Happy Halloween Weekend!

Although the weather is a bit frigid, I hope everyone has fun this weekend dressing up and celebrating this highly sugar-laden holiday. I do miss trick-or-treating; there should be some way for adults to get free candy too . . .

As it relates to the title of this entry, here is some information that is being added to my professor, Dr. Kim’s blog as part of a Tribal Knowledge assignment.

You can access his blog here: http://walshuniversity.blogspot.com/

International Events

International Dinner 2010 (updated)

It’s that time of year again, time for an International Experience! Mark your calendars for the evening of Saturday, November 13th at 6:30pm for the Annual International Dinner. We will have our usual buffet of amazing and diverse dishes as well as various forms of entertainment such as a fashion show and musical performances by our very own Walsh students! Keep checking email updates or contact our club President, thomasabberton@walsh.edu for more information. Ticket prices are $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for Walsh students and children.

Tennis time

No new news, we are just fighting the weather and are trying to use out outdoor courts as much as possible.

Business Club Bulletin

Business Luncheon THIS WEDNESDAY!!!

RSVP now for the Business Scholarship Luncheon! Come listen to John Nance, a nationally-recognized public speaker and best-selling author of Why Hospitals Should Fly. Tickets are $5 for Walsh students and $25 for Walsh faculty. Non-Walsh guests are $40. This is a great opportunity to network and practice your communication skills, so please contact either myself, juliakole@walsh.edu, or cbendetta@walsh.edu for a reservation and/or payment.

In Other Walsh News . . .

Ski Club planning for Holiday Valley winter break trip

The date for this year’s trip to Holiday Valley is December 14-16th. The price is $165.00 for Walsh students and faculty and $170.00 for non-Walsh participants.  Please email alexanderbotsch@walsh.edu or ptandler@walsh.edu for more information and to sign up.

A warning to students

Student Government has already discussed this and we all find it a pressing issue: Vandalism. Specifically, students coming in and ruining the chairs and tables in the classrooms. I find is very sad that some students have not matured enough to treat their environment with respect. There is no need to bend and pick at the arms of chairs or carve a message into desk tops. Walsh in an amazing University, so please treat it with the respect it deserves. It is a privilege for you to study here and I don’t think some people realize just how lucky they are.

Travel Tips and Tangents

On a cheery side, it is time for more pictures and comments on a global destination! This week: Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow has really cleaned up and is now a great shopping and tourist destination. It is the largest city in Scotland and one of the most populated cities in the United Kingdom. I was very impressed with the shopping options and the mix of traditional and modern found all over the city.  I really enjoyed the Mackintosh House and Hunterian Museum. Way ahead of their time, Charles and Margaret Mackintosh turned their Victorian home that they lived in from 1906 to 1914 into a distinctively modern home with designs we would expect to see today.  You can check out more information here: http://www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk/collections/art_gallery/mac_house/machouse_index.shtml

A double decker bus roaming around downtown Glasgow.

St. Mungo's Cathedral. It was rather dark inside, creating an appropriate sombre atmosphere.

The Kelvingrove Museum. A massive building with a huge collection of, well, everything!

Enjoy the last few days of October!

Julia

Happy October (and a belated “Happy Canadian Thanksgiving”)!

I really need to be more consistent with my posting times. I don’t like this time gap, as most of the time I forget about the events I really want to write about! Hopefully I can get back into a weekly posting, but if I don’t please forgive me.

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE the Fall! Wonderful weather, brilliant colours, holidays that focus on food and feasting (the best kind of holidays) and Pumpkin-flavoured products everywhere. Life is sweet right now, especially with that little taste of cinnamon and nutmeg

International Events

Cedar Point Trip

It happened! Ten students from the club, both Internationals and Americans, committed a whole Sunday to conquer some amazing roller coasters and rides. I did manage to jump on Dragster again, this time at night, and none of the original thrill was lost. The Internationals who went had a great day and even tried Elephant Ears for the first time. It is always nice to travel outside of campus once in a while to explore the state and give International students different experiences of life in the United States.

International Dinner 2010!

It’s that time of year again, time for an International Experience! Mark your calendars for the evening of Saturday, November 13th for the Annual International Dinner. We will have our usual buffet of amazing and diverse dishes as well as various forms of entertainment. Keep checking email updates or contact our club President, thomasabberton@walsh.edu for more information.

