Summer Update Part 2.- Everything besides India.

Summer Job

After getting back from India, I spent most of the summer working for the biology department as a part of the undergraduate research program. The best parts of working on campus for the bio department during the summer is:
1) Getting to know your research professor better. They're great people.
2)Free bagels everyday. I love bagels.... So that's what I call work benefits.
3)Wednesday= free lunch
4) Last but not least you get to live with this view all summer for free.

The Big 80

My grandpa turned 80 during the summer, so naturally I flew out to Ohio to meet up with the rest of my family to bring in the big day with him. Even though I spent most of the weekend in Airport lobbies, coffee shops, and on the plane rather than Ohio, it was still a sweet trip.

Some random bus out behind grandparents house.

The Man of the hour.

The whole crew. I personally thought it was a cool gazebo.

Colorado
Me and my roommate wanted to go on some sort of an adventure once we finished our summer jobs. So we originally were gonna go to Costa Rica, but then we realized it was so dang expensive so we settled for a close second..... Backpacking in Colorado.

I had only been to Durango once so I had no idea where to go. After talking to an employee at the local mountaineering store, we found an awesome place to go backpacking for a four days. Easily one of the coolest and most spontaneous trips I've ever done. If you ever have the chance to randomly drive to Durango, go talk to Jeremy at Pine Needle Mountaineering and he'll hook you up.

Before:

A peak we failed to summit. Dang elevation.

Tomorrow morning I head back to Loma for RA training.... Loma round 3.

Summer Update Part 1.- INDIA

Considering there is only a couple more weeks of summer left, I should probably start giving some updates. So far this summer:
-I have gone to India for a little over 3 weeks.
-Spent the summer working with the Biology department
-Visited my family in Phoenix for a weekend.
-Attended my grandfather's 80th birthday part in Ohio (It was a bumpin party)


Since this is a lot of ground to cover.... I thought I would just give a recap of India in this post.

Welcome to India

For the first three weeks of summer, I went to India as a part of a Loveworks trip. Loveworks is a short term missions program run by PLNU, that sends out several teams every summer to almost everywhere.... well almost. The trip to India was a medical group composed of 14 people (9 Nursing students, 3 Pre-Med students, and 2 Leaders) and we spent 3 weeks in a rural Indian hospital called Reynolds Memorial.

Below is a slideshow a just a couple of pictures from India.

While I knew I was going to be experiencing things I wouldn't see in the states, I had no way of knowing how profound of an impact India would have on me. Obviously my world view has been rocked after experiencing such poverty. The phrase pain and suffering, which is discussed much on any university setting, takes on a whole new meaning after India. I never thought I would find myself in a 100+ degree hospital room with burn patients, watching surgeries, and learning how to play the notorious sport of cricket all in one trip. Throughout my time in Washim, and since returning, I have realized that an experience like the one in India is something that drastically changes the way one thinks of medicine, and more importantly the world. I am deeply grateful for the way that the Loveworks program has given me the opportunity to not only try to comfort the patients in Reynolds Memorial, but also give me a glimpse into the reality that is the world.

I'll never forget the time I spent in India, the smells of the hospital, and most importantly the loving and welcoming nature of the Indian people.

Salaam.

Studying for finals... what does that even mean?

Despite all my desires to postpone finals, finals week is upon us. Some of you may be wondering what it means to "study for finals?" When I came into college freshmen year a whole week of studying seemed a little excessive so that is the purpose of this blog. Here is what studying for finals consists of.... well at least this year.

Finals week_dancing. from Chris Evans on Vimeo.

A little explanation for what happened in this video.
-4 minutes and 55 seconds of a random dance party on the 3rd floor of the library.... during finals week.
-After the song was over everyone went back to studying. no big deal.

Point Loma's Pump Wall.

As I have gotten more interested in climbing, I have learned of the places the local guys go to get some climbing in. About a mile down from campus is a retaining wall that people refer to as "Pump Wall." It is right on the ocean (which makes it ten times cooler), and a great place to work on footwork, technique and really scrape up your hands. haha.

Quite possibly one of the best ways to take a break from studying...

Caleb being a chief, even without climbing shoes on.

Only 5 weeks.......

5 More weeks until finals, And essentially till I'm done with my sophomore year here at PLNU. I know it's really cliche to say, but I cannot believe how fast it has gone by. I know for anybody who is in the process of making the decisions about college choices that this time leading up to your freshmen year can be somewhat stressful. (At least it was for me two years ago).

I wish you the best in this decision and hope that whichever instituition is the best fit will become clear in the next couple weeks. If any of you have any questions concerning my experience as a PLNU students I'd be stoked to chat with you. My email is cevans001@pointloma.edu.


On a completely different note, I just got back on campus from being home with my family for Easter. It was nice to chill for a couple days and not do any homework. Here is a picture from a hike we went on in Sedona, Arizona.

And yet another completely unrelated subject, here is my music recommendation for the week:

Artist: Paper Route
Album: Absence

Spring Break...... in Oregon.

After over 2100 miles of driving...... our road trip to Oregon is over.

For spring break I went all the way up to oregon with these three guys:



The Drive

Apparently this is the most comfortable sleeping position Mark could find.

James being a creeper with his stache.

caught.

Stopped for gas in Weed, California. no big deal.

Hiking

big ol' waterfall.

I thought you were supposed to go off of the trail somewhere?

Downtown Portland
A few things about our day in Portland:
1) It rained the whole time. Which was actually pretty cool.
2) Portland has the sickest public transportation system I've been on..... (Which I've been on two other cities but still it was sick.)
3) Powell's Bookstore is hands down the biggest bookstore I have ever been to.

Max all day pass= $4.75


Stumptown Coffee=better than starbucks.

Powell's City of Books- You really do need a map to get around this place.

Greasy pizza place across from Powell's.
Proof of the grease:


Pioneer Square: Downtown Portland
good thing he has an umbrella.

conquering moutains, Julian with Julianna, expensive haircuts & tests.

Conquering Mountains
Up until coming to Point Loma I never really had been rock climbing before. About a year ago I went for the first time with some super rad guys that are involved in the Point Loma outdoor program called great escapes. If you curious about what great escapes is here is a link tho their website:

http://www.pointloma.edu/CampusLife/Recreation/Great_Escapes.htm

Anyways after going climbing outdoors for the first time I'm so stoked any time I get to go. It's a sick hobby for poor college students like me (despite having to buy the gear at the beginning). But a couple weeks ago, I got invited by my friend Caleb to go with him a and two other guys climbing at El Cajon Mountain (30-40 minutes from PLNU).

This is Caleb. I refer to him as the climbing guru.

And this is the climbing guru actually climbing:

Trying to climb up what Caleb just did.

Dustin and Caleb
The whole crew (Dustin, Me, Jared, & Caleb)

Hiking in Julian.... with Julianna.
For valentines day Julianna and I went hiking near a town called Julian, which is about an hour and half from campus. (It took us about 2 hours and 15 minutes cause I got lost) Anyways, It's crazy to think that there is such crazy changes in terrain in such a short distance. For almost the whole day we went hiking at Three sisters falls... which ironically has three waterfalls....

Haircuts on a budget:

Considering its Friday afternoon and I haven't been able to sleep much this week, so I'm thinking its about time for a nap.