Hello All,
My apologies for the lack of blogging action over the last fortnight but in all honesty there hasn’t been all that much to write about. Truth be told, there still isn’t but I don’t want anyone to feel neglected! Therefore I figured a quick update on Wisconsin life couldn’t hurt!
One thing I should report is that 6 days after my visit there was a fire in Augusta in one of the Amish peoples farmhouses, luckily no one was hurt but it was strange to watch it on the news having been there not long ago!
Mostly the last few weeks have consisted of a lot of studying. I’ve had a heap of reading for all of my classes which has taken up most of my time.
Yesterday I took some time out for some retail therapy and went to the mall with my friends. Amazingly, the shops weren’t given all my attention as there was something better in the mall...puppies and kittens!
Obviously missing my babies as I do, I was chuffed when I discovered that the local pet adoption agency had a stall at the mall to try and get some of the little ones adopted. I befriended all of the kittens but one little black one in particular, for obvious reasons! The lady was very nice and let me cuddle him/her (can’t remember which!) and as much as I’d have loved to take it home with me, I don’t think my dorm room is suitable for a new kitten. Even if it was though, I can’t think of a better excuse to not get any work done! So disappointed as I was that I didn’t come back with a new kitten, it satisfied my need for a kitty cuddle and stopped me spending any money. After seeing the kittens there was nothing I could have taken back that would have been as good as my little friend, even UGG boots!
This week again is again going to be lots of reading and then I have 2 exams the week after so then I’ll have to start working for them.
Today I spent the entire day reading except for a break for lunch and to watch the X Factor on YouTube, it was okay though as I had the season premiere of Desperate Housewives to look forward to. Imagine my anger when I found out that I had to go and have photos taken with my wing half way through the programme. So yes, I did see Desperate Housewives minus a 20 minute hunk in the middle which I was not best pleased about. No exclamation mark here, I’m not laughing.
If they pull anything like that when I sit down to watch Pushing Daisies on Wednesday night, I think it’s going to get ugly!
As I have nothing left to add, I’ll divulge some blog topics for the near future:
- Homecoming - this consists of performances by marching band, my first ‘Yell Like Hell Pep Rally’ and the Homecoming Dance!
- I am going to see Rascal Flatts in concert in Minneapolis in a couple of weeks, they’re a country band but really good, look them up if you’re intrigued
- The Parents and Brothers visit which I’m so excited about!
- A trip to Leinenkugel’s Brewery and Cook Rutledge Mansion – not sure of details but sounds fun
- Another trip to the Mall of America
- CHICAGO for Thanksgiving
Sorry there’s not much to report but stay tuned!
Hannah
xxx
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
A Rainy Day in Augusta
Today I went on a trip which took us to Augusta in Wisconsin where we went on a tour around the Amish community.
The Amish are a group of people totalling around 200,000 across the United States, who live their lives with no electricity, a strict dress code and without any support from the government.
When we arrived in Augusta, we were joined by two men who work in a local shop in Augusta that also work as tour guides. The shop they work in sells a variety of furniture and woodwork, the majority of which is sourced from people within the Amish community. It is the sales of such furniture, crops and dairy that provides their main income.
With the tour guides, we drove around the area where the Amish people live and made a couple of stops, however much of the tour was from the bus. Not that that was a problem as the weather was disgusting! Due to their beliefs we were not able to take photos in the Amish area itself as Amish people are not allowed to see themselves or be photographed. The dolls children are given to play with have no facial features for similar reasons.
The tour guide who was with Annie and I grew up in Augusta and had a number of friends within the Amish community from when he used to deliver things to their homes as a child. Our guide was very knowledgeable and having grown up so near to Amish people, there were no questions he couldn’t answer for us.
On our first pit stop, we went into one of the shops where they sell furniture and the man who owned the store was an old friend of our tour guide. After looking at the furniture, we went into another shop where his wife sold pies, maple syrup and cashew crunch which we were given samples of. Their children looked at us like aliens and our guide explained that this was because tour groups only come through about once or twice a year. The Amish children have never seen people from other countries such as China or even people in clothing different to theirs.
