Time always seems to pass by in a whirl when you're having fun! And thus, it has come to the end of my eight weeks here at Penn State. I can hardly believe that only two months ago, I had no idea about the PSU way of life and now I feel like I am partly a Nittany Lion myself! It has been a true pleasure and blessing meeting Leah, Marisa, and Sarah- along with everyone else involved in this journey.
A part of me is getting nostalgic already about leaving home for Virginia, but here are some highlights from our last weeks here:
Celebrating July 4th by watching the fireworks display right outside our dorm was quite the treat! Happy birthday, America!
Getting to tour the Mt. Nittany Hospital with Danielle (who is a RD) was super cool! The services the hospital has are incredible and the patient-centred attitude really is admirable.
One of the best friends I have made here (unexpectedly!) is Mike the Mailman. He is quite well-known around campus and even made it on the news- I know it's his big heart and kindness that attracts everyone to him! Unfortunately Mike couldn't attend our final luncheon because he was hard at work at the post office, but he stopped by briefly to say hi and to wish us luck! Here is a photo of us reunited in Mike's usual habitat.
I have the good fortune of attending the much anticipated Arts Fest downtown! It was a blast walking around and checking out all the cool art... People are seriously talented!
Maria hosted an amazing BBQ over the weekend (July 11th) for all of us at her house. She made vegetable kebabs, this cheesy dip that was to die for, mixed salad with homemade raspberry vinaigrette, and chocolate truffle balls!
Some other people we had met were also there and it was nice to mingle and enjoy a beautiful afternoon, as well as meeting Maria's family. Thank you Maria for your generous hospitality and for inviting us to your lovely home!!
One of the assistant managers, Scott took Sarah and I to the Boalsburg People's Choice Arts Fest as well, which turned out to be just as fun as the Downtown one. The variety of vendors was incredible, my favourite was this man who made creative art out of metal and wire! And of course, we had to stop for ice cream :) It was such a perfect, sunny day.
Then in the blink of an eye... finally the day had come- July 14th! It was the day of our luncheon. We had been putting in a lot of work for it over the past couple of weeks and now it was showtime. The theme was Mediterranean Escape and we came in early to finish setting up. Leah and I were in charge of the dining room while Sarah and Marisa were busy cooking it up in the kitchen with Chef Mark. Yesterday we had already polished the silverware, folded the napkins, and set all the tables, as well as the placecards.
Preparation is key! This morning, we set up the centerpieces, which featured these gorgeous fresh carnations Maria bought from a local flower shop downtown.
We also put all the plates out and made sure our photo slideshow presentation was ready to go. There were a few technical difficulties, but in the end, everything ran smoothly.
When the relaxing Greek music started playing as our Powerpoint began and guests started arriving, it felt like everything was clicking into place. Our appetizers were served first, which were two types of kebabs.
Leah, Maria, and I cleared plates, refilled drinks, and served throughout the event. I was amazed when the beautifully plated salads came out, Chef Mark, Sarah, and Marisa truly did an awesome job!
Everyone was enjoying the food and the company, I was really proud of all of our hard work and for pulling off the event :) It was great to see that we could do something nice for everyone who had helped us generously throughout our time here and had given us so much.
Towards the end, we were awarded with our certificates for completing the NACUFS program and when Maria started making her speech, all of us got emotional and a bit teary-eyed! I should have hidden a tissue in my pocket! It was humbling to realise that I have learned so much in just these past eight weeks. Finally, the elegant mini tarts were the finishing sweet touch to a perfect meal and all of us worked to clean up diligently.
The guests also got a little bag of cookies especially made by the bakery to take home as a thank-you gift!
I am thankful for the friendships and bonds I have made here. I am thankful I got to experience an entirely new environment away from home. I am thankful I was able to grow personally in my time here at Penn State and bring back new ideas back to Virginia with me. But most importantly, I am thankful I got the opportunity to be in the NACUFS program this summer and for Maria, whom none of this would have occurred as magically without.
It may be "farewell" for now, but Penn State will always hold a special place in my heart... It's not actually goodbye, but more like "see you later!"
#TeamSLAMforever! What an amazing experience, thank you to every single person who has made it even more memorable.
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