Tennis time

More uniforms! The women will soon be adding a maroon dress to our Spring 2011 collection, in addition to new warm-up jackets that just came in this week. But in slightly more important news, the men made Walsh proud for a second year in a row as doubles partners Pierre La Grange and Gary Innes came in 6th place at the ITA Nationals Tournament in Mobile, Alabama. The boys also went for a day trip to New Orleans (jealous) to visit the French Quarter. Now both teams are enjoying the last few weeks of warm-ish weather before winter settles in.

Business Club Bulletin

RSVP now for the Business Scholarship Luncheon! Come listen to John Nance, a nationally-recognized public speaker and best-selling author of Why Hospitals Should Fly. Tickets are $5 for Walsh students and $25 for Walsh faculty. Non-Walsh guests are $40. This is a great opportunity to network and practice your communication skills, so please contact either myself, juliakole@walsh.edu, or cbendetta@walsh.edu for a reservation and/or payment.

In Other Walsh News . . .

Student Government active on campus

This year, Student Government is making an effort to become a known entity on Walsh’s campus. The Treasurer has spearheaded a football event for this weekend’s Walsh vs Malone game. We have organized a coach bus to drive 55 students who do not have a car on campus to Fawcett Stadium as well as give them free spirit t-shirts. Come on Walsh, tomorrow LET’S BEAT MALONE!!!!

Since when did we get a bell???!!!

I noticed at the men’s soccer game vs Malone ( a 3-1 victory for Walsh I might add) that there was a Walsh-painted wagon with an old school bell on it. There was a dedicated group of fans watching over it and even rang it when we scored a goal. Where did this mystery bell come from? Am I that behind in Walsh sports? I’m sure it has a story, I may have to dig around for that one.

Travel Tips and Tangents

OK, so I have been holding out long enough and I feel terrible. This week, let’s travel across the Atlantic to Dublin, Ireland:

Dublin is a modern city with a strong International vibe. Although it was clear we were in Ireland (the countless pubs, shamrocks, Celtic music street performers and Guinness ads was a constant reminder), the city was very fast-paced and in a constant state of change. Filled with history, culture and wonderful entertainment, I was lucky to stay for two whole weeks in Dublin at Trinity College. This college was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I and is Ireland’s oldest University. An extremely fun city, especially if one gets into sports, I highly recommend making the journey to the capital city of the famed Emerald Isle.

Trinity College in the evening. Wonderful University grounds, so full of history.

Downtown Dublin. Lots of shops to run into, pubs and restaurants to explore and historic monuments everywhere you turned.

In a suburban area outside of Dublin we stumbled upon Bono of U2's house! The main gate was the closest we got before a loudspeaker told us to step away from the property.

Yes, this is still Ireland. Wouldn't it be nice to have a property like this, palm trees included?

Hope you enjoyed, see you next week!

Julia

Welcome to the last day of September 2010!

So here is is, one whole month officially accounted for and almost over. Where does the time go? It always seems like as you get older, time accelerates. If life is going by this fast just in university, what is going to happen out in the working world? I don’t want to think about that now . . .

Without further ado, here is what has been going on this week:

International Events

Face Painting at Fall Family Weekend

During Homecoming weekend, the Walsh International Club took up their paintbrushes once again as we offered free face painting services to children and parents alike.  I wish I could provide more details, but I was busy at a tennis match and could not render my services. I was called upon several times, especially when the club received a request for a pony. I hope everyone who helped out at the table had fun!

Cedar Point Plans

it has come to my attention that the International Affairs Office may be taking us Internationals to Cedar Point sometime during Fall break. Of course we have to go the weekend I am traveling. I haven’t been there since Freshman year! Dragster is hands-down the best ride there. Worth the ridiculously-long wait, even though the ride takes less than a minute.

Tennis time

Our new uniforms are in! The women have added on to our collection with a painfully cute maroon pleated skirt with a slightly fitted, white dri-fit top. Come spring season, we are going to look SO GOOD! Warm-up jackets are on the way, as are a new t-shirt design. Now the only problem is, where am I going to put all of these clothes?

To view our new pieces and look at other tennis gear, jump to: http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?#l=shop,pwp,c-1+100701/hf-10001+4294967109+4294963130/t-All_Women%27s_Tennis_Team_Sports

Business Club Bulletin

Keep the date! The Club will be hosting its first Luncheon on November 3rd, 2010 in the Barrette Business Center. More info to follow! Our next meeting is Tuesday, October 5th at 9:30pm. See you there!

In Other Walsh News . . .

Recycling Bins Are back!

