First Day of Induction

The first day was pretty much what I expected/way more entertaining.

After a leisurely morning in Demopolis, I drove over to Livingston, which was about half an hour away. Upon arrival, I checked in and got information about where to store my stuff. The storage containers were back in Demopolis. Great.

Still excited and feeling good, I hopped in the car and drove back. When I got into town, however, I couldn't find the unit. Anywhere. For the life of me. I canvassed that Highway 80 like it was nobody's business.

Finally I stopped and asked a woman getting into her truck if she knew where I could find this one random storage unit. She didn't, but she asked me the address and then said she could help me find it. So I ended up following this woman up and down Highway 80 as she looked for the place for me.

When she'd exhausted her ideas, she pulled over and asked me the address once more. Then she paused.

"Hold on. I have one more idea."

She pulled away again, with me in pursuit. We drove up the ways a bit, pulled into a gas station parking lot, and right up beside a squad car -- where she proceeded to ask Steve the Patrolman for directions. He didn't know either. But he motioned for me to follow him.

And so there I was, being escorted around Demopolis by a squad car. It struck me as hilarious, and I was laughing the entire drive behind him. If he looked in the rearview mirror, he probably though I was crazy.

Finally, after a few backtracks and a stop to call police headquarters ("Can you tell me where exaaaactly this place is?!"), we found the storage units, and he said goodbye with an apology for how long it had taken him, because he didn't know those units were still being used. I didn't care how long it had taken me to find it at that point -- I was just grateful for the help.

I know I'll say this again many a time in the next two years, but I am blown away by Southern hospitality. Love it.

After that adventure, I unpacked my car in the 97 degree heat, which was infinitely easier than packing everything in (in any heat). I owe the fact that everything fit in my car to my mother's amazing moving skills. She'd be a fiend at Tetris.

All of that fit into my tiny car.

Of course, unpacking things in the dead heat of the Alabama day isn't ideal. I almost had a heat stroke probably. Showed up at the gas station looking for Gatorade with an almost purple face. I'm going to have to watch out for that.

The rest of the day was definitely what I expected. Once all the corps members met up, there were lots of meet-and-greet games and team-bonding things. All good opportunities to get to know each other. So far, I really like everyone. Really really like them. It should be a good two years, if these are the people I'll be working with.

And naturally, because we all still feel like college students, about half of the 55 BamaCorps members went out to a local bar (possibly the only one?) after the day's events. It was called the Brass Monkey. We chatted with the owners, all signed our names on a ceiling tile, and watched the NBA Finals game.

All in all, a great first day.