First Week of Practice

I’ve been back home for a week now. It’s been super relaxing as I have been at home for most of the week. I went to cross country practice this past whole week and I survived! I am in shape! I’ve been in B group the whole week which is nice. I survived the 5.2 mile Gahr loop run the first day.Thursday was the Gahr Two-Mile Time trial. My first race of the season. Surprisingly, I somehow PRed, 14:12, a 1:02 improvement from last year. It was a tough time trial for me. Halfway though it, my legs were dead on tired and sore. But I kept pushing myself and sure enough, I PRed. I’ll take that. It means I am in shape and ready for Mammoth Camp. My runs in Massachusetts paid off!

Back Home

So I am back home after four weeks out in Massachusetts. I flew in Friday night into LAX. Other than getting delayed 45 minutes on the runway of Logan Airport, the flight was pretty nice. JetBlue has the best flight experience ever! The seats are leather and comfortable and lots of leg room. They give free snacks and drinks twice. And best of all, free XM Satellite radio and 36 channels of DirecTV all throughout the flight. 

The last four weeks have been one of the best times and experiences of my life. It was a great experience for me as like a college student, sleeping in the dorms and going to class. Everyone one of us Summer Transportation Institute (STI) participants had fun and learned a lot of things. The 3 counselors were awesome and Dr. Spring was chill. We went to I think 8 field trips. I think I know the roadways of Boston better than some of them now. LOL We learned so many things about the field of transportation in regards to engineering. We got to learn about civil engineering, bridge building, maritime operations, roadway designs, airplanes, anything you can name that is related to transportation. 

Last Friday was the last day of the program. It was an emotional time after the closing luncheon as everyone was leaving. For four weeks, we were a family. We spent nights playing card games, Counter Strike, Poker, Rockband, manhunt, and other fun activities. We went to many places together to play lazer tag, go carting, mini-golf, watch movies, dine together, etc. After the luncheon as everyone checked out of the dorms, we all took pictures together. We signed each other’s yearbooks and talked about keeping in touch. Everyone just did not want to leave. We were a “ohana”.

Talking about keeping in touch, we found each other’s AIM and had a group chat last night. We then took it to the next level with a conference call on Skype and then webcam on Oovoo. I will never forget each and everyone one of them. The memories we shared together are ones that will last forever. 

But it feels nice to be back home

Standing in the Atlantic Ocean on July 4th, 2010

All the members of the 2010 Summer Transportation Institute Program

3 Weeks in Massachusetts

BILLERICA, MA - I am staying over at my roommate’s, Nikolay, house here in Billerica for this weekend. Hard to believe but 3 weeks of the Summer Transportation Institute Program at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA are over. Just one week left and I’ll be back home. These last three weeks have been real fun and exciting in many ways. We’ve been down to Boston many times now for field trips and I have stayed at homes in both Northern Massachusetts and Southern Massachusetts. I kind of look at my 4-week stay here in Massachusetts as a learning experience and a vacation.

During the weekdays, I stay at our dorm room at Merrimack. We were supposed to stay at Santagati Hall, which is nice with carpet floors, but we were moved to Monican centre. My roommates are Nikolay, Jim, and Nathan, all from around the area. In our rooms, we have a common room and 2 other rooms and a restroom. I room with Nikolay and we each have a dresser, closet, and a twin sized bed in our room. There is no A/C so in order to combat the heat and humidity, Nikolay brought a fan the second week. That provided a lot of relief sleeping. 

There are 22 of us total, ranging from sophomores to seniors in high school. We have 3 wonderful counselors who attend Merrimack College. Most of the 22 participants of the STI program are from Massachusetts. I hold the honor of farthest traveled as I flew to Boston by myself from L.A. 2 people are from New York, 1 from New Jersey, 1 from Virginia, and everyone else is from around the state of Massachusetts. We have gone to many field trips so far. We’ve been to a team-building Ropes Course in New Hampshire, Massport Tour, Boston Harbor Tour, Volpe Center in Cambridge, Chelsea Street Project, shopping at Fanueil Hall (Quincy Market) and Northshore Mall, Cape Cod Coast Guard Air Station, the beach at Cape Cod, tour of HNTB Boston office, tour of the Zipper lane on Interstate 93, and tour of the Traffic Operations Center. We have run into Boston traffic just about every single time we head into Boston. It is horrible. In addition, representatives from different companies have come in and spoken to us about their profession and what they do. We have had transportation planners, designers, visualizers, civil engineers, inspectors, and much more people come in and talk to us. It is very informative. Also, Merrimack faculty staff has come in and talked to us about college admissions, writing great resumes, good study habits, and making great presentation. 

The July Fourth weekend, I stayed in the town of Danvers, Massachusetts, located in Northern Massachusetts. We went up to Canopie Lake  Park in Salem, N.H., which is the Knotts Berry Farm of the New England region. The rides were fun. Saw the firework show of Danvers which was impressive and also went to two beaches on the Fourth of July. We went around 6PM and I stepped foot into the Atlantic Ocean. How fitting, on July 4th, “from sea to shining sea” for me. Saw another firework show on the Fourth.

Last weekend, I stayed at a friend’s house in Norfolk, Massachusetts, which is located in Southern Massachusetts. We went to go see a professional MLS soccer game between the New England Galaxy and coincidently, the Los Angeles Galaxy at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. NE won 2-0 as L.A. rested Landon Donovan. It was a great experience as I got to walk in the place where the Patriots play. My friend had season tickets so they obtained a ticket for me. Went to the Museum of Science in Boston also. The exhibits were quite fascinating.

One more week left and I’ll be home next Friday, the 23rd. This last week, we are going to a few places and then wrapping things up. O man has it been fun and I’m enjoying it a lot here in Massachusetts.