Check out the area around your dorms. Recycling bins are back! With the RHA and the Environmental Club working together, we will have recycling services all year-round. Please put your trash to good use, don’t throw it out! Many things can be recycled, including: plastic bottles, pop cans, soup cans, printer paper, note paper, cereal boxes, pasta boxes and glass bottles.

Travel Tips and Tangents

Again, no access to pictures. So here are some tips:

Watch the seafood. Inland cities normally do not have the frshest seafood, so be wary. These dishes are best enjoyed on costal cities.

Research your destinations. Don’t blindly pick a city, just because other people say they have liked it. Your tastes are probably different then theirs. It is best to look up your desired destination to see if it is really a place you will enjoy visiting.

Have a good last day of September!

Julia

Hey there Walsh!

With week 3 of classes already over and done with, summer is already starting to feel like a distant memory. The only evidence I have to prove that summer indeed happened is my moderately tanned skin and the scar a certain horse made when she kicked me in the leg. Good thing it isn’t interfering with my tennis performance! Or maybe it is, which would explain a lot . . .

You will be hearing me say “I have been so busy lately” as a new mantra for this year, so I will send out a general disclaimer now: from now until I graduate, I will ALWAYS BE BUSY! I type that with a smile because I truly love how Walsh has inspired me to be so involved on campus. Here are some details on some specifics:

International Events

Ice cream social turns into student displacement

Lat week, the International Student Department and the Multicultural Affairs on campus came together and created a free ice cream bar for students and faculty to enjoy after lunch. A few of us Internationals, tired of being tied to our countries of origin, decided to play around with the world map. Argentinians were moved to Mexico, Australians traveled over to New Zealand, Canadians were scattered across the globe and our only Japanese student moved his country of origin to Oklahoma. The International director was only slightly amused, but it did inspire much conversation between the Internationals and Americans.

Club Fair generates new interest in the club!

A few hours were dedicated to recruiting fresh faces for all of the clubs and organizations here at Walsh. Some are National organizations and others are just getting started, but all of the clubs here at Walsh try to bring people with common interests together. I did get a little too competitive with the American Advertising Association while attracting members and I hope my friend Ryan can forgive me

Tennis time

We have just finished up our Fall season, with our last match against Baldwin Wallace today for the women. Some of our Walsh players went to Michigan this weekend for an ITA tournament. All of our players made a great appearance, most of them making it very far into the draw. A HUGE congratulations to Pierre Le Grange and Gary Innes who won the men’s doubles! Way to go boys, good luck with Nationals in Alabama!

Business Club Bulletin

BCC ran its first fundraiser this weekend. At the Fall Family Weekend, we sold 50/50 tickets as well as tickets to win one of 2 donated prizes. Thank-you to Giant Eagle for a gift card we used to purchase a Fall decoration basket and to Best Buy for a $50 gift card. We will still sell tickets tomorrow and hopefully make a decent profit.

In Other Walsh News . . .

Student Government’s up and running!

This past Thursday was our first official Walsh Student Government meeting of the 2010-2011 year! It was well attended, pretty well organized and very informative to all. President Jusseaume was our guest speaker for the evening and gave us the inside scoop of Walsh’s future plans. My favourite is the creation of an Arts Center this summer to be built where the old tennis courts used to be. I think my first donation as an alumna will be towards this center. Also in the works: a new addition to the library, wireless for Grove (hopefully soon!) and an environmental pavilion in Hoover park. Too bad I’m leaving, Walsh is just starting to get even better!

System down

If we are going to be using Sakai more often for classes, please make sure it is up and running in ship-shape conditions. Computers are a part of our lives, a huge part in this day and age. Hopefully Walsh can fix things soon and get the system’s glitches worked out. My own PC is a different story. I have never met a computer who wishes to end its own life so much.

Random Cats

We have some street-wise cats here at Walsh, and I have no idea where they have come from. Generally friendly, these cats just strut around and hang around the dumpsters, which then generally discourages people from touching them.

Travel Tips and Tangents

As my PC is on the fritz, I have no pictures to readily access. So here is some sound travel advice:

Remember to put toiletries in sealed plastic bags. You never know when your shampoo or shave gel will decide to explode in your luggage (also a precaution when transporting maple syrup, but I may be alone on this one).

On the day of traveling, wear easy to slip on/off shoes, minimal jewelry and nothing in pockets. It makes security checks that much easier.

Always review Mapquest/Google Maps directions. Double check the end destination is correct and avoid the “faster” route with many backroads. Not worth it if one gets lost anyways.

