Change of plans

About a month ago, a friend (who is also going to Ireland) and I were talking about the trip when she mentioned that she would be staying in Europe after our trip ended because she would be going to Germany a week after for another trip. Naturally I was jealous and wanted to learn more about this Germany trip.

This trip was to Aalen University where students would be attending lectures during the day and, what I can only assume, partying during the night. It would cost $3000 and the dates were June 6 to June 18, about five days after the Ireland trip would end. I spoke with the head organizer of the trip and she gave me permission to join.

And that was it. Again, I put very little thought into this trip and on a whim decided to go. So! Instead of two weeks in Ireland, the trip has become one month of Europe. I'm still not excited (it's five months away...), but if I think about it hard enough I feel fortunate that I can do this. My parents are both very supportive of Euro 2015 and sometimes I daydream about being abroad and looking up the time zones to see if it's too late to call or text them. There is about a 5 day break between when Ireland trip ends and Germany trip begins. So I guess Maria (the girl who is going on both trips) and I will be bumming around Europe then.

While this whole Germany trip has popped up, another trip has also presented itself. For spring break, my mom and I are going to New York! I've never been to the east coast and this is going to be pretty great! Plane tickets + NYC pass costs $732.20 and we should get a good deal on hotels since working at the Deadwood Mountain Grand gives pretty sweet hotel discounts for employees ($30 to $100 a night). Including tickets for a Broadway show and a bus pass, it should be around $1000. As I type this, my mom says she's going to go on a diet so she can take a big ole bite out of the big apple. And she's narrating what she does in show-tune style songs.

Both New York and Euro 2015 have something in common and that's that I am taking no part in planning the trips. I kind of hate planning. Looking at the cheapest flight options, where to fly in, what to do, where to eat, who to see, what time to wake up to beat the crowds, that shit stresses me out. My mom loves planning vacations and she is amazing at it. And Maria loves planning too and she should be a travel guide. Without people like them, vacations wouldn't be half the fun.

Oh and in a month I'm going to Pierre for the Governors Conference but it's probably going to be super boring so I might never mention it again. Whew! Now this blog is up to date. auf wiedersehen 2014, hallo 2015!

PASSPORT

The passport came in the mail today! It's great! It's more small than I imagined. Like this is what I imagine a teddy bear to carry around. But it's great! There are patriotic pictures in it! And they spelled my mouthful of a name right. High fives for everyone involved really. Except for the lady that took the photo. This really looks more like a mugshot than a passport.

o beautiful for spacious skies

They didn't send me back my birth certificate. It's sent separately, I don't know when I'll receive it. But I'm very happy to be in possession of a passport! Fun fact: Less than 40% of South Dakota residents own a passport. Another fun fact: New York residents own, on average, more passports than any other state. This is because many New Yorkers don't own a drivers license and need a form of identification (thus, passport). And another fun fact*: 9/11 increased the number of passports in America. Apparently before 9/11 you didn't need a passport to go to Canada or Mexico. Crazy, or should I say, loco.

I'm out of fun facts. Until next time...

*It is obvious I am a tourism major.

I'm going to Ireland! (next May)

On September 5th 2014, BHSU students received an email from EF College Study Tours regarding a 10 day trip to Ireland in May. Several hours and 3 grand later and I had a receipt for my trip purchase. I was going to Ireland.

Hurray! But before I get into the details and what's happened since that very impulsive purchase, this is what's going on in my life. I'm Calla! This is my travel blog! I'm 22 years old and a senior in college. My major is tourism and hospitality, which I really enjoy because I love traveling and live in a tourist area. I have a job as a cocktail waitress in Deadwood. I like animals, Harry Potter, and eating the middle out of foods. That's it.

This is what I look like-

(I'm the one on the right)

Enough of everyday me, let's talk about travel me. I've never been out of the States. I've been on a plane over a dozen times, mostly to Florida, and have flown by myself to Oregon 2 years ago. Last June I drove to Helena, Montana with my younger brother for a rafting trip and that was neat. 

Back to September 5th. I saw an email regarding a trip to Ireland and looked at their dates and price long enough to know I could afford it and it was far enough into the future to the point where I didn't have anything planned that weekend. That was literally all the thought I put into this. Seriously, I cannot emphasize how little I mulled over this decision. The dates were roughly scheduled for May something (I can't remember and am too lazy to check), about a week after I graduate. It cost $3,400 and I paid in full that night. The trip is being catered/hosted/chaperoned by the EF College Study Tours and I'll be going with some other students from SD schools. Oh and we'll be visiting Belfast and Dublin. Like Jon Snow, I knew nothing (else).

It's far enough away that I'm not peeing my pants excited. But my parents are happy for me. "I'm really glad you're doing this!" my mom said to me. "What? Wow!" my dad said.

For the next couple weeks this is all I had to go off of.

Then last week a girl I know was whining about how busy she was and felt it necessary to tell the class her hectic schedule for the next several months. "...and then after I graduate I'm going to Ireland-"

"You're going to Ireland in May?" I asked. "Yeah." She replied casually. "Me too!" I replied not casually. Then we talked about how excited we were (she to hear the sexy Irish accents, me to no longer be under the impression that I was leaving the country with total strangers) and we vowed to visit the bars every night.

Then for a couple weeks nothing happened.

Today my mom finally nagged me enough into getting my passport. Like I said before, I've never left the States. I don't have a passport. So I filled out some paperwork, dug out my birth certificate, and went to Spearfish (it's the closest place to get the passport picture taken) with my mom! I dressed in my finest garments (torn jeans, Victoria's Secret tee shirt, and 3 day old hair). It's like picture day in Middle School all over again. No second chance, no retakes. Whatever I looked like in my passport picture I would be stuck with for the next 10 years. I also practiced my smile, since I have what is medically defined as a bitchy resting face. This was serious business.

At the Spearfish post office I handed in my paperwork and was led to a backroom for the photo. The lady who took it said I could smile or not and then she took the picture. It was pretty quick. "Is it okay?" I asked her. She said it was fine in a tone that suggested she didn't give a damn if I had a booger hanging out of my nose or not. Fantastic.

I filled out more paperwork and paid about $150 for the whole thing and it took like 7 minutes. Pretty painless experience. Then the lady gave me a copy of my picture and I didn't have a booger hanging out of my face, so good on me!

Now this blog is up to date. My goal is to update it as things regarding the Ireland trip occur. Until next time,