One of the questions we asked was what happens when someone is sick. The guide explained that if it is something the Amish nurse in the area who uses herbal medicine etc cannot diagnose or treat, they will go to a proper hospital and get a diagnosis. After having their illness diagnosed in Eau Claire, due to having no insurance, they then drive to Tijuana in Mexico where they will have their illness treated, which depending on the problem can save them $25,000!
The tour lasted about 3 hours and at one point we stopped at one of the families houses which they leave for people to look around meaning we could take photos. Outside the house was the buggy in the photo, they leave one outside that we can take pictures in it which was fun.
You can see in one of the photos the dining room in the house. The weekly church services are held at people’s homes for which there is a rota system. The men and women sit separately and after the church service is when the boys and girls ‘date’. Between 17 and 21 is dating age and if a girl is not married by the age of 21, she is considered an Old Maid and moves out of the family home into her own house which looks slightly like a shed.
The tour was really interesting and I learnt loads, still I couldn’t quite grasp the idea of being completely cut off from everything and considering it has just been September 11th, I found it incredible to think that there are 200,000 people in America who don’t even know it took place.
Other than the tour, it has been a relatively quiet week, as I have had loads of work to do. The workload is much bigger here in comparison with England and I don’t really know how the American students manage to hold down jobs at the same times as studying.
I just finished watching the 4th season of Desperate Housewives with Annie which was awesome! I’m now ahead of you! As if finishing this season early isn’t good enough, Season 5 starts here in about 2 weeks! Perfect timing!
Tomorrow I’m getting up at 7 to watch the Grand Prix, not liking the time difference but just glad I get to watch it! Come on Lewis!
Hannah
xxx
The Amish are a group of people totalling around 200,000 across the United States, who live their lives with no electricity, a strict dress code and without any support from the government.
When we arrived in Augusta, we were joined by two men who work in a local shop in Augusta that also work as tour guides. The shop they work in sells a variety of furniture and woodwork, the majority of which is sourced from people within the Amish community. It is the sales of such furniture, crops and dairy that provides their main income.
With the tour guides, we drove around the area where the Amish people live and made a couple of stops, however much of the tour was from the bus. Not that that was a problem as the weather was disgusting! Due to their beliefs we were not able to take photos in the Amish area itself as Amish people are not allowed to see themselves or be photographed. The dolls children are given to play with have no facial features for similar reasons.
The tour guide who was with Annie and I grew up in Augusta and had a number of friends within the Amish community from when he used to deliver things to their homes as a child. Our guide was very knowledgeable and having grown up so near to Amish people, there were no questions he couldn’t answer for us.
On our first pit stop, we went into one of the shops where they sell furniture and the man who owned the store was an old friend of our tour guide. After looking at the furniture, we went into another shop where his wife sold pies, maple syrup and cashew crunch which we were given samples of. Their children looked at us like aliens and our guide explained that this was because tour groups only come through about once or twice a year. The Amish children have never seen people from other countries such as China or even people in clothing different to theirs.
One of the questions we asked was what happens when someone is sick. The guide explained that if it is something the Amish nurse in the area who uses herbal medicine etc cannot diagnose or treat, they will go to a proper hospital and get a diagnosis. After having their illness diagnosed in Eau Claire, due to having no insurance, they then drive to Tijuana in Mexico where they will have their illness treated, which depending on the problem can save them $25,000!
The tour lasted about 3 hours and at one point we stopped at one of the families houses which they leave for people to look around meaning we could take photos. Outside the house was the buggy in the photo, they leave one outside that we can take pictures in it which was fun.
You can see in one of the photos the dining room in the house. The weekly church services are held at people’s homes for which there is a rota system. The men and women sit separately and after the church service is when the boys and girls ‘date’. Between 17 and 21 is dating age and if a girl is not married by the age of 21, she is considered an Old Maid and moves out of the family home into her own house which looks slightly like a shed.
