Confluence: And hello, Nebraska!

Since my last post I returned to the U.S., re-acclimated to American accents, made my first 10-hour solo drive (Colchester to Fairfax) and graduated from college (well, that technically happens tomorrow). Now I'm in Nebraska, missing Vermont but having fun training for my summer sports editing internship at the Palm Beach Post.

I got to Lincoln on Monday after tearfully leaving all my friends at Mason (long-term goodbyes are apparently the theme of my life this past year). The rest of the interns trickled into the tiny airport and onto UNL's campus, where we were installed in dorms that are nicer than any apartment I'll live in in the next five years (and probably ever, if I continue to pursue journalism). We had dinner out to get to know each other (my roommate, Jackie, just got back from a semester in Morocco, where she wrote this amazing story!) and then, on Tuesday, we dived into eight-hour training days.

We started the week with intensive technical drills with UNL's Charlyne Berens. Yesterday we heard from Nancy Stockdale of the Des Moines Register and today we learned from Malcolm Moran of Penn State University. Tonight I ran and now I'm sitting out on my balcony listening to Kenny Chesney and enjoying a sunny, 8 p.m. Lincoln breeze—it doesn't get a whole lot better than this! I'm just sad I have to say goodbye again to people so soon.

For a more in-depth look at what we're learning, check out Matt Walks' blog