Say "Hello" to the North Midwest- Chicago, Milwaukee, and Notre Dame!!!

Friends,

My director asked Colleen and I to represent Cabrini Mission Corps at a series of service fairs in the North Midwest. On Monday we went to DePaul here in Chicago. Those kids had absolutely no idea that there was a service fair going on, and those that approached us were only interested in our basket of candy. It's all about Twix bars at DePaul.

Next we drove up to Kenosha, Wisconsin, and stayed overnight with a former missioner, Laura. Laura was a great tour guide of the area- she took us to a cheese CASTLE, at which I purchased cheese curds (and where I, in fact, learned what a cheese curd was) that squeek when you eat them, some "chocolate cheese fudge," and some famous Wisconsin rootbeer. Turns out, the "cheese fudge" is really just fudge, but instead of being made with milk it's made with cheese, which makes it a LOT creamier. .... mmm... We ended our time in Kenosha with a quick stop at a famous frozen custard joint.

Then we went to see lake Michigan from the Wisconsin side before we headed over to Milwaukee and Marquette University.

I didn't see any cows in Wisconsin, but I DID see a hell of a lot of 'em in Indiana, where we went next. We went over to St. Mary's College and then the University of Notre Dame. Those kids were a lot more fun to talk to. The St. Mary's and Notre Dame students were much more prepared and interested in service than the kids from DePaul or Marquette. Some had even heard of Mother Cabrini! WIN!

Colleen taught me how to use cruise control- I've never been happier. :D

The Notre Dame fair had more than 70 organizations represented. Our table was set up along Francis Corps and the Good Shepherd Volunteers. The greatest thing about the little service fair "tour" was that a lot of the same people from the other volunteer programs came to all of them. We made good friends with a Notre Dame alumna, Amy of the Christian Appalachian Project, who we got to hang out with during each of the fairs, and when Notre Dame's was over she took us over to Legends with a few others, including Amanda from the Good Shepherd Volunteers who was at my orientation, and we shared a meal and some drinks. Snake Bite- Guinness and Apple Cider. :D

Snake Bite- Apple cider and Guinness. An insult to the Irish? Not if the Fighting Irish did it first.

Left to Right: Laura, Colleen, Me, Amanda from Good Shepherd and Amy, resident ND alumna from the Christian Appalachian Project.

I made sure not to go nuts at Notre Dame. I scoped out the Theology section of the library- was happy to see that multiple copies of my favorite texts were in stock and then visited the lakes, the Basilica, and the grotto before we peaced out. 

The Theology section. It gets a floor and a half. :D

Sigh. ... I left my heart in Indiana. 


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Funny quotes:

Colleen: Have you ever seen "Stigmata?"
I, not realizing she was referring to a movie, could only repeat her question: Have I SEEN STIGMATA?!??!"
Colleen started cracking up while I was still pondering whether or not it was possible that she may have encountered a living saint in possession of Christ's wounds. My face must have been priceless.

Friar Rick was standing in the "domestic site" area of the service fair, wearing a name tag that said "Bonaventure University," which I know to be located in New York somewhere. 
Me: So where are you located?
Friar Rick: Francis Corps is in Toronto.
Me: ::quizzical look::
Friar Rick: Do you know where Toronto is?
Me: No.
Friar Rick: ..... it's in Canada.
Me: Oh, the REAL Toronto! ... I thought this was one of those, "No, not Paris France, Paris New York" situations. .. I'm so confused.

One girl comes up to us and we start talking about Cabrini. She asks what the time commitment is.
Me: For domestic service we use the calendar year.
Colleen: You mean SCHOOL year?
Me: .... oh! Yes! Yes! School year. September through June, September through June!!!

Laura: You're the first legitimate man that's come to our table!
Colleen: Legitimate??!?!