A week has passed since we have been in Italy, and so many things have happened. The most vital thing has been getting to know the other members of the group. My apartment houses the only girls on the trip. Liz, Allison, and Soo are all friendly and fun-loving. Joe lives in an apartment of five, and his roommates are Travis, Christian, Nick, and John. Next door to Dr. Parker and her husband Captain Tom Parker of American Airlines, there is another apartment of three boys. They are Mike, Brian, and Dr. Parker’s student assistant Luca. Because two of the original 14 students were unable to make it, one student, Ahmed, is living in town near the school. So far everyone seems to be getting along well and generally enjoying each other’s company.

On our first day of classes, I did not know what to expect. At 8 a.m. Dr. Parker and her husband led us to the bus stop which took us from the village of Vico Alto, where the monastery is located, to the bus station near the center of Siena. From there we walked up and down endless cobblestone streets which seemed to twist and turn with no planned pattern whatsoever. The buildings all seemed to look the same –medieval rows of shops and apartments with no breaks between them, only continuous walls. There are no patches of grass anywhere, though the occasional tree has been carefully planted here or there. To those of us who had not before been exposed to such an atmosphere, it was as if we had been transported back in time into a medieval Italian city. It would take most of us a couple of days to even begin to know the way through the confusing streets.

Though on our first journey through the streets of Siena, the confusion and twistedness made the greatest impression on my mind, don’t misunderstand… I soon found myself in love with the medieval feel of the streets and shops. It inspires stories and images along the same lines as the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Chronicles of Narnia. I can’t get enough peeks into the shops filled with glittering jewelry and amazing art, or enough tastes of little sandwiches and pastries. Siena has a charm all its own…

The building in which our host school, Dante Alighieri, is located appears to be just another part of the continuous inner walls of Siena. The inside is just as twisted and convoluted as the streets outside. However, the people who work here are friendly and helpful to us, just as they are to the many other visiting foreign students. Embry-Riddle is one of several American schools to partner with Dante Alighieri for study abroad programs.

The director of the school, Luca, introduced himself to us, apologizing for his broken English, but giving us a warm welcome to the program. Next, he introduced us to our Italian teacher, Enzo. He is in his late 30’s, a little on the short side, thin, bald, and wears what seems to be the trendy Italian style of clothing. He teaches well, likely in part due to his friendly, casual, and understanding personality, as well as his sense of humor. I cannot speak for the others in class, but Joe and I are enjoying the Italian language class and do not find it too difficult, though it is sometimes a little confusing.

After lunch, for which we have an hour to eat anywhere in the city, we have Dr. Parker’s Italian Art and Literature class. The morning subject matter feels light and easy compared to the deep and rather personal topics we have covered so far in our afternoon class. In the first week, Dr. Parker talked about divisions of culture with relation to our position in the world. We discussed cultural differences between the U.S. and Italy; gave personal definitions of ourselves to the class based on things such as birthplace, family upbringing, and religion; and began to consider our two projects for the summer –a presentation on an Italian artist and a report on different levels of Dante’s Inferno. Despite the tendency of this second class to be sleep-inducing in its depth and weightiness, I find it entirely intriguing and do my best to focus and participate.

After classes, in the first week we have found ourselves generally hanging around (ironically) a certain Irish pub near the bus station for a couple hours. I believe the main reasons for this are the free Wi-Fi internet offered there and the wonderful laid-back atmosphere. It is something familiar to us in this typically unfamiliar city. We discuss classes and plans for weekend trips over a pint of brew and our favorite American-based websites. Also we all seem to like visiting a nearby grocery store which has a wide variety of Italian foods to experiment with.

Each day this week has brought new surprises and experiences, but in, general the days with classes tend to go the same way. As we approached our first three-day weekend, several of us had different ideas for where to go and what to see. In the end, three of the boys went to see Rome and a group of seven chose to fly up to London to see the city and the new Indiana Jones movie which just came out in theaters. Joe and I had plans to see Rome the following weekend and we both felt that flying all the way to London was out of the question when we were really here to see Italy. So we chose an Italian city nearby with the least expensive train ticket we could hope for –about seven euros each to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and its neighboring monuments.

Two of our fellow classmates, Nick and Allison, were planning to fly out of Pisa on their way to London. They chose to take the bus, which left early in the morning, giving them several hours to see the city before flying on. Joe and I joined them on the bus so that we could explore as a group rather than just the two of us. The walk from the station to the Leaning Tower was nice after two hours on the cramped bus. We ate lunch outdoors at a local cafe and continued on into what was the most tourist-filled sight we’ve yet seen in Italy. Everyone around seemed to be trying to hold up the Leaning Tower like mimes in line with hundreds of cameras.

