My Very First Show and my Very First Pedicure!!!

Today is Sunday the 19 of August and is a free day!!!! WOHOOO!! Yesterday was my first show - and it was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! During the day I was frustrated with myself for not remembering things I knew I knew, but once those stage lights went up all that was gone and I was in my element! It was truely an awesome adrenaline rush and a great night. The Show went well even if there were a couple of rough spots, and it was so fun to be a part of something so cool. We went to bet at an alarmingly early 1am ; ). Today was a free day and we are having a pool party later. This morning however my wonderful host mother Mary took us for a day of shopping and fun. She treated me and Maria (my roomate) to our first pedicure!!! My feet have never looked so cute!!! The chairs we sat in were massage chairs so it was incredibly relaxing. I can't believe I've never had a pedicure before. It was so fun to be with the girls. Rachael my 8 year old little host sister also got one two so it was even more of a blast. I cant wait to show them off at the pool party later. Time to go get ready!!!!!!

Community Service in Globe/ San Carlos

One of the best components of Up With People is the community service we provide. It is so rewarding to see the impact that we can make. Yesterday’s CI in San Carlos and Globe was no different. The Cast was divided into half for the morning (excluding those staying behind for workshops) . Half went to San Carlos to work on the Apache Reservation doing Project Pride, and the other half stayed in Globe and worked with the Gila County Special Employment Services doing music and dance and an art project.
Louise had me head up those that went to San Carlos Apache Reservation and were a part of Project Pride, which was a Council sponsored event that was put on to get the community involved in cleaning up the business district of the reservation. So from 9-11 all the business were shut down and they were outside renovating their properties. It was great for them to be setting the example, and the council realy hopes this will be carried even further. While we were there we painted and weeded, and mowed and cleaned the whole area. It was such a transformation in the end. It looked 100% better! Then we had lunch and a little time to relax. After lunch we did a BTS (or mini show) at San Carlos High School. It was a little frustrating because the Native American culture is such that they don’t show a whole lot of enthusiasm. The cast did beautifully despite the lack of crowd support and I was proud to be in the audience (since I have been busy doing advance work I was unable to participate). After the BTS we went back to the Elks Lodge (were we were stationed for the day) and had CI wrap up and disscused the day. Later we went to Globe City Park and held a Teen Event for the local youth. It was a chance for us to interact with the youth of Globe, and a chance for the cast to kind of relax a bit. We had food and live music and played some Frisbee. It was great to see all of Louise's and My planning play out and be so successful. It was nice to know that all the work we put in to this week is paying off with great rewards.
Louise was with the group that stayed in Globe. She has a radio interview in the morning and then was driving people around to the different CI sites for the rest of day. Those that went worked with a group of disabled adults that are part of a program called Gila Employment and Special Training Services (GESTS). GESTS is an organization that better prepares physically and mentally disabled adults for the real world. The Cast did some song and dance with them and then did a really neat art project. They traced the hands of the clients and their own and then the clients decorated them and signed them and then they interlocked the hands around an image of a globe. It was really neat. The clients (and the cast) loved it. Then they went and had lunch with the clients at a great Mexican Restaurant called Chalo’s. YUMM. After lunch some of them came and joined the BTS others went and painted an old historic steam engine. It looked great when they were done. Then after CI wrap up they too went to the park for the Teen Event. All in all it was a great day! Again it was super rewarding to see all the planning and blood, sweat and tears Louise and I have poured in to this day finally pay off. Now tomorrow we leave for Sierra Vista, where we will be until Monday. My Advance Team internship is coming to an end and I am rejoining my cast once more. I am a ball of emotions - from happy to sad to nervous to excited. I am nervous for my Cast's performance tonight, excited to be traveling tomorrow, sad to be leaving, and happy to be back with my cast. It's a roller coaster to be sure. I am proud of myself for having worked so hard these last few weeks, and amazed at everything that I have learned. I find myself slowly but surely gaining patience as I have dealt with issues and obsticles that have arrised. I am learning to be more aware, both socially and globally, and I have really just gained a huge amount of insight. All told this has been an awesome experience and I there are more to come

3 hours of sleep...yup...that's what I got...

