February 20, 2010

Last Sunday, the day after we returned from the first expedition, it was time to learn how to chop wood and, most excitingly, do laundry. Imagine a van full of 10 high school students who haven't showered, seen deodorant, or changed clothes in 14 days (well, we did actually shower, change clothes, and put on deodorant before we went to do laundry, but you get the idea). It's not the most refreshing scent, so everybody was ecstatic to be able to purchase laundry detergent! We all loaded up the vans in 3 groups that alternated laundry time with wood chopping and headed into the small town of Leadville, where we encountered our new favorite place: Safeway. After scurrying into Safeway and finding the best-smelling detergent in 5 minutes, we were escorted to the Laundromat where we were finally able to clean our clothes! There was so much chaos and excitement, half of us forgot to separate our lights from our darks. But, parents, you mustn't fear -- we are learning. While the filth-drenched clothes were swirling in the washers, we were able to run across the street to Safeway again! Most of us purchased things like body soap, Girl Scout cookies, gloves, and hats, a surprisingly useful set of choices! We then returned to the Laundromat and dropped a few more quarters in the machines for a drying cycle and were off in the vans once again to HMI! Interestingly enough, we are all very excited for the next laundry run already! 

After laundry, starting on Monday, we faced our first full week of real classes. While we were hesitant to get back to work (in a slightly more "schoolish" setting than the expeditions), we were also excited to see everyone again and get our schedules. In science we had our first lab in which we dissected owl pellets and did a simulation which focused on the predator/prey relationship. In history we dove headfirst into the myths and realities of the west. In English we started reading Thoreau, and then moved on to Sherman Alexie. In Spanish class we explored the preterit, imperfect, future, and conditional tenses, and we also started to discuss the motivations that bring people to the United States from Mexico, Central America, and South America. We also had our first Practice and Principles class in which we discussed connections to nature and wilderness. We all caught on fast and are adapting to our regular schedules. 

Although our week has been filled with homework and classes, we still have found the time to relax and enjoy some fun activities. On Monday we got to pick from a wide variety of entertaining things to do. Many of us had a relaxing hour and a half eating different kinds of cheeses and drinking juice. Others had a severe sweet tooth and decided to make homemade ice-cream and some wanted to do something a little more thrilling so they went sledding at a local hill. On Wednesday some students indulged in cross-country skiing and enjoyed exploring Turquoise Lake. Among the skiers, some were new to cross-country skiing and therefore learned many new skills.  A few of us went to the local Leadville middle school to tutor students from grades six through eight. Whether is was helping them read, spell, or work on math we all had a great time getting to know the kids and giving back to the Leadville community. We finished the week with a few activities including swimming and extreme dog walking. 

In addition to classes and activities, one part of our weekly routine that is pretty important is our morning exercise regime. To insure the student body is in top physical shape for expeditions, and for our own personal health, AMX (morning exercise) was created. Every morning, except for Thursdays and Sundays, students participate in various physical activities. These activities vary from yoga, to calisthenics, to runs in the winter cold. For example, Monday was our first run day. However, since it was below zero (not that odd for a Colorado winter), we stayed inside and had a callisthenic workout with the math teacher, Karl. Tuesday was yoga and on Wednesday we did our first run at HMI: a short two mile excursion. These runs increase in distance as the semester progresses. By the end of the semester, students take part in the "Fun Run," a ten mile loop along the roads near campus. AMX is a great way to wake up before classes begin, and a great way to get in shape.

Next week we'll tell you more about our weekly routine, but it is nice to be settling in back on campus.  Today we're off to town again!

By: Jordan Lovinger, Hannah Weiss, Amy Domanico, & Will Smart