Ramadan is Here: What You Need to Know

https://columbiasc.citymomsblog.com/ramadan-need-know/

Getting to the Ground Zero Museum (and to the Ground Zero of My Heart)

When I heard that there was a Katrina museum near my house while I was home for enough time to check it out, I could not stop thinking about it.  Since it was only opened for limited hours and days, I had to finagle to make it work.  The last day before I left, my Mom and I went to the Ground Zero Museum in Waveland, Mississippi.  It was a novel concept to me – I am going to a museum about something that I lived through.  I have been to a lot of museums in my day, but this was different.  It was personal.

I was not sure what I was walking into because I have to be in the right headspace to even talk about Hurricane Katrina.  It was this day or waiting months until the next time I was down, so ready or not, here I was.  I was not sure what I was going to see, but I was a little hesitant that in 3D form something that inhabits my worst reoccurring nightmares would be represented.  This would not be a dream that jolts me awake in cold sweats.  This would be something I would see, touch, hear, and feel.  

It was impossible to not be transported through space and time when I looked up at the timeline on the wall of the events that unfolded for this ravaging hurricane.  I went through my own personal timeline.  I was doing this here on this day and so on and so forth. 

There was a room that represented what the houses looked like after the storm.  I had to remind myself to keep breathing and in this moment on this day I was okay.  This was not my current reality, thankfully.  We had been there and done that. 

A museum about Hurricane Katrina?  I felt like I could have created my own museum on this storm.  In a way, all the survivors are living museums of what we saw and experienced.  The artifacts looked so much like what we had to sort through and throw away.  And I was reminded of that horrible day that we pretty much had to throw all our possessions to the road for the garbage man to pick up.  And I remembered that thought I had then that it would have been better to come back to just a foundation rather than have to physically be reminded of what we once had that was no longer safe to keep. 

A tour started pretty soon after we got there, and we just started walking with the group to hear what the tour guide said.  At the end, she finally asked us where we were from.  Once she learned that we had lived through this experience she said that we could have given the tour.  Yes, we could have, but I wanted to be alone with my thoughts to process my reflections.  I wanted to linger at certain parts, like the gratitude tree.  Yes, we were and continue to be so thankful for all the outpouring of help from volunteers at this time.  Some pieces I did not want to linger by – like a case full of things that looked like what we had to throw out of our house.

But at the heart of it – at the ground zero of my heart – I have to appreciate the resilience that it taught me.  September 11^th was jarring, but Hurricane Katrina was so much more personal to me.  Katrina took away an innocence I had about the world.  Bad things can and do happen.  And sometimes I fear things that I did not know to fear before Katrina.  I always think of the worst-case scenario, no matter how bizarre it may be to do so.  To see the strongest people you know in your life break down and lose it was eye-opening.  To feel like this is the moment that you are an adult because you have to stand up and fight through this was pivotal in my life.

For better or worse, I am not the same person I used to be.  Things that used to bother to me do not.  I go through this mental checklist – do I have water, electricity, a shelter, hot food?  Well, then, I guess it is not that bad.  I am calm in stressful situations.  People have commented on how I just keep at the same level even when things get crazy like in the delivery room, and I am the first one to react with a game plan in a crisis.  Katrina brought that out in me. 

There is a video clip in one of the rooms about Katrina and how you may not have gone through this, but the hope is that you see people’s stories and realize that if they got through this, you can get through whatever you are going on in your life.  Sometimes I have to be reminded of that.  I have to remember just how bad things were and just because things felt that bad then they would not feel that way forever.  And they did not.  We all grew so much through the journey of Hurricane Katrina.  It took over a year to get the house rebuilt, and just because the house was rebuilt did not mean that we were.  It took much longer for that to happen.  But little by little, bit by bit, day by day, we grew stronger and more resilient. 