Despite the crowd and the cheesiness, we enjoyed the monuments which, though not overwhelmingly large, did produce some sense of wonder and awe. Inside the cathedral the grand paintings and gothic architecture instilled a silence among the tourists. I don’t think I have ever noticed before how much presence a building can have. Though I do not practice much religion personally, I felt myself caught up in the spiritual curiosity and solemnity of the place. Even while I experimented with my camera to see how far it would focus and how best to steady it, I found myself talking with Joe about deep religious questions and considering what the people who built the cathedral felt when they knelt before the altar and allowed themselves to reach for something beyond the physical world.

When the four of us finally emerged from the cathedral’s heavy darkness, we were all in need of some sugar and a rest. We sat on some steps and indulged in some delicious gelato, the Italian version of ice cream, which we have been enjoying almost every day since the first in Siena. Afterward we explored some of the local shops before walking back across town to the train station.

It is hard to believe that already one out of five weeks in Italy is over and behind us. Despite the little bits of culture shock that sometimes make things difficult, it is hard not to love everything about this trip so far. Everyone in our group seems to be agreeable and fun, Siena is lovely if not inspiring, and our exploration of other cities in the country has only just begun.

College graduation is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, no matter what level degree is being accomplished. It is what every senior pines for at the end of four (or five) years and in May, I had the graduation green light. My name was printed in the graduation program. The cap and gown had been purchased and my friends and family were in the crowd. But, I was also sitting in the crowd watching my fellow Class of 2008 classmates walk across the stage and receive their diplomas. However, sitting in the crowd didn’t make me bitter because I had delayed my graduation for another once in a lifetime experience.

When my best friend, Nikki, asked me what I was doing summer of 2008, I replied, “Enjoying the beach and relishing in my graduatory status.” However, she had a different idea. Instead, she suggested studying abroad. The program had so many countries to pick from so I told her just to pick a unique place. Both of us are regulars of Europe, so she suggested Japan or China as alternatives. Without hesitation, I picked the host of the 2008 Summer Olympics, Beijing China.

China. This communist state is populated with 1,330,044,605 people who speak a dozen plus languages with a land mass of 9,596,960 sq. km. and so many stereotypes. Known for many years as “Red China,” the country is also known for their intricate architecture, the Great Wall, panda bears, cheap exports and, most recently the Olympics and the Sichuan earthquake.  The history and sites are intensely overwhelming, so a professor of mine advised me to “be prepared to be unprepared.” I realized what an understatement that was when I arrived with eight of my classmates at Beijing International Airport after 18 hours of travel. Through my seatmate’s 2 x 1 airplane window, I got snapshots of Beijing through heavy clouds of smog. It looked like every other sprawling Midwest city, complete with fields and industrial architecture. That was until we landed.

Beijing, a sprawling metropolis, resembles any U.S. Chinatown. The people speak Chinese. The signs are in Chinese. The taxi drivers only speak Chinese. But, this isn’t America and I only knew how to say “Hi” and “What is your name.” After a week, I have mastered a few more phrases, learned to use the public transportation, seen one of the Wonders of the World, and visited many other famous sites. However, the most challenging part thus far has been eating. I nearly have a panic attack when someone suggests getting dinner. In fact, I would rather listen to my stomach rumble than have to explain to the waitress that I do not want anything spicy or still moving. I have had many culinary disasters, misunderstandings and eaten some unconventional food. So for my first entry, I decided to introduce the reader to China through the sense of taste.

I set out for China wanting to try the bizarre foods and brag that I could keep them down unlike contestants on Fear Factor. But, things are always easier from the Laz-Y-Boy.

Fork Fiasco   

After a disastrous introduction to Chinese food our first night, which left me on the bathroom floor at 3 a.m., Nikki and I decided to venture off to another Chinese restaurant that looked more sanitary. The first restaurant only had the menu in Chinese characters so we looked for a sit down restaurant with a picture menu. Ironically, we found a restaurant located next to the previous culinary disaster spot. We were seated by the hostess who proceeded to hover over our table, eyeing our food decisions. Nikki chose a dish which resembled chicken and vegetables. Somehow, through sign language and pointing to words in our handy travel guide, the waitress told us we had a side dish option. I picked rice. She pointed to four listings under the rice, all with different prices and different Chinese characters. I picked the cheapest, but she kept muttering something in Chinese. Finally, frustrated and hungry, I pointed to the dumplings which had nothing written underneath them. That was sufficient   and they brought out the meal. Neither Nikki nor I had really used chopsticks in America sans a few times at a sushi bar. Eating the very spicy mystery meat and toxically spicy vegetables proved difficult. While Nikki and I laughed it off, our very patient waitress brought over two forks. We all giggled and exchanged laughter, only to be joined by the remainder of the 10 + occupied restaurant. Ever get that feeling that everyone is talking about you. Yeah, welcome to China!