The tour was really interesting and I learnt loads, still I couldn’t quite grasp the idea of being completely cut off from everything and considering it has just been September 11th, I found it incredible to think that there are 200,000 people in America who don’t even know it took place.
Other than the tour, it has been a relatively quiet week, as I have had loads of work to do. The workload is much bigger here in comparison with England and I don’t really know how the American students manage to hold down jobs at the same times as studying.
I just finished watching the 4th season of Desperate Housewives with Annie which was awesome! I’m now ahead of you! As if finishing this season early isn’t good enough, Season 5 starts here in about 2 weeks! Perfect timing!
Tomorrow I’m getting up at 7 to watch the Grand Prix, not liking the time difference but just glad I get to watch it! Come on Lewis!
Hannah
xxx
Pictures from the Amish Tour
Our tour guides shop 'The Wood Shed'
An Amish house
Annie and Hannah in the buggy!
An out house (if you know what I mean!)
A bonnet
Our tour guide in the dining room. All of the furniture would be moved out of here and replaced with benches when there was a service. All church services take place in peoples houses on a rotation.
Ice Cream maker (no joke)
The bath which would be filled once with warm water once a week and the same water would be used to bath the whole family (approximately 18 people). The water wouldn't be reheated either.
Washing machine...ish
Dells Mill
The Amish Bible
A typical Amish mans hat
Postcards - the photos printed on the postcards would have been taken sneakily by someone as you cannot take photos of Amish people. This is why many pictures of Amish people have been taken from behind.
Amish Cheese shop - we tryed cheese curds which are basically Cheesestring with out the string element or added crap!Wednesday, September 10, 2008
This article was just posted in the University Newsletter about the International students.
I'm stood 3 row from the back on the left hand side in a white t-shirt. The pictures little so you may not be able to see!
International students attending UW-Eau Claire this semester gathered for a photo Aug. 29, the final day of international student orientation, at the clock tower on the Central Campus Mall. This year 88 new international students from 26 countries will attend UW-Eau Claire. International students arrived the weekend of Aug. 23 and stayed with host families until moving into campus residence halls Aug. 25.
I'm stood 3 row from the back on the left hand side in a white t-shirt. The pictures little so you may not be able to see!
International students attending UW-Eau Claire this semester gathered for a photo Aug. 29, the final day of international student orientation, at the clock tower on the Central Campus Mall. This year 88 new international students from 26 countries will attend UW-Eau Claire. International students arrived the weekend of Aug. 23 and stayed with host families until moving into campus residence halls Aug. 25.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Multicultural Leadership Retreat: September 5th-7th
This weekend I went away with Annie and a couple of other friends to Beaver Creek on the Multicultural Leadership Retreat.
When we arrived on Friday night we were greeted by our dinner which was catered by a restaurant called the Famous Daves. I was very happy to see roast chicken, so this week I didn't miss out on my Friday night dinner! There was also baked beans, corn bread, potato salad and ribs! Mmm!
I should mention, the whole weekend was totally free which was awesome considering how nice the food was!
On Friday night we did very little but played a couple of names games which were great as by the time Friday was over all 40 of us knew everyone.
The people were lovely, some Freshman along with a number of students who've been going on the retreat since it started in 2004.
The retreat was really relaxed, we had loads of free time to study as everyone brought work with them. I managed to get a big chunk of my reading done there. It was a nice setting for school work though as it was really quiet and secluded.
On Friday night we made a campfire and sat around and told ghost stories which was fun except it took me a bit longer to get to sleep that night!
On Saturday morning we slept in and then had breakfast, again delicious, scrambled eggs, toast, cereal, sausages and hash browns.
After breakfast we played a game called Tanks where everyone is in a pair and one person is blindfolded. The game was outside where there was a large circle marked by cones. The blindfolded person is inside the circle and the other person is outside it. In the circle along with about 20 other people are tennis balls on the floor which are ammo and big sticks which are mines!
