As my internship nears completion, I spend an excessive amount of time daydreaming about the past 8 weeks. What have I learned? How will I apply it? How will I ever get back to my “real” life in Missouri? I hope that many of you are reading this blog because you are interested in applying for a National Association of College and University Food Service Internship. I will attempt to summarize my experience for you. Feel free to read about my entire summer but the blog is kind of long!
When I arrived to my room, I was greeted with welcome basket stuffed full of snacks, a stocked fridge, and a letter from my new boss, Paul. This kind of hospitality was the standard for the entire summer. It was not uncommon for sales reps to take us out to lunch and it was obvious that everyone was genuinely concerned with how “the interns” were enjoying our stay here at Montana State University.
With that being said, knowledge and experience are the two biggest rewards of my internship experience. From day one, I felt that I was treated with respect and given the power to make important decisions for the university. I have learned the “ins and outs” of foodservice. This summer was spent doing the behind-the-scenes work that most people do not consider when they walk up to the counter and order a sandwich. My internship allowed me to gain experience in purchasing, marketing, making financial decisions, and menu design. Also, we implemented a hospitality software solution called Computrition which will drastically improve the efficiency, reduce waste, and simplify the foodservice here on campus. With this, I assisted in training all of the managers on campus and created an instructional kitchen workbook to using Computrition. Professional and management experience is invaluable. A lot of time was spent with professionals in the field; I met with everyone from manufacture reps, to the president of marketing agency. I learned to act and look professional, carry on intelligent conversations about the industry, and to negotiate prices and bill backs. Networking with these individuals may prove to be extremely helpful when I begin looking for a job. I had the opportunity to ask them questions about what they look for in an interview and a resume.
Although most of the work I did was office related, some of it was hands-on food. I spent several days catering and a chunk of time working concessions. Being exposed to the organizational components of catering has helped me to better understand that aspect of food service. Concession work was a chance to improve my public relations, sales, and even a smidge of culinary work.
Less tangibly, I gained experience in conceptualization and visualization. It is incredibly vital to be able to follow through with a project. Creativity is not enough, nor is partially completed work. I learned to ask questions and to view the whole project before beginning. I became a whiz at Microsoft Excel, making lists and spreadsheets to coincide with nearly everything. With Paul’s help, I became more confident and I began to lessen my desire for confirmation. He gave me the power to make my own decisions. He also helped me to break little habits that someday may be the tie-breaker between me and another applicant. This summer internship will be a priceless piece of my resume when I apply for a dietetic internship.
In addition, the NACUFS internship provides a $1,600 net stipend plus my own room and free food for the whole summer. I also made an additional $650 net extra for working concessions. Most importantly, the internship provides a chance to visit a new university and a different region of the country. I have learned so much from the people around me and I have fresh perspectives on life. I have had a chance to reflect on what really matters to me and what direction I want to go professionally. Also, did I mention this internship was a lot of fun?! I have been to Yellowstone 3 times now, Glacier National Park, Chico Hot Springs, Tobacco Roots Mountains, and several other amazing destinations.
If you are interested in doing this internship and you have questions, feel free to email me at cfavre1s@semo.edu. I would love to tell you more and I encourage you to take this opportunity.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
DAY 40
Wow. I feel as if today should be the first, but at the same time I feel like I've been here forever. My strategy for not getting upset is just to ignore the issue, but there comes a time where I have to admit, I am leaving. Today is my last day of work here at Montana State University.
Paul let us take the morning off since we had to pack up camp at Hyalite and get Rachael's oil changed too. We have spent the rest of the day burning CD's of our pictures and DVD's of little moments we have on video. We have been packing up the office and making copies of all the projects we've spent so much time creating. Paul & Jeff have been working on Computrition all day but we took time off to eat at College St. Cafe one last time.
I don't want it to be over...
"Don't say good bye, say, 'I've changed my mind, I'm staying' "
Paul let us take the morning off since we had to pack up camp at Hyalite and get Rachael's oil changed too. We have spent the rest of the day burning CD's of our pictures and DVD's of little moments we have on video. We have been packing up the office and making copies of all the projects we've spent so much time creating. Paul & Jeff have been working on Computrition all day but we took time off to eat at College St. Cafe one last time.
