10 States in 10 Days

It was not a direct route from Iowa City, Iowa to Corvallis, Oregon but in order to see friends and family during the holidays, I took various detours along the way.

With everything I would need for the next several months tightly packed into my ‘99 Chevy Lumina. I traveled through the following 10 states in 10 days.

Iowa
South Dakota
Nebraska
Colorado
New Mexico
Arizona
Wyoming
Utah
Idaho
And finally Oregon!

My First Day: Monday, January 7th
The morning of my first day at the NNC, Corvallis got hit with a snow storm, or what Iowa would call “light flurries” which put the town of Corvallis on standstill for a few hours. Regardless, I was welcomed by George Looney, the Accounting and Network Director who gave me an orientation to the NCC.

Prominently displayed on my desk is the NIRSA National Center Staff Creed.
"We believe in our team. We commit to professionalism. We strive for excellence. "

Next to the creed is the 2008 Recreational Sports Directory with NIRSA’s mission statement.
"The mission of the National-Intramural Recreational Sports Association is to provide for the education and development of professional and student members and to foster quality recreational programs, facilities and services for diverse populations. NIRSA demonstrates its commitment to excellence by utilizing resources that promote ethical and healthy lifestyle choice. "

My first assignment is to coordinate the Red Cross CPR/AED and First Aid training for NNC employees. Being a Red Cross certified CPR/AED and First Aid instructor has proved very useful.

Oregon Facts and Lessons Learned
Don’t tip the gas attendant in Oregon. Pumping your own gas is not required, actually it is prohibited. Not being used to this ritual myself, I naturally and naively tipped the gas attendant. At least I stayed dry!