Check in next week when I have pictures to look at again!

Julia

journal logs version 2.0: IN COLOUR!!!

Welcome back to Walsh everyone!

And to all of you Freshmen, welcome for the first time. I hope you enjoy all that Walsh has to offer. I myself have really enjoyed the past 3 years here, and am sort of sad to finally be able to say I am a senior. At least this year I can finally justify my “senioritis” when it kicks in around March

This summer was spent in both countries: I interned here in Ohio at Junior Achievement for May and June and went home to work at camp for July and August. In both countries I experienced ridiculous heat, but luckily my Canadian job had access to a nice big pool.

So now I am back and ready to complete my Accounting degree. The workload should be reasonable enough, which will help my endless “to-do list” for all of my clubs and tennis duties. All things considered, Senior year has already been so much fun and, if I may be so bold to say, the best year yet!

International Events

Fun times in Cleveland Today!

I now have a stronger appreciation for this city by the lake.  This Labour Day weekend some of the Internationals and their Walsh Ambassadors piled into a rather large van and took off to experience “A Taste of Cleveland”. First we stopped off at our International Administrator’s lovely house for a quick lunch on the patio. Then we piled back into the van and drove down the road to Swings and Things, an amusement park of sorts. Having all of us internationals drive go-karts was, well, interesting. Let’s just say there was no international standards on road rules.

After some arcade games and pathetic prizes (honestly, even as a child I knew I was being ripped off) we again piled back into the van and headed off towards downtown. Keisuke and I opted out of the boat ride and air show as we saw it last year. We went to the Science Center and watched the IMAX movie “Hubble”. Totally worth it. After that we walked to E. 4th street for some deliciousness. We ate at La Strada and were blown away by the quality of out meal. Recommendation: The eggplant appetizer. After we joined up with the group and settled in for a good Train concert. I was very impressed with their live performance, as Patrick proved he did not need fancy editing programs to fine-tune his voice. Wonderful day, wonderful city. Cleveland!

Internationals and Americans enjoying Labor Day weekend.

Tennis time

With some of our members away on the Rome Experience trip, the men and women’s teams feel slightly incomplete. However, we are eager to get our fall season underway. I am excited to see our freshmen play and what positions everyone will play. I am the captain for the women this year, and hope to do what I can to make it a fun and fantastic season.

NEW: Business Club Bulletin!

I am the new President of the BCC! Eager to get our club up and running again, I am going to try my best to really make this year as productive and profitable as possible.  For anyone who is interested, the BCC (Business and Communications Club) is one of Walsh’s oldest and largest clubs designed for anyone within the School of Business or anyone in the Walsh community who wishes to bring a little business savvy into their lives. For more information on the club, please contact me at juliakole@walsh.edu for more details. See you at our first meeting! (date TBA)

In Other Walsh News . . .

Walsh School of Business introduces new pilot program

New this year to the school of Business is a new curriculum and new set of classes. My brother was lucky enough to be selected for this program and received a sweet piece of technology to use for his classes. I am slightly jealous, but am eager to hear what this new program entails.

New cafeteria: aesthetics get a thumbs up, the food, well . . .

it still needs some work. The new glass wall provides a wonderful view of campus and the David center atrium. The drinks outside of the main food area has cut down on lines. And despite what people say, I personally like the wall that hides the tray return from view. Alas, the food quality still leaves something to be desired.

Wireless everywhere! *almost*

I guess the petition paid off, because Walsh is almost 100% wireless! The Grove apartments are still not hooked up, although some of us can pull a very slow wireless connection from Alexis and Lemmon.

Travel Tips and Tangents

I’m still not done with this section yet! Good thing I didn’t clear my pictures from my computer yet. This week I will go once again to Italy, this week to the city of Tivoli.

Tivoli was a wonderful little town, famous for its Villa d’Este and Villa Adriana. Villa d’Este’s charm was in its fountains in the garden; spectacular works of art and grand examples of master engineering. These fountains ranged in size, from small trickles to dancing ponds to waterfalls. Every corner had its own unique fountain and architecture. Villa Adriana is a massive old Roman ruin, although it was preserved quite well. One could spend hours and hours exploring every building and detail of the property. Great weather just added onto the experience and made for a great trip out of Rome.

Tile and other architectural details from Villa Adriana.

A wonderful reflection pool in the gardens of Villa Adriana.

The waterfall and giant fountains at Villa d'Este.

