Interview With a Fellow Design Student #4 Featuring Hale Henderson

Let's see, I think the first time I actually met Hale was in our Intro to the Apparel Industry class when we sat next to each other. I'm not quite sure how/when we became friends but we did. We had other classes together, such as Intro to CSR and sewing and then in the spring we had art, sewing, and nutrition. Thankfully Hale loves coffee (more than me) and we'd always meet up before/in between/after classes for coffee, to talk about classes, etc. She has a unique sense of style that is great. Lots of patterns and fabrics and variety. She's a great baker, she made me a homemade apple pie (with crisscross dough on top) for my birthday and I ate most of it by myself it was so good. She's also really funny and a good study buddy. This coming fall we will be attending ECON together and hopefully pass the class with As! We will also be taking drawing (AD114) and fashion design together. I'm not quite sure exactly what classes because Hale takes Japanese classes and she had to work her schedule around those as well as the required design classes. Hopefully we'll have more than just ECON and fashion design. 

An example of Hale's style.

Here is her interview:

What are you studying/majoring in? And why?

I'm majoring in Apparel Design and Technology and minoring in Japanese. My goal is to design clothes in Tokyo, so I think it's important for me to study Japanese as well as Fashion Design.

Why did you choose Purdue? And what made you want to decide on Apparel Design?

I have always loved fashion and I knew that I wanted to be a designer. I had heard good things about Purdue's fashion program and I received scholarships that covered my tuition. So, Purdue seemed to be my best option.

Hale's Model.

Please describe what you made for the spring fashion show and how you felt seeing all your hard work going down the runway.

I made a very androgynous outfit that consisted of a slate grey asymmetrical vest and a charcoal grey asymmetrical kilt. I had my roommate, who is a boy, model it and he got a lot of interesting looks while he was walking down the runway. I felt really accomplished and proud when I saw my outfit on the runway. It was proof that my hard work had paid off.

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why?

Japanese was probably my favorite class this past year because I love learning languages and it was always a very upbeat and fun class. The hardest class I took was probably intro to design (AD105) because I absolutely hate designing things on the computer.

What would you say is your dream job?

My dream job is to design stage clothes for Japanese rock bands. They always have such interesting outfits and I think I would have a lot of creative freedom. Plus, guys in J-rock bands are just too cute. (´ε｀ )♡

Who are your favorite designers?

My current favorite designers are Vivienne Westwood, Yohji Yamamoto, Gareth Pugh, and Rei Kawakubo. There are plenty of others that I admire as well, though.

Do you have a favorite quote?

“For something to be beautiful, it doesn't have to be pretty.” - Rei Kawakubo

Hale and her must-have accessory, her cat.

How would you describe your personal style?

My style is a bit of a mixture of styles. It's mostly influenced by various Japanese styles as well as 80s punk and 90s grunge. I also like sweaters. A lot.

What are your favorite stores?

I can find neat stuff at H&M and Forever 21, but I really like shopping for secondhand stuff online and in thrift stores.

What’s your must-have accessory?

My cat. Everyone looks cuter when they're holding a cat, y'know? (I guess this means a lint roller is also a must-have.)

Hale when she was blonde. One view of her style.

What is your go-to outfit?

Black dress with patterned tights and boots or heels. It's a simple outfit that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. Having a cat around can improve this outfit, too. Just be mindful of cat hairs on black clothes.

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year?

I'm working my bum off at a Korean restaurant. But, I also have plenty of time for relaxing with friends.

Interview With A Friend #3 Featuring Zoë Zawadzki

Zoë and I have been friends for a long time. I actually don't remember ever becoming friends, I just know one day we somehow became friends. We've gone to the same church for a long time and we went to the same junior high school and by 8th grade we were best friends, so something obviously clicked between us. Zoë and I also played soccer together for years and we took French tutoring together all of high school (freshman to senior year). We've gone on 2 soccer trips abroad to England and Wales together, and we both went to France with French Club. We've had zillions of sleepovers, heart to hearts, dinners & Sunday lunches, and we've gone shopping together so many times it's ridiculous. Zoë has a great sense of humor, races cars with her dad, probably owns as many heels as I do, has A LOT of scarves and jewelry, and is always there when I need her- for anything. She's a great person with a great heart and i wish we could have gone to the same college together because it sucks not seeing each other as much as we used to. Also, I have posted twice about Zoë- Featured Fashionista:Zoë and Zoë's Choices. So check those out after you read her interview!

