Where are we going today? (continued STLF trip)

"What's on the agenda for today?" One of the most asked questions of the trip. Most of the answers I received was "You'll see." with a knowing smile. The unknowing was killing me inside.
We made it to Elgin, IL.

Right away, we were able to take showers at a Fitness Center(?), and were given time to explore outside on the beautiful day.

It was here and at a park right next to it that we (the STLF group) found many treasures.

And proceeded to make as many memories as we could in our limited time.

And even more by the river.

We even took a couple awkward family photos.

Somehow, they never really turned out. But aren't family pictures always like these anyway?

Afterwards, we visited a nursing home and talked to some pretty amazing people. Not many people can handle being around elderly people anymore. I believe that is a real shame because they are the ones with the wisdom and have loads of stories to tell. If I am ever in need of a good story, I would go to a nursing home. Not only that, but elderly people can get awful lonesome sometimes because their relatives never visit them. And that is a real shame because the relatives are missing out.

On the bus ride, I was being taught the basics of playing the Ukulele. I still only remember how to play the C, even though I was more.

When we arrived at Chicago, we were given time to roam and explore the city a little bit, so we took a Ferris Wheel ride and went to the Bean.

This was one of the beautiful views from the Ferris Wheel.

It was both scary and fun to be so high in the air! But we had to move on to other things which included the Bean! But on our way there we found a cool statue.

We walked for a a long while in the terrible heat to get to the Bean, but we made it.

It wasn't long before we were taking millions of pictures because of how cool the Bean was!!

We took so much time there, and getting food that we basically had to run the huge number of blocks to try to get to the bus on time. We were five minutes late, but we would have been probably 10 to 15 minutes late if we didn't power walk and run the crosswalks with only 3 or 4 seconds before the lights changed.

We were all exhausted by the time we were able to get on the bus.

A Week of "Where Are We?"

This past week during spring break, I went on another road trip. This time it was on a bus with 37 others and to Washington D.C. The nonprofit organization I went with was called Students Today Leaders Forever (a.k.a STLF), and on this trip we did multiple volunteer projects.

The first place we went was to Sparta, Wisconsin. Yes, I have been to Sparta. :D Anyway, our project was to help the Boy's and Girls Club with either painting one room or help clean out the basement of a haunted house. I ended up with cleaning the basement of the haunted house, even though I thought I wanted to still paint.

 While cleaning the haunted house, the group I was with were able to get a tour of it without scary people and during broad daylight.

 It was still terrifying.

At basically the end of the tour, the guide points up to the ledge right above the exit door, and describes to us the very last scare they use on people. They have a person waiting, in costume, on the ledge to fall above their heads. I knew right away if someone had ever done that to me, I would have peed my pants. Truly, because I hate being scared. However, I absolutely LOVE scaring others.

We continue working until the man in charge comes in to thank us. He talks for while, then he says something that make us all perk up. He says, "This is a terrible idea, but we're going to do it. The painting group will be coming to take tours of the haunted house soon, and we want to give them a real good time, right?"
He continues on to say that we should continue working until  he comes to get us, and to put us in certain spots. So, my partner and I continued working, and not long after the main guy comes to us. He looks my partner and then me for a minute and points to me saying "You'll be perfect." Then comes the question, "are you afraid of heights?" With that one question, I knew that I was selected to jump off the ledge above people's heads. This was one opportunity I could not pass up. My response was simply, "I don't mind them." With that, my partner cheered me on, and I went to get geared up.

I was put in full rock climbing gear, and was introduced to the girl who was going to be up there with me for safety. She had been doing what I was going to do for four years, and taught me everything I needed to know. Since we were up there waiting for people, we talked about her volunteering at the haunted house and her life. It was very interesting to learn all about it. I wish I could have talked to her more though.

When I could hear the footsteps in the room next to us, I knew that it was time. I had so much adrenaline in me that I was shaking like a leaf in the wind.

I jumped probably a total of 15 times or so from practicing, the tours, and people who were going to be scaring coming to watch me jump. Luckily I had a friend with a camera. :D



 I was fierce. As one can see, the door is right underneath me, and the room is supposed to be in full darkness.

Afterward, we were able to sightsee which consisted of this.

But we didn't have anymore time after that! It was back on the bus to the next place!