It's hard to believe I've been in Arkansas for over three months already. Needless to say, it's been an adventure in and of itself. A lot has changed all at once. I've been challenged time and time again, but I am learning to love Arkansas and all it has to offer. At long last I have a blog post to share, combining multiple adventures including trips to the Clinton Presidential Library, Graceland, Crater of Diamonds State Park, and of course, my beloved home of Blacksburg, Virginia.
Jurassic Park(ansas)
During my first weekend in Arkansas, I made a trip to Little Rock largely in part because I was going through Chipotle withdrawal, but also to check out the William J. Clinton Presidential Library. The Clinton Library is the fourth Presidential Library I have visited. A few summers ago I visited the George W. Bush Library in Dallas and the Lyndon B. Johnson Library in Austin while on vacation with my family.
In March, I visited the George H.W. Bush Library at Texas A&M University while at the Conference on Student Government Associations with the Virginia Tech SGA. While there, I gave a
presentation on the Hokie Effect Program.
Unlike my visit to "Aggieland" the Clinton Library did not include a recreation of the closing scene of the second season of House of Cards. It was, however, reminiscent of a trip to Jurassic Park.
Over the summer, the Clinton Library hosted a "Dinosaurs Around The World" exhibit complete with life size animatronic dinosaurs. Having just seen the new film Jurassic World a few weeks before, this exhibit was particularly cool. I learned a lot more about the Clinton Presidency than I had ever known, and admittedly lost count of the number of saxophones on display throughout the library.
My fascination with the presidency is undying, as I spent many years thinking I wanted to be President of the United States one day. While that aspiration is now long gone, I greatly admire the individuals strong enough to take on such a taxing job. With four Presidential Libraries checked off already, I have ten more to visit.
My mom and sister got a chance to visit the Clinton Library and the dinosaur exhibit when they visited me in late August. Their time in Arkansas, while too short, was easily one of my best weeks here. We really got to explore Conway for the first time, and tried some of the best food the town has to offer. Since moving here, I started painting canvases to relax and decorate my apartments bare walls. I got to share this new hobby with my mom and sister while they were in town. We all painted together one night, and some of my paintings are hanging in my apartment now. My move also marks the first time I've had to cook on my own. While my cooking skills have improved since I have arrived, nothing beats my mom's cooking. I don't know when their next visit will be, but I can't wait to be home with them for Thanksgiving.
Warriors of Worsham - Orange Effect
Even a twelve hour drive wasn't going to keep me from being in Lane Stadium for the Orange Effect game vs the defending national champion Ohio State. On my drive, I stopped halfway for a night in Nashville, Tennessee with Austin Tatum. We went to dinner at a Burger Parlor/Beer Garden called
Pharmacy Burger with a few of Austin's friends who go to University of Tennessee. They were in town for the Tennessee vs. Bowling Green game. It was that night that I had one of the most delicious falafel burgers of my life. If you're ever in Nashville, don't miss this restaurant. Austin and I made the rest of the trip Saturday morning. We jammed out to Justin Timberlake's 20/20 Experience on the way, just as we did on our road trip to his concert in Philadelphia last December.
Upon arriving in Blacksburg, I was reunited with my brother who seems to be thoroughly enjoying his freshmen year so far. Words cannot describe how jealous I am that he has four more years in Blacksburg. My first stop was Cabo Fish Taco, where I began my weekend of catching up with friends. I needed that weekend in Blacksburg more than I could have ever imagined. As the days went on I saw more and more familiar faces, made my way downtown, ate some Benny's Pizza, and crashed on my favorite futon in Blacksburg.
Sunday's Brad Paisley concert was all kinds of awesome. There is no denying it, that man knows how to put on a show. A projected crowd of 30,000 fans packed the McComas parking lot for the free concert. He sang his hits, "facetimed" Carrie Underwood in for a duet of
Remind Me, and managed to play his own rendition of Enter Sandman. Jumping occurred.
