Hello Chambers friends! I have been reading and enjoying your posts for about a month now, but have yet to post. I am ready to start my second year of teaching freshmen English here at BBC, and must say that I LOVE hearing you sing in the hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays. My heart desires to be back in the circle (thank you for the numerous invitations to join, Doc), but alas, it is not possible with my schedule.

I went home to West Seneca, NY (suburb of Buffalo) earlier this summer to help my parents pack for their move to Maryland (right outside of D.C.). As I was packing away everything that I didn't want in a rented storage space somewhere in the middle of Maryland, I came across an old journal. I have never been a big keeper of journals, but my last year in college, I went to Jamaica for the 2nd time with the BBC Chamber Singers. I determined to keep a record of what went on during the trip. I have journal entries from the first six of eleven days...I have no idea why I stopped half way through! =) I have posted all of these entries on my personal blog, but a few people have asked me to post them on the Chambers website as well. Some of you may not have known about them, so would you like to reminisce with me? Here's my journal entry for our first day in Jamaica (I may edit out a few things...) on Friday March 14, 2003:

[On the plane to Jamaica!]

"This has been a very long, strange day. It actually started yesterday because I didn't actually go to bed last night. I got back to my room about 10:30 pm. and started packing. Gaven and D. Scott came over to Loescher dorm from Shaffer dorm, so they, Matt, Gary, and I stayed up talking and getting ready. By about 2:30 a.m., all I wanted was to go to bed or die. We kept each other awake because it didn't make sense to really go to bed at that point anyways. We met at Buckingham at 4 a.m. and then drove to the airport.First issue of the day! Dave didn't have his birth certificate! After all the explaining, he didn't realize that he needed to actually have it with him. =) We thought they'd let him go with just his license and Social Security card, but they wouldn't. SO, the next affordable flight that he found was for Tuesday. He called his parents to overnight his birth certificate, but had to wait to get to Jamaica.Everything else went smoothly until we got ready to board the plane in Atlanta for Montego Bay. They wouldn't let Jess on the plane because her birth certificate wasn't government issued...it was a hospital card or something and not official. Gaven stayed in Atlanta with her while the rest of us went on with the hopes of him coming in on a later flight that night and Jess as soon as her paperwork came in.

[A Jamaican welcome at the Montego Bay airport]

We got to Jamaica about forty minutes behind schedule and got settled into our cottages. David Smith wasn't there yet, so we went on down to the little public beach down the road. We then ate supper at the big house after meeting up with David Smith and went to do a service at Faith Baptist Church. We had no sound, but made do. Abby sang, and Jenni played the flute. Each section was only about three strong with Dave Siegrist, Jess Pouliout, and Gaven Watkins all missing (and Jenni lip synching since she lost her voice). 'Thank you Lord for using us even when we were at a low point!'

[The 'kids' of Faith Baptist Church]

After the service, we got changed and went to Tonys, a great Italian/Jamaican (how is that possible?) restaurant for jerk chicken pizza and Ting. We then went on to bed with hopes of an early morning of devotions and swimming at the beach."

[The purpose of these pictures is to shock you with the pure whiteness of BBC-ers in March on their first day in the Caribbean!]

[This is D. Scott and I snorkeling in the bay; I believe that's Abby Reimer and Alicia (Horkey) DeWever on the pier]

I found journal entries for the first six days of our trip...should I post the rest? I don't want to take up too much space on the blog unless I get comments from people wanting me to keep posting them here... Let me know!