Tales of The Traveling Goose – Part 3. Things Get Hectic

My Lucy is 3,000 miles away in Chevy Chase, Maryland. She's at a Young America's Foundation conference for high school students and is busy making new friends and learning about the conservative principles that have made this country great.

I'm delighted she's getting this opportunity, but as her mother, well….I'm pretty much focused on "Lucy is 3,000 miles away…"

So I'm posting her emails and photos and sharing her trip here on my blog, because 1) hey…it's my blog and 2) it's difficult for me to focus on much else while she's gone and 3) she's quite the entertaining writer.

Here's part 3….where she arrives in Washington D.C. and starts meeting people….

11:06pm (ending Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010)

Little Goose to Mothership:

Everything became quite hectic as soon as I got off the phone with you. I sat down and waited around for Evan (the guy I was supposed to meet). I took a few pictures and tried to get online to finally send you those e-mails (was interrupted by a poor girl who needed to find out some flight information, but we couldn't get connected. Seriously. Airport wifi fail.)

Then I got a phone call from a number I didn't recognize:

Me: Hello?

Voice: Hi, is this Lucy?

Me: Yes?

Voice: Hi, I'm with the Young America's Foundation.

Me: Oh hello! I'm sitting where I'm supposed to, looking around for you guys…

Voice: Yeah, we just got here and I'm walking towards that area right now…

Me: Uh okay, should I get up? Where am I going?

Voice: No, no, no, you'll see me in a minute. I'm wearing a blue blazer, I'm carrying a little cardboard sign… you should see me pretty soon. What are you wearing?

Me: Uh, brown sweater, jeans rolled up… sitting down. Should I stand up?

Voice: Still walking, looking, loo– OH I SEE YOU!

Phones were put away and I met Kiana Dunn, an intern at the Young America's foundation. She had, seriously, just graduated high school. She offered to take my suitcase and grabbed hold of it, which your camera, unfortunately, was currently balanced upon…

*gasp*

The battery flew out when it landed. Don't worry, don't worry, all is good. She was appalled and she apologized profusely, but I told her not to worry about it. Camera still works fine.

Went outside, looked for the van. Evan had to drive around in a circle yet again cause they wouldn't let him park. Sad story. Pleasant conversation was made: why she was involved, what I'd be expecting, how awesome the whole event would be, etc.

Couple of phone calls later, we walk all the way down to baggage claim #12 (we were standing at #1) to find Katlin, the other girl who had arranged for pickup that day. Her flight had been delayed and her baggage was late.

Amid all this, Kiana gets a call from Evan, telling her to look outside.

– – DOWNPOUR – –

Swear to ya. California clouds don't do rain like that. I'm not sure if you understand. Couldn't see the other side of the road.

But by the time we found the girl's suitcase, the rain had pretty much stopped. Apparently, it does that a lot here. Joy.

Found the van, loaded up luggage, hopped in, met a very surly Evan (he had been driving to and from Maryland ALL DAY), and proceeded to listen to Kiana's stories and opinions about people, politics, and current issues of today (Funny stuff).

Realized we were all hungry. But all potential food stops were closed. So was the cafeteria. Kiana said she'd order us a pizza after we got checked in. So, Katlin (who is lovely, polite, funny, etc.) and I found our room keys and got settled. Right now, at this moment, I have the room to myself. So I can take a shower and relax without any bother. PHEW.

I'm unloading my stuff and I hear Katlin greet someone she knows outside in the hall. As per her request, I exit the room and meet David, whom she had recognized from last year's conference.

And then we met Carolyn. And then Alyssa. And then Rachel. And then Maddie.

None of us knew each other. We bonded over some banana bread Carolyn had brought. Spent the next half hour just chatting, getting introduced, when Giovanni called (not really sure who this was, but he said we had pizza.) Sprinted downstairs to the lounge (pictures of this will come tomorrow) and devoured four slices.

Spikkin' of which, I'm awful thirsty now, so I'm gonna find some water…

Meh, I'll just finish this. You won't get this message until tomorrow, though. Shame.

After we finished our pizza, we talked about colleges and school and found out where everyone was from. Colorado, Arizona, New Jersey, Missouri, etc.

Heard mention that curfew for the lounge was at 11. By this time, it was already 10:30. I got up, said I needed to upload some pictures and e-mail my mother. David escorted me back to the room. This place is huge (again. pictures to come) and we ended up getting lost anyway.

However, we found a piano in the lobby of one of the buildings.

So I played. And some of the students who were walking by started singing along.

Ah. Yes. Photos. Lounge.

Uploaded photos from today, checked Facebook, friended (<—verb?) all the people I had just met, and that's when the lights turned off, so I hiked back to my room and sat to write you this.

You will be getting a follow up e-mail with pictures. Or I'll just post these "letters" to my blog with the corresponding pics.

Tomorrow morning: Gettysburg.
Oh boy.

TTFN,

Double-O-Goose: ready for anything.