Arrival

Hit the snooze button a few times this morning (surprise surprise!), but I shipped out around 8:30. Armed with a map, directions from the Meeting Ground website, directions from both parents, and a GPS (Thanks for letting me borrow it this summer, Mom and Dad) I pulled into Clairvaux Farm around 1:30. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. :]

So after a little wandering and poking around, I found the office. Lots of people shook my hand and I don't think I remember anyone's name. So it goes.

The other summer intern (she works in the office/with the residents, whereas I work primarily with the work groups) gave me a tour of the farm and showed me my room. I have my own bathroom! Including said bathroom, this might be about the same size as beloved sophomore triple, Severance 127. Pictures to come, pending some technological obstacles. (I inconveniently forgot the cable for my camera. Am trying to take pictures with the snazzy new phone -- having difficulties sending pictures from phone to internet. What I'm trying to say is: pictures to come.)

She (the other intern, whose name I will learn eventually) is a rising senior at Nazareth (?) College in Rochester, I think. Anyway, she's worked here before. She seems to have a very strong character -- confident and self-aware, which appears to be helpful when working with the residents. (The people who live here, by the way, I have learned, are known as residents.) She knows how to make herself heard and understood, without being overbearing. Of course, this is just the impression I have so far. Her room is next door to mine. I think I'll be stopping by for advice pretty often. She also seems the sort of person to be forthcoming with advice.

After my tour with so-far-nameless summer intern (people keep mentioning her name to me, so far I can't remember it), I finally met Udo Sommerhoff. He's my boss. Important person to meet on your first day, I think. Udo is very interesting. He has a German accent, which I think is fantastic, and is rather long-winded (which I'm not sure he is aware of). We sat in his office for awhile going over important guidelines and paperwork and such. I hope I remember most of what we discussed. Udo is a very clean, organized man. He has been overseeing the work groups for 6 years now, I gather, and when he's not doing that, he is the general maintenance type guy around Meeting Ground. He lives in Elkton, which is the nearest town, about 17 miles from here. More thoughts about Udo to come.

Precious* just walked by my window singing. She has been here for years. I remember meeting her the two times I've been here before. I'm pretty sure she was walking to dinner, which means its that time for me as well. More thoughts later!

*I have decided to change the names of the residents, just as a precaution. (edited 6/19)