Today is the day my wonderful cast arrives in the wonderful city of Globe, AZ where I have been plannning a wonderful next few days...tired of me saying"wonderful" yet?...yea I thought so... so while I come up with some better adjectives - READ ON. As I said the cast arrives today - thus the 13 straight hours of non-stop working until 4:00 in the morning and the three hours of sleep i am now currently running on. Despite my slight loopyness I am very excited to see the cast today. On Friday Louise and I left early to drive to Tuscon to see the casts perform at the Alumni Reception. It was an absolutely spectacular (albeit 3hours long) show. I met Ghandi's grandson, and got to hear the original founders of Up With People(Herb Allen and the Calwell Brothers) perform. It was awesome!! We didn't get back until one in the morning but it was worth it because Louise and I had some great discussion going. Coffee is essential to my existence - a fact proven by my recent dependence on it. On Saturday we went to a Drive-In Movie Theatre and saw Harry Potter 5. It was my first Drive-In experience (I didn't know they even existed) and it was sooo much fun. again - another late night. So. compile all the sleep I've had this weekend and it equals???? you guessed it - one very sleepy(and slighty loopy) Laurel. I have loved working hard to set the city up though and I cant wait to show it off to the Cast when they get here. Well I am sure your tired of me gripping, and now that I'm done with my Tiraid of Tiredness (how's that for an alliteration??), I have some exciting news: I am going to be in the Rose Parade on New Years Day!!!!!!!!! well - not just me - all of Cast B and C and our staff. How cool is that???? We are also going to perform in Las Vegas (though I dont as yet know all the details). The Rose Parade, however, reaches something like over 2million people...No presuure though, right? I am so very very excited. The cast should be arriving any time now and I am off to go meet them. WEEEE AARE CAAAST B! OOO THATS COOL!!!!!

I'm an Arizona, Arizona, Arizona Star

Man oh man. So Louise and I are super hard at work setting up the city of Globe, Arizona for when the cast comes on Monday. I am soooo excited to see everyone and to hear all about there adventures thus far. Advance work is HARD work. Its a lot of phone calls and harping on people to call you back, and meetings, etc. Its been a great learning experience though (as anything with Up With People is). I am learning a lot about how to manage time and people, and how to make contacts and how to network, and how to handle myself in business meetings. The people here in Globe are awesome and want so much for us to help them. We have some great Community Service projects planned and have some fun regional learning activities as well. The other night Louise and I went to the local coffee shop which was hosting an open mic night. It was so fun and a great way to promote Up With People. There was a TON of talent. we also played some games with some of the local youth. Then, this past Friday the Elks Lodge held a 50's Sock Hop. Louise and I were the judges for the dance contest. It was a blast (from the past ; ) ). It was soo cute to see all the couples dressed up and reliving there childhoods. Last weekend Louise and I rented a movie called "The Guardian" and another one called "Pride" both were PHENOMENAL!! I recomend them to any and everyone!!!! It was interesting seeing Ashton Kutcher ("The Guardian") in a serious role, and surprisingly he pulled it off with two thumbs up!! This weekend Louise and I are hoping to meet the cast in Phoenix for the big show there. I think it will work out, if not we will still see them Monday. I am really excited to be back with the cast. I am glad I did the advance work internship though. Its been really cool to see what goes in to planning the cities we go to. It makes me appreciate it a lot more!!!
PS. I cant believe that in less then a month I will be 21!!! It seems unthinkable.

Advance Work

Well I am settled here in Globe, Arizona. Its a cute little mining town with sweet people and pretty views. Louise and I jumped right in to things after i got off the plane, with two meetings and a debrief/rundown of the city. There is an Apache Indian tribe right near by and I am anxious to learn more about the culture there. We are making good headway on getting the city set up but still have some work to do. We (Louise and I) are going to have some authentic mexican food tonight with my host mom Kerry. Tomorrow we are going to go to the local coffe shop and listen to live music and promoteour own show. It should be fun! Plus we have some promotional events this weekend as well. Good Times!!!