University of Western Ontario & Ohio Wesleyan University

Pretty building on campus at the Univ. of Western Ontario.

Aries. We did not get along.

See weird milk...

The members at Ohio Wesleyan University banging pots and pans welcoming their new members! It was pretty chaotic!

Oh Canada!

Hey Friends!

I just arrived at Yale University by way of Canada! I got to New Haven, CT yesterday afternoon and will be staying here until Friday. I'm currently visiting for formal recruitment. Canada was so cool! I arrived in London, Ontario on Tuesday. The city of London is really old and pretty. There are tons of cute little Victorian style houses everywhere. I stayed at an apartment with three officers. It was really fun to get to know them and to learn more about the differences between Canada and the U.S. I was surprised to realize how different the countries actually are. Being from ND, it seems like Canada is almost just another state, not another nation completely. I know that's a very American way of looking at things, which is so wrong, but soon did I learn all about Canadian politics, economy, and health care. All very interesting topics. I also loved that all food packages were in English and French, it made me feel like I was in Europe. Another weird thing is that the milk in Canada doesn't come in jugs or cartons. Instead, it comes in little bags and you cut the corner of the bag then put it in a milk container...very strange. It was also weird to see that gas was only 98 cents. Little did I know that it was 98 cents per Liter not per gallon (duh). I am terrible at the metric system and still don't know the exact conversions! Math is certainly not my strong suite. The only bad part of being in Canada is that one of the members whose apartment I was staying in owned a cat. I am Soooooo not a cat person. I mean, they're fine animals, but to be honest they are huge bitches. Seriously, I feel like cats are the most narcissistic animals on the face of the planet. Dogs on the other hand, really are man's best friend. Oh well, I survived the ridiculous cat who sat on the fridge the majority of time then swatted at your head as you walked by (why you would want to own a cat is beyond me).

My first time going through Customs was interesting to say the least. Going into Canada wasn't too bad (apparently no one is looking to attack Canada), going into the U.S. was redic. I flew from London to Toronto and went through customs in Toronto. First I had to find Customs, which is a feet within itself. Then I had to pick up my bags and fill out a claims form. I wheeled my bags to Customs, the guy asked me what I was doing in CT (try to explain my job to a Custom's official!), then dropped off my bag and went through security again. I put my stuff in the plastic bins like I usually do before they put them through the metal detector, Helga (the mean guard) yelled at me for not taking my computer out of it's case and not putting my computer in a separate plastic bin, and was very angry when I didn't put my shoes on the conveyor belt first. Then I went through the metal detector, then had to have a full body scan, THEN one of the agents went through the entire contents of my bag AND made me turn on my camera, flip video camera, and computer. Apparently, I was suspicious looking. I had about 2 hours to board my next flight, so it really didn't bother me going through this much security, more than anything I was just shocked at how detailed they were. I'm really glad they are though! I would do it all again twice if it means keeping crazies off of the plane. I guess the next time I fly internationally will go much more smoothly now that I know what to expect.

Currently, I'm in "Gun Wavin" New Haven, CT. I was told that it's pretty safe around campus, but not to go beyond campus in any direction. The member that picked me up was like, "Living in an unstable neighborhood is kind of great because it gives us an opportunity to do a lot of service work." I guess that's a positive way of looking at it. I, on the other hand will be sticking to the campus boundaries. I have two meetings left tonight, then hopefully I can catch the Vikings/Saints game! I'm rooting for the Vikes! I don't think I have ever really cheered on any football team besides the Patriots and I don't think that this type of cheering was for the right reasons (let's face it Tom Brady is Deee-lish), but I'm breaking out and going for the "hometown" team! I love how the state of ND is pretty much equally divided in cheering for either the Vikes or the Broncos because it is the closest metropolitan area 10 hours east or west of us! But anyway, SKOL VIKINGS!

Later!

Lyss
(Not too shabby at keeping my resolution huh?!)

Here We Go Again!

Hi Friends!

Currently I'm sitting in the Milwaukee airport waiting to board my 2:25 p.m. flight to Detroit, then I roll out to London, Ontario, Canada!

I have completed my first visit of the semester and it was a good one!

I visited my friend and fellow ELC, Hilary's chapter at

Ohio Wesleyan University.

I helped the ladies out with their recruitment and they did quite well!

They welcomed 8 new members to their chapter last night.

Some HIGHLIGHTS of my trip...

1. My first visit to Steak and Shake - the world's greasiest,

yummiest hamburgers and delicious chocolate/strawberry milk shakes.

I think my arteries are clogged after just writing that...

2. Staying in a hotel in a KING sized bed.

This is a luxury while on the road.

3. The hotel I stayed in had those personal waffle makers.

I cannot tell you how much I love them.

4. I almost completed one of my reports!!

{Hopefully I will finish it in the airport today}

[Hopefully]

Now I'm just sitting and waiting, then rushing to my flight.

Once I get to Canada, I will be shutting my phone down.

For a whole three days...

I will survive.

I am excited to finally use my passport!

I got it last summer and have yet to travel internationally.

Until now!

Hopefully the next stamp I get will be to somewhere even more exciting.

I'm shooting for Europe.

