Hey everybody I'm going to tell you all about my adventures in Iowa and Illinois. I took photos but I need to get them developed. When I do I'll show you guys and tell more stories.

DAY 1: TRAVEL DAY!!!!! Woke up at 3:30 or something and got ready to got. I was at the airport by 5:15 and found my work group leader and the other kids that would be in my van. Once we all got there my group went to check in, security and all that airport stuff. We (the whole group, about 100 people I believe for this flight. we had 108 people in total) hung around in a lounge for a bit before getting out our plane. It was about 2 hours to get to Chicago O'Hare airport but due to the hour time difference we actually gained and hour in the day. The next 4 ish hours were spent in the van driving to Burlington, Iowa; to the church we would be sleeping in. We made a few pit stops and got food along the way. Once we were there I was shocked to realize the there IS stuff in Iowa. I think I'm in love with Burlington That night the people of Gulfport, Illinois and Burlington, Iowa held a pot luck dinner to welcome us. It was absolutely wonderful. We were the first group to come and actually help them and from so far away. I sat with this one man, his name is escaping me but he was a fascinating old guy. He gave me inspiration to make up a character like him. He was just that awesome. He also had some bad ass scars.

DAY 2: First day of work. My work group along with 1 other were assigned the Wallace home on the lakefront. Our job was to clean out the house and the inside. I swept out copious amounts of dust and just about coughed my lungs out. The I ripped up some linoleum flooring with my handy dandy pry bar. I also carried out large pieces of air ducts outside. The outside of the house had dirt all around where the water of the flood had sat for 70 long days. We had to scrub it away. Not an easy task at all. We scrubbed for hours but it wasn't working. Then we discovered the cleaning acid now that stuff really did the trick! Still had to scrub my arms off. Also, I had to kneel on the cement for the longest time and scrub. That first day was tiring as hell. I got a massive headache from the heat. Both me and my friend did. For a little while I slept in the back of the cargo van in the AC until my head stopped throbbing. That was miserable. But you should have seen the progress we made that first day. It was amazing and the two daughters really got attached to us. The rest of the week they went from work site to work site and helped us out. We worked from 8-5 that day. Then it was back to the church to chill and whatever else until dinner.

DAY 3: Another day of work but we got to leave early, 3:30, to get a treat SHOWERS!!!! Hell yeah! I have never had a shower feel so good, and in a locker room no less. It was good to wash away all that grime. Actually, my group was working so well we had almost nothing left to do on our house. We'd be doing a bit of site switching the next day. When we got back to the church we had another special treat. We were going to a minor league baseball game! The Burlington Bees XD We were the biggest and loudest group there. We started the wave!!!! And we had fans...the was a bachelor party next to us and man did they love us XD The help us with the wave. Drunken Iowa men are silly :3 1, 2, 3...GO BEES!!!!

DAY 4: We went to a different house. Well, a garage. Some people were fixing up their garages to be home since their homes were so damaged. Now, this was a place with quite a story. They ran an illegal gun shop and we found bullets all over the property. I actually brought 3 home. They were already fired of course...though we did find a few that weren't...anyway, the work for that house was removing insilation removing boards from the ceiling, taking EVERY last screw out of the beams where the sheet rock had been and then sweeping it all out. Once we finished that we went back the the original house and did MORE scrubbing. Also, removing screws from the attic. It was hot as hell up their. Taylor actually passed out. She's ok though so that's good. So now we had 2 homes done.

DAY 5: Onto house 3!!!!! More power washing, scrubbing, removing screws and the like. I made it my project to clean up Bob's (the nicest old guy in the world!) door to the garage. When he took a look at it he said it looked just like new. I just about cried. That door is my baby. We finished up 3 sides of his home. The back still has that mud and stuff that's been sitting there but we didn't have time to get to it. Bob didn't mind though. We got a lot done and he said we were like angels. The gratitude all those peopleshowed to us was just amazing. It was also our last work day and on the radio Nickelback's If Today Was Your Last Day Lyrics. Irony much...

Day 6: FUN DAY!! We loaded up into the vans and went to FUN CITY XD Best damn place ever!!! XD I arcaded and stuff. We also got Pizza. Iowa pizza has toppings under the cheese!! Oh shizzle...but it was tastey. There was a water park but I didn't feel like swimming and I people watched and doodled. Mad skinny children! Also, IOWA IS FILLED WITH GOOD LOOKING GUYS!! Disproportionately so...it was a little weird. Also, a lot of them were blonde and such. It was like being surrounded by lifeguard Kevins <__< Anyway, we had some free time after that and I lounged around before finding out we could walk around burlington with an advisor. I found the greatest place EVAR. Weird Harold's is a CD, Vinyl Record, home made stuff, funny magnets, medium, and miscellaneous stuff store. I bought two vinyl albums Odds and Sods and Quadrophenia I just about pissed myself with glee. They're used and all but they just need a little cleaning and TLC. I love them dearly. After that we went to a barbeque at Herman's His house was by the lake, next to my group's original site. He came over from Germany when he was 17 I believe. He invited his brother Kurt to come over. Kurt is a yodeler/guitar player/magician/entertainer. I love that man to death XD He wore his LEDERHOSEN!!! after the jokes and singing and yodeling a few of us just sat and talked with him. He's an amazing person and he liked my drawings! YAY!!! :3 Then we left to go back to the church we were staying at (home) and got our t-shirts and stuff like that. I slept well that night.

DAY 7: Travel day. I slept on the van and got to sit with my friend on the plane. Home at last!!! But I miss Iowa and I miss the people.

So that was my adventure in a nutshell. I will try and get my photos developd and up here. Those will provide even more epic-ness.

also, Tygras.com. Check it out It be funsies.