I had purposely built in a few days so I could decompress and rest some before the real days of driving started. But April and Amanda are the best kind of friends, because you can get up and do something crazy or you can spend hours on a couch or at a coffee shop relaxing and talking. In fact I think I could have easily spent another week there, especially if we got smoothies everyday. Also I have been adopted by the roommates Lisa and Ev- so it was really one big party, especially due to the lovely cat and two dogs... pets please!

On top of hanging out, Amanda and Ev also took me to the beach so I could put my toes in the Atlantic. Thus officially starting the cross country aspect of the trip. The wind was a bit fierce but for the middle of winter or even early spring it was spectacular. Also I wish I could have Amanda DJ for me across the entire country.

"You got a fast car
I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere

Any place is better
Starting from zero got nothing to lose
Maybe we'll make something
But me myself I got nothing to prove

And I had a feeling that I belonged
And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone" -Tracy Chapman

I also took an amazing detour to Williamsburg to visit my friend William (wil yum). I insisted on going into Colonial Williamsburg as soon as I got there to see if I could get to the Colonial Bakery for some Sally Lunn Bread before it closed. (which became a favorite from spending spring breaks in CW with the Brenneis' as a kid-- "Nottingham Ale" Bec) But of course I got distracted by the light (for taking photos) and catching up and we arrived 7 minutes too late... On the walk however a friend from middle school was running with some guys and when he saw me ran back and gave me a hug. You never know who you will see on a road trip- but Matt Dinan was a good treat. William and I met all the animals that were out and then jumped a fence to get into the grounds of the governors mansion. It turns out they didn't really want us there... but it was a very good time and appropriate as William is one of my favorite outdoor adventuring friends. We also went to a murder mystery dinner at William Mary with some of William's friends- and I feel like I am learning more about college life in different places.

Also of note was the black out at the girls apartment and eating taco bell over candle light and the LCD wind-up flash light/radio/ cell phone charger from my incredibly prepared car. The next night was followed by incredible laughs over beer, pizza, and of course a table full of valentines cards from 1992 that we had to laugh over and sort. It was one of those classic moments that I will remember my friends expressions as they laughed.

In the tradition started by Cole and the blue house in Columbia Heights where I lived last semester, I made brunch on Sat. morning. Also because I love french toast, it was Valentines Day, and I wanted to cook for Amanda, April, Ev, and Lisa.

I think I could have stayed a few more days as there was plenty more to talk about, but that is also the beauty of best friends. Soon I will update on the fun of driving in VA and NC.

On My Way

Wednesday Feb 11th- Car Packed ;) traveling begins...

It was a pretty great day for traveling. Sunny and warm, with maybe a little more wind than ideal. But a little more wind just makes everything feel a little more alive I suppose. Leaving DC toward Richmond, even in the middle of the work day, I wasn't surprised to hit a little traffic. And thanks to Claire, Kelly, Erin, and Cole I have a pretty good collection of road trip music to listen to. The kind of playlists that without even knowing it make me break into song. But the real moment of knowing I was on my way came after lunch with Dwayne in Richmond.

I found Dwayne, my friend and former youth director, hard at work in his office. He gave me a long list of choices for lunch, but when he mentioned he hadn't tried this Indian place I thought we should try it together. As we drove up I recognized the name and realized I was about to eat in a restaurant I have heard many stories about. Becca had spent the summer as a waitress at the restaurant and giving me anecdotes on the owners. The coincidence was profound to me at the time, as my dear godsister is off in India and I like connections to people I love. Dwayne and I had a wonderful time catching up and after all the hectic running around that happened before I left, it was a good way to calm down. As we were saying goodbye in the parking lot, he commented on how I had grown since high school and my comfort level with myself. I agreed with him whole heartily. Got into the car. Found the highway. And was on my way.