I certainly enjoyed the Service Learning Project in many ways, especially because it was fun and concrete. My first thoughts about meeting our new pen-pals and "babysitting" them certainly did not sound like start to a field trip. There were some expectations that exicted me, like the fact the my pal Damone played football and seemed like a normal kid...until I saw his amazing artwork. I am confident that he is the best graffiti artist of his age, but his friend Angel would make sure to disagre, with polls on who is the better artist being taken every 10 minutes. Even though I had just met Damone, I had already respected him, for he took pride in his school work and wasn't afraid to show me (An apparent stranger) his artwork without thinking twice. This kid was by far the "head-honcho" at the school because every knew him and looked up to him. He told me he would like to attend B.C. High and possibly become an artist as a profession in his later years.Going to the school gave me the opportunity to meet highly intelligent (As well as histerical!) youths that may never have happend if it was not for the Service Learning Project.

As for Walden Pond, it was a sure sight to see. I'll admit like Sam, the buses and the tourist-like feel entering the parking lot certainly threw off my approach in entering there in a "transcendental state of mind". The weather also may have through off the trip because I am not a fan of being in the cold, wet woods, but it was worth it. I was amazed at how small the life size replica of Thoreau was, or for the fact that it was "to scale". It was not until I was able to walk around freely and looked upon the pond from an opening, that I could actually feel nature's power inflicting ideas and thoughts into my brain. I felt that Thoreau was right in his beleif that there is a lot to learn from being in nature, which made me want to sit down on a rock in those woods and write , feeling the ideas flow down to sum up somewhat of the world we live in. Walden Pond is something that a person must revisit over and over again to be able to understand its true beauty and meaning.

Looking back at my experience, I am extremly happy to be able to have the opportunity to do such wonderful, such rewarding things on this field trip. This field trip was by far the most meaningful to everyone who was apart of it. In truth we all have been nonconformists by blending ethnicities, age, and culture of two completely different groups; breaking away from our normal every day status quo. The experience that our class had on the field trip should be shared to the world around us, for it was not only EPIC time with Mr. Fitz, but also a remarkable opportunity that all of society should experience .