An already amazing weekend led into Monday's gameday festivities. As I sat outside Gillie's for breakfast with my SGA adviser Jaime, I was blown away by the number of people wearing Orange Effect shirts. I couldn't wait to see the the stands in Lane filled with people in Orange. The turnout did not disappoint.
The game itself was a thrill and while the final score wasn't what I had hoped for, nothing beats jumping to Enter Sandman with 66,000 of your closest friends.The weekend served as a welcome reminder that while I may not be in Blacksburg anymore, I am a Hokie for life.
Taking Care of Business In A Flash
My dad came to visit for a few days during the first week of October. We made a trip to Memphis, Tennessee to visit Graceland: Home of Elvis Presley. Memphis is about two and a half hours from Conway.
I didn't know what to expect from Elvis' home. I went in with low expectations, and was very impressed. The tour was led by John Stamos on an iPad, and included Elvis' private jets and his estate which he purchased at age 22. I knew "The King" was a big deal having loved his music for years, but I hadn't realized how young he was when he first found fame.
The estate was truly fit for a king, including gold plated seat belt buckles on the plane and a personal racquetball court among other things. The amount of Elvis memorabilia for sale was astounding. The gift shops sold everything from Elvis nail files to Elvis clocks. I was surprised to learn that Elvis and many of his family members are buried at the estate - that is, if you believe Elvis is really dead. If you ever make it out to Memphis, Tennessee make some time to visit Graceland, and be sure to have a peanut butter and banana sandwich while you're there.
No Pressure, No Diamonds
Last weekend I visited Arkansas' famous
Crater of Diamonds State Park. This park is the world's eighth-largest diamond bearing volcanic crater. It's open to the public at only $8.00 admission, and if you're lucky enough to find a diamond, you get to keep it. The week I moved to Arkansas, someone found an 8.52 carat diamond, the fifth largest ever found at the park. It has since been named the "Esperanza" Diamond, and is valued at well over $300,000. I knew I had to make a trip out to the crater to find one myself. Spoiler alert, I didn't find a diamond.
Crater of Diamond State Park is located about two and a half hours southwest of Conway in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. I made the trip early Saturday morning and arrived at the park around ten. I had only anticipated being at the park for about two hours, but before I knew it it was almost one o'clock and I hadn't even tried wet sifting yet. I had spent well over two hours simply digging in the dirt in hopes of finding a diamond. Once I realized the time, I filled a five-gallon bucket with dirt, and made my way over to the troughs of water to wet sift. The wet sifting process was physically taxing, but a lot more rewarding. There were multiple points during my search that I was certain I had found a diamond, only to later find out my findings were quartz and jasper.
There were people of all ages at the park. Most of the children were more enamored with the fact that they were allowed to roll around in the dirt than that they could find a diamond. I overheard conversations of people who had traveled from all over just hoping to get rich quick. One elderly lady had traveled with her two daughters, one of whom has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and has always wanted to come to the park. When they arrived however, the daughter was having too difficult of a day to even leave the hotel. So her mom and sister went to the park to dig and clean off rocks for her. The park allows visitors to take up to 5-gallons of cleaned rocks out of the park to search at home. That's exactly what they did, so that the daughter with MS could search through the cleaned rocks for a diamond just as she intended. I really hope she finds one. Another couple nearby had decided to change their plans of a vacation to Jamaica to instead go on a "prospecting vacation." Earlier in the week they were in Colorado for gold mining, and the next day they were leaving for North Carolina to mine for ruby and sapphire gems. For many visitors, it was their first time at the park, but the group nearest me had traveled from Oklahoma City three times already this month.
Supposedly an average of two diamonds are found at the park each day. Maybe next time I make the trip I'll find one like the immaculate Strawn-Wagner Diamond, which is on display at the park.
My plans to attend this weekend's University of Arkansas football game vs Auburn in Fayettville appear to have been washed out by impending thunderstorms. Stay tuned for my next adventure! Ciao!