Some friends contemplating the idea of throwing me in (it didn't happen).

Well I hope you enjoyed my rant for this week. In the future I may try to be more tech savvy and add in a video or two

Until then, enjoy your second week!

Julia

Happy Springtime everyone!

Although sometimes it feels like winter, or summer. Typical April weather is what I am trying to say.  The weather may be changing but one thing is for certain, ONE MORE WEEK OF CLASSES!!! Get excited.

International Events

Light the Night for Haiti

On March 31st, the International club hosted “Light the Night for Haiti”, a fundraiser to collect funds for the Brothers of Christian Instruction at the Walsh chapel. Most of the international students came to participate and recite poems and prayers in their native languages and listen to others while some played musical instruments to showcase their talents. Brother Marcel gave us all insight on the conditions of Haiti and what the funds would be contributing to. There was even a few Walsh faculty and staff present, one of whom did a fantastic job demonstrating his multi-musical skills. More than $1,000 was raised by this effort, so I would like to say a big thank-you to all who came and supported this worthy cause.

Our candle table from "Light the Night for Haiti"

Tennis time

Our season is nearly finished and what a success it has been! Our men’s team recently completed the match that would make them conference champions, congrats boys! The women just missed the mark for conference champions, but that doesn’t mean we are out of the running at all. It just gives us more incentive to win our regional tournement, to be hosted at Walsh APril 29-30th on the outdoor courts behing Giant Eagle. Here are the results so far:

Women’s records: Baldwin Wallace- L 4-5, Malone – W 7-2, Ursuline- W 9-0, Tiffin- W 9-0, Carlow- W 9-0, Shawnee- W 9-0, UNOH- L 4-5, Georgetown – L 2-7, Cedarville- W 8-1, Robert’s Wesleyan- W

Next matches: Otterbein HOME Friday 23rd at 12 p.m., Grove City HOME Tuesday 27th at 4p.m.

Ready for another awesome match!

Men’s records: Notre Dame- W 9-0, Malone- W 9-0, Cedarville- W, Georgetown – W, UNOH- W 8-1, Muskingum- W, Robert’s Wesleyan – W

Next Matches: @ Ohio Northern Mon 19th at 3:30pm, @ Kenyon Sun 25th at 9 a.m, Grove City HOME Tues 27th at 4pm

Our men's doubles in action.

Good luck to both teams!

Ski Club Seconds

Repeat: Plans are already underway for our 2010 winter break trip. It’s never to early to plan! If you are interested in joining ski club, please contact me at juliakole@walsh.edu for more info. We are thinking big this year, with possible locations of Quebes, Canada or Vermont in the plans. More information to follow!

In Other Walsh News . . .

Honors Convocation and Servant Leadership Banquet

Every year around this time Walsh likes to acknowledge students who have been dedicated to achieving high grades and giving back to the school. This year’s convocation was wonderful, with a great performance by the chorale and lots of awards and recognitions to Walsh students, traditional and non-traditional alike. I had not been to the banquet before, but I am assuming that it has always been such a well-attended event. I was happy to see the kind of involvement some students put forth on campus as well as off of it all in the spirit of volunteering. Congratulations to everyone who was recognized that evening, including my fallow Blogger Chris who was chosen as the recipient for the TOWER award

Cleveland Culture

In honor of a friend’s birthday, a few friends and I went up to Cleveland to watch Cirque du Soleil: Allegria. What an amazing performance! The things people can do with their bodies is unreal (mesmerizing/creepy contortionists). The high-flying acrobatics on the trapeze, funky bungee cord and trampolines was out of control. Never have a gasped so dramatically in my life! Afterwards we topped the night off with dinner at P.F. Chang’s. Highly recommended if you are an avid foodie like I am. Delicious.

Wireless petition

Horray! Someone has finally started this! I would love to see wireless installed all across campus, as would the 300+ students who have signed the petition. It would be much more convenient and almost necessary in the technological world of today. Hope this petition makes it through

Student Advisory Board

A new organization at Walsh, the Student Advisory Board (SAB) is a small board of students chosen by the faculty from the School of Business to discuss current topics within the Business program. Our semester of meetings and discussions was met with great success! We will continue to meet next academic year and try and tackle current issues within the program to further benefit all current and incoming Walsh students.

Travel Tips and Tangents

Sorry, no feature this week. But a few tips:

- Plan your trips, but be flexible. Having a tight schedule fit for the military is always prone to changes, so never set plans in stone.