Much like the Maranda Lambert song, “The House That Built Me,” I had to go to the Ground Zero Museum.  The pictures and artifacts held stories for me.  I had to touch this place and feel it.  And standing in that museum I was reminded of who I once was.  In a strange way, this experience built me into who I am today. Through the brokenness, there was healing and growth.  Sometimes you just have to reflect on how far you have come.  Because as Old Dominion sings, “You can’t keep the ground from shaking no matter how hard you try.  You can’t keep the sunsets from fading.  You’ve got to treat your life like you’re jumping off a rope swing because maybe because the whole thing is really just a shot in the dark.”  At times that is what the experience of Katrina felt like – on a rope swing, not much stability, you may scream a little and want to close your eyes, but eventually you jump and plunge into the next chapter. 

And, luckily, we are still standing.  #resiliency

For more information on the museum, check out http://www.wavelandgroundzero.com/.

2011 Nicaragua superlatives

Most Likely to...


get up close & personal with a body part- Kelsey

"estudio que"-Devon

like a good moustache- Rachael

wash her hair in mountain rain- Maggie

take a Nicaraguan woman home- Donnie

be making dog barking noises- Jay

be singing "Hey Soul Sister"- Alex

be checking people before they wreck themselves-Tabitha

be singing "Dios Es Tan Bueno"- Josh

have the same outfit on in all his pictures-Nick

have a knife-Ray

be the first one asleep, last one up and have a pew nap-Hannah

have mangoes in her hair-Heather

be mispronouncing vienna sausages-Maggie

not be hugging somebody-Anne

hit a baby in the head with a soccer ball-Dillon

be keeping Dillon in check-Courtney

keep Dillon out of trouble with his Spanish skills-Seth

have a gun- Megan a.k.a Peggy

lose his luggage and not wreck himself over it- Joseph

ask if you have had water today-Marcus

speak louder in English when people in Nicaragua do not understand him-Tim

have a constant cough-Andrew

pass out-Kelly

painting nails with Dercy- Lea

do everything like a teacher-Leah

be shopping for a ring-Katie

be braiding someone's hair-Mary Grace

use the cheerleader clap in normal conversation-Sara Lynn

know the time-Katie

be telling in town people what to do (in a good way)-Melanie

be a listening ear-Denise

be doing this (hand game)- Terry

Columbia area bucket list

Columbia area bucket list (in no particular order)


1. geocaching

2. white water rafting

3. Biltmore (x)

4. Wilson's childhood home (x)

5. Fort Sumter

6. girl scout museum

7. Paula Deen's restaurant (X)

8. Governor's mansion tour (x)

9. Edventure (x)

10. Lebanese food @ Elie's (X)

11. Kensington mansion

12. Robert Mills house (x)

13. Manns-Sims Cottage (x)

14. Hampton-Preston mansion (x)

15. Congaree canoe trip

16. botanical garden (x)

17. Carolinian library (x)

18. USC baseball game (x)

19. see the First Baptist table where the secession papers were signed (x)

20. SC military museum

21. Korean church

22. Coca Cola museum

23. Atl aquarium

24. GA capital building-ATL

25. NC capital building- Raleigh

26. SC state library

27. SC Dept of Archives & History

28. Medieval Times

Bucket List

What I want to do before I kick the bucket- in no particular order: (It's a work in progress, but I am finally putting it in writing.)

1. Walk the Great Wall of China

2. See the pyramids in Egypt

3. Spend Christmas in Bethlehem

4. Watch the ball drop in NYC

5. Go to Paris, France

6. Walk Normandy Beach

7. Eat escargot

8. Make it to the North rim of the Grand Canyon

9. See Mt. Rushmore

10. Go to Coney Island

11. Go to San Francisco and visit each place in the Full House opening

12. Go to a Mardi Gras Ball (X)

13. Become Dr. Epperson

14. Go to Holt House at Monmouth College

15. Help deliver a baby (x)

16. See a space shuttle launch live (X)

17. Help out in disaster relief (x) (x)

18. Go to Cornwall, England to see where my family came from

19. Go skiing

20. Run a 5k (X) (X)

21. Go to India and get henna

22. Visit every state capital building

23. Swim with dolphins

24. Give a eulogy (X) (x)

25. Make a good toast at a wedding (X)

26. Become a Godmother (X)(X)(X)(x)

27. Be the Maid of Honor (X) (X)

28. Give a moving speech that makes people cry (X)

29. Eat chitlins

30. See the redwood forest

31. Go to the rainforest (X)

32. Climb a mountain (X)

33. Visit Pi Beta Phi Headquarters (X)

34. Serve on AAC (X)

35.  Give out 20,000 books to children (Fraternity Day of Service) (X)

36. Go scuba diving (x)

Baby went to Amsterdam...