I don't want it to be over...
"Don't say good bye, say, 'I've changed my mind, I'm staying' "
DAY 39
We reviewed all of our projects to be sure that they were complete. Everything was taken care of successfully. Then we hit Computrition pretty hard. We reviewed the entire instructional workbook that we made for kitchen use. Unfortunately, there were gaps in what we were hoping to accomplish, which required us to call Gordon and to spend an excess amount of time figuring things out. We ate leftover pizza and worked straight through lunch.
For dinner, we had another picnic out at Hyalite Reservoir. Paul's family, along with my parents, Deb from work, and a handfull of our closest friends, enjoyed burgers, brats, and hot dogs. Right now there are Stage II fire restrictions and so we were not permitted to build a campfire or a charcoal fire. It was so much fun to be surrounded by all of the people I love! 5 of us camped out there in Hood Creek Campground. It was a perfect temperature and a perfect night all around.
DAY 38
Today was another relaxing day of work! We tore apart our resumes today and Paul gave us a lot of advice about what employers are looking for in a resume and in an interview. We were able to read over the notes from our own phone interviews for this internship. Both of us scored very well, which is why I'm lucky enough to spend the summer in Montana!
Ronda, from Western Marketing, came into town and took us out to lunch at Mackenzie River Pizza. It was absolutely delicious gormet pizza. She gave us some tips on interviewing and reconfirmed that employers generally make their decision within the first minute of meeting the potential employee. A friendly smile, self-confidence, and a firm handshake can go a long way!
We also discussed our strengths, weaknesses, and work tenets (pet peeves) with Paul. He gave us a copy of his 8 tenets. When recommends keeping a written record and giving a copy to employees (someday) because it is a straight forward way of telling people what sets you into orbit. He also recommends surrounding ourselves with people who have strengths in the areas that we are weak.
After work I met up with my parents! They just got into town and are staying in their motor home in Bear Canyon Campground. Rachael and I took them to the M for one last hike up. They seemed to enjoy the view, but not the hill! For dinner, we drove to Manhattan and ate at the Oasis. We met up with Paul, Rick, Ron, and all of their families. The Oasis is a very laid back steak house with really good meat. I think it was a good "Welcome to Montana" for my parents.
Ronda, from Western Marketing, came into town and took us out to lunch at Mackenzie River Pizza. It was absolutely delicious gormet pizza. She gave us some tips on interviewing and reconfirmed that employers generally make their decision within the first minute of meeting the potential employee. A friendly smile, self-confidence, and a firm handshake can go a long way!
We also discussed our strengths, weaknesses, and work tenets (pet peeves) with Paul. He gave us a copy of his 8 tenets. When recommends keeping a written record and giving a copy to employees (someday) because it is a straight forward way of telling people what sets you into orbit. He also recommends surrounding ourselves with people who have strengths in the areas that we are weak.
After work I met up with my parents! They just got into town and are staying in their motor home in Bear Canyon Campground. Rachael and I took them to the M for one last hike up. They seemed to enjoy the view, but not the hill! For dinner, we drove to Manhattan and ate at the Oasis. We met up with Paul, Rick, Ron, and all of their families. The Oasis is a very laid back steak house with really good meat. I think it was a good "Welcome to Montana" for my parents.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
DAY 37
Rachael was sick today... It was sad not having her at the office. To be honest, it was kind of a slacking day anyway. It felt good to sit down all day! I have never missed an office quite so bad. Summer fair made me appreciate it! I spent the whole day doing little things, tying up loose ends basically.Paul let me take off early. We took Ashley (his daughter) to Spire, the climbing gym. She's a really good climber for an 8 year old! She has so much spunk and energy. I don't think she ever got worn out. I got to climb a lot too. Paul is good at belaying with a gri gri.