- Pick your travel buddies well. Try to find someone or a small group of people who have similar interests with you.  It makes for a more enjoyable experience.

- Not comfortable jumping halfway across the world? Start small. Travel to a major city in your state for the day or stay overnight. It’s amazing the kinds of experiences you can find locally. Or, be a tourist in your own town.

- watch out for gypsies

Travelling with friends makes the experience even better

Have a great week everyone!

Julia

Hey all!

If you are in Ohio right now, specifically the North Canton area, I do hope you are getting out and enjoying this wonderful weather. As unpredictable as Ohio is with its weather patterns, this week has been amazing! Let’s hope it decides to stay for a while.

International Events

Wondering about World Week?

I sure am! Has anyone noticed all of those posters on every wall and door? Well, you should because they are promoting a very fun-filled week of cultural goodness. Come and enjoy desserts from around the world, diverse musical performances and displays of many of the countries represented by your very own Walsh students! Keep a look out for the Canadian table, complete with ketchup chips and native jewelry

Tennis time

Well our season is really underway now and both the men and women are in game mode. The men picked up a win at the University of Findlay 8-1 on Sunday and repeated their winning status again by defeating Tiffin on our home turf 7-2. The boys fought hard on Monday and a thanks is in order to some Walsh fans who made it crossing the street. I hope we can count on Walsh fans to increase their support for both teams to come cheer them on when we play at home. For those of you who do not know, our home courts are in Hoover Park, behind Giant Eagle.

Diego of Argentina fighting it out yesterday in singles. Vamos!

Some supporters watching the men on our home courts. Cloudless day, no wind, great time for tennis!

CJ and Jarred playing all out for their singles matches.

The women play Ashland University today at HOME!!!! Our match starts at 3pm, please come support your Cavs!

Next matches: Men and Women play away at Wittenberg Saturday March 20th.

Men: Sunday 21st at West Virginia Weslyan

Thursday 25th HOME against Norte Dame. 3pm at the outdoor courts!

Women: Tuesday 23rd at Baldwin Wallace.

Ski Club Seconds

Plans are already underway for our 2010 winter break trip. It’s never to early to plan! If you are interested in joining ski club, please contact me at juliakole@walsh.edu for more info. We are thinking big this year, with possible locations of Quebes, Canada or Vermont in the plans. More information to follow!

In Other Walsh News . . .

Career opportunities for all

I guess the warmer weather gets us all in working mode. There have been many career-related activities going on around Walsh, including job fairs and mock interviews. It’s a great way to polish skills and get updated on what’s going on in the real world ( yes, there is a world outside of campus life, scary eh?).

St, Paddy’s Day soundtrack

Thanks to our Student Government president, Walsh was getting it’s Irish on all afternoon. Will was kind enough to provide the campus with a selection of Irish tunes as he blasted them out of his apartment window. It’s always a good day when you can jig and skip your way to class.

Men’s Basketball made us all proud

I was so thrilled to see the support our Men’s Basketball team drew into the Barrette Conference rooms during their final match with St. Francis in the NAIA Division II National Championships. So many people came to show their support for their team, and our men fought hard right until the very end. Great season boys, hope to see you back at the Championships next year!

Travel Tips and Tangents

Ever heard of St. Francis of Assisi? Well I went to pay him a visit in Assisi, Italy along with my Rome Experience Fall group of 2009. Of course, there was no real conversation, but I was very impressed with the Cathedral and town of Assisi. It had such a medieval vibe with its cobblestone streets, twists and turns and of course its walls around the city. We did not get a chance to visit the modern part of Assisi, but who would want to? We had a great day of exploring the many shops and restaurants in the small town and got an in-depth lesson of all things Assisi. A very quaint little place and a definite must for any Italian pilgrimage.  A word to the wise, no heels in this city! Everything is on an incline and paved in uneven stones. Leave the Manolos at home and just pack flats and running shoes. Your feet will thank you later!

Assisi Cathedral is the king of the hill. Worth the climb!

The little place St. Francis would pray. I think it was an old stable. He was an avid lover of nature..

Bellisimo! Such great scenery and atmosphere in this little town.

Have a great weekend everyone! 2 more weeks until Easter Break!

Welcome back everyone!

I hope you all enjoyed your week off school and went travelling to all sorts of fine and exotic destinations. Stayed home and worked? Well at least you made money, whereas I just ended up spending a lot of it. I blame Florida’s outlet malls and their tempting prices.

International Events

Kalahari was a big SPLASH!