The non blindfolded person has to guide the blindfolded person to the ammo which they then have to try and his another person with. If you get hit 3 times you're out or if you touch a mine once. Probably confusing to understand if you weren't there but it was really fun.
We played a couple of other games before lunch and then after lunch we were put in groups and assigned an ethnic group e.g. Native American, Black, White etc etc.
In our groups we had to come up with a list of stereotypes about the ethnic group we were given which was rather amusing. After that there was a general discussion about stereotypes and why they're there etc. Very heated!
After dinner on Saturday night which was take away pizza we had a talent show. A couple of people sang, one girl did a kind of magic trick, some people did skits, however, myself and a load of the other talentless people drummed on the tables as our contribution.
After the talent show we made another campfire, this time we cooked S'mores on it. However we cooked them on twigs so I ate as much tree as I ate marshmallow...mmm!
The weekend was really fun, as you can probably tell I found it worthwhile mostly for the good food! Food aside though, we met a lot of people and it was generally nice to just be off campus for a couple of days.
Theres no more retreats while I'm here but there is a movie night and bowling night planned for the next month which should be nice.
Now I have to go and do some work but I didn't want to deprive all you lovely folk of my blog love!
Hannah
xxx
When we arrived on Friday night we were greeted by our dinner which was catered by a restaurant called the Famous Daves. I was very happy to see roast chicken, so this week I didn't miss out on my Friday night dinner! There was also baked beans, corn bread, potato salad and ribs! Mmm!
I should mention, the whole weekend was totally free which was awesome considering how nice the food was!
On Friday night we did very little but played a couple of names games which were great as by the time Friday was over all 40 of us knew everyone.
The people were lovely, some Freshman along with a number of students who've been going on the retreat since it started in 2004.
The retreat was really relaxed, we had loads of free time to study as everyone brought work with them. I managed to get a big chunk of my reading done there. It was a nice setting for school work though as it was really quiet and secluded.
On Friday night we made a campfire and sat around and told ghost stories which was fun except it took me a bit longer to get to sleep that night!
On Saturday morning we slept in and then had breakfast, again delicious, scrambled eggs, toast, cereal, sausages and hash browns.
After breakfast we played a game called Tanks where everyone is in a pair and one person is blindfolded. The game was outside where there was a large circle marked by cones. The blindfolded person is inside the circle and the other person is outside it. In the circle along with about 20 other people are tennis balls on the floor which are ammo and big sticks which are mines!
The non blindfolded person has to guide the blindfolded person to the ammo which they then have to try and his another person with. If you get hit 3 times you're out or if you touch a mine once. Probably confusing to understand if you weren't there but it was really fun.
We played a couple of other games before lunch and then after lunch we were put in groups and assigned an ethnic group e.g. Native American, Black, White etc etc.
In our groups we had to come up with a list of stereotypes about the ethnic group we were given which was rather amusing. After that there was a general discussion about stereotypes and why they're there etc. Very heated!
After dinner on Saturday night which was take away pizza we had a talent show. A couple of people sang, one girl did a kind of magic trick, some people did skits, however, myself and a load of the other talentless people drummed on the tables as our contribution.
After the talent show we made another campfire, this time we cooked S'mores on it. However we cooked them on twigs so I ate as much tree as I ate marshmallow...mmm!
The weekend was really fun, as you can probably tell I found it worthwhile mostly for the good food! Food aside though, we met a lot of people and it was generally nice to just be off campus for a couple of days.
Theres no more retreats while I'm here but there is a movie night and bowling night planned for the next month which should be nice.
Now I have to go and do some work but I didn't want to deprive all you lovely folk of my blog love!
Hannah
xxx
Multicultural Leadership Retreat
Main Lodge
School Bus!
Everyone (except me as I'm taking the picture!)
Making S'mores on the Campfire (that I built)
Fire
Annie and my artistic talents! (MACLR is Multicultural Alliance for Change Leadership Retreat)
Shantee
Odowa, he was in charge
The main lodge and firewood!
The BOG
My bed on the bottom right (note Benj's uni bedding!)
The room
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