Here is Zoë's Interview:

Where do you go to college? What are you studying/majoring in? And why?

I go to Ohio University where I study French and French education. I chose French because it’s something that I’m really interested in and love doing.

Zoë sitting waiting to order lunch
near Versailles in France.

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why?

I would have to say my favorite class last year was probably Plant Biology because it was really interesting, it could actually be applied to real life and I had a great enthusiastic teacher!

What would you say is your dream job?

That’s though. I honestly don’t know what I want to do, but I’m thinking eventually I would like to be a French professor at a university.

Who are your favorite designers?

My favorite designers are BCBG and Oscar de la Renta.

Do you have a favorite quote?

My favorite quote right now is “everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life thinking its stupid”.  I don’t know who said it.

Zoë (R) and her sister (L).

How would you describe your personal style?

I think the best way to describe my style is simple and casual yet chic.

What are your favorite stores?

My favorite stores are fossil, American eagle, H&M, forever 21, target, and resale shops such as Plato’s Closet and Goodwill. I love the resale shops the most because you can find such cool clothes, they are really inexpensive, and no one has to know you got them there!

What’s your must-have accessory?

I can’t choose between earrings and a scarf. I wear them both all the time!

What is your go-to outfit?

A black v-neck t-shirt, my favorite scarf at the time, a pair of jeans, black low-top converse, and a cute pair of dangly earrings, and in the winter add a cardigan and pair of boots!

Zoë (R) and her friend pose.

What’s your favorite trip so far/ or the one you’re looking forward to the most for this summer?

The trip I am looking forward to the most is Hawaii! I get to show off all my new bathing suits and it will be fun and relaxing!

How do the popular brands/trends differ between the Midwest and New England? Which do you prefer? (Or do you mix them together?)

The brands and trends are pretty much the same as New England. They are a little more relaxed in their clothes but are still fashionable.  On Cape Cod, it’s definitely more beachy, like the perfect outfit is a crew neck sweatshirt (if you’re college aged, it’s probably the university you attend), jean shorts, and Sperry’s. They also wear a lot more ll bean because it’s better for the climate. I personally like mixing them together!

If you could go anywhere and do anything, where & what?

If I could go anywhere and do anything, I would travel across Europe on my own, doing whatever I found interesting and spending however long in each place I wanted. 

Zoë (L) and Me (R) after getting free makeovers at the mall.

Michelle's How -To Nail Tutorial

My friend Michelle is very talented and possesses the patience required to paint her nails with really neat designs. She agreed earlier this summer to do at least 1 nail design tutorial for my blog, hopefully she'll do more though with summer school this might be the only one. However, I will be trying to convince her to do a monthly how-to for a nail design, hair do, or eye make-up tutorial. Not all 3 every month, just something 1 a month. I think it would be a great segment to spice things up and get a different voice for my blog. 

Anyways, here is Michelle's 1st tutorial:

Cut up long strips off some kind of tape. You can also buy special tape specifically for nails, but if you don’t want to spend the money, like me, just use regular tape. This is double sided duct tape, which I find easier to handle since it’s stiffer than regular tape.  Make sure to prepare plenty, you won’t be able to cut more with wet nails easily.

Place the tape edge where you want to create a clean line of polish. Make sure it’s pressed down firmly so no paint can get underneath. Remove the tape before the paint dries, then keep using new tape and new colors to create a fan type pattern.

Michelle's End Result:

If you don’t want to put that much effort into every nail, you can mix it up and make some or even most of them plain solid. For the solid nails I used the paint I used the least on the fan pattern, because it brought out all the colors evenly. 

Interview With A Purdue Friend #2 Featuring Michelle Holz

Michelle and I were in the same Boiler Gold Rush (BGR) group the week before classes started for our freshman year. The first time I met her I knew I wanted to be friends with her, she just gave off a good vibe. She had a shirt that had a calculus formula on it (also looked like the f word & calc) and she seemed generally nice and funny. She's a redhead, complains about the sun, has a great sense of humor, loves Avatar, her favorite color is green, and she is pretty much a master at doing her hair and nails in really cool ways. During freshman year we hung out all the time; we went to work out, to dinner, and we were homework buddies. This coming fall we'll both be in the same french class (probably get in trouble for talking too much) and we plan on hanging out all the time, especially to do our homework. Besides just interviewing her, I will be posting a little "How-To" piece that Michelle has created and we've together on for a really cool nail design.

Here is my interview with Michelle:

Why Purdue? What are you studying/majoring in? And why?