These Feet are Only Meant for Walking

Our next culinary escapade occurred after a class field trip to the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall. Our group stopped at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant after the tour and my culinary ambitions kicked in.  I hadn’t really fulfilled my desire to eat a “weird” food, so I asked the professor to help me pick out a selection. The menu, luckily in English, had a wide array of chicken’s feet, cow tripe, tongue and various other traditional offal, or animal byproducts. I settled on the chicken feet based on my professor’s suggestion. The feet arrived intact with nails, claws and bones still attached. Unsure where to begin, the waitress told me to chew on the feet. “Chew on the feet,” I said, starting to regret my decision. One bite and I knew this poor bird had died in vain. The foot, cooked in a hot pepper sauce, was clammy and off-white. It was slick and difficult to pry off the bone. You had to use your molars to pry off the little bit of meat, so it continuously threatened to claw its way back from my throat to my mouth. After seeing my reaction, my classmates also tried, but they had similar strange facial contortions. I hoped karma would forgive me for my transgressions against the bird, for it was not going to be eaten.

Corner Cuisine

Before I left, a friend gave me advice about eating at a street vendor. “Eat at the one with the most people in line,” she said. But, what do you do if you and your classmates make the entire line? Every night since our arrival, the guys have been frequenting a local vendor located right outside of the Beihang University gates. After a long day touring the Summer Palace, Nikki and I followed the guys to the corner. Every night, the vendor, with a large smile and dimpled grin, displays his eats on a makeshift bicycle/trailer/display case. He wasn’t quite set up yet when we arrived at 8 p.m., so we grabbed a few drinks at the local newspaper stand and settled in next to his hibachi grill. Soon after we sat, five or six people began taking the meats from the display case and placing them on the grill. Most of the meats were unrecognizable and the smell of stale fish filled the smoggy Chinese air. The boys had their favorites ranging from the recognizable lamb and chicken patties to the seemingly inedible chicken heart and squid tentacles. Under peer pressure, I ate chicken heart, squid tentacles, egg patties and sweet buns. The chicken heart was slightly squishy, but well cooked. The squid tasted like fresher calamari from the States. The egg patties were a mix of egg, minced onions and chives and a bread crumb outer shell. They were very spicy, but closely related to hash browns and scrambled eggs. As I tried each concoction, I made sure to keep a straight face even if I didn’t like selected pieces. After all, this vendor spent time and plenty of effort to catch and prepare the meats and he was proud of his final product. I didn’t want to cause him concern or upset by rejecting his meal. However, after paying 1-3 yuan (roughly 50 cents) for each of my six kebabs, I wondered what profit he actually made. In China you can’t tip, but the group all wished we could show how appreciative we  were of his work.

Mao’s Munchies

The following day, the same group went to visit Tiananmen Square, site of the infamous 1989 massacre. Among the sites visited were Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Forbidden City and Premier Mao Zedong’s body. Mao, the creator of the People’s Republic of China, has been lying in state since 1976. Vendors crowded the 100 acre square hocking Mao paraphernalia. Cheap watches, Chinese flags and Mao’s famous Little Red Book lined the plaza that had seen two massacres, numerous famous speeches and now a major tourist attraction. After enticing my appetite with talk of massacres, propaganda, and the Great Helmsman, we headed into downtown Beijing for street vendor food.

After walking past McDonald’s and a Westernized shopping mall, we stumbled upon an alleyway crammed with street vendors. Most were selling caramelized fruits, lamb and pork skewers and Coca-Cola. But, one vendor caught my eye. Originally, I had walked past, eyeing a vendor selling donut-like pastries. But, upon doing a double take, I noticed this aforementioned vendor’s food was still moving. There in the storefront were live scorpions, grasshoppers, cicadas and starfish pushed onto wooden sticks. The line was long so I decided to jump in for my turn. I chose the scorpions that were not moving based on the broken English advice of a local bystander. I watched the moving scorpions as they were dipped into the frying pan and handed quickly to me. Still steaming, I took a breath and crunched down. Much to my surprise, the scorpions tasted good. Ironically, it tasted like over-fried chicken.

However, my next two dishes were not so fortunate. I am an avid viewer of No Reservations: Anthony Bourdain and I used clips from the China show to plan my culinary adventures. Anthony had tried cow’s stomach while in China and raved about the texture and taste, even praising the chef for his attention to cooking by keeping it basic and lightly seasoned. So, while in Beijing, I did as Anthony did and ordered a heaping plate of white and black-grey cow’s tummy. My stomach and the unlucky cow’s stomach were both quickly in my mouth, attempting another jail break. I held it in, but not without the disgust of my fellow classmates sitting directly in the line of fire. I guess I just can’t stomach stomach.

I thought my misadventures were over until another classmate decided to purchase the starfish. Being from Florida, I have never had the desire to eat such a cute specimen. After much peer pressure again, I bit down on the tough skin. Much to my dismay, it tasted like I was eating a piece of fried sand. I figured my digestive tract needed a break, so I settled for a caramelized crab apple and went shopping.