DAY 36
Paul gave us the day off today! It was so nice to be able to get some rest. We met him downtown at Nova Cafe for an 11:00 breakfast. Rachael isn't feeling well so she went home afterwards. I went next door and got 12 inches of hair cut off!!! I donated it to Locks-of-Love, which is a great non-profit organization that gives wigs to underpriveledged children. This is the second time that I've done it and I will grow out my hair again to donate. Please check out their website and considering donating: http://www.locksoflove.org/. In addition, they can take hair of any length (that hasn't been on the floor) to sell and benefit their cause. (I'm going to shock my parents tomorrow when they arrive, so don't tell them about my hair cut!)
In the afternoon I met up with a friend of mine from highschool, Dan Ryan. He's lived out here for a while and works for the Montana Conservation Crew. He's on the trail a lot so I haven't gotten to spend any time with him. We drove out to Hyalite and hiked to Grotto Falls & Arch Falls. It started to thunderstorm a little bit but it felt great! It has been so hot outside lately. Also, forest fire season has begun. The mountains are covered in a hazy smoke. I almost started crying when I walked outside this morning because it looks so depressing. I hate that my parents will have to see it like this when it's been so beautiful all summer! My parents left from Freeburg, IL this morning and they will be making their way across the country in their RV to visit me and to check out this awesome place.
Tonight, we went to Columbo's Pizza for dinner. I had heard good things about it and now I see why! Then we went up to Peet's Hill to watch the sun go down over Bozeman. I will really miss this place.
In the afternoon I met up with a friend of mine from highschool, Dan Ryan. He's lived out here for a while and works for the Montana Conservation Crew. He's on the trail a lot so I haven't gotten to spend any time with him. We drove out to Hyalite and hiked to Grotto Falls & Arch Falls. It started to thunderstorm a little bit but it felt great! It has been so hot outside lately. Also, forest fire season has begun. The mountains are covered in a hazy smoke. I almost started crying when I walked outside this morning because it looks so depressing. I hate that my parents will have to see it like this when it's been so beautiful all summer! My parents left from Freeburg, IL this morning and they will be making their way across the country in their RV to visit me and to check out this awesome place.
Tonight, we went to Columbo's Pizza for dinner. I had heard good things about it and now I see why! Then we went up to Peet's Hill to watch the sun go down over Bozeman. I will really miss this place.
WEEKEND 7
Rocky Mountain Concessions... need I say more? Double click the images to view our menu.
On Saturday I worked for 16.5 hours! I'm fairly certain that's the longest I have ever stayed standing. Granted, we do take short sit-down breaks through out the day, it still feels like a long time. We had a buffet for the 4-H buyers (lifestock sale) this morning and fed about 240 people. I got to work with some of the 4-H girls that were in highschool and a few of their little brothers. They were very sweet and gave me a little insight into the world of 4-H and the lifestock business. Concessions stayed steady and just as I thought we might be ready to close up, the fair shut down and an influx of people suddenly wanted food for their way out. The 10 p.m. rush was bigger than the dinner rush!
We went home for about 7 hours and then went back to work for another 12 hours. Sunday was a lot slower than the rest of the weekend. Paul put me in charge of the brunch buffet that we offered as a special Sunday deal. I took their money, made sure there was enough food in the chafing dishes, replaced the sternos, refilled coffee and OJ, testing the quality of the food, and basically anything else that people wanted or needed. I'm better at front of the house work than at back of the house work. I like public relations and sales. We had about 100 people go through the buffet line. The fair closed down around 5 so most of the afternoon and evening was spent breaking down the business. We donated all of the leftover bread & buns to a local food pantry.
Overall, I made an extra $650 which was definately worth the hard work! That should be sufficient funding to do some traveling and maybe even get me home in time to go back to school.
On Saturday I worked for 16.5 hours! I'm fairly certain that's the longest I have ever stayed standing. Granted, we do take short sit-down breaks through out the day, it still feels like a long time. We had a buffet for the 4-H buyers (lifestock sale) this morning and fed about 240 people. I got to work with some of the 4-H girls that were in highschool and a few of their little brothers. They were very sweet and gave me a little insight into the world of 4-H and the lifestock business. Concessions stayed steady and just as I thought we might be ready to close up, the fair shut down and an influx of people suddenly wanted food for their way out. The 10 p.m. rush was bigger than the dinner rush!