Our international trip was met with great success! Everyone went wild at the water parks and good fun was had by all. It was a nice change to snow and cold, that’s for sure. A few of our daring boys tried out body-boarding while trying to keep their bathing suits (some had little success with that one), while others tried out surfing! We all conquered all of the water slides, with my favorites being the water roller coaster and the 4 person giant slide with a funnel. The next day we went to Great Wolf Lodge’s waterpark, which was not as extensive but just as much fun. Thanks to all who went and thanks to Lori for helping organize much of the trip.

Waiting for the giant bucket to drench us at Great Wolf Lodge

Diego up on the board for about 3 seconds.

Tennis Time

Walsh took up most of the AirTran plane on our way down to Kissimmee, Florida. Both men and women’s teams went down for a week to play some tennis, soak up some rays and enjoy our time off before our season really gets underway. Although the sun was not as present as we would have liked (and temperatures were far from tropical), it was the best trip yet! The women won their Webber International and Rochester matches and all girls had a chance to play. Even I got back into it, though I am very rusty after being off with an injury. Our next match is away at Ashland U on Friday March 19th at 12pm outdoors, 3pm indoors. The men play Sunday March 14th at the University of Findlay at 9:45am.

Ski Club Seconds

Other students chose to head North-East instead of South and went to Jay Peak, Vermont for a 5-day intense ski trip with a ski club from Cleveland. President Alex and 3 other Walshers enjoyed amazing conditions and spared me no details, which made me rather jealous. Wish I had pictures!

In Other Walsh News . . .

Adios snow!

The temperatures are creeping up and the snow is making a slow and steady exit. I don’t think there will be more on the way, but hey, we can still hope for a freak blizzard and a snow day!

Convenience Store mark-ups

Yes, Flex-dollars are not real money but does that mean we students must get scammed out of our credits so quickly? Since when does a box of Nilla-wafers cost more than $5.00??? I would like some justice here. You know we are strapped on cash so please make more student-friendly pricing

Travel Tips and Tangents

Although I did not have a camera to bring on this trip, the sights were basically the same. So this week, let’s travel down south to Florida for some sunshine and colorful buildings. Kissimmee, Florida is on the outskirts of Orlando and from what I can tell, a big resort and condo hot-spot. There are some pretty cheesy stores and attractions and wacky themed motels as well as it’s share of classy hotels, resorts, golf-courses and tennis facilities. Too bad there is no beach, but there is lots to do if one has a lot of disposable income. Now for some pictures!

Ignoring the clouds, the complex was quite pretty.

Where we spend every moment we aren't sleeping, eating or playing tennis.

I decided to start international friendships with the local wildlife. Note: this bird was pretty darn big!

We took a pass at Disney this year, but last year we had so much fun!!

Enjoy your weeks back before Easter break!

Another break coming up and not a moment too soon. These next few weeks are the first waves of exams, so having a long weekend is always appreciated. It also gives us a chance to get outside and enjoy all of this snow! . . . anyone? hmm? No, I’m probably alone on that one.

International Events

Valentine’s Day at Kalahari

The plans are being finalized, the rooms booked and money collected for Kalahari madness! 20 students will be enjoying the wild water fun at both Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari this weekend. No need to brave the elements, it’s all indoors!

Tennis Time

Our first match is fast approaching and we are working hard to get ready. The women play Kenyon at 2pm Sat 13th while the men have a tournament at the University of Charleston Friday 12-Sat 13th. Wish us all luck! Not only for our matches, but for the hours and hours of driving we have ahead of us. Wish we had a tennis bus because those passenger vans are impossible to find a comfy position to sleep in!

Ski Club Seconds

Our 7Springs ski trip to Champion, PA is a definite go! Alex and I worked hard on a pretty sweet poster, complete with the yeti monster from that wonderfully advanced PC game Ski Free. I was so thrilled to find the picture of the monster I went back to the room and downloaded the original version. (It’s as addicting now as it was when I was 13). But back to the trip. Conditions look great and the group looks like a fun bunch. Will post some pictures on that too, when I find that darn converter SD card for my phone . . .

In Other Walsh News . . .

Blizzards Abound

The campus looks amazing with this dusting (actually about 2 feet) of snow. This morning the trees had a sparkly layer of frost on them that distracted me for a bit on my way to class. It’s nice to have winter again though *ducks to avoid angry glares from everyone else on campus*

to the snow removal team:

We do realize it is important to clear the paths so students can get to class. However, I don’t think that anyone is too eager to get up bright and early on a Saturday morning. That being said, why do the campus plows start working before the sun is up? If the windows at Walsh were properly sealed and soundproof it would be a different story. But alas, they are not.