My parents went to Purdue and it has always felt like home. I’m studying Biological Engineering and Food Processing, because I find it interesting and want to be about of that industry.

What was your favorite class this past year/& or hardest and why?

I loved my History of Alchemy class. It was mostly just learning about symbols and their histories, and how they came to be used in alchemy. The class was very easy, but still interesting and really fun to attend.

Michelle (L) and I (R) were inducted into Honor Society
for our great GPAs from our freshman year.

What were you involved in on campus? (clubs, choirs, etc.)

I was a member of the University Choir.

What would you say is your dream job?

Head Curator at either the Smithsonian Museum of American History or the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

If you could travel anywhere for a semester abroad (money isn't a problem) where would you go, what would you study, and why?

France, to study the wine making processes at French country wineries. Because right now I want to take my degree into the wine making industry, and I've also always wanted to go to France.

How would you describe your personal style?

Colorful and comfortable. And I like weird accessories, or odd little additions. That why I like to paint my nails in such eye-catching ways. It’s all in the details.

Michelle (R) and me (L) just hanging out.
We had straightened Michelle's hair
and it had taken forever!

What are your favorite stores to shop at?

Kohl’s, JC Penny’s, and Macy’s. 

What’s your must-have accessory?

Bracelets of any kind.

What is your go-to outfit?

Green skinny jean capris and whatever shirt I feel like putting with it. And black ballet flats.

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year?

At summer school at Purdue. I’m taking Calc 2 and Chemistry.

What made you love doing your hair/nails/makeup; is there a back story to why you’re amazing and why you enjoy doing them?

I like doing my nails for a couple reasons. First, I kind of enjoy getting complements on them when I've done an especially good job. It makes me feel proud of my work. I also like to paint my nails after I've had a particularly stressful week. It’s very soothing to completely concentrate on something simple and make everything juuust right.

What is your favorite hairstyle?

I like my hair best when it’s down and has a little side braid to get the hair in the front out of my eyes.

When you’re running late in the morning what is your routine? Ex) do you skip eye make-up but do your hair in a pretty way? Something along those lines, what do you skip if you don’t have the ideal amount of time to get ready?

When I’m running late I throw on some shorts and a t-shirt, put my hair into a side-braid, and very carefully put on my eye-make up. I don’t wear any other make-up, but I love putting on eye-shadow and mascara. They make my eyes pop.  

What’s your favorite nail polish color/ & or decoration/design?

I like my nails bright green since that’s my favorite color, so any kind of pattern of green, maybe some sparkles here and there. Or, I just go with black and gold, I’m always looking for new gold or black polish for a good old Boilermaker them.

Interview With a Fellow Design Student #3 Featuring Emily Miles

I met Emily Miles over Facebook before we started going to Purdue. We somehow found each other and seemed to be the only apparel design majors using the Facebook group for incoming Purdue freshmen. We chatted a lot and decided to meet at Purdue when we realized we would both be going there for our STAR dates (schedule, take placement tests, etc.). We had dinner with our family members that took us (her parents and my grandma) at the dinner in the union. It was great because when fall classes started we already had at least one friend going into the major. Emily is really nice, funny, and a very talented sewer.

Here is her interview:

"This is a picture from my junior year 
of high school. For spring break, a group 
of girls that I sew with went to New York City
over spring break, and we went
 fabric shopping at Mood's!"
-Emily

What are you studying/majoring in? And why? I am majoring in Apparel Design and Technology with a minor in Art and Design Studio. I am also going to try to get a double major with Retail Merchandising. I picked this plan of study because I love everything that has to do with fashion, and want to have many different career options.

Why did you choose Purdue? And what made you want to decide on Apparel Design? I chose Purdue because of the large campus. I also still get that small campus feeling, because I always see several friends on my way to and from class every day. I chose the major of Apparel Design because I absolutely love sewing, and because it just makes me happy.

Emily (L) and her model Alyssa (R) at the
Purdue Fashion Show.

Please describe what you made for the spring fashion show and how you felt seeing all your hard work going down the runway. Also, if you want, any funny stories about making your garment or any struggles. For the spring fashion show, I made a maxi dress out of a purple stretch suiting material. I also made a blazer with a peplum out of a small black and white hound’s-tooth material. I felt amazing with my work going down the runway. It really makes me excited for fashion shows to come! I also loved that my roommate and long-time friend was able to be my model. I had a rough time making the jacket because my model’s back is 2 inches shorter than most people with her proportions, so I had to do a lot of alterations. I knew that I could have taken on a bigger challenge, but overall, I was satisfied with what I made for my first year.