Memorial Meal

After a half a bottle of Tums and a few nights of digestive distress, my other sorority sister, Emily, along with Nikki and I, decided to find the local Beihang Café that served American-style food. We all craved different things like pancakes, lettuce, mayonnaise and pizza and the café served them all, though not together obviously. While eating, a Chinese man approached us. He was out of breath and we just thought maybe he worked at the café. He said, “I have important information for you…At a 14:28 we are going have a memorial for earthquake victims.” He rushed us from our meal, as everyone in the three story café crowded around the big screen television. Although we couldn’t understand the announcer, the images of people being pulled out of buildings, of workers hauling material and of people crying spoke our language. The screen went black and displayed white Chinese characters. Everyone got quiet as the air sirens began to wail. After a minute, car horns joined in and a minute following that, boat horns completed the ceremony. The only sounds sans those from the television were sniffles and the occasional sigh. The three minute ceremony concluded and those crying quickly hid their faces and bolted for the door. The gentleman thanked us for our cooperation and disappeared with the rest of the patrons. We paid our bill and left in near silence.

On the walk home, we realized what had just occurred and we were thankful that we were a part of this country’s mourning. Though the gentleman thanked us, we are human beings and feel their pain. Although our recent country disasters differed, one intentional and one natural, we still can understand the pain of losing fellow countrymen.

With 50,000 dead and expected to climb, we leave Beijing next week for Xi An, a city located close to the Chinese Ground Zero.  The distance between the two is like the distance between San Francisco and Los Angeles. A Chinese student studying English was paired up with me to practice conversational Chinese and English. He is from Sichuan, the province affected most, and said he has yet to hear if anyone he knows has perished. As we walked by the television, he just shook his head and said, “You are lucky you don’t have that in America”. Although that is not completely accurate, we are lucky. China is great, but it is hard to visit a country and know what you leave behind. So, enjoy those hamburgers and fries I am missing so much and I will fill you in when we get to Xi An.

Hello everyone, my name is Dodd Bailey Allen Jr. I was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Currently, I am a senior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the Aeronautical Science program with a minor in Aviation Weather. I began flying at the age of 17, and obtained my Private Pilot Certificate during my senior year in High School. Since then, I have obtained my Commercial Pilot (Single/Multi), Instrument rating, Certificated Flight Instructor rating, and Certificated Flight Instructor Instrument rating. Last August, I was given the opportunity to work at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as a part-time flight instructor. This is where my dream of flying has finally begun. Not only do I get to fly everyday, but I get the pleasure of enlightening students on the wonderful world of flying. I typically go to class from 9 am to 1 pm, then flight instruct from 5 pm to 9 pm. I could not be happier with how my flying career has jumpstarted, and it’s about to become even more exciting. This summer, I was granted the opportunity to participate in an internship with Continental Airlines. This journal will note my experiences this summer with this fantastic opportunity.

I began my Journey to Houston, Texas on May 9th, where I moved in to the place I will be living in for the summer. A previous Continental intern, and Express Jet captain is providing me and two other interns housing for the summer. He provides us with a place to stay in a convenient location for an affordable price. After getting settled in to a wonderful townhouse in Downtown Houston, I prepared for orientation on Friday, May 9th.

Bright and early on Friday,the 7 other internsand I proceeded to the Continental building. We were all super excited about this opportunity and could not wait to get started. The day began with an orientationPowerpoint explaining the duties, benefits, and responsibilities of each intern. I will be working in the Safety Department with my partner Matthew Casile, who is also a student at Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach campus. As an intern with Continental we receive many benefits, including a tour of the Houston tower and approach control, the Continental Maintenance facility, and the fire protection department at Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport. One of the most beneficial aspects of the Continental internship is the privilege to sit in on several classes at the training center, and receive 20 hrs of 737 Level D simulator training. Finally, we are allowed to travel anywhere Continental flies as long as there is room on the flight. Continental wants the interns to receive the full airline experience. They also promote international travel so the interns can experience cultures from all over the world. After the orientation, we proceeded to the Bush Intercontinental Airport to receive our badges. The airport badges give us permission to pass through security without a boarding pass and allow us to perform preflight inspections with the pilots. The day ended with lunch at the airport. We proceeded home and relaxed for the weekend. Houston is a very friendly city with a lot of fun places to eat and hang out.

