31/8/2011 - PIVOT!

I originally wrote this on my train journey earlier, but then my battery died before I could post it. So here it is now, slightly updated with the continuing events.

6am wasn't all that bad. I like being up early, once I'm up, but that first ten minutes is danger zone for me - it's very possible that I will fall straight back asleep. Anyway, I got up and found some shorts and a shirt ready for netball! I was breakfasted, tea-ed and make up-ed by 6.30, so I gave myself half an hour yoga time which was very nice, with the rising sun just outside.

Shannon picked me up at 7am, and had bought me some spark mixed with orange juice and honey. This stuff 'Spark', is unbelievable. It's a mixture that you make a drink out of and it's packed with vitamins and it gives you all this energy! I'm a convert. We set off for her school and we got me a visitors pass and then I waited for her meeting to finish and the kids to arrive. Shannon's classes for the day go in grade order. I know you guys back home don't know what grades are what, and I'm not sure I do either, but I think the ages were between 9 and 13.

I managed to find some old netball pictures from 1910 of women in England playing in dresses. I told the girls how it started as a women's version of basketball, and it was deemed an appropriate sport for women because it is no contact. Not that it really mattered what I said, I could have been saying mean things and they still would have listened to my accent!

It was hot outside, very hot, and it only got hotter as the day went on. The first two classes were the younger kids, who were more enthusiastic than the older ones. The games went well, although of course I was not very strict umpiring! They sorted out there own warm-ups and stretches and then we done some passing drills with a chest, shoulder and bounce pass, and some footwork drills to learn how to pivot effectively (PIVOT!), leaving about ten minutes for a mini game out of the 55 minute lessons.

For lunch, Shannon and I shared a roast beef po-boy which was lush, ordering was not so lush - people here do not understand what I'm saying on the phone! "Roast beef! No, no roast beef! Can we pick it up at 12.10? Twelve ten!" Apparently I was a hit with the kids, because at recess they all wanted me to sign autographs for them! (Ah, fame at last - ha!) I had some downtime whilst Shannon had other meetings before going with her for lunch duty in the cafeteria, where I kept getting beckoned by kids! Oh, I'd also met some other staff too! Wasn't too much to do in this downtime, because all the computers are barred from sites like Facebook, like they are in schools at home! I almost felt like I was 14 and should be asking "Does anyone know a good proxy?". The last class were 8th graders who were distinctly more hormonal, because they had so much attitude. Eye-rolling, complaining and all, I think they enjoyed themselves really. One girl asked me "Do y'all have pot in England?" another wanted to know if I had an owl. My answer? "I'm not Harry Potter..." I had questions on the royal wedding, Doctor Who, our school system, what car I drive, if houses were the same, have I been to the mall, do I like Louisiana, is my hair colour natural, I have pretty eyes. Imagine any question, they probably asked it. They also wanted me all to say their names in my weird English accent... hilarious. Other words that made people laugh because on pronunciations; 'centre' and 'third'. I also was asked to say "'ello Guvner' at least 5 times.

All in all, a really fun day! We went to volleyball practice after school which was fun to watch too, the girls obviously really enjoy it and Shannon's a great teacher. Then Shannon took me to the Sculpture Garden.

The Sculpture Garden is full of sculptures by this man called Kenny Hill. Turns out, he rented the land and lived there, and carved all these sculptures using a fork to get the textures right. The garden became overgrown and nobody knew what was in there. Then not too long ago, someone tried to sort out the garden and found all these amazing sculptures in there. It was taken over by Nichols State University and preserved, and it's just beautiful. There's pictures below.

On the way home, we got a snowball. Kind of like a mix between ice cream and a slush puppy - it was gorgeous. We both got the nectar cream flavour, it was delicious! Shannon came in and had a cup of tea (yep, English tea) and we said our goodbyes. If you're reading this Shannon and Whitney, thank you so much for showing me around and I had such a great time with you guys!