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why? My favorite class so far this year was Introduction to Apparel Industry. I loved learning about different fashion designers from the past, and also seeing how fashion has progressed through the years. My hardest class from this past year was definitely Art History. I am a hands on, active learner, so I struggled a lot with memorizing tens of names, dates, places, and art pieces.

What would you say is your dream job? My dream job would either be working in corporate retail, or working under a large-name designer. At this point, I am very flexible with possible careers, as long as I am still able to sew rather it is for work, or for fun!

 

Emily in her senior prom dress
that she made.

Who are your favorite designers? This is such a tough question! I have so many designers that I like. I love Chanel because of the timeless styles. I also love Kate Spade.

Do you have a favorite quote? If so, please share. Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail. –Ralph Waldo Emerson

How would you describe your personal style? I love Korean fashion, which is reflected a lot in my wardrobe. I have a lot of lace and pale colors. I love vintage style clothing as well. One of my favorite accessories is necklaces. I really like quirky, unique jewelry.

What are your favorite stores? My favorite stores are Forever 21, Francesca’s, and any shoe stores! I also love looking for small boutiques on family vacations as well.

"These are my amazing sewing teachers Ann and Sue.
I started taking classes with them when I was in 7th grade,
and they were the reason that I chose to study fashion design."
-Emily

What’s your must-have accessory? My must have accessory is my Tiffany’s charm bracelet. I also can’t be without my statement necklaces!

What is your go-to outfit? My go-to outfit is dark wash skinny jeans, a simple style shirt, flats, and colorful jewelry.

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year? This summer, I am working at the Applebee’s restaurant in town. I worked there for two years before college. I am a server, and also work at the carry-out door. In my free time, I have been going on walks with friends, and attempting to start to learn Korean. (Which, by the way, is going really well!)

Interview With A Friend #2 Featuring Karen Kuhn

Karen and I met 7th grade when we sat near each other in band. However, I don't think we became friends right away. Though, after a while we became best friends and hung out all the time. When we both took AP US History our sophomore year in high school we would have "note card parties" where she would come over for a sleepover and we would stay up until 3 am doing note cards for class and drinking lots of pop. We went to youth group and lunch almost every Sunday afternoon and we had a great time with band and dances and crazy high school times. Karen is very intelligent, we were in the same french class for all of high school, and she's very musically gifted (in high school she played the tuba in band and sang, though I'm sure she still does both). She has a knack for getting sunburned really badly and she's really funny, especially when she's had a lot of caffeine/sugar, and is just a blast to be around. She is doing great in college, loves OSU, and always has a lot of things on her plate to do.

Here is her interview:

Where do you go to college? What are you studying/majoring in? And why?
I go to college at The Ohio State University. I'm majoring in English with minors in French and Linguistics because I want to go into publishing and I find language super interesting.

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why?
My favorite class was Language, Sex, and Gender because it gave me very important insight on how the way we use language and how it influences/reflects gender and sexuality stereotypes.

What would you say is your dream job?
My dream job would be to work for a publishing house as an editor or as a critic of the arts.

Karen (R) and our friend Jeri (L).
To learn more about Jeri, click her name.

Who are your favorite designers?
I think the only designer I could even tell you a first and last name is Coco Chanel...

Do you have a favorite quote?
"Well-behaved women seldom make history" -Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

How would you describe your personal style?
On a good day, my personal style is very simple. Solid colors, not a lot of jewelry. On a bad day, it's jean shorts and a t-shirt.

What are your favorite stores?
American Eagle is my favorite for jeans, but I really like JC Penney, Charlotte Russe, Forever 21 etc. Target is good when I'm looking for cheap clothes.

What’s your must-have accessory?
Can't go without wearing earrings.

What is your go-to outfit?
Usually a cute tank top and cut off jean shorts for the summer, or if I'm feeling really lazy, a strapless dress.

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year?
This summer, I'm trying to spend as much time with friends as I can before I move out of Milford.

How has college changed your wardrobe? What is your favorite go-to summer outfit right now? 
College has made me realize that it's easy to look cute without putting in a ton of effort. I love wearing white shorts with a solid tank top and an unbuttoned chambray shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Sandals are a must.

If you could go anywhere and do anything, where & what?
I think I would go to India to document their languages and learn more about their culture.

What influences you and your sense of style? Singers/artists/celebrities?
My friends influence my style, but I also get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest.