On Monday, May 12, it began. I woke up at 7am, got dressed, and began the first of many walks to the Continental Headquarters. My boss met me and Matt downstairs to explain to us the first task we will perform everyday. Continental has a very proactive stance on safety. Every airplane is equipped with a device that records the flight parameters of every flight. It records such inputs as taxi speed, airspeed, pitch attitude, bank angle, etc. Every morning, it is our responsibility to receive these disks and input the data into one of many supercomputers. Once imputed, the supercomputer organizes the data and points out any hazardous flight behavior. The analysts then proceed to investigate these situations, and if necessary, contact the flight crew to discuss ways to prevent unsafe situations. After we input the data, we proceed over to our desks. Here, we analyze and input Captain Safety reports into the Continental safety database. These reports can include anything from a passenger smoking in the lavatory, to a hydraulic malfunction. This provides future pilots ways to prevent safety issues in the future. After these entries are made, we proceed to lunch. When we come back, we are provided with a safety related task for the day. Each of these tasks represents a different part of the safety department. This allows us to get the full experience of what it is like to keep the flight operations safe everyday. The day concludes at 4 pm where we proceed home to relax.

This first week was a true learning experience to say the least. Matt and I perfected our skills at each task, and by Friday, we were able to run the show without incident. Now, that was a taste of our first work week. Every week, our tasks will become more complicated and I look forward to the challenge. But now it is time to explain to you just how fun and exiting an internship can be. Remember the flight benefits? Well, the interns and I decided to try them out this weekend and all I have to say is WOW. Friday at 5 pm, we proceeded to the Houston Airport to catch a plane to San Jose, Costa Rica. This was my first time traveling outside of the Country and I was super excited. We arrived at San Jose at 9 pm, where we proceeded to our hotel. We dropped our stuff off at the hotel and proceeded to dinner. We ate at a wonderful Costa Rica restaurant and experienced their friendly atmosphere. The food is amazing, and consists mostly of chicken, beef, and rice. It is similar to the typical Mexican food you eat here in the states, just more authentic. We then proceeded to experience the true art of salsa dancing. I have to say, that was the most fun I have ever had dancing. The cultural experience was truly priceless. After dancing, we proceeded back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep. The next morning, we got up, ate breakfast, and took a taxi for our tour for the day. We drove through the mountains on the outskirts of San Jose, andto the rainforest. Yes, the actual rainforest in Central America!!!! We arrived and experienced something that I never thought would be possible. We rode on a railway above the treetops and saw the rainforest from above. I will have pictures of this amazing adventure up soon. It was an hour long ride that allowed us to experience just how fascinating Mother Nature can be. After the tour we proceeded back to San Jose for dinner. We relaxed and socialized with locals that night and flew home at 7 am the next morning. We were in Costa Rica for a total of 36 hours, and I have to say, those were the most exciting 36 hours of my life!

As I am writing this article to you tonight, I still can’t believe I was in the rainforest 24 hours ago! I am getting ready for bed and to start week number two. I wish all of you a wonderful week ahead. I look forward to sharing with you my experiences this summer. Time for bed.

Hello Everyone!

Well I’m just going to jump into what I myself have just jumped into.  It is halfway through the first week of my internship with Lockheed Martin in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Specifically I am working for their Maritime Systems and Sensors branch which has a website at http://lockheedmartin.com/ms2/.

I started at Embry-Riddle in the spring of 2007 as a Space Physics Major.  This past semester I also added on Engineering Physics because I cannot decide between two majors I like so much.  With a lot of help from some excellent teachers and awesome friends I have been doing very well.  This has afforded me this wonderful internship opportunity for the company I intend to work for when I graduate.

I arrived in West Palm Beach last Thursday to check around town and find out what was going on.  A relocation company was paying for up to seven days of a hotel stay with everything included so I had no worries about finding a place and getting settled.  Two of the other interns starting at the same time were discussing with me about being roommates but made no solid plans yet.  After a relaxing long weekend on the beach I began to prepare for my first day on Monday.

There were six interns starting for the summer that day and we all met in the security and visitors building outside the main building complex.  The human resources representative, Paula met us and we were brought into the secured building complex.  What followed was a long but very interesting morning which introduced us to many of the projects being worked on here as well as how things were run in general.  We also got to meet several of the project and site managers, received our employee badges, and had a tour of the vehicle testing facilities.

As the morning ended, each of our individual managers we would be working directly under came into the conference room we were at to take us to lunch, and then to the actual building and floor we would be spending most of our time at.

For the rest of Monday and Tuesday I met my new co-workers, had my computer set up, and became introduced to the many projects I might be working on.  I also found an awesome roommate with a house who is a project manager here at Lockheed as well.  What better way to meet more people at the company I want to work for than that!  Their house is also by the beach, which does not hurt at all.

Well I will post again next week with a lot more details about what exactly I am doing because hopefully I will know by then too!

First a little background on EDS. Electronic Data Systems is a global company and is actually now HP-EDS (having recently been purchased by Hewlett-Packard). They are a computer systems company started by Ross Perot. I am lucky enough to work in the Flight Department located in McKinney, Texas. The hang a r houses three Gulfstream corporate jets: a G4, G5, and G550. Although most interns of my degree want to fly these aircraft, I will be working alongside the mechanics and helping to maintain them as well as observing some of the flights.

