Disney // 20 March 2016

Hello everyone!

I go to Disney a lot, but I've never written about it. This weekend, I went to Southern California with my high school swim team for a meet. The next day, we went to Disney. 

The last time I went to Disney without my parents, it was a little stressful. The people I was with felt the need to rush around and try to do everything. This time, however, I decided to relax a bit and just do whatever we feel like doing. 

We started in California Adventure. We went on the Little Mermaid ride, Monsters Inc., California Screamin' and two rides I've never been on, Silly Symphony Swings and Goofy's flight school because the lines were short. Both of the ones I haven't been on are clever and the Swing ride combined Disney and band which I definitely appreciated. 

We mostly walked around and appreciated the scenery of California adventure. I've never been to A Bug's Land, but it is really cool. 

We then decided that since most of the lines were getting longer, we would spend a lot of our time meeting characters. 

We started my three heroes: Mr. and Mrs. Incredible and Frozone. 

On our way there from Monsters Inc, we ran into Olaf, from Frozen

We got fast passes for the super popular Cars Ride and decided to go over to Disneyland. 

On the way back we ran into 1920s Minnie :)

So, there is a channel I watch on YouTube that makes Disney related videos. The group goes to Disney a lot and I saw them while we got lunch. That was really cool. Their channel is Thingamavlogs if you're curious. 

Then, we got glitter from the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique and met the princesses. In line, I ran into the Thingamavlogs again, and they recognized me and said hi, which I think was cooler than seeing them the first time. 

Cinderella, Cinderella

Ariel, The Little Mermaid

Snow White, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

To meet the princesses, you wait in a line and then go in a building with the princesses in different rooms and you just go through that building and see the princesses available. 

Similarly, they have the Superhero HQ where you can meet superheroes (obviously) and even some villans. 

Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man/Spider-Man 

Thor, Thor/The Avengers

Chewbacca, The Star Wars Saga

Kylo Ren, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

I loved the princesses, of course, but everyone in Superhero HQ is a great actor. Kylo Ren low key frightened me (that's why I'm standing so far away) and the whole Thor exhibit was incredible (we also make a really cute couple). 

We ended the day on some rides for some adrenaline rushes to keep us going until midnight. 

Paying homage to our swim coach with finger guns. 

Excited for on the Cars ride because we got a second ride after it broke down. 

Freaking out on my first Tower of Terror ride.

In the end, it was a really fun, and really different, day at Disney. 

Learn something today. 

Byeeeee

Corie. 

Corie in Morocco

Hello lovely people!

I have some exciting news! I'm going to live in Morocco this summer on the NSLI-Y scholarship. 

I have been going through the application process for the scholarship for a while at this point, but my awesomeness and patience payed off. 

NSLI-Y is the National Security Language Initiative for Youth. It is a US State Department sponsored program to countries that speak languages that are becoming more important in forgein policy and aren't taught in schools. The languages are Chinese, Russian, Tajiki/Persian, Hindi, Korean, Turkish, and (of course) Arabic. 

The first part of the application is written. There is the standard application with your name and all that information. Then there are a couple of short essays, including a letter to your future host family, and parent and teacher recommendations. 

After this, they choose semi-finalists. During this stage in the process, we have an in-person or phone interview (depending on where we live). From these interviews, the finalists/scholarship recipients are chosen. 

I was chosen for the summer Morocco program. Since the application is by language, not country, I know nothing about Morocco. 

Since I will be living there, I decided to do some googling. Here's what I got:

1. Morocco has the sixth largest economy in Africa. The top three are Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt (<3). 

2. Morocco is about the size of California. Morocco is about 176,414 sq. miles and California is about 163,696 sq. miles. 

3. Casablanca takes place in Morocco. I had no idea and I will be watching it ASAP. 

4. Morocco is at the very top edge of Africa. I knew it was part in North Africa, but I didn't know specifically. It shares borders with Mauritania and Algeria and Western Sahara, kind of. (Morocco thinks Weatern Sahara is Morocco and Western Sahara disagrees). 

5. Morocco is one of three countries with Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. The other two are Spain and France. 

That's pretty much all I know other than most people are Muslim and everyone speaks Arabic. I follow a couple Morocco instagram accounts to get me in the mood, but that's it. 

I am so excited to go to Morocco and learn about Arabic and the country itself. As I go on this adventure and blog about it, I will teach y'all about Morocco and we'll learn all the stuff you can't find on Google. 

I can't wait. Learn something today (and this summer). 

Byeeeee

Corie. 

NSLI-Y: nsliforyouth.org

Map: http://www.global-workforce.globalization101.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/GenderGlobalizationPPT3.pptx

Vender pic: http://m.roughguides.com/destinations/africa/morocco/things-miss/

Casablanca poster: IMDb.com