A Change of Appearance

So before I leave for AmeriCorps, I made a list of things I need to do and things I want to do. On that list was to get a new tattoo to memorialize where I'm from and what home means to me. So I chose to get a tattoo that symbolized the final exit.The tattoo is Heaven's gates (open, of course) and underneath it says "exit 59". Exit 59 is the exit to Milford Parkway. It is where i am from, and it is where my eldest brother lost his life. Adam was killed while exiting Milford Parkway to see a movie with his wife. We put a little brown cross out on the side of the road that no one ever notices.. But I wanted people to know what that means to me.. so that is why I got this tattoo.

until next time.
Kari R. Shields

OUTER BANKS, NORTH CAROLINA

Ben and I had such an amazing time in Outer Banks, North Carolina. It was such a much needed break from the everyday hustle and bustle of work, car trouble, bills, and getting ready for the big move. We stayed at the Quality Inn Carolina Front and it was really nice. They served waffles and biscuits every morning. YUM! We spent everyday on the beach and by the pool. On Monday we went jet skiing! It was so much fun! We had never been jet skiing and it was such an experience. By Wednesday we were terribly sun burned but it thunder stormed on Wednesday morning and the humidity was really high so we took advantage of the poor weather and explored the banks by going the the pier and going shopping in the little beach shops. If you ever make it out to The Outer Banks you MUST go to the following restaurants: High Cotton BBQ, Outer Banks Brewery, and Port O Calls. High Cotton BBQ is delicious and the cheapest we ate while on vacation. Outer Banks Brewery brews their own beer in the restaurant but it is a little expensive. Port O Calls is an interesting restaurant that everyone on the banks needs to try once. The decor is so unique with couches made of bull horns and cow hide and Marilyn Monroe photos everywhere! it was great in there. the food was just average though. and in case you wont make it to the beach this year, here are some pictures to tide you over!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,
kari

49 days before the big move!

I have 49 days until i move on August 31st. There are so many things im looking forward to- I just added my Vicksburg Campus on facebook and have met some people that will be on my team and i got to see some pictures of my campus! Though the pictures are old and the campus has since been rennovated, it still looks amazing! Our campus used to be a Catholic college:

Here is a picture of our meeting hall which used to be a Church for the college:

Here are a couple of the living quarters:

THE POOL! which has since been emptied, cleaned and refilled...

And a few other sights around campus:

I read that there are soccer fields, tennis courts, and volleyball nets too!

My Americorps NCCC experience in Vicksburg Mississippi is going to be amazing!