My first day went pretty smoothly, of course you have the paper work of any job, but for the most part it went smooth learning some of the finer points of working with Jet A. I will be partially responsible for the fueling of the aircraft and the refueling of the 5,000 gallon fuel truck, this is apart from the two 15,000 gallon fuel tanks the company also owns. The first part of the day we topped off the fuel truck with a meager 2,330 gallons which only took about half an hour.

The G5 had taken off earlier the previous day and was scheduled to come back the late that night. Coming into work on Friday, I learned that the Gulfstream had incurred a few discrepancies that required us to replace the galley’s oven and a few effect lights, so nothing major. The most I learned was when we went over all the systems throughout the aircraft. Prof. Garrett’s    systems and components class sure did pay  off.

Hey Everyone,

Well this is my first Journal of the summer session and I hope you all are enjoying your summer so far. So, I’m taking two classes and I’m working three jobs this summer. It’s been going really well so far except for the fact that this campus is dead!!!! Let me break it down for you. When you can go from your room to your class during the time of class changes and not see anybody until you get into the building of your class, you know the campus is pretty empty. The upside of that is the fact that a lot of my friends stayed for the summer, so its been nice to hang out with them a lot since there is nothing else to do. We have been going to the pool a lot after work and class and whatever else needs to be done. This summer is actually going to be relatively busy for me and I’ll let you all know what I have planned, what you all can look forward to, and some GREAT additions to our campus this summer.

So for the past two or three weeks I have still been pretty busy with AcaFellas. On May 5th we sang at graduation where we sang the National Anthem and the Alma Mater. We then were able to sing at a fundraising even on Friday the 9th for the Army of Hope which raised money for veterans and the families of those whom have lost loved ones in war. This is actually our second event for the Army of Hope, because we also sang at a picnic on May 3rd for them as well. Some other events we have sang at were the ROTC ceremony and the Masters hooding Ceremony. The group had ceased for the summer but I’m looking forward to bigger and better things next year.

So now that we are in the summer, and as the Vice President of ERRSA, I am already starting my plans on newer ideas for the ERRSA Office next year and some office renovations that have been long awaited. The executive board for next year could not be more perfect for changing the ways ERRSA has run in the past to a more professional yet less strict way. ERRSA is supposed to be a fun way to get all the residents involved and we are here to serve them. We may have slacked a lot last semester, but we are on the path to a bigger and better ERRSA!!!!! I can’t wait!!!!

One of the jobs that I am working this summer is with The Summer Academy here on campus. I am a counselor for those kids who come here to go to an Academic Camp to either pursue their interest in Aviation or to learn about aviation. We are here to make sure they are taken care of and that they do what they are supposed to do. The people at Summer Academy are absolutely amazing; Pam Peer is the coordinator and she is one of the nicest women I have ever had the privilege to meet and I am grateful to be working for her!!! If anybody is coming to Summer Academy that is reading this then I look forward to possibly meeting you!!

Another thing that I am highly looking forward to this summer is the opportunity to go see the Launch of STS-124 on the Shuttle Discovery! Now you may all be asking why I’m so excited because its like the 3rd one I’ll be seeing but this time I GOT PRESS PASSES!!!! That means I’ll get to be right near the countdown clock and within 3.1 miles of the launch pad!!!! I will hopefully be getting a new camera before then and I’m going to take SOOOOO many pictures of the experience. It’s on May 31st at about 5:02pm!

So this summer I am taking 2 classes and this is what they are:

AT300 – Intro to ATC – Professor Marv Smith

This class so far is exactly what I expected it to be which really isn’t a good thing. It’s not anyone’s fault it’s just the fact that the class is so tedious with the little things we have to learn and its just not the most exciting material, but it’s necessary. The Professor is awesome, he’s a funny guy and he understands that this stuff isn’t the most exciting material so he does the best to make it fun. I’m in the class with 2 of my friends so it makes it a little bit easier!!!

AS254- Aviation Legislation- Professor Frank Gallup

This class is an okay class but its run a little bit different. The class is basically run by the students. We each have two presentations that we have to do throughout the semester we do one on a piece of Legislation that has affected Aviation and then we have to do one on an Airline Case Study. Each presentation requires a four page report, a one page summary, a power-point and a 20 minute presentation. It sounds like a lot and I pretty much FLIPPED out when I found out, but I don’t think it’s going to be as bad I feared.

This summer is going to be filled with a whole bunch of my activities outside the norm, and I’m going to make the best of it as possible. One thing that I am most looking forward to is when my Mom is coming to visit me in June. Since I can’t go home this summer due to my job it will be nice to have a little bit of home come to me!

