Chronicles of a Newbie Road Warrior. Week One.
A new kind of travel.
In May of this year, I accepted a position as a road warrior (proper title: Regional Director) at International Studies Abroad, in Austin, TX said a bittersweet goodbye to my students and friends in Phnom Penh, packed my bags with my ESL supplies and Cambodia market clothes, took my last tuk tuk ride (for a while at least) through the sticky humidity and pouring rain and boarded a plane back to the U.S. of A. To say I'm still adjusting is an understatement. Also, for the record my adventures abroad are in absolutely no way over; I just don't happen to live in as an exotic locale for the present.
After two years of ESL, I decided it was time to move myself closer to my amazing family and try out something new for a while. I like to emphasize that I did not leave Asia because I didn't like it. I love it and I miss it tremendously. I just needed to try something else. So I am!
After 6 weeks of training that I think is fair to say was intense and an information overload, I am now on the road visiting universities in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, working with faculty and speaking with students with the goal of getting more students out there!
Saturday, August 25th.
First flight out is canceled due to Hurricane Harvey. Spend two hours on the phone with United, Hotels.com, and rearrange parking reservation, rental car reservation, email NC State and rearrange Monday visit.
Slightly bummed that my change in travel plans means I no longer have an afternoon to explore downtown Raleigh. Enjoy the rest of the hurricane weekend shut indoors, board games, movies, food, nap, repeat.
Monday, August 28th.
4:30am - RISE AND SHINE ROAD WARRIOR TODAY IS THE DAY!
7:41am - Flight from Austin to Chicago.
Chicago airport - work work work work, type as fast you can, eat nasty airport sandwich, work work work work, Starbucks midnight mocha frappuccino break.
2:03pm - Flight from Chicago to Raleigh.
5:00pm - My first Enterprise Rental Car Experience! Cute Enterprise boy greets me. (Me = no make up, messy pony, yoga pants, half asleep from the plane ride). Cute Enterprise boy takes me outside and tells me to pick any car I want. Hello upgrade to Nissan Murano. They were out of mid-size vehicles. I know that a Nissan Murano is not like BMW status but I was pretty excited about it. Cute Enterprise boy (whose name is Joey) talks football with me (even though I'm not great at talking football, I tried. He used to play for NC State). Cute Enterprise boy shakes my hand - evidently the Enterprise handshake is a trademark.
5:15pm - Hit the road for a drive from Raleigh to Charlotte. Feeling pretty fantastic but have made a note to look a bit more presentable when traveling in case I meet another cute Enterprise boy.
approx. 5:30pm - Receive a text from United that my flight home has been cancelled again due to Harvey...keep on truckin'...Nissan Murano-in'....
8:30pm - Arrive at the Residence Inn in Charlotte and work work work work, listen to elevator music while on hold with United for TWO HOURS, work work work work, forget about the hour time change, finish working at 11:30 that turns out to be 12:30...perrrfect. Feeling slightly less fantastic at this point.
12:30? am - SLEEP.
Tuesday, August 29th. University of North Carolina - Charlotte.
9:00am - Hold first solo meeting with the Study Abroad Office at UNCC. Smile, nod, don't bullshit answers - it's okay to say 'I don't know.' Remember they are just people. I show up a good 10 minutes early and the director of the office mistakes me for a student thanks to my backpack.
10:30am - 2:00pm - Info table! HEY STUDENTS ARE YOU INTERESTED IN STUDY ABROAD?! WELL YOU SHOULD BE! (I didn't actually say the last part although if they ignored me I definitely thought it). Finished the table out with 48 leads and felt pretty darn accomplished with that total.
2:00pm - BOJANGLES!!! It's just North Carolina's version of Popeye's or Churches chicken and the like but I really like the name.
3:03 or something - Take a postering (when you turn the verb 'to put up posters' into a gerund that acts as an adjective) stroll around campus and post, post, post, post. Also. A random headband boy walks by me then turns and runs back and tells me 'hey, I don't usually do this but I just thought I would tell you that you're cute.' Thank you hippie headband boy. He continues to talk and asks me what year I am. I tell him he can't really think I'm a student and so instead he switches gears and goes 'oh are you married?' Um. No. And then an awkward hug to end the conversation. Yes, a hug. Not a side hug. Hippie, kind of weird, headband boy, gives me a hug. Onward with my posters.
4:30 - Drive to Greensboro.
6:00 - Attend Guilford College 40th Anniversary of Study Abroad Reception but to be honest am dead tired and can't wait to get to my hotel. Feeling less than social.
7:30pm - Check into SpringHill Suites and work work work work.
11:00ish maybe I don't know - SLEEP!
Wednesday, August 30th. Guilford College.
FIRST FAIR! I said good morning to the geese on campus on my way in to Founder's Hall, spent the day chatting with students, made new friends with exchange students from Ghana.