This second I'm sitting on the train to Houston. The journey is 9 hours but it's been made a lot better by some lovely Slovakian people I met in the train station. They are father and daughter and are heading to LA. Shan, the father, offered if I'd like to sit with them and it turns out they have their own personal wifi hotspot which they are letting me use. Very generous and very nice. Spoke to home a little bit, but I can't get over this train. It is a double decker train, with all the luggage and stuff underneath on the bottom level, and passengers on the top level. The seats have more room than a bus and a plane combined, and the views are incredible. Moreover, there is a dining car that has tables, chairs and waiter service, and a lounge car for coffees etc - with comfy chairs. Mum pointed out that it sounds like the Orient Express and to stick with a small, fat Belgian man if I should find one. I'm getting hungry now, but I'm afraid that the dining car will be expensive. I do, howver, have packed up some cheesy chicken wings that Gwen made last night. Apparently I've found out that chicken is appropriate travel food - sorry Greyhound riders for judging you before.

EDIT: I'll upload the photos later, Shan's wifi has a data limit and I don't wanna abuse his generosity.
SECOND EDIT: This is where I got before the battery ran out, obviously you now have photos and I'll continue!

I changed my mind back. Chicken is not good travel food. I got very messy. Even though it was very tasty, I got breadcrumbs everywhere! I spent some time reading my book, got quite a way through Angels and Demons now, and was disappointed to find my iPod had no charge, so no Harry Potter! Wasted an hour sleeping, but didn't sleep well because the train was jolting quite a lot, and as always the A/C was too high so I was chilly, even in leggings and a hoodie. About 8pm I decided to go eat in the dining car, mostly because I was bored. I passed through the lounge car, where all the comfy chairs face out of the window so you can admire the scenery. There's double chairs too, kinda like couches but still train seat style, good for cuddling and watching the world go by I'd imagine. Made it to the dining car and was pretty sure I'd been taken to early 20th Century travel - it was beautiful. All the crockery was decorated with the Amtrak logo, and I befriended a waiter who looked after me. He said I must be a celeb to have the whole table to myself, I strongly suspect it was because it was late but whatevs, I'm not gonna turn down a compliment! I ordered the vegetable pasta (the cheapest thing on the menu) and a tap water - yay travellers budget. The pasta was actually very tasty though, pretty much spinach and ricotta ravioli with vegetables on the side. Also came with salad and a roll, so not bad really. About halfway through eating a woman joined me who was also getting off at Houston because her nephew had just had a baby. Well, obviously his significant other but you know what I mean. So I aww-ed at pictures and told her about my trip, she was a nice lady. We were then joined by a man who used to be a train driver, and he told us all about driving the Amtrak trains. New friends made on the train ride: 4. I also treated myself to cheesecake, shhhh!

We pulled into Houston 30 minutes late and I said my goodbyes to Shan and Lucia with hugs, such lovely people! Spotted Rob pretty much straight away and we waited for my baggage. He commented on how much I look like my Mum, which I have been told, but obviously haven't heard it since being out of England - nostalgic. We talked in the car about America and the differences from England. For those who don't know, Rob and Marie are English and are family friends who have lived here for 4 and a half years now, I think that's how long Rob said. They have two gorgeous daughters, Ellie and Nancy. Ellie has just started High School, and Nancy just started Middle School. When we got back here I met the girls and was treated to a real cup of tea (yay!) and we just chatted for a bit. They showed me where everything was, including the pool. Going to work a bit of a swim into my morning workout I think, it'll make a nice change from boxercise and yoga. Now I can boxercise, then swim to cool off, then yoga. Sounds like a plan to me! Came upstairs to find Nancy had written me cute little notes to point me to the bathroom and stuff, and a long note on my door asking if I'd like to go to her school and other things - I can already tell she's a sweetie!

After travelling since 8.30am and it now being past midnight, I need to sleep before I pass out.

Hello Texas!