I hope that everyone is enjoying their summer so far, or are finishing up a great year and looking forward to a great summer. I’ll be writing every two weeks like I did during the year and if anyone has questions, comments concerns, feel free to contact me.. ALSO.. Please continue to send ideas of what you would like to see on the campus so that I can include it in the Admissions video that is going to be made!!! This is for your benefit so get your input!!!!!

Until Next Time,

Joe Jaworski

AIM: Hyporboy226

Email: Jaworksj@erau.edu

Pics: www.virb.com/joejaworskiatc

I seriously can’t believe it. Two years ago I was graduating high school, I got accepted to Riddle, and life was going by so quick. Now, here I am saying good bye once again at the end of my sophomore year of college. This year has flown by and, when I thought nothing could top my first year of college, I couldn’t be more wrong. My second year was amazing and I’m glad that I got the opportunity to share it with all of you! I have had a busy month, so I have a lot to tell, but let’s begin by wrapping up the classes!

MWF 10:30am-11:30am – Air Traffic Management III – Well, I’m really going to miss this class next year. Fortunately, I will be in another class which will be even harder! This class dealt with Daytona’s airspace and next semester we’ll switch to Orlando’s airspace! It should be pretty fun. I ended up taking our final test and I got an A in the class, so I’m definitely happy about that.