We went home for about 7 hours and then went back to work for another 12 hours. Sunday was a lot slower than the rest of the weekend. Paul put me in charge of the brunch buffet that we offered as a special Sunday deal. I took their money, made sure there was enough food in the chafing dishes, replaced the sternos, refilled coffee and OJ, testing the quality of the food, and basically anything else that people wanted or needed. I'm better at front of the house work than at back of the house work. I like public relations and sales. We had about 100 people go through the buffet line. The fair closed down around 5 so most of the afternoon and evening was spent breaking down the business. We donated all of the leftover bread & buns to a local food pantry.
Overall, I made an extra $650 which was definately worth the hard work! That should be sufficient funding to do some traveling and maybe even get me home in time to go back to school.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
DAYS 31-35
This week is office work AND concession work! I am working for Rocky Mountain Concessions on the side to support my expensive traveling habit! The Gallatin County Fair is going on this week. We have quite a good menu with a variety of items anywhere from burgers & brats to cheese quesadillas and fruit cups. We also have a great shredded pork melt that I love. The tips have even been good! We do a delivery service for the vendors and in return they usually give us a couple bucks. I love meeting people and looking around at the fair. The picture is of our set-up. We also have 5 tables and a condiment table with red gingam table cloths. Paul made the counter that you see. He's a very skilled wood worker.
Monday, July 16, 2007
WEEKEND 6
Saturday morning I cooked a huge breakfast with some friends. We bummed around and eventually got a group together to go to the Lewis and Clark Caverns in the Tobacco Roots. 7 of us went on a guided tour through the huge caverns. It was 50 degress inside so it was a nice way to spend a 100+ day. The formations inside were pretty spectacular too.
After that, the group headed to Cardwell where Drew's dad has an old ranch house. A lot of our other friends met us out there in the Tobacco Roots. We made frozen pizzas and camped out in the yard. I am going to miss my friends so much... I don't want to leave!
Sunday was a designated swimming day. First, we had breakfast in Whitehall. Then, we went down to the Jefferson River and jumped off of big cement blocks that are left over from the old bridge. The river was kind of nasty... just mossy and not as pristine as what we're now used to. It reminded me much more of the rivers back home! Because of this, we decided to move on to the Gallatin River between 4 Corners and Big Sky. There's a spot called "The Whirlpool" about 1/2 mile upstream from a popular swimming area. We hiked down there and jumped in the river. It's literally a whirpool. The current takes shoots you out about 30 feet and then brings you back around. If you wanted, you could swim in circles all day. It was so much fun! We went out for Mexican food for dinner. Yum...
After that, the group headed to Cardwell where Drew's dad has an old ranch house. A lot of our other friends met us out there in the Tobacco Roots. We made frozen pizzas and camped out in the yard. I am going to miss my friends so much... I don't want to leave!
Sunday was a designated swimming day. First, we had breakfast in Whitehall. Then, we went down to the Jefferson River and jumped off of big cement blocks that are left over from the old bridge. The river was kind of nasty... just mossy and not as pristine as what we're now used to. It reminded me much more of the rivers back home! Because of this, we decided to move on to the Gallatin River between 4 Corners and Big Sky. There's a spot called "The Whirlpool" about 1/2 mile upstream from a popular swimming area. We hiked down there and jumped in the river. It's literally a whirpool. The current takes shoots you out about 30 feet and then brings you back around. If you wanted, you could swim in circles all day. It was so much fun! We went out for Mexican food for dinner. Yum...
DAY 30
Paul gave us the day off work today. He's still in Seattle and we completed all of our projects. I slept in (!!!) 'til quarter to 8. I got up leisurely and packed my gear for the weekend and read for a while (David Sedaris=great author).
Rachael and I have been wanting to do Sacajawea, the tallest peak in the Bridger Mountain Range. It stands at 9,665 ft... not too tall, but still a challenge. The hike is 4 miles round trip. In order to get to the trail head at Fairy Lake, we had to take the CR-V up a treacherously rocky and rutted road. The horseflies were pretty bad today, but that was really the only negative about the whole hike. I think it may have even helped to get our minds off of the 2 miles uphill. The view from the top was spectacular! There are mountain ranges in every direction and Bozeman looks like an anthill.