Or

A mission trip somewhere cool like Belize, El Salvador, or Africa.

We'll see!

I hope you are all having a wonderful Tuesday!

I'm going to go catch some lunch {and work on that report}!

Happy Tuesday!

Lyss

Some Images of the last four months...

The Bean in Chicago with ELC friends Whitney (L) and Lauren (R).

Thanksgiving with the Fam in Vegas. The fam (my faves) with Blue Man.

A Theta Christmas tour at the Alpha chapter at DePauw University in Greencastle, IN! Family Photo Op. Top to bottome: Taryn, Whitney, Jill, Justine, Hilary, Mallory, Me, Lauren, and Jennica.

Lauren and I with a gigantoid Elmo on Michigan Ave. Notice my giant Forever 21 shopping bag...I did well.

Yes I'm Alive

Hey All,

I was reminded recently that my blog was "looking a little dry." So, I figured I should actually share what I have been up to for the past two months! That's right TWO MONTHS! That is a loooonnng time to not write a post on your blog. Oopsies! Anyway, right now I am in Delaware, OH at Ohio Wesleyan University! We just wrapped up recruitment and will be celebrating Bid Day tomorrow night! The girls did great and it was so much fun to get to hang out at a fellow ELC Hilary's chapter for a couple of days. The ladies here are so unique and really know how to be themselves. It's been such a fun visit, I hardly feel like I"m working!

I will by at OWU until Tuesday morning then I head to Canada Eh! That's right our neighbors to the north have four Kappa Alpha Theta chapters. Things I'm excited for in Canada...
1. the words hOUse, OUt, abOUt, Clique, and tea towel...
2. foreign candy that I better not take over the border or I'll probably won't be let back into the US
3. Going through customs for the first time. I seriously have no idea what I'm doing and am hoping I don't get so nervous that I accidentaly tell the Custom's Agent that I'm in the business of producing bombs.
4. Eh. Need I say more.

Things I'm NOT excited for...
1. Shutting my phone OFF, that's right O-F-F, not just silented...OFF. Once I cross the border I will not have access to my fifth appendage. Did you know that if you don't have an international phone plan that text messages are $1 each...received and sent!Phone calls are $1 per minute! This means today alone, I would already be about $141 dollars down just for today. So, my friends, I will be only communicating via email. I might actually have to buy a phone card! I don't think I've done that since 1999.

Anyway, it will be an adventure that I'm looking forward to. So I bet you are wondering what on earth I have been up to for the last 2 months? Here's a quick synopsis since November 4th...

• November 8-12 I was at Michigan State, which was pretty cool. I liked it. I saw their hockey arena...it is sooooo not The Ralph.
• November 12-16 I was at the University of Wisconsin. Highlights~ The house is ON the lake, sweet view. I went to my first Big Ten football game! It was a TON of fun. I think the girls were a little embarrassed by the ruckousness (is that a word?) of the student section (the students start tailgating at 10 a.m.) but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It brought me back to my good 'ol college days. Ha!
• November 16-20. I went back to the University of Delaware for round two. Highlights~ I tried a latte at every coffee shop on Main Street...true story.
• November 20-25 I was home packing for Las Vegas
• November 25-30 Las Vegas w/ the fam for Thanksgiving. Highlights~ Too many to list, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
• November 30-December 5 I was at Allegheny College in Meadsville, PA. Highlights~Cheese dip at the Mexican restaurant...soooo yummy. I stayed at my first Bed and Breakfast ever. I don't know if I necessarily liked feeling like I was renting out a room in someone's house, it was kind of weird. But my bed was soooo comfortable. I seriously could not drag myself out of bed.
• December 5 - 9 I was at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. Highlights~ the school's colors were orange and black (Go Cowboys?) and I met the college's president who used to be the president at UND. We bonded.
• December 9-12 All of the ELCs went back to Indianapolis for our end of the semester wrap-up meeting. Highlights~ We visited the Alpha chapter and saw Bettie Locke Hamilton's grave. BLH is the founder of Theta. It was pretty cool!
• December 12-14 Whitney and I visited Lauren in Chicago!!!! It was sooo fun! Highlights~ Shopping on Michigan Ave, Seeing my first ballet ever (the Nutcracker), making candy, seeing The BEAN and Millennium Park, and taking a picture with Elmo.
• December 14-January 14 HOME SWEET HOME. Highlights~ Being stranded with mom and dad in Killdeer during a two day Christmas blizzard, making snow angels in the blizzard drifts with mom, hanging with friends from home, going to a wedding shower and baby shower all in one weekend, Christmas (my fave holiday!), Christmas with the Sturn's (always a good time), game night with my rents and Cindy, doing my Jillian Michaels workout DVD with my dad (He officially thinks she's a bitch because he has never been so tired in his life) and sooooo much more. I had an awesome break and was honestly sad to have to leave. I'm such a baby when I have to leave my family. Yes, I cried, like always, you'd think I would get better.

So, here's my New Year's Resolution: I'm going to write on my blog once a week. That's right one time...per week. See you next week! I'll be either in Canada (eh!) or at Yale (they're smart, shoot.).

Later friends,

Lyss