Baby went to Amsterdam, put a little money into traveling.

It went slow, slow.


Well, I am in Amsterdam. Things are going slow. It is 5 a.m. my time, and I certainly would not be up under normal circumstances by any means. I have a 10 hour lay-over! I really fought with myself about staying in the airport. I'm ITCHING to see the city. I've been in this airport twice but never saw Amsterdam. Sigh. I will have to wait until I can visit it and do the city justice instead of get just a crash course. I'm stifling my inner conversation, which is telling me, "Live a little, Tabitha." Well, after finding a toilet that actually flushed, I head upstairs to the food. Out of habit or something. What do I do when I am bored? I eat. As I sat down, I realized that I just ate breakfast on the plane. What am I? A Pig? I am not hungry. However, I'm so ahead of my flight that it s not even showing up on the departure board. Ugh. What is there to do? I have a small pillow and blanket in the off chance I'll be able to sleep in a chair waiting the next billion hours. OR I have them in case the hostels are particularly nasty. Either way, I'm good. I found my first love here - Ronald McDonald. He called to me - in a statue form and told me to eat his food. I always want to try my favorite food, McDonald's, in other countries to see if it tastes the same. I had a cheeseburger happy meal today - picture taken to document it. The pickle tasted sweeter. The onions were cut finer. Yogurt was included in a tiny cup. Reality sinks in as I chew french fries that I am not hungry and now have one less thing to do. I can't really even go to my terminal or gate. I don't know where they are. I'm suddenly longing for human contact. I tried getting internet on my ipod. So much for giving up the internet on this trip. Oh well, the signal doesn't even connect. I was going to let someone know that I made it to Amsterdam - someone, anyway, but I have no internet. I'll turn on the cell soon, just to see if I get a signal. I'm really tired. I want a nap. Hopefully I can get good sleep at the hostel. I long to talk to someone. I don't know why but I am overcome with loneliness. Maybe because I constantly have my sister with me nowadays. Maybe because I am meeting no one until tomorrow. I don't know what it is. I scan through my head- who could I call on this continent? B - don't have her number here. M - she is asleep like I wish I was. Mo - I don't even have the country code. I wish I could hear B's voice. I also appreciate the fact that my ipod will act like it is playing music, but I can't hear it. So it's either writing or reading. I might walk around the shops downstairs but I have looked at them before - two years ago. I had a four hour lay-over then, and I thought that was bad. Geesh. Yet another thing I would tell younger Tab if I could go back in time: Four hour lay-overs are not the worst that could happen. I debate about eating the rest of my fries or not. Frankly, when it comes between eating and sleeping with me, sleeping always wins, unless I'm too hungry to fall asleep. I ponder my next steps. I see a wifi zone. I also remember I could call A in Germany, but what's the point? "Hey, I'm on your continent, not going to see you, and I'm bored." I'm ready for an adventure but oh so tired. I see a man sleeping at the table. That's a thought. I go downstairs. No such luck picking up a wireless signal. I do find chairs perfect for sleeping. They have tall backs, are extra cushioned and extra big. The big shelf-life hand rests are perfect to elevate my bag/pillow combination. I sleep for maybe an hour or two and dream about a security guard in the airport talking about customs regulations. This is probably because my sleep is punctured by announcements. "Attention: Europe has strict regulations on liquids. However, the alcohol you purchase in the airport can be taken aboard as a carry on." It was hard to make myself wake up, but I had to or I'd never sleep tonight. I did have some fitful sleep on the way here, but I kept flipping from one side of the seat to the other. I watched Enchanted during/after dinner and an episode of the Office, What it takes about Denzel Washington, and an episode of Dirtiest Jobs - about making cheese before/during my breakfast. I hope I get a snack or something on this next flight. Already my time is off. I think I will sleep good tonight. There is not much to write about yet it seems because I have only seen the inside of the airport, ones that I have already seen before at that. I did get another stamp in my passport though stating that I was in Amsterdam. Hopefully I'll get one in Rome. After hearing a group of people talk incessantly in Chinese and getting really cold waiting at my gate, I ventured out to get dinner. I was really hungry. I wanted chocolate and cheese. I crave random things when I travel. I always want tomato juice when I fly and trail mix when I go on road trips. I paid particular attention to get European chocolate because I love it and cheese- something different because they sold a lot of it here. I got a pack of croutons/crustinis, salami, and cheese. I got an extra dark chocolate bar with orange flavoring, and for a drink, I had to settle for coke because I did not want a beer, water, or iced coffee. I sure wish I had my knitting. I could have finished that darn scarf all this time that I have been waiting. I'm almost done with the 12th Lemony Snickets book. I need to get Euros, but I'll get them in Italy. I hate carrying cash with me. This has been over 24 hours of travel by my time zone. Waiting is no fun. I vowed to myself that when I went to Germany alone that next time I would have someone with me. So much for that. I finally have time to myself to think but my mind is fuzzied by lack of sleep. I'm afraid after all this waiting that I'll fall asleep and miss my flight. That would suck. I could not help but notice that there has been plenty of flights to Rome since I have been here. Maybe as part of its cheapness, they put me on the flight nobody wanted.

