Missing My Roommate 'Across the Pond'

PBA student Chloe Westrich studied abroad in London, England.

What would you do if your roommate got accepted to a study abroad program halfway through the school year, which also meant he/she had to leave you? One of my PBA roommates for the fall 2011 semester was Chloe Westrich, from St. Louis, Mo. She had the awesome opportunity to participate in PBA's London Semester Program during the spring semester. According to pba.edu, The London Semester Program was the result of a partnership between PBA’s Center for Experiential Learning and Roehampton University, located in southwest London.

Chloe's PBA suitemates bake her a cake. 

Although it was easy congratulating my amazing roommate last fall for this incredible opportunity, it was disappointing to know our time as roommates was coming to an end. Chloe was definitely the glue that held all us suitemates together in the Flagler Towers dorm at PBA. She brought a special something to our suite with her bright smile and genuine personality. In celebration of her acceptance to the program, we baked a going away cake. It was difficult letting her leave, but throughout the semester we viewed her Facebook page, updated with happy photos and messages. Also, our entire suite contacted her through Skype on her birthday, which she spent in London, as well.

Chloe recently arrived safely back to the U.S. with lots of stories and experiences! Last weekend, I caught up with her after she settled down, back home, and she filled me in on her time in London. She explained:

Chloe in a London phone booth.

“Studying abroad in London was unlike any other experience I’ve had before. There were some real struggles in the beginning, but by the end of the semester I had fallen head-over-heels in love with the culture, the people, and all the exciting events happening around the city every day.

I was stretched in absolutely every way possible including: physically, emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually. I became familiar with another culture, but was also able to understand my own culture even better. I feel like I am walking away from this experience as a changed person: my mind has been opened to even more possibilities around the world and a brand new sense of adventure has been cultivated within me.

I have also been able to escape the typical American lifestyle of constantly rushing from one event to another, and really embrace a more slowed down lifestyle where I can really appreciate the people and events I encounter each day.

Some days I wake up and think to myself, 'Did that semester really just happen, or was all of this just a dream?' I am beyond thankful for the opportunities that I had, the people that I met, the breath-taking places I was able to see, and the once-in-a-lifetime experiences I had over the past four and a half months. I would highly recommend studying abroad to everyone.”

Although I had to share my roommate with London, I'm happy she had such a great life experience.

Have you ever thought about spending a semester abroad?

PBA Alumna to Show 'Garbage' Glam April 19

It's not difficult to "go green" and practice sustainability at Palm Beach Atlantic University. I found my way into the green theme when I first started working with the company Garbage Gone Glam.  When I learned about the company, I didn't know that I'd be working for a cause that would eventually make a huge impact around Palm Beach County and other parts of the country. 

Earth Day Fashion Show downtown WPB 2011

Garbage Gone Glam is a company founded by PBA alumna Kristen Alyce, who studied Fine Art and Education.  I met Kristen while she was working at a CityPlace store. She came up to me and asked me if I would be in the first fashion show in 2009 at the Braman Motorcar Porshe dealership. Her latest show in the area was in February of this year at the E4 Sustainability Summit, put on by the City of West Palm Beach at the weekly Saturday Green Market. The next show will be minutes away from campus, featured at the Norton Museum of Art's "Art After Dark" on April 19. And following that, a showcase in downtown Palm Beach Gardens at the Green Energy Council's annual "Earth Day."

Kristen's bio on GarbageGoneGlam.com states, "Being a true artist, Kristen knew her collection of Vogue & Elle magazines along with large amounts of plastic grocery bags could be put to use again."

That is where the concept of Garbage Gone Glam began, and it has been growing ever since. Kristen makes her creations out of donated or recycled materials.  The main focus has been creating dresses to promote "bettering the environment and saving the earth one piece of art at a time," according to the site. Her dresses are exhibited live by girls who walk down her "magazine cover" runway, modeling creative works of art.  What I love about this cause is the inspiration it shows not only by recycling ordinary and odd materials, but turning them into works of art.

"My designs and shows are meant to do more than make you look beautiful," Kristen said. "They are meant to make over a community and set trends that will last forever. After-all, green really is the new black."

When I walk down the runway during these events wearing the recycled dresses, I love being able to advocate how a little change can make a big difference.  I especially love the time during the fitting appointments for actually making the dresses, where I watch Kristen use material deemed "garbage", and piece by piece use it to form a creation to fit my body.

Check out how to join the cause and attend the events here: http://www.garbagegoneglam.com/

How are you making a green impact?