Interview With a Fellow Design Student #2 Featuring Jessica Cork

Like Gabi, I met Jessica for the first time at a little meet & greet for the major before classes started last fall. First appearances wise, Jessica looked fierce. If I remember correctly she had on these high heeled boots and some combination of clothes that just made her look like she was meant to be a designer. I don't think we really became friends until we sat by each other in Intro to the Apparel Industry, though we also had AD105 together, so we survived that class together. Because of her I learned that taking the bus to art in the morning is way better than walking there at 8am with a huge portfolio kit and a coffee. She's fun and creative, and has a great sense of humor. Because we became friends fall semester, come spring we took drawing together too, which I don't think I could have survived without her and our friend Hale. She has tons of sketch books and her designs are always interesting and fresh. For the fashion show she had a little problem model wise, meaning her original model, who she had made the dress to fit like a glove, quit just a few days before the show. Given the circumstances she did her best, had one of her friends be the model, and fix the dress as best she could since her new model was a little more gifted up top than her original one was. Jessica is a hard worker and I look forward to having art again with her in the fall as well as other design related classes.

Now for her interview:

Jessica Cork.

What are you studying/majoring in? And why?

I am majoring in Apparel Design and Technology and minoring in Art. I chose Apparel Design as my major because Fashion Design has been my dream since I was five years old drawing stick people in square shirts and triangle skirts. I’m minoring in Art because it’s nice to have a little extra something to spice up your resume and because it’s easy. 

Why did you choose Purdue? And what made you want to decide on Apparel Design?

I chose Purdue because it was the first college I found with the major I wanted and it was close enough to home my parents could still come and buy me groceries every once in a while. I was also impressed by their program and their facilities with machines I had never seen before.  Originally I was searching every college’s website for “Fashion Design” in their Art departments. Obviously I was way off. 

 Please describe what you made for the spring fashion show and how you felt seeing all your hard work going down the runway. Also, if you want, any funny stories about making your garment or any struggles.

I made a little party dress that was supposed to be really easy and go together smoothly….didn't happen that way. I will NeVeR work with Lamé ever again. It was a huge pain in the butt and silk brocade… I should have learned the first time I tried to work with it but it is very difficult to work with as it is very slippery and doesn't have any give. It was really beautiful fabric but, because there was no flow, the dress wasn’t quite how I imagined it. Not to mention I sewed the Lamé wrong 5 different times. Inside out, one inside out other backwards, both backwards, wrong side and one backwards and one forwards. Then my model quit on me . . . so can you say stressed?

Jessica's Model on the runway during
the Fashion Show.

A back and front view of Jessica's dress.

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why?

Hands down, my favorite class this year was the fashion history class. I loved that class with Nancy. I learned about a lot of things I hadn't known before and was highly interested in. My hardest class was AD 105. It had too many restrictions and specificities for me to be able to work well in that class. The teaching assistant would say that there was a better way to do something when it was actually how she would have done it so she expected it to be that way though it was the student’s work and therefore their self-expression. 

What would you say is your dream job?

I think my dream job is to be a fashion illustrator maybe for Armani.

I prefer to dream and draw the designs rather than sit down and piece them together. I can envision and draw a garment better than I can sew a perfectly straight seam.

Who are your favorite designers?

I fell in love with Giorgio Armani’s designs when I opened a magazine and saw a beautifully composed black and white photo of a simple and sophisticated dress that’s design rather than color hinted at an earlier era’s fashion. But I also love how Chanel’s designs are what I describe as “clean”.  No useless frill and needless fripperies. Just details that emphasize the body that is wearing the garment, I love body conscious, simple and sophisticated clothing.

Do you have a favorite quote?

Live and learn

How would you describe your personal style?

Normally comfortable and simple, a lot of black because it’s easy to maintain and match but I do have my more….frilly moments which sometimes turn out badly…live and learn. But a friendly hint…cheetah print and zebra print at the same time = not fantastic idea, unless it is done very minimally and tastefully. 

What are your favorite stores?

Jessica's Bulova Watch
Image Credit: Jessica Cork

Body Central, Rack Room Shoes and Goodwill (Goodwill is the best place to buy from because everything has been washed at least once so you know how the fabric is going to react, like if the seams are going to twist because of poor construction).

What’s your must-have accessory?

My Bulova watch, It’s flashy and functional.

What is your go-to outfit?
Jeans, t-shirt, and black boots (whether heeled or flat).

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year?