7 & 10 hour layovers (Travel day for Italy trip)

This morning was crazy. I moved things from one bag to another. I wanted to not have to check anything in. Well, if it was a larger plane, that might have worked. I left my phone charger in the luggage I checked. That will work nicely on my 7 hour lay-over in Memphis. Oh well. Nothing is perfect. I sure wish I had some knitting with me. I flew on the tiniest plane that I have flown on yet in Hattiesburg. That airport is really convenient. I had been stressing about getting things done, but everything worked perfectly, even my gallon size ziploc instead of quart size. As I pulled up to the airport, I was met with a flood of emotions. I recalled all those happy hellos and sad goodbyes with Bjorn. Was I happy or sad today? Neither, really. Going on big trips like this, I always get cold feet. I can stay at home. You know, I really like my bed. It is comfortable. I have been really nervous about this trip, probably because I will have my sister in my apartment when Iam gone, and I don't want her to break anything else. Also, I will not have someone waiting on me at the airport. That's sad. I always seem to travel alone. On one hand, it is sad, but on the other hand, it is liberating. I get time to sort out my feelings, which does not happen often with my sister. Anyway, something awesome happened at the Hattiesburg-Laurel airport. Every once in a while, life offers you a chance to meet a kindred spirit. Today I met Kim. She is probably ten years older than me, and I wonder - will I be like her when I am her age? She has the hair color I wish mine would be more like - more auburn. Her make-up is how I attempt to get mine to look like. I enjoyed talking to her. She was the first person I talked to in the airport, we ended up next to each other in security pre-boarding, we talked until we got ont he plane, and I ended up sitting in front of her on the way to Memphis. Since I had a seven hour lay-over in Elvis town, I agreed to hang out with her as she waited to go to Oklahoma. I had no problem talking to her. If I end up in Oklahoma City again, we should do lunch. She gave me a magazine to read and said that there is a paper in there with her e-mail address. So, I'm still in the states and had something pretty cool happen. People in airports never really connect to each other, but I felt we did. People, myself included, are usually too much in a hnurry with their agenda or next flight to connect. It reminds me that sometimes when I slow down, amazing things can happen.

On the eve's eve's eve of my trip

I leave for Italy in two days - TWO DAYS! I had been incredibly excited about it, but today I'm suddenly choked by anxiety. I have the packing list. I've checked it twice. I know what I need. I've done trips like this before. This is my second visit to Europe. It has been a long, hard year, and I am ready for it be over. I am to the point that I have given and given and feel that I have nothing left to give. I just need to regain control of my life because I feel like it has been so out of control lately. I know I will write more about Italy, but for now, I'm concerned about trying exchanging money, packing, and letting it all sink in that I will be on an amazing trip with one of my closest friends soon.