Home for Thanksgiving

   This Thanksgiving was a lot different than the previous Thanksgivings that I have had. This time was the first time that I did see some relatives in quite some time. When I was in grades 1-12 I would always see my family from around where I lived quite often. Now since I have moved on to college, and do not live that close to home, seeing my aunt, uncles, cousins and grandparents that I have not seen in a while felt different. I felt more mature and was able to talk to my relatives more as an adult. I was happy to see my relatives but at the same time did not feel like a little kid anymore. I used to go run up to them and just ask for things but now seeing them after going through almost a semester of college I felt like my role has changed. 

     I have felt more like an adult and mature because I have gotten to see and have many experiences from students from around the world. These experiences have given me a sense of more maturity and have felt more comfortable to talk with relatives about more personal issues. My relatives went to college and have been through some of the same things I am going through. Being able to talk to them about my college experience so far was something that felt great and I am happy that I did.

     For Thanksgiving did you talk to any of your relatives about some of the same things that I did?

Voting

     I know the Presidential election has already ended but I would like to speak about my first time voting for the President. I did vote in the earlier primary elections but it did not really feel like I voted. When I was growing up I always looked at voting was when we would focus on voting for the President and then the other positions on the ballot did not mean that much. The media puts a lot of attention to the Presidential election that I did not really know anything about any of the other candidates. 

     The first time that I cast my ballot for the President of the United States of America was when I felt like I really voted for something that meant a lot. I am sure that the candidates for the State Senate, The House of Representatives and all of the county positions mean a lot but I did not feel like I made a difference when voting for those persons. I also voted on the early ballot voting which had the purpose of voting when the lines were not long. I did not get to experience the long lines that I have herd about and seen from watching the news. When I casted that ballot my mother took a photo of me voting in one of the most important elections in our nation and in the world. I say the world because from all of my travel experience and from watching the news on the day of the election and the day after the election. I have had people ask me about the United States President in countries on different continents but I would not really know anything about the President or Prime Minister from there country. 

     When I voted for the President of the United States my vote felt like it meant something because everybody around the world would know about it and I felt accomplished because I felt like I was making a difference by voting in my first Presidential election. What is your take on this?

Miz Alice and more

When I was reading this story Blue Highway by William Least Heat- Moon, was trying to draw the conclusion from what Miz Alice might be going through to something that I might have been going through as well. Do you see anything that is similar to Miz Alice Middleton's life that can be relative to your life?

My answer is that there is not too much from what I have been through. I know that Miz Alice was living on an island that did not really have any modern appliances for the sixty years that she was living there. I think that the amount of people moving towards that area had a big influence. There were not too many people living on the island with Miz Alice Middleton. Her way of schooling was quite different than the type that I had growing up. I also see that less and less people were going towards her method and falling towards the norm. The new generation is full with new things in terms of technology and more people live in the modern society. I say this because that island finally had, "Carried mail and medicine, the sick and dying. Brought news, food, gas, firewood. Even ideas, I deem (397)." This island was not that similar to anything that I have experienced.  I do see something similar in that going to foreign countries I see that there are nowhere near as technologically advanced as we are. They are getting there but it is a process. But, with my personal life, I do not see any of these similarities. I live in a nice area and if anything I see what is happening to Miz Alice in some places but not too many.

Blue Highway Post

Question: What influence has the Island Belle had on Smith Island?

Answer: The Island Belle has helped change the social pattern of Smith Island. Before the Belle came the island that Miz Alice lives on, it was only visited during one time of the year- Christmas. The Belle had the impact of making the island more developed than it was in the past. The Island Belle is just a gas boat. It brings people back and fourth on the island. This little boat has made the island accessible to people and there were many new accessories that were brought to the island. The Island Belle no longer made Smith Island  unique to just Miz Alice Middleton but opened it up to others.