TTH 8:15am-9:30am – Aviation Legislation – Well, after I wrote my paper and did my presentation, the class was pretty much over. We had an optional final exam that would replace the lowest test grade, but I didn’t need to take it because I managed to pull a 90%! Overall, this class was pretty cool. Although I didn’t enjoy the writing aspect of it, I did like learning about the past of the airline industry. A lot of interesting stuff happened to the airline industry in the past. You should google it some time!
TTH 9:45am-11:00am – Aerodynamics – I got an A in this class as well! I liked my professor so much that I signed up for another class in the Fall with him. He is a really cool guy and I like his teaching methods, so I figured why not take him again? Overall, this class was definitely one of the most interesting. Learning how all the aspects of a plane fit together so that it can produce lift and actually fly is pretty wild. You tend to not think about it once you are surrounded by airplanes, or even just fly them for traveling purposes. You never really stop and think about how amazing it is that something so heavy can cut through the sky…sorry, didn’t mean to get all weird! Anyways, cool class.
TTH 11:15am-12:30pm – Commercial Pilot Ops. – On my way to a 4.0! I got an A in this class, so I’m definitely happy about that. I enjoyed this class for a couple of reasons. One, the stuff we went over directly relates to what I am going to be doing, which is nice. Not crazy situations or stuff that will never happen. Also, the way the class was structured, there was no hour and a half lectures followed by hours of busy work. It was an open discussion type of class with only work that directly pertains to what we were doing. I liked that. It felt like I was learning exactly what I needed to rather than some nonsense gibberish.
TTH 3:45pm-5:00pm – Aircraft Engines – Well, this semester was going good, then I got a B. Don’t worry, I’m not one of those people who have a nervous breakdown at the sight of a B, I just prefer A’s! I got an 88% and I just couldn’t seem to break the 90 barrier. Oh well, the class was cool though. Jet engines are fascinating and now I know a lot more about them than I used too!
TTHS 7:45pm-12:00am – Flight – Well, I finished up my instrument rating and I jumped right into my commercial course. I asked my friend Ryan if he had any availability, and he scheduled me for a bunch of activities. I mean, a lot of activities. Usually, you’ll have about three activities per week, well Ryan scheduled me for three activities one day, two the next, and then another two activities! I have recently slowed the pace down, but I’m definitely glad I was able to get a jump start on it. I’ll be working on my commercial over the summer, and then if all goes to plan, I’ll start working on becoming an instructor at Riddle! I could even be your instructor one day! That is kinda scary, not in a bad way, but it seems like just yesterday I had never flown a plane and now I’m getting closer and closer to showing other people how to fly! It’s crazy!
Well, this past month has been amazing. No exaggerations, this has been one of the best times in my life. I’ve been busy with so many things, so time just flies by. From Frisbee to AOA to random flights and concerts, it’s been awesome.
Next semester, I signed up for some pretty tricky classes. I am taking Air Traffic Management IV, Aircraft Performance, Aircraft Systems & Components, Flight Physiology, and my Flight Instructor ground lab. It should be a pretty busy semester.
One of the best choices I have made this semester was joining AOA. After being in it only a semester, I am already kicking myself for not joining sooner! There are so many cool guys that are graduating, so I won’t be seeing them next year. Fortunately, there are still a lot of cool people still in, and hopefully more joining next semester.
In April we gave tours of the College of Aviation (COA) building to all the new students for next Fall. Maybe one of you saw me! I was in a burgundy shirt, well, so was everyone else… Anyway, I had a lot of fun giving tours and answering questions. I’m looking forward to doing that some more next year. A couple of weeks ago we had a fundraiser for AOA by bowling, and me and my friend Cris placed 5th out of 15. Not too bad considering we both suck at bowling!
One of the best memories I have had this semester was when I went to Charleston, South Carolina for an AOA retreat. There were about 15-20ish of us that drove up to a friend’s beach house and spent the weekend up there. We went to Fort Sumter and downtown Charleston and had a blast. It was a great experience and I got to know everyone on a different level, so it was definitely a good trip. There are so many memories, but I’ll share one with you. You won’t get it, but I will never forget this: “I could really go for a cheeseburger.” HAHAHAHAHAHAH I’m laughing now, maybe you’ll get it someday, but you really had to be there!
Next year I will be the Philanthropy Chair for AOA which means I will be in charge of all the philanthropy events that we do, which is a lot! My friend Jake was the chair, but now he is going to be the president. I hope I can do as good of a job as he did, but I have some big shoes to fill! If you are a future student reading this and are majoring in Aeronautical Science, you should definitely come check us out. There really is a great group of people here, and we have a lot of fun doing what we do!
In mid-April, I went with my friends Cris and Adam and flew to Miami for the day. We rented an airplane and flew down in the morning. My friend Cris lives in Miami, so we got picked up from the airport and had a lunch cooked by his mom. Then we went out to the beach for a couple hours and had dinner with his dad. We cruised around South Beach and saw some pretty amazing cars. We were cruising around in a 1977 convertible baby blue Bug, so we got some looks too. Overall, it was fun to get out of Daytona for the day and fly to Miami.
Any golfing fans? By the grace of God, I somehow had the opportunity to fly to Augusta to watch the practice round of golfing at the Masters! Four of my friends in AOA were going to fly to Augusta for the Masters and to see Hootie & the Blowfish, but one of my friends had to cancel at the last minute, so they asked me! We flew out after my last class and landed in Augusta in just enough time to grab some food and go to the concert. I have been listening to Hootie & the Blowfish for a long long time and I am so glad I got to see them in concert. They put on an awesome show and I would definitely see them again if they come to Florida. The next morning we went to the Masters and saw the Par 3 Contest and we got to see all the golfers practicing. It was wild; I mean I’ve seen it on TV, but seeing it in person is amazing. I’m so thankful I got the chance to do that!
Speaking of concerts, I went to go see Pepper in Orlando and let me tell you, they put on an awesome show. I went with my friends Cris and Adam and we had a blast. I just found out that Pepper is going on tour with Slightly Stoopid (best band of all time) this summer! They are coming to Florida and I am wicked psyched that they are coming back. They actually just played in Virginia, and while my roommate Adam was home, he saw them and actually got to go backstage and hang with them! He got one of the singer’s numbers and he said to give him a call when they come down to Florida to get backstage after the show! That would be amazing if that actually happens!!!
Well, sadly we had our last Frisbee game one week ago, but we are trying to see who will still be around for the summer so we can still play. I went to the team barbeque last week and got to hang out with some of the guys on the team outside of when we are playing, which was pretty fun. We had a lot of fun and had a lot of food. Seriously, there was so much food.
Oh, another flight I went on was to Savannah with my friends Aaron and Chris. We flew up to see my cousin who goes to SCAD. We went out to lunch and got a tour of the city. We ended up flying back a little later, but it was a lot of fun. I like to just hop in a plane and go fly somewhere. It really is fun.
This past weekend my friends Annita, Stephanie, and Leslie came down from Gainesville to hang out in Daytona. We went to the beach and hung out, and then we went to Razzle’s, which is a club in Daytona. I’m not really a club guy, but somehow they convinced me to go and I’m glad I did because I had a lot of fun. Probably sometime in about two weeks, me and some friends will make the trip up to Gainesville to go hang out at the University of Florida. Should be good times!
Over the summer, my friend Jake is doing an internship with American Airlines and he will be writing journals like mine. I don’t have the link yet, but I’m sure it will be somewhere off to your left around late May. You should definitely go check them out and send him emails asking him to do the Soulja boy dance. Trust me, its well worth it!
Well my friends, here we are at the end of the journal, but this journal isn’t like the others. This is the last one! I know I thought that one year ago I would be writing my last journal, but I got the chance to write it for another year, and I couldn’t pass that up! But now it is time to pass the torch (figuratively speaking…I don’t have a torch) to the next person! I hope that you have enjoyed reading these journals as much as I have enjoyed writing them. Hopefully you learned something or laughed or something along those lines. I’m definitely excited to be here and you should be too if you are on your way here! I hope everyone has a good summer and a good life after that! Stay in school, drink your milk, and fly planes as much as possible. Trust me, once you get in a plane and you are the only one flying it, there’s nothing else you can do; you’ll be hooked. Just make sure you get hooked at Riddle, they’ll show you how to turn your passion into a career. I’m already on my way, and I hope you’ll be there soon too!
-Blake

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