Haven't eaten dinner this week. Incredibly tired. Not feeling too fantastic. Decide to pig out on something healthy and hearty and naturally Taco Bell was the best decision for that. Since it's a record that I set for myself that I honestly never hope I beat, or repeat for that matter, I'll share it here: I ordered a mexican pizza, a Doritos loco taco, a soft taco supreme, and then got up to the window and asked for them to add on the cinnamon twisty things. I ATE IT ALL.
Thursday, August 31st. North Carolina State University.
7:00am - Drive from Greensboro to Raleigh.
10:30am - 12:30am - Meetings with the Study Abroad Office. Leave feeling pretty good because they have given me some 'juicy' nuggets to work with. My supervisor's words, not mine. She later retracted 'juicy' and went with 'golden.' The 'golden' nuggets include creating special flyers for Internship programs in Dublin, Valencia, and Shanghai and compiling a list of recommended programs for Summer.
1:00 - 2:00 - Table in the Talley Student Union. I have a student stop to ask about programs in the Pacific. She is skeptical and armed with questions, seems determined, traveled abroad to China over the summer on a faculty led program but is looking for something more. AND THEN out of the blue THREE students walked by who had just returned from a summer abroad in Fiji and they were REELING with energy and excitement and that feeling that they just loved being abroad so much that they couldn't accurately put it into words. They basically did my job for me telling this girl that she just has to go abroad, JUST HAS TO! Almost an hour later, I say goodbye to the three Fiji-ers and the one in search of her perfect study abroad experience and I have my first on the job 'Aha!' moment. Talking to that student, answering her questions, pouring every bit of feeling and emotion and information out to try and convince her to JUST DO IT, and hearing the other students so thrilled to talk about their time abroad - this is why I thought I would like this job. I want more moments like that.
2:00pm - The dolly is your friend. Haul supplies back to the Study Abroad Office.
2:30pm - Enjoy delicious Campfire Delight (like s'mores) ice cream made with milk from the local NC State dairy cows. I ordered two scoops. It was more like four. I'm going to need to show some self control at some point on the road between this and my Taco Bell smorgasbord.
3:00pm - Leave for the airport. Return my beloved, cozy, comforting Nissan Murano to Enterprise and am sad that cute Enterprise boy wasn't there. Maybe next time.
First flight - plan to work work work work but instead am asleep before the plane gets off the ground.
Second flight - work work work work.
11:30pm - home. SLEEP.
I have survived my first week as a road warrior.
In May of this year, I accepted a position as a road warrior (proper title: Regional Director) at International Studies Abroad, in Austin, TX said a bittersweet goodbye to my students and friends in Phnom Penh, packed my bags with my ESL supplies and Cambodia market clothes, took my last tuk tuk ride (for a while at least) through the sticky humidity and pouring rain and boarded a plane back to the U.S. of A. To say I'm still adjusting is an understatement. Also, for the record my adventures abroad are in absolutely no way over; I just don't happen to live in as an exotic locale for the present.
After two years of ESL, I decided it was time to move myself closer to my amazing family and try out something new for a while. I like to emphasize that I did not leave Asia because I didn't like it. I love it and I miss it tremendously. I just needed to try something else. So I am!
After 6 weeks of training that I think is fair to say was intense and an information overload, I am now on the road visiting universities in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, working with faculty and speaking with students with the goal of getting more students out there!
So what is a 'road warrior' you ask?
Road warrior /rōd wôrēər/ (n.) - an individual who is passionate about international experiences and seeks to encourage students to take advantage of all that the world has to offer; a citizen of the world; hustler.
Week One.
Saturday, August 25th.
First flight out is canceled due to Hurricane Harvey. Spend two hours on the phone with United, Hotels.com, and rearrange parking reservation, rental car reservation, email NC State and rearrange Monday visit.
Slightly bummed that my change in travel plans means I no longer have an afternoon to explore downtown Raleigh. Enjoy the rest of the hurricane weekend shut indoors, board games, movies, food, nap, repeat.
Monday, August 28th.
4:30am - RISE AND SHINE ROAD WARRIOR TODAY IS THE DAY!
7:41am - Flight from Austin to Chicago.
Chicago airport - work work work work, type as fast you can, eat nasty airport sandwich, work work work work, Starbucks midnight mocha frappuccino break.
2:03pm - Flight from Chicago to Raleigh.
5:00pm - My first Enterprise Rental Car Experience! Cute Enterprise boy greets me. (Me = no make up, messy pony, yoga pants, half asleep from the plane ride). Cute Enterprise boy takes me outside and tells me to pick any car I want. Hello upgrade to Nissan Murano. They were out of mid-size vehicles. I know that a Nissan Murano is not like BMW status but I was pretty excited about it. Cute Enterprise boy (whose name is Joey) talks football with me (even though I'm not great at talking football, I tried. He used to play for NC State). Cute Enterprise boy shakes my hand - evidently the Enterprise handshake is a trademark.
