The beginning of it all

I have: a BIG announcement!!!
No, I'm not pregnant. Nor am I engaged. Nor do I have a boyfriend.

But! What I do have: AN INTERNSHIP!!!!!

Last year, God gave me the opportunity to go out to California for an internship. Then over spring break, my grandmother had her stroke, which made me rethink my summer plans. I knew at the time that I wasn't ready for California. I was quite disappointed. But I knew it was the right choice. So the following summer was spent in Watertown, SD, taking my grandmother to her therapy appointments and spending quality time with my sister, all while applying for "last-minute" jobs. Needless to say, I didn't get any bites, although I did get a week stint cashiering for a fireworks company during the week of the 4th. It was a frustrating summer, because I was jobless. At the same time, it was so wonderful to spend time with my sister and family, while knowing I'd be able to be home and take care of gramma.

Now things have changed. This summer I NEED an internship, and knowing the Watertown area, I just couldn't say "yes" to staying there for another summer, not knowing if I'd get an internship. So what was left? The cities...meh. Option, yes. Bismarck, Fargo, and even Camp were all tossed around as ideas. I sent some resumes and followed up with a few of them. But so far nothing was coming through. And I was getting increasingly irritated, frustrated, thinking that maybe I was some big failure that I couldn't even get an internship.

I would see "want" ads posted around campus for "NEEDED ROOMMATE FOR SUMMER"...and although I wanted to call them up and say, "hey, yeah, I'll take you up on that," something held me back. I'm glad I did.

Friday around 4 pm, I called up the same place that I was going to intern at last year in (CA) and just ask if they had any openings left. Immediately, she said, "YES!" And after she asked, "what are you studying?" and I answered "I am a senior journalism major," she let out another shout of praise. Having previously had English majors as interns, she had gotten frustrated with them when they couldn't catch on to the journalistic style of writing. Within 5 minutes, she had offered me the internship!!!! I asked her if she wanted me to send a resume or anything, and she said, "Yeah, sure, send it on over. But as far as the internship is concerned, I wouldn't doubt that you'll be great." So I sent in my resume and a few clippings (articles I've previously written/published.) The Ventura County Reporter will be my next place of...well...semi-employment. It is (of course as the economy goes) unpaid. But heck, to live in Cali and do an internship there...I COULD CARE LESS! (Ok, well I care a little, but not enough to dampen any elation!)

I hung up the phone more excited than you can imagine. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops!!! (I still do, and the next time i see any of you, I will probably tell you with a huge grin on my face.)

Later that night, I called up my aunt who lives in Ventura, and told her I got the internship. She was elated! Her and my uncle had wanted me to come out there to stay with them last year. When I told her, she was just as excited to have me stay there over the summer as I am to be able to stay there!!

Details are still in the works. I will most likely leave just before memorial day (to beat the high airline prices), and I start the internship June 2. As for when I am coming back, I am looking at August 8-14. But times when I intern still need to be worked out, as well as transportation. I am also looking for summer jobs while I'm out there, since I will need some extra income for cell phone bill and to help out with groceries, etc.

Am I nervous and scared and sad to leave the great state of MN for 10 weeks? Yes. Am I sad that my family will be here in the Midwest without me? Yes. Am I going to miss my sister? more than ever. Am I going to miss my parents? Also more than ever. Am I going to miss my dog??? well, don't tell them, but probably a little more than all of them combined! lol...only kidding...a little bit.
Am I going to miss the friends I have here? "Ya, Sure, ya Betcha!"

But as much as I am terrified and broken-hearted to leave these people behind for 10 weeks, I am MORE excited about being in Sunny California for the majority of my summer vacation. I will be working on stories in California. I will be working in California. And on the minimal down-time I have, I will be soaking up every last ray of the California sun on California beaches.