12 hours on a couch in Austin
Friday night was the best night of sleep I've had in ages. It just so happens that it took place on a large, comfy couch in the apartment of a friend living in Austin, TX. I was in town to assist with a program evaluation project being conducted by my internship agency. We interviewed staff and participants in one of the Girl Scouts USA's antiviolence programs, housed in a juvenile detention facility in Austin. I felt right at home given the location of my previous internship over the summer. I wasn't even surprised when our plans were nearly foiled by facility staff canceling the troop meeting due to girls' misbehavior. We worked it out, however, and had a phenomenal time listening to and talking with the girls.
Austin's a pretty cool town, though I didn't see much of it in my less-than-24-hour stay. I did manage a Marguarita on 6th Street and a couple good views of downtown. It didn't really feel like I was in Texas, though. According to my taxi driver (who was from Houston originally) this is because Austin is unlike any other part of Texas - liberal. Hmm, well I appreciated the vibe and would recommend a visit to anyone who has occasion to go.