Working my butt off to pay for books, hanging with my boyfriend whenever we can get together, Reading (already conquered 14 books), fixing everyone’s clothes they can’t put thread through needle and fix themselves, and school and stressing over what I’m going to make for this year’s fashion show (nothing to do with Lamé, Silk Brocade, or unreliable models.) and driving my younger sister insane of course. :D

Interview With A Friend #1 Featuring Jeri Plante

Jeri and I have been friends since freshman year of high school. We knew each other before that but it wasn't until marching band and participating in band camp the summer before freshman year that we really became friends. She marched trumpet and I marched baritone; after bonding over how much we didn't want to be there, a friendship was created. We were roommates for every single band trip (so about 10 trips possibly), we had sleepovers and girls' night, went to Panera for lunch many times, and were in the same group for going to prom senior year. Jeri and I don't have exactly the same style, however, I am always loving the ensembles she puts together. She has a lot of really cute dresses, shirts that have neat cut outs and patterns, and a lot of fun jewelry. Anyway, here is the interview I did with her on college, style, and taking her first trip out if the country:

Jeri (L) and me (R) on a marching band trip
 to Disney in Florida.

Where do you go to college? What are you studying/majoring in? And why?
I go to BGSU (Bowling Green State University in Ohio) and I was undecided in my major because I keep majorly second guessing myself in what area I want to go into.

What was your favorite class this past year/hardest and why?
My favorite class this past year was either my astronomy or my personal finance class. I found my astronomy class to be really interesting and we went out on a stargaze on night and got to use different telescopes and got to see all kinds of stars. I really enjoyed my personal finance class because of my professor. It was a small class (only 15 people) and I was the youngest so I always got picked on but it was all fun and I actually use the information I learned in real life. The hardest class I took was definitely business calculus. I've always been really good at math but this stuff just didn't click with me.

What would you say is your dream job?
I wish I had a dream job… That would at least point me in the right direction as to what degree to pursue. 

Do you have a favorite quote?
 I’m not sure who said this quote but I really like it. “Success isn't the result of spontaneous combustion, you must set yourself on fire.”

How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is always changing… I always like to wear nicer clothes anytime I go out. Lately I've been wearing dresses accessorized with belts, jewelry, sweaters, and cute shoes.

What are your favorite stores?
My favorite stores are Forever 21 and Target.

What is your must-have accessory?

Jeri (far left) and me (2nd from left) with 3 of our other senior friends before
going to dinner before prom.

 My earrings are my must-have accessories.

What is your go-to outfit?
I have two go-to outfits. The first is my royal blue dress with a cute cutout bow style back. It’s from Modcloth and I love it. I usually pair that with my brown wedge sandals and some jewelry. The second is some kind of nicer looking tank top with skinny jeans, my wedges, and jewelry. 

How are you spending your summer before sophomore year?
I am mainly spending my summer working, but I also will be going on a mission trip with my church to the Dominican Republic!

Please describe a little about your trip and how you're planning on packing for it:

I leave June 23^rd so I just started packing today actually. I plan on only bringing a small suitcase and a backpack. We will be helping with construction, running a Vacation Bible School (VBS), holding a college conference, participating in a local church service, and we will do a little bit of site seeing, along with visiting the beach and going snorkeling! I started pulling different outfits that I might want to bring today and I’ll be bringing a wide variety of clothing, anywhere from overalls (for VBS) to gym shorts to swimsuits to maxi dresses. It definitely helps having an itinerary before you start packing so that I know I will actually be wearing the clothes that I’m bringing and I’m not just wasting space in my suitcase.

How do you feel about going out of the country for the first time?

I am super excited and very nervous for my trip. I've never been out of the country before so it will definitely be a new experience. The culture is very different in the Dominican Republic. It is a third world country. I’m a little worried about the culture shock. I took three years of Spanish in high school but that won’t get me very far. So the language barrier is a bit intimidating too. The whole experience and working with the people will be amazing though.

If you could go anywhere in the world and do anything, where and what?

If I could go anywhere, I probably wouldn't pick the Dominican Republic, I’d either pick an island somewhere or Paris. One day I would like to see the Eiffel tower and I would also like to lie out on a beach and swim in the ocean. 

Have you done research about where you're going? Such as weather and cultural aspects for clothing?

I've done a little bit of research about the Dominican Republic. I learned that many of the people there dress up a majority of the time but I also learned that it wouldn't be completely out of the ordinary to see children walking around naked. As for the weather I looked it up and it seemed pretty similar to our current weather. It looked like it rains more there though… I guess we’ll see.