Congrats Cafeteria!

I cannot complain right now of our cafeteria food selections, because they are actually good! I mean as far as school food goes, I find I am pretty satisfied every meal I go to. Except Breakfast, that meal needs a dash of creativity, but it still gets the job done.

Travel Tips and Tangents

Let’s escape the snow for a while and jump across to Europe again to visit Toledo. Yes, this is the original Toledo in Spain. It is the central point for catholicism in Spain and is home to the most beautiful cathedral in the country. As a world UNESCO heritage site, this medieval city has kept much of its ancient charm. The city itself is like a maze with alleyways and streets that lead you every which way. Being built on a hill has its advantages, but level walking ground is not one of them. Expect to shed the calories from the marzipan and cheeses you indulge while there with all of the walking you do. Leather goods is also a Toldeo specialty, as is medieval weapons and Damascene jewelry and artworks. Tempted to get a 16th century sword replica, I went for the jewelry instead. Here are some memories of the wonderful city of Toledo:

Narrow streets make cars outright ridiculous here.

Happy February!

It’s the start of our shortest month, and I suspect that it will fly by even faster than January. Where is the slow-motion button? Things are moving too fast. But no matter how the days fly by, I am having a great time, probably the best semester yet! (besides Rome) So here is an update on what’s going down at WU.

International Events

What to do next?

Because of our successful International Dinner in the fall, our club has a decent bank of funds to put to good use this semester. Our main idea is an trip to Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari Water Park in Sandusky. I will definately post some pictures of that trip. There is also talk of a Valentine’s Day fundraiser, a Spring Break trip, help with a Haiti Relief event, and an end of the year party. Our club is really getting things done!

Tennis Time

Every day I wake up in mild to moderate pain, but this is a good thing. Our fitness coach has been working our tails off, getting us prepared for match play. The women have their first match on Feb 13th at Kenyon. The men have a weekend tournament at Charleston. The season soon begins! Keep checking to find out our next match and try to come on over to watch a home game. Go Cavs!

Ski Club Seconds

New subheading! *excitement*. I was recently voted Ski Club secretary/treasurer, so this club has been bumped into my priorities list. Upcoming trip everyone! Don’t know what to do on the Tuesday of President’s Day break? Come with the club to 7 Springs, PA and have a day on the slopes to wind down before classes start again. Please contact our new president, alexanderbotsch@walsh.edu for more details.

In Other Walsh News . . .

I should really go to those

I am very behind on my school spirit. Walsh Basketball games are getting increasingly popular (as they should for our amazing teams) and yet I have not gone to more than one home game this year! Shameful. So don’t lead by my example and get out there to support our Cavs!

Lessons in dorm cooking

1. When making Ramen noodles, please remember to add water before nuking it in the microwave. Singed noodles, bad smells, and angry dorm-mates result in this mistake.

2. When cooking anything in the microwave, read the time instructions. Nobody will think you’re a cooking whiz when you burn popcorn, resulting in again, bad smells and angry dorm-mates.

3. Do NOT think that pulling the alarm at 4 am is a funny and innocent prank. It’s a good thing I don’t live in Menard, or else you would have seen one angry Canadian!

Travel Tips and Tangents

Fun times in Cleveland today, Cleveland ! Come on down to Clevelandtown everyone, this is where I went to my first semi-professional hockey game! I was super thrilled to find out that the Toronto Marlies were playing and thought it would be great to bring my Canadian gear. Not so much. Not only was I one of maybe 10 people cheering for the Marlies, we lost by a whopping 6-3. Not good times for Canada. But it still was fun. I took a fellow International student with me who had never seen a hockey game. He had lots of fun and even helped me root for my fellow Canadians. The stadium was around 3/4 full which surprised me because I hadn’t thought that hockey was a very popular sport around here.

After the game my group (12 of us) went to Brasa, a Brazilian BBQ restaurant just a few blocks away from the Q. Delicioso! The restaurant features servers going around with spits of meats of all kinds. So filling, though I question the pricey bill. I was still full when I woke up the next day, so I guess it was worth it. Here are some pictures of the game:

Inflatable Lake Erie Monster. Is there a legend behind this?

The boys in action. The first period was promising, what happened Marlies?

Proof that we were indeed at the Q. Next mission: Cavs game