Afterwards, we went to the Museum of the Rockies to escape the sweltering heat. This museum is pretty famous and is home to several T-Rex's, along with a lot of other fossils and bones. Jack Horner is the main paleontologist and was also the inspiration for the movie "Jurassic Park". I learned a lot about dinosaurs. Currently, they have a Tutankamen exhibit. I actually saw his mummified body!!! I have always been interested in the pyramids, so it was fascinating to see the real life items that were found in the pyramids. Everything was covered in gold. It almost looked fake but it wasn't.
Rachael and I have been wanting to do Sacajawea, the tallest peak in the Bridger Mountain Range. It stands at 9,665 ft... not too tall, but still a challenge. The hike is 4 miles round trip. In order to get to the trail head at Fairy Lake, we had to take the CR-V up a treacherously rocky and rutted road. The horseflies were pretty bad today, but that was really the only negative about the whole hike. I think it may have even helped to get our minds off of the 2 miles uphill. The view from the top was spectacular! There are mountain ranges in every direction and Bozeman looks like an anthill.
Afterwards, we went to the Museum of the Rockies to escape the sweltering heat. This museum is pretty famous and is home to several T-Rex's, along with a lot of other fossils and bones. Jack Horner is the main paleontologist and was also the inspiration for the movie "Jurassic Park". I learned a lot about dinosaurs. Currently, they have a Tutankamen exhibit. I actually saw his mummified body!!! I have always been interested in the pyramids, so it was fascinating to see the real life items that were found in the pyramids. Everything was covered in gold. It almost looked fake but it wasn't.
DAY 29
Today was a full 14 hour day of office work and catering.
We went in this morning to finish up a few Computrition items and to double check our notes one more time before giving them to Beth.
At 9, we went in to catering to lend a helping hand. We prepared all of the water and lemonade to take to the 4H picnic. It was nice being outside all day at the picnic, even though our job was kind of pointless.
In the afternoon we had to sneak back to the office to call Gordon (Computrition guy). We were having some problems with processing internal vendor orders and doing post meal counts. Both were fairly easy after he told us the tricks!
For dinner, 4H was having a huge banquet for their last night at the conference. The room was decorated cute and we served a pretty good meal. It looked like a lot of fun. By the end of the night, I was tired of being on my feet. The organization and conceptualization that goes into catering a meal for that many people (close to 500) is unbelievable!
We went in this morning to finish up a few Computrition items and to double check our notes one more time before giving them to Beth.
At 9, we went in to catering to lend a helping hand. We prepared all of the water and lemonade to take to the 4H picnic. It was nice being outside all day at the picnic, even though our job was kind of pointless.
In the afternoon we had to sneak back to the office to call Gordon (Computrition guy). We were having some problems with processing internal vendor orders and doing post meal counts. Both were fairly easy after he told us the tricks!
For dinner, 4H was having a huge banquet for their last night at the conference. The room was decorated cute and we served a pretty good meal. It looked like a lot of fun. By the end of the night, I was tired of being on my feet. The organization and conceptualization that goes into catering a meal for that many people (close to 500) is unbelievable!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
DAY 28
We miss Paul!
Today we spent the whole morning typing up more Computrition notes. Then we went through it all a 2nd and 3rd time to double check that our instructions were as detailed as possible.
At 2 p.m. we went to catering. They were catering a 4-H dinner that had an "Around the World" theme. They had cool decorations and costumes and 4 separate appetizer buffet lines, each having a separate country or regional theme.
Today we spent the whole morning typing up more Computrition notes. Then we went through it all a 2nd and 3rd time to double check that our instructions were as detailed as possible.
