Alix to Tech

Hello!
Remember me?

Yes, I have been a bit busy here at Maison Cou Rouge West--better known as Shreveport, Louisiana.  I've been running errands, sorting my stuff at my mom's house, seeing old friends, and generally starting to get acclimated to being back here on a (?permanent?) basis after 33 years.  I will admit to being incredibly conflicted and confused, but that post is for another day.  Right now, I want to share some photos of moving Alix into Georgia Tech almost a MONTH ago!!

I have a ton of photos from a late night walk around Tech campus with AJ, Anna Grace and Molly...but they are on the desktop computer in Georgia--and no, I didn't think to load all those to Dropbox before I left....so that will have to wait until next week.  But here's a quick look around Georgia Tech on move-in day.

A main part of the Tech campus goes simply by the name "Klaus"--



There's a really cool pedestrian bridge that has binary code decorating it...yep, it's on the other set of photos.....

Just a little walk up ALL THOSE STAIRS...





We went to brunch a little early, so we stopped off for a coffee and a technology moment.



Alix moved in a day early, and so we got everything sorted before her roommate Casey arrived from Washington, DC.



Most of the freshmen live directly across from the football stadium, which is incredibly convenient.



Not to worry...  it's just the power plant (I assume)...



The view across the commons from Freshman Hill.



There were orientation groups playing "getting to know you" games.  Tech's final orientation period is reserved for new international students (Tech's student body is 20% international). And they seem to be having QUITE an introduction to Tech.







Turning around, to see from whence I have trekked.



There will, of course be more, later...but that's a little taste of Tech for now!

2012 SFC DOLPHINS!!!!

Remember this from last post?



At Sevastopol's Dophinarium, the kids went SWIMMING with the Dolphins!!!



Ok, not much description necessary...just ENJOY!!!

And thanks to Alix and Austin, who helped in the photography as  Hutch, Emerson, Julia and Mary Cecile went in the pool with some new friends!

Just waiting for our turn.







We waited to be last...


First up--Mary Cecile and Julia!



















Then it was Hutch's and Emerson's turns!!!



















Having fun??





Yeap, it was a hit!!!







Definitely worth the wait!!!!!

(and MUCH cooler than war monuments.......)

2012 SFC-- Sevastopol

What to do in Sevastopol?
It's a home port for the Russian Navy...a place of siege in World War II and a marine study base.


Here's the memorial to the victims of the Great Patriotic War. (or World War II, as the rest of us call it).

It also has a kick-ass Dolphinarium.  More on that later.

And, with the help of my iPhone One World translator app, fairly easy to get around.

But not without some funny moments.

We decided not to take a tour in Sevastopol, as they mostly covered military and history sights. With young kids in tow, we headed to visit the Aquarium and Dolphinarium.

In Russian. Totally in Russian.

Not to sound preciously American, but most of the places we have visited have had interpreters or the residents speak a smattering of English.  Not Sevastopol.  We were on our own, out in the weeds, and yes, my Russian is rusty. (Oh, cut me some slack--it's been 30 years since I studied it!!)

But with the translator app, we were able to buy tickets and figure out how to swim with dolphins.  Go figure.

First stop, the Aquarium.



Looking for Nemo.






Still trying to find Nemo.



Heeellllloooooo!!!



Oh, if only the teachers could see that we are LEARNING on vacation...



Crocodile toes.



Hey Dude!



Haven't seen Nemo either.



Don't question the piranha.



Now this is one cool critter...



I don't know exactly WHAT he is...but I think he was the model for the Creature from the Black Lagoon.



Having found Nemo (and the rest of the clown fish) we headed off in search of dolphins.  Emerson was on a flower kick, and stopped often by the beautiful public beds.



Yes we found it!



But we were 15 minutes late for the beginning of the show...and in true Soviet Ukranian fashion, the ticket seller would  not let us in....but that was okay...we had fun waiting for the end of the show.



This old guy made a LOT of noise...



as did THIS character.



Lots of fun had by all.



Oh, dolphins?? You want dolphins???
You are gonna have to wait for the next post.....

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