24 Hours, 5 Miles, 3 States and 2 Pizza's Later.....

So with midterms looming on the horizon and the stress of practicum already in the forefront of our minds, it was decided that a girls weekend was definitely what the doctor prescribed.  But let me backtrack a bit for you to help you appreciate how the weekend went down.

Our classes are quite tiny - for the most part there is a maximum of 15 people per class, which makes it wonderful for getting discussions going, asking questions and participating.  But with us having such small classes, we basically need to get along with the people as we will be stuck together for the next two years.  It wasn't that hard to do with this bunch of people as we are all in the same situation in that we are all here for school and without family.  People are from all over - Ohio, Tennessee, Alaska, New Jersey, South Carolina, Massachusetts and many more other states. So since we are all in the same boat, might as well get to know each other and have a family within ourselves.  That being said, there is about 5 of us who get along very well and spend time outside of school with each other. 

What I find amazing about all of this is that I have created more friendships just in this one month of living here than I did in the 7 years of living in Calgary.  Maybe it is because all of us don't have any family in the immediate vicinity, or maybe it is because I am like a 'pet' to them being Canadian and all, but whatever the case may be, these people are very welcoming and open.  I like it.  And all of our personalities seem to compliment each other and balance each other out - we have the 'mother' of the group, Steph, that makes sure we have foods for when we get together, makes sure that when we go out we are in pairs, those types of things.  Then we have the free-spirited, doesn't know the concept of an indoor voice gal, Colleen, that just makes one laugh and laugh.  Her stories about her experiences and the way she lives life is such a breathe of fresh air.  She is one crazy cookie.  Then we have another girl, Meghan, who says what she thinks and does what she wants.  Sometimes the things she says makes me shake my head and try to figure out what goes on in that head of hers.  And then we have the person who gives us an ethnic twist to everything as she is from India, Riya.  When she mimics her dad, it makes us all go into stitches from laughter and when she is joking around, her facial expressions are just priceless.  And she is a States girl through and through - she keeps asking me if we have certain things up in Canada as they do down here (example - what kind of music we listen to up there).  Just the best group of girls to spend the next two and maybe even more years with. 

So there is a tiny background for you guys to know who exactly will be under one roof for one evening and together for a full 24 hours.  The plan was to have a slumber party at Colleen's place as she is best set up for company.  Best part (not so much) is that she lives in Virginia.  So Steph and I hop on the metro and meet at the station for Colleen to pick us up (Colleen also has a vehicle - very important).  We have time to kill before picking up Meghan so we go to Walmart for munchies and booze (it still feels weird that booze can be bought in random grocery stores), to Target to get plaid shirts so that we are all matchy matchy at the Pumpkin Patch and then to Meghan's.  Pick Meghan up and finally get to Colleen's place.  We sit around the table and bullshit away, drinking and laughing.  We decided on pizza to order, and holy canoly, what a rigmarole that was.  Steph was in such a hankering mood for a Marguerite pizza (never heard of it before) and so found a place that delivered one. Perfect!!! Not so much.  It comes and to Steph's chagrin, there is no tomatoes on it.  Apparently there should have been tomatoes.  So she phones the pizza company back and explains to them that she ordered the pizza because she wanted a Marguerite pizza, which has tomatoes, so they appease her by sending another pizza.  Crisis averted.  Not so much.  Second pizza arrives, and while she is walking up the stairs, we hear in a very loud, very annoyed voice "THERE ARE NO TOMATOES".  So us being Master students and whatnot, we decide to do some research to see if this pizza company screwed up our pizza not just once, but twice.  Low and behold, on the ingredients listed online, it does not mention tomatoes.  Whoops....

Now it is the next morning, where I will have to say I slept wonderfully as it was more on the chillier side at Colleen's place, so I was in heaven.  Waking up, I found that most of the girls had slept in sweaters and long pants....I don't think they would survive in Alberta winters hahaha.  I will have to say, for getting ready to head to the pumpkin patch and have 5 girls shower, we did it quite efficiently.  So, once we were all in our plaid, we pile into Colleen's car - a Vibe.  Not a every big car, and there was 5 of us.  Kind of packed and since it is a small car, you feel everything.  I was gracious enough to take the middle back seat, and wow - I was smushing everyone in the back seat.  The Pumpkin Patch was all the way in Maryland so we bypassed DC and got there (we got a little detoured taking a scenic route of different highways).  When we got there, we instantly realized that a) we were a little over dressed and b) we were about 15 years older than the average person there....hahaha.  But we carried on as this was the plan for the day. 

First up was a hay wide which was pretty awesome.  And then, da da daaaaaa the corn maze.  At first glance (since we didn't really look at the map) and with Steph holding our flag proudly, we decide to venture forth.  One of the rules of the maze - not using profanity - was broken a couple of times by yours truly......I don't know how long we were in the maze but we found ourselves back at the front.  Okay, in we go again to try this again - I mean, there is 5 of us, master students at that, we should be able to figure this thing out......not so much.  So we walk and walk and walk and suddenly I say 'we have been here before', wheren I get a snarky remark 'the corn all looks the same'.  So we keep walking, and find ourselves at the beginning again.  So then we decide to call it quits.  A good thing as when we went to get foods, one of the workers there said it took her 4 hours to get through.  Cripes almighty I would have broken that profanity rule a lot more.....Next up was the pumpkin chunkin.  I thought that we would be able to slingshot uber huge pumpkins, but not so much.  Tiny ass suckers, but fun nonetheless to slingshot.  There is a technique that is involved - I was actually quite efficient at making mine go pretty far.  And then lastly the girls went to the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin to carve for halloween.  Once the pumpkins were found and loved by all, back into the clown car we go to head to DC to prepare for the Out of the Darkness Walk. 

We got to the Walk (after getting lost in DC for parking) and I was astounded at the amount of people that were there.  There were 605 people walking for the cause, which is amazing.  It took some time for the event to get started as people kept coming in to register.  We were all given battery style candles that we could light for the walk and were giving out beads in different colors representing the person you had lost to suicide.  So candle and beads in tow, we start the 5 mile walk around the Tidal Basin - we walked past the Jefferson Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial and FDR Memorial.  With the sun setting low and a nice night out, the walk was amazing.  I definitely need to go back and do that walk on my own time so that I can actually stop and appreciate/take in the memorials and get some pictures.   It felt quite amazing to be part of something like that; a cause that many people know about but doesn't get the recognition it needs to save so many lives.  I am glad that I decided to partake in it.  The mental pictures I have of people walking, holding signs of their loved ones they lost and seeing the trail of candles is a powerful image. 

Finally, the walk is over, we pile back for the last time into the clown car and head back to Virginia were we get something quick to eat (FYI - avoid ordering calamari at a diner.....probably won't be that great) and then off to our respectful homes.  I think I got home around 10ish and I was quite happy to be on hardwood ground and in my four walls.  Don't get me wrong - spending 24 hours with the gals was wonderful, but I needed my space hahaha. 

This is a fairly long posting as it has taken me about 2 weeks to write it.  It is Thanksgiving at home today, so HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!  Midterms and papers are becoming due, so I don't know how much touristy stuff will be happening, but I will keep you entertained with my life adventures anyways, so never fear. 

I miss you all very very much and hope you are all doing wonderful.  Thank you for reading my posts and following along with me - it makes me smile knowing that you are with me in this journey.