At 2 p.m. we went to catering. They were catering a 4-H dinner that had an "Around the World" theme. They had cool decorations and costumes and 4 separate appetizer buffet lines, each having a separate country or regional theme.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
DAY 27
Today has been a LONG day. It's actually been short time wise, but a very wearing day. Paul is in Seattle at a conference for the week so we are on our own. We made a giant list of everything we need to do but most items were little things. Except one- typing up all of our notes from Computrition training. We did the training about 3 weeks ago and therefore need to be refreshed on everything. The notes we took are pretty decent, but we still have been getting stuck a lot today. Our project is to type up fool-proof notes so that future food service managers will know how to use the system without going through an extensive training session. Rachael has been typing on Excel all day and at the same time I have been going through each step on Computrition and reciting the instructions out loud. It's semi-torturous! Not to mention the 10-12 "crack rocks" (chocolate covered espresso beans) that I ate this morning... I rarely consumed caffeine until coming to Bozeman and my body is not accustomed to such large amounts of legal stimulant. I wasn't even tired when I ate them and I have been a little (okay, a lot) jittery ever since. Apparently 3-4 is the amount that most people need for a little pick-me-up.
Here's something out of the ordinary- I ate bugs for dinner, on purpose. A group of my friends got together and we all cooked dinner. We had spinach-feta pizza rolls, garlic bread, salad, and for the main course we made a stir fry with rice noodles and meal worm pupae. It was quite delicious! Apparently they're really high in protein and chitin.
Here's something out of the ordinary- I ate bugs for dinner, on purpose. A group of my friends got together and we all cooked dinner. We had spinach-feta pizza rolls, garlic bread, salad, and for the main course we made a stir fry with rice noodles and meal worm pupae. It was quite delicious! Apparently they're really high in protein and chitin.
Monday, July 9, 2007
DAY 26
I am back to the office grind today! I got a lot of sleep last night so I feel rested and ready to go. Paul will be out of the office for the rest of the week so we are getting things organized. Our projects are coming along. Right now it's kind of "hurry up and wait" because there's so many people that need to get back to us before moving on to the next step. This morning I approved the new Bobcat artwork for our peppermint pinwheel.
We took another field trip to Costco to look at prices. I also had to take my car into the VW dealership to get some work done. I don't think the Bug likes mountains as much as I do!
This afternoon we did some catering for another orientation picnic. Once again, we were in charge of passing out lemonade to 500 incoming freshmen. Afterwards we got to hang out with the rest of the catering staff and eat dinner on the lawn.
Today is "M" Monday, so just like every Monday, we hiked the M Trail. Our goal was to do the "rigorous side" of the M before we leave Bozeman. After hiking in Glacier and jumping off a bridge, and other adventurous things, we decided that we were ready. We took the trail straight up and instead of hiking to the base of the M we hiked to the top of the M. We didn't stop there, we decided to take the trail all the way to the top of the ridge. It was so amazing!!! The view was stunning! On the way down we jogged the whole thing. It's a very popular spot for trail running and we fit right in.
We took another field trip to Costco to look at prices. I also had to take my car into the VW dealership to get some work done. I don't think the Bug likes mountains as much as I do!
This afternoon we did some catering for another orientation picnic. Once again, we were in charge of passing out lemonade to 500 incoming freshmen. Afterwards we got to hang out with the rest of the catering staff and eat dinner on the lawn.
Today is "M" Monday, so just like every Monday, we hiked the M Trail. Our goal was to do the "rigorous side" of the M before we leave Bozeman. After hiking in Glacier and jumping off a bridge, and other adventurous things, we decided that we were ready. We took the trail straight up and instead of hiking to the base of the M we hiked to the top of the M. We didn't stop there, we decided to take the trail all the way to the top of the ridge. It was so amazing!!! The view was stunning! On the way down we jogged the whole thing. It's a very popular spot for trail running and we fit right in.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
WEEKEND 5
I thought we'd be working the gun show all weekend but Paul is insistent that we get out and see Montana! So, we did.