My Day as an Ambassador for 'Women of Distinction'

The PBA event “Women of Distinction” not only has a lovely title, but a lovely purpose. I had the opportunity to attend this event Wednesday through the Presidential Ambassador Program at PBA. Ambassadors are nominated by a PBA staff or faculty member, and represent the study body at important University functions.  Not many students here are aware of this impressive annual awards luncheon at The Breakers in Palm Beach. It was a gorgeous warm, sunny day, and I had permission to "play hooky" from school to witness the event.

Debbie Levinsky and I take a minute before the awards luncheon to capture a photo of The Breakers scenery.

As an ambassador, my duties for the morning included greeting guests and assisting at the place card table.  Other than that, the day was pretty low key for the students working the event.  However, the amount of work, time and dedication of the University staff was clear by how smoothly the program progressed. After a greeting from PBA Interim President Fleming, the humble recipients of the Women of Distinction Scholarship, two PBA seniors, led the invocation.  Moreover, my taste buds were flowering after a delicious lunch of breaded chicken with a savory vegetable sauce, sweet tomato vinaigrette salad and a chocolate sailfish fin atop a strawberry and blueberry pound cake.

The two “Women of Distinction” awarded were Joyce Sang and Sally Soter.  These women have provided such a great service to the community.  When Mrs. Sang’s 24-year-old son died as a result of his bipolar disorder, she created the “The Ryan Licht Sang Bipolar Foundation” to help suffering families. According to PBA.edu the foundation “established an educational initiative…that teaches high school students, parents and teachers to recognize bipolar disorder and depression [and] in August, the foundation brought this program to schools in Palm Beach County.” In addition, the other honoree, Mrs. Soter, has worked tirelessly to promote the arts, where she “established an endowment of photography, which supports special exhibitions, scholarship opportunities and educational programs at The Norton,” according to PBA.edu. Her second goal has been providing better heart health coverage to women, where she created the “first fully endowed chair exclusively for the purpose of women’s heart health in the United States,” stated on PBA.edu.

One part of Mrs. Sang’s speech I especially admired was she suggested all women in the room are women of distinction. This is inspiring as a college student. It is one of my aspirations to work in a way that serves the community, no matter what career path I take.  I could see how beyond all of the glamour of the event, there brightly shone the theme of women working to serve the community.

There have been many women in my life who have been examples of women of distinction.  When I moved to Florida in middle school I found a church where I was blessed to have such a wonderful youth minister who directed the middle school and high school youth group.  From my adolescent age to my adult years, my youth minister served me unwaveringly. Whether I needed a shoulder to cry on or a head to guide my spiritual journey, she was there making a difference in my life. I would name her, along with many other role models in life, as Mrs. Sang stated, “Women of Distinction,” in their own shinning way.

Intrapersonal Discovery at the Intracoastal

I would like to share with you all, a groundbreaking discovery of mine this week while sitting on the Intracoastal Waterway seawall.  Every day I have overlooked such an amazing place to take my thoughts and run with them, sometimes literally, with the many runners along the sidewalk there.  I definitely hit a wall these past days, and I’m thankful that I was able to climb the "wall" and sit upon it this week. 



Sitting on the Seawall at Intracoastal

I'm not saying that the seawall is some magical place. It was just a place, as I walked back from class, where I was able to take two seconds of my day to find peace.  In the midst of the chaotic life, with work, school and relationships, God was giving me a chance to be content.  Really, how difficult should it be to take ten minutes a day to breathe deeply among all the congestion we are surrounded by in life?  I don't find it a coincidence that fall break is coming up Friday for us all to relax after midterms.  As we enjoy wonderful festivities, family and friends, let us break from any burdens or sins hanging us down. 



View of Palm Beach Island

Recently, I have felt a great need to satisfy others around me, like my parents, friends, and professors.  I also have felt like I haven't had time for personal hobbies and interests, or even sleep, all of which keep me from being cranky.  The best ways that I find myself relaxing are through reading, writing and spending time appreciating nature.  Where ever you find tranquility, be it in the company of others or the privacy of your room, I challenge you to increase your flow of life and simply appreciate God’s goodness

   

With that said, I have a short story about being surrounded by God's goodness. 

Last night as I was walking back from a meeting, I passed Christian Sampson, a Sailfish Dinning employee, walking and talking about the Word as always with his Bible.  I said hello and asked him how he was, and his answer touched me when he said "Blessed."  All of a sudden, tears rolled down from my eyes in such gratitude as I walked home. We typically answer that question with "Good." or "Fine, thanks." Christian's genuine response was so real to me.  Whatever is going on in life, through the ups and downs, we really are blessed. 
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Where do you find tranquility on or near the PBA campus?