Here I am reporting in from Indianapolis. Who knew it would take getting out of Provo to get me to start writing on here again. "Why Indianapolis?" you ask? Well you see there is some big biennial Sigma Theta Tau International (an international honor society) conference that I got chosen to go to. And lest you start thinking that I am super cool, the only reason I really got chosen is because my name was drawn out of a hat of like 5 eligible people, so don't go off thinking I am too wonderful. :)
Anyway, I came here along with one other student who I went to Ecuador with and two of our professors. We presented a research project that was conducted about using student nurses in global health efforts (Ecuador). It was pretty cool because we are like two of probably 15 students at this conference of probably more than 500 people and then we actually presented. There were probably only 30 people that attended our presentation, but when I started our presentation by introducing us as students, you could just hear the awe pass over the room. It was pretty cool.
We probably weren't the most professional presentation in the conference, but I can say that at least out of the group of the three presentations that we presented with we were probably the most fun and interesting to listen too. Not to pat myself on the back or anything. . . :) It just seemed like everyone else was so caught up in using sophisticated terms and everything that you just kind of got lost in the details, instead of leaving with a good overall picture of what they were saying. One cute lady in the front of the room even gave us a little standing ovation. It was so adorable.
The whole experience has been interesting, and it makes me want to always continue learning, but I also have realized how much I like being on the practical side of things. So many of the nurses here have not actually worked as a nurse on the floors of the hospitals in YEARS, they are all professors or nurse educators, etc. which are very important, I just don't know if I ever want to be on that side of things. I think much prefer the patient interaction.
Today we watched our chapter get its first key award. Don't ask me what that means exactly, but apparently it is kind of a big deal. Then we went to the Spanish branch. It was so fun. We got there a little late because we got a little lost, well not actually lost, but it took us longer than it should have because we had to drive around the football (Colts vs. 49ers) traffic to get there. Anyway, we walked in with a little family that even as they were hopping out of their car I thought to myself, "I bet they are investigators or new members" because they just seemed a little nervous. We walked in with them, and showed them to the chapel where an elder came out to meet them.
Luckily we sat just a few rows behind them and it was just so fun because it so took me back to mission days as I watched them try to figure out how to follow along and sing the hymns. I wanted to tap the elder and tell him that they needed help, but I couldn't reach him nor them. She figured it out though by the last verse of the closing hymn. Anyway it took me back. Also the fact that it was fast and testimony meeting and I remember always praying as a missionary that none of the members would say anything too weird. :)
After church, Christie Sue (the other student), took off to see her brother who lives pretty nearby, and the rest of us went back to the conference. I only went to one more set of breakout sessions and then Sheri and I, took off back towards the hotel but ended up just walking around the historical center of the city. It is so pretty. I guess I just never really thought of Indianapolis as a place with a lot of history but we saw the Civil War monument and then even went inside the World War II history museum (which really had stuff from nearly every war that the U.S. has been involved in, not just World War II) and that was pretty neat because with everyone being at the Colts game, we were the ONLY ones in the museum.
Then we headed home and here I am now. Anyway, I was pretty bummed about missing Halloween with all of the friends peeps, but it has been a pretty fun weekend and I have appreciated having Christie Sue here with me who keeps reminding me that we are on "VACATION" every time I get stressed about not going to all of the conference or about taking a nap or relaxing.
Overall, my first time to Indianapolis has turned out to be a real treat. I still think I would rather end up in Boston than here, but it is a lot prettier and has more history than I would have thought.
I will try to post a few pics of the trip when I get home.
Anyway, I came here along with one other student who I went to Ecuador with and two of our professors. We presented a research project that was conducted about using student nurses in global health efforts (Ecuador). It was pretty cool because we are like two of probably 15 students at this conference of probably more than 500 people and then we actually presented. There were probably only 30 people that attended our presentation, but when I started our presentation by introducing us as students, you could just hear the awe pass over the room. It was pretty cool.
We probably weren't the most professional presentation in the conference, but I can say that at least out of the group of the three presentations that we presented with we were probably the most fun and interesting to listen too. Not to pat myself on the back or anything. . . :) It just seemed like everyone else was so caught up in using sophisticated terms and everything that you just kind of got lost in the details, instead of leaving with a good overall picture of what they were saying. One cute lady in the front of the room even gave us a little standing ovation. It was so adorable.
The whole experience has been interesting, and it makes me want to always continue learning, but I also have realized how much I like being on the practical side of things. So many of the nurses here have not actually worked as a nurse on the floors of the hospitals in YEARS, they are all professors or nurse educators, etc. which are very important, I just don't know if I ever want to be on that side of things. I think much prefer the patient interaction.
Today we watched our chapter get its first key award. Don't ask me what that means exactly, but apparently it is kind of a big deal. Then we went to the Spanish branch. It was so fun. We got there a little late because we got a little lost, well not actually lost, but it took us longer than it should have because we had to drive around the football (Colts vs. 49ers) traffic to get there. Anyway, we walked in with a little family that even as they were hopping out of their car I thought to myself, "I bet they are investigators or new members" because they just seemed a little nervous. We walked in with them, and showed them to the chapel where an elder came out to meet them.
Luckily we sat just a few rows behind them and it was just so fun because it so took me back to mission days as I watched them try to figure out how to follow along and sing the hymns. I wanted to tap the elder and tell him that they needed help, but I couldn't reach him nor them. She figured it out though by the last verse of the closing hymn. Anyway it took me back. Also the fact that it was fast and testimony meeting and I remember always praying as a missionary that none of the members would say anything too weird. :)
After church, Christie Sue (the other student), took off to see her brother who lives pretty nearby, and the rest of us went back to the conference. I only went to one more set of breakout sessions and then Sheri and I, took off back towards the hotel but ended up just walking around the historical center of the city. It is so pretty. I guess I just never really thought of Indianapolis as a place with a lot of history but we saw the Civil War monument and then even went inside the World War II history museum (which really had stuff from nearly every war that the U.S. has been involved in, not just World War II) and that was pretty neat because with everyone being at the Colts game, we were the ONLY ones in the museum.
Then we headed home and here I am now. Anyway, I was pretty bummed about missing Halloween with all of the friends peeps, but it has been a pretty fun weekend and I have appreciated having Christie Sue here with me who keeps reminding me that we are on "VACATION" every time I get stressed about not going to all of the conference or about taking a nap or relaxing.
Overall, my first time to Indianapolis has turned out to be a real treat. I still think I would rather end up in Boston than here, but it is a lot prettier and has more history than I would have thought.
I will try to post a few pics of the trip when I get home.
PS If you ever want to feel REALLY PRETTY just walk around downtown Indianapolis after the football game got out and all of the drunken fans are heading home. FUN!
4 comments:
We still think your super cool.
I agree with your parents.
Also, I'm glad you got to have a little break from school life, I'm sure it was good for you. And also that it made you blog.
I may be biased, but I love Indianapolis and was surprised at how clean it was for a big city. While serving in Indy, the Spanish Branch was created and we rented some space in a building downtown. I wonder if they are still meeting in the same location. I was excited to hear that they are still meeting as their was some concern when it was created.
Heath
That's cool Heath! I definitely wondered if you had served there.
They have a nice new chapel now right outside downtown. Like 4 blocks basically from the Colts stadium. It was super nice.
And the branch is HUGE!!!
Post a Comment