On Saturday, Rachael and I went white water rafting on the Yellowstone River. We signed up through the SOB barn on campus. They do a lot of neat outdoor trips and also rent out gear. It was so much fun! We did Yankee Jim's Canyon and our guide, Gabe, let me guide almost the entire section! I've never guided a raft before but he showed me a few basic strokes and talked me through the rapids. I even got to call out the commands to the rest of the group. Then, we took out near Gardiner and had lunch in the park across from the Teddy Roosevelt arch that was the original entrance to Yellowstone. We played horseshoes and relaxed a while there. Next, we got back on the river and did the Town Stretch on the Yellowstone. The weather began to get cloudy and it thundered a little bit but we were able to stay on the river and finish out the trip. It was gorgeous!
Sunday, Rachael and I took some friends to the gun show for brunch. They have delicious food; I had my first cowboy breakfast burrito. Afterwards, we drove our friend Danielle back to her house in Big Sky which is about an hour south of Bozeman. It is a resort community and she has a pretty nice little place up in the hills. We went hiking out to a waterfall and then to the "Green Bridge" which is literally a green bridge that is a very popular hang-out spot. The water is deep enough there to climb on top of the metal framed bridge and jump off into the Gallitan River! Naturally, I had to try it. I was shaky and the first time I had to hold Danielle's hand. The second time I felt a little less queasy and the three of us jumped together.
On Saturday, Rachael and I went white water rafting on the Yellowstone River. We signed up through the SOB barn on campus. They do a lot of neat outdoor trips and also rent out gear. It was so much fun! We did Yankee Jim's Canyon and our guide, Gabe, let me guide almost the entire section! I've never guided a raft before but he showed me a few basic strokes and talked me through the rapids. I even got to call out the commands to the rest of the group. Then, we took out near Gardiner and had lunch in the park across from the Teddy Roosevelt arch that was the original entrance to Yellowstone. We played horseshoes and relaxed a while there. Next, we got back on the river and did the Town Stretch on the Yellowstone. The weather began to get cloudy and it thundered a little bit but we were able to stay on the river and finish out the trip. It was gorgeous!
Sunday, Rachael and I took some friends to the gun show for brunch. They have delicious food; I had my first cowboy breakfast burrito. Afterwards, we drove our friend Danielle back to her house in Big Sky which is about an hour south of Bozeman. It is a resort community and she has a pretty nice little place up in the hills. We went hiking out to a waterfall and then to the "Green Bridge" which is literally a green bridge that is a very popular hang-out spot. The water is deep enough there to climb on top of the metal framed bridge and jump off into the Gallitan River! Naturally, I had to try it. I was shaky and the first time I had to hold Danielle's hand. The second time I felt a little less queasy and the three of us jumped together.
DAY 25
More catch-up work, nothing too exciting!
Also, the gun show officially started today which was pretty fun. We did a lot of food prep work and other odds 'n' ends to get ready for customers. Rachael and I took orders and worked the cash registers. I love customer service jobs. It was true Montana too~ cowboys and lots of guns. The food went over well; we designed the menu just for them. We created menu items such as the "Gunsmoke Dog" (hot dog smothered in cheese and baked beans), "Double Barrel Burger" (double bacon cheeseburger), and the "Bonanza Burger" (burger w/ half-brat and grilled onions under one bun).
Also, the gun show officially started today which was pretty fun. We did a lot of food prep work and other odds 'n' ends to get ready for customers. Rachael and I took orders and worked the cash registers. I love customer service jobs. It was true Montana too~ cowboys and lots of guns. The food went over well; we designed the menu just for them. We created menu items such as the "Gunsmoke Dog" (hot dog smothered in cheese and baked beans), "Double Barrel Burger" (double bacon cheeseburger), and the "Bonanza Burger" (burger w/ half-brat and grilled onions under one bun).
DAY 24
Back to the office... today was basically a catch-up day. The work/emails piled up while I was away. I had a few bits of unfinished business from the FSA meeting.
This afternoon I worked for Rocky Mountain Concessions doing set-up for the Gallatin County Gun Show at the Fairgrounds. We took in an order from Sysco, cleaned the whole place down, and organized items to make sure we would be covered for the opening.
This afternoon I worked for Rocky Mountain Concessions doing set-up for the Gallatin County Gun Show at the Fairgrounds. We took in an order from Sysco, cleaned the whole place down, and organized items to make sure we would be covered for the opening.
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