5:15pm - Hit the road for a drive from Raleigh to Charlotte. Feeling pretty fantastic but have made a note to look a bit more presentable when traveling in case I meet another cute Enterprise boy.
approx. 5:30pm - Receive a text from United that my flight home has been cancelled again due to Harvey...keep on truckin'...Nissan Murano-in'....
8:30pm - Arrive at the Residence Inn in Charlotte and work work work work, listen to elevator music while on hold with United for TWO HOURS, work work work work, forget about the hour time change, finish working at 11:30 that turns out to be 12:30...perrrfect. Feeling slightly less fantastic at this point.
12:30? am - SLEEP.
Tuesday, August 29th. University of North Carolina - Charlotte.
9:00am - Hold first solo meeting with the Study Abroad Office at UNCC. Smile, nod, don't bullshit answers - it's okay to say 'I don't know.' Remember they are just people. I show up a good 10 minutes early and the director of the office mistakes me for a student thanks to my backpack.
10:30am - 2:00pm - Info table! HEY STUDENTS ARE YOU INTERESTED IN STUDY ABROAD?! WELL YOU SHOULD BE! (I didn't actually say the last part although if they ignored me I definitely thought it). Finished the table out with 48 leads and felt pretty darn accomplished with that total.
2:00pm - BOJANGLES!!! It's just North Carolina's version of Popeye's or Churches chicken and the like but I really like the name.
3:03 or something - Take a postering (when you turn the verb 'to put up posters' into a gerund that acts as an adjective) stroll around campus and post, post, post, post. Also. A random headband boy walks by me then turns and runs back and tells me 'hey, I don't usually do this but I just thought I would tell you that you're cute.' Thank you hippie headband boy. He continues to talk and asks me what year I am. I tell him he can't really think I'm a student and so instead he switches gears and goes 'oh are you married?' Um. No. And then an awkward hug to end the conversation. Yes, a hug. Not a side hug. Hippie, kind of weird, headband boy, gives me a hug. Onward with my posters.
4:30 - Drive to Greensboro.
6:00 - Attend Guilford College 40th Anniversary of Study Abroad Reception but to be honest am dead tired and can't wait to get to my hotel. Feeling less than social.
7:30pm - Check into SpringHill Suites and work work work work.
11:00ish maybe I don't know - SLEEP!
Wednesday, August 30th. Guilford College.
FIRST FAIR! I said good morning to the geese on campus on my way in to Founder's Hall, spent the day chatting with students, made new friends with exchange students from Ghana.
Haven't eaten dinner this week. Incredibly tired. Not feeling too fantastic. Decide to pig out on something healthy and hearty and naturally Taco Bell was the best decision for that. Since it's a record that I set for myself that I honestly never hope I beat, or repeat for that matter, I'll share it here: I ordered a mexican pizza, a Doritos loco taco, a soft taco supreme, and then got up to the window and asked for them to add on the cinnamon twisty things. I ATE IT ALL.
Thursday, August 31st. North Carolina State University.
7:00am - Drive from Greensboro to Raleigh.
10:30am - 12:30am - Meetings with the Study Abroad Office. Leave feeling pretty good because they have given me some 'juicy' nuggets to work with. My supervisor's words, not mine. She later retracted 'juicy' and went with 'golden.' The 'golden' nuggets include creating special flyers for Internship programs in Dublin, Valencia, and Shanghai and compiling a list of recommended programs for Summer.
1:00 - 2:00 - Table in the Talley Student Union. I have a student stop to ask about programs in the Pacific. She is skeptical and armed with questions, seems determined, traveled abroad to China over the summer on a faculty led program but is looking for something more. AND THEN out of the blue THREE students walked by who had just returned from a summer abroad in Fiji and they were REELING with energy and excitement and that feeling that they just loved being abroad so much that they couldn't accurately put it into words. They basically did my job for me telling this girl that she just has to go abroad, JUST HAS TO! Almost an hour later, I say goodbye to the three Fiji-ers and the one in search of her perfect study abroad experience and I have my first on the job 'Aha!' moment. Talking to that student, answering her questions, pouring every bit of feeling and emotion and information out to try and convince her to JUST DO IT, and hearing the other students so thrilled to talk about their time abroad - this is why I thought I would like this job. I want more moments like that.
2:00pm - The dolly is your friend. Haul supplies back to the Study Abroad Office.
2:30pm - Enjoy delicious Campfire Delight (like s'mores) ice cream made with milk from the local NC State dairy cows. I ordered two scoops. It was more like four. I'm going to need to show some self control at some point on the road between this and my Taco Bell smorgasbord.
3:00pm - Leave for the airport. Return my beloved, cozy, comforting Nissan Murano to Enterprise and am sad that cute Enterprise boy wasn't there. Maybe next time.
First flight - plan to work work work work but instead am asleep before the plane gets off the ground.
Second flight - work work work work.
11:30pm - home. SLEEP.
I have survived my first week as a road warrior.
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