Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

My first experience face to face with Prescott College was meeting the incoming student who graciously stopped on his way from New Mexico to Prescott to pick me up. He waited in the Flagstaff Amtrak station parking lot for six hours before I arrived. The next morning, the very student who first called me during her admissions work-study came to my apartment and brought me to the grocery store, gave me a quick tour of campus, and generally helped me feel welcome. I really needed it; it’s really no easy task to move thousands of miles from home.
It’s effortless to make friends at Prescott. I arrived Saturday night, and even before arriving home I had a new friend. The next morning, another friend. The Monday after, two more friends, and so on and on. People here are from each corner of North America, and the college is so small and so specifically focused that everyone has two things in common, guaranteed: We’re all from out of town, and we all have been thinking about the deep, important problems facing our planet and society for years before we found our niche at Prescott. It’s not difficult to start a conversation here.

As academic and wilderness orientations coursed on, and as the semester began to accelerate, I was immersed in a coherent community. The administration has been consistently responsive and helpful, and the faculty and instructors I’ve studied with have been available, knowledgeable, passionate, and flexible. The relevance and currency of my History of Gender and Sexuality course with Kaitlin Noss was stunning. My perspectives have changed, and I feel a depth of understanding that I was unable even to imagine before.

Now, as I prepare to fly home between semesters, I know with a moral certainty that I have made the best educational decision I could have. The geographic diversity of my new friendships have given me a sense of belonging even in parts of the United States I’ve never been; I feel more connected to the vastness of America than ever before. I’ll be going home to my family and old friends with a stronger identity, and lots of exciting new things to discuss.

The end of the semester is bittersweet for me, as I imagine it is for many of us students. Over the last couple of months, Prescott has become my home, and I’m comfortable here now. But, it will be truly excellent to have a break and to see my family again. Three friends and I will be taking a 2700-mile road trip back to Prescott in January, and this has to be the raspberry garnish on my Bûche de Noël.

-Estin Vogel, 12.15.11

OH YEAH BACK FROM SUMMER

My summer was awesome!!!  I completed two independent studies with one of my favorite professors, Zoe Hammer, reading Michel Foucault.  They were so challenging and awesome!  It took me about an hour to get through four pages in his books...but it was worth it.  Enough about academics though...let's talk about my roadtrip!

About two weeks after last semester ended an opportunity arose that I couldn't pass up.  Two of my friends were roadtripping to Austin, Texas and then homeward bound to Philadelphia!  I had some money saved and I wanted to surprise my sister for her birthday...so I went for it.

The first leg of our adventure was to drive straight south to Tucson.  This is about a 4 hour drive with like a 20 degree increase in temperature.  It seems pertinent to mention that we were in an '87 Diesel Mercedes Benz with no air conditioning.  I may or may not have wimpered about this as we approached the shimmering heat of southern Arizona.  Of course...we're all Prescott College students so eventually we were saying things like "Wow, brah, this heat is mega cleansing...I feel like all the toxins are totally leaving my body and my vibes are all aligned...Let's go charge some crystals."  But seriously...and we meant it.

Once we made it to Tucson it was time for a break so we got some lunch and made a new friend:

Right. 

From this point we drove drove drove east through New Mexico and into West Texas.  Texas has a lot of really threatening signs regarding littering...it's cool.  Seriously do NOT mess with Texas when it comes to littering...  Driving through El Paso was strange.  We took a moment of silence for the women in Juarez.  It was very emotional and we talked about it for awhile, driving through the night.

Eventually we made it to Fort Stockton, Texas which is one of the WEIRDEST places I've ever been.  Seriously soooo weird - and I'm from New Jersey!  Home of some of the weirdest stuff on earth!  After parking in front of a gentleman's club to rearrange the car (it was closed..this was at like 3:30am) we headed over to Walmart and slept in the parking lot.  I forgot to mention that at some point the humidity kicked in and all of our water bottles started sweating and my hair got really puffy.  It was awesome.

I woke up early the next morning with quite the neck cramp.  My friends were still sleeping so I naturally decided to go into the Walmart and try on some swim suits.  This outrageously fun 6am activity proved fruitless.  I may be from Jersey but I can't rock swim suits featured on the Jersey Shore.  And apparently one pieces are only meant for older women?...it was very discouraging.

After some breakfast we were on the road again and by 4pm we made it to Austin!  Oh wait I forgot to mention our flat tire...that was exciting. 

And by exciting I mean terrifying at first.  We thought we had a fuel leak...but it was just a loose radiator cap.  Matt and I went to look for rocks to shove under the front tires while Sam set up the jack.  About 200 feet down the road Matt suddenly goes "ADDIE WATCH OUT!"  I looked down to see a massive snake slithering toward me.  Much shrieking and fearful gesticulating ensued. 

So flash forward to this horse tail and then all the way to Austin, where we left off.

Austin is an awesome place.  It seemed to me that instead of hanging out on the stoop, on the block, Austin folks hang out on the Green Belt aka sweetest inner city water holes ever.  I love swimming so I was basically in heaven.

I loved Austin and met some great people there.  Plus you can't go wrong with a brown and gold sparkly (one piece!) swimsuit from the 90s.  I was bound to have a great time.  One night my friend Sam and I did some urban exploring/deriving (citation: Guy Debord).  We found a restored theatre that showed classic movies all summer.  That night they were playing a Thin Man movie and I LOVE the thin man movies...old mysteries...check 'em out!  We ate way too much popcorn.  Waterholes and old movies in fancy restored theatres...I was blissed out.

Capital building in ATX

no teef to eat my beef

Eventually it was time to get on the road.  Sam and I bid goodbye to Matt (because he lives in Austin) and were on our way.  I miss Matt's Mom....she was so cool.

Hahahahaha!

PIZZA GAMES.  One of the best signs of our roadtrip.

Goodbye, Texas.  You are a gorgeous place.

We took three days to get to Philadelphia.  Driving through Louisiana Sam and I talked about the oil spill a lot.  Then Shreveport was basically deserted.  I had a definate energetic shift: upset, sad, compassionate. 

Drove through Arkansas and made it to East Memphis before total exhaustion set in.  The next day we drove through Tennessee and listened to a lot of Dolly Parton.  Especially the song about her Tennessee mountain home where life is as peaceful as a baby's sigh...  Besides the traffic I think I got what she was saying :)  Last thought on this leg of the trip:  the bayou is amazing.

Made it to Radford, Virginia and stayed with another PC student.  Her parents were so cool also!  The next morning they made us a pancake breakfast with fresh fruit from their garden and introduced us to Buttercup, the Vulture.

Yes.

So we drove drove drove through VA, West VA, Maryland, and finally made it to Pennsylvania (SHWEW!).  Sam drove me to the Septa station and I was almost home.

The train ride was awesome.  I love the east coast.  I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and joy.  When I made it to the 30th street station I made a really nice cheerleader take this picture:

 

MADE IT!

AND I successfully surprised my sister, Paige, for her birthday.  She thought that I was a burgler but that's another story...

Love always from your admissions liason,

Addie