Baaack to School!

Ready or not, summer is coming to an end! Just like Billy Madison...it's time to go back to school! Get those last minute summer bucket list items crossed off your list, and get excited for classes to begin. What is the best part about school starting? It means we are that much closer to our Alternative Break Trips! You have completed and received feedback on your Trip Outlines. They are looking great, and we're looking forward to some really thoughtful and impactful trips. Here are a few more things you need to know to reach ABL success.


It's a Date!

Be sure those calendars are marked for our first meeting on Tuesday the 19th at 3:30 in UC 220. If you have a conflict, please let me know asap. It's kind of like ABC's 'the Bachelor', only without the actual date part, exotic locations, private concerts, tears or Chris Harrison...

#ABLove is even better than the Bachelor/ette love, because unlike the show, this kind lasts forever with the lasting impact that is left on each ABL, participant, and community.

1:1's with MaryAnn

Each ABL pair will need to choose a time to meet with me. These informal meetings will happen over the first few weeks of the school year. Be thinking about a time that will work for both you AND your partner to meet with me, so when we schedule these at our first meeting on Tuesday the 19th, things will run smoothly. This will be a great opportunity to get any questions answered and be sure we're all on the same page!

Restaurant Reservations

Have you made yours yet? Even if your trip isn't until this spring, it can't hurt to try! Making a reservation now will make things much easier down the road. Remember, it is still a good idea to check in closer to your trip to be sure your group reservation is still good to go. From burgers to spaghetti, your group will greatly enjoy their meal out!

ABL Spotlight: Jeff Sedghi

Say hello tho this week's highlighted break trip leader...Jeff! Read on to find out more about this Fall Break trip leader.

Year in School: Senior
Major: Marketing and Supply Chain
Favorite Restaurant: Tomato Head
Dream Job: Lead Anchor on SportsCenter
Spirit Animal: Arctic Fox
Favorite UT Tradition: Singing Rocky Top at football games
Travel Destination: Iran (to visit his dad's family)

Until next time!

-MPG-

ABL FAQs!

Hello, experienced break trip planners! You have now accomplished a major piece of the break trip puzzle. Lining up and confirming your housing and service was hard work, and you all deserve a trophy! Mailing a glinting, golden piece of hardware to each of you isn't the most feasible, so please accept this electronic token of our praise! Presented by......

ADELE!! 'Rumor Has It', she is also proud of your progress and excited that such thoughtful trips were prepared by 'Someone Like You'.:)

The 'Nitty Gritty'

Now that you've made significant progress on your trip plans, lets get down to the 'nitty gritty' of the logistics and details. As you begin thinking about your dinner out, sight seeing, and grocery shopping--feel free to use this next section for reference.

Dinner Out

A nice dinner out on the town will be a great way to celebrate the accomplishment of your group. After cooking all your own meals on a minimal budget all week, eating out will be like..

So what price range should you be looking for as you select restaurant options for your trip? Here is what you should be thinking through as you search.

$12-15 is the ballpark for your dinner out. You will want it to include tax, tip and any soft drinks so you may shoot for the following... 

16 ppl x $12 (drink included) meals = $192

$192 + sales tax (approx 10%) = $211.20

$211.20 + 20% tip = $253.44 (which divides out to $15.84 per person)

Therefore, you would need to budget $15 per person for a $12 meal. Don't forget: reservations are your friend! You should shoot for a restaurant that accepts reservations, and you should make them soon!

Cultural & Sight Seeing 

Though the majority of the time of your trips will be spent serving your community of choice, it is still important you experience a bit of your city's culture and learn about its history. For example, if you have a trip in Atlanta, and your theme ties in to the civil rights movement, why not visit Martin Luther King's home church? While in Chicago it wouldn't be right to leave without a visit to the Bean or a trek down the Magnificent Mile! Is there a market you could browse through showcasing the city's local flair? A parade or event supporting your service theme? If you have questions whether a particular outing would be an appropriate aspect to add to your trip, don't hesitate to ask!

Grocery Shopping

Remember to be thinking about when you will shop for groceries as you are updating your 'at a glance' documents. For example, it wouldn't be great to go serve immediately upon arriving in your city, work until five, then have to travel to WalMart, back to your housing, THEN cook dinner. Everyone would be hungry and tired, and the potential for a 'panda shopping' experience (see gif. above) would increase!

It may work best to have one ABL and the learning partner go shopping while the rest of the group works with a service site. Maybe you and your partner want to shop for supplies for your first couple meals in Knoxville before you even depart (we can give you money ahead of time to do this!). The office has a Sam's card, so if you wanted to pre-shop at Sam's ahead of time, that is definitely something we can work out! It is really up to you, but just be sure to factor grocery shopping in to your trip timeline.

Additionally, be on the lookout for a compilation of sample low cost meals that would be ideal for groups of 15 as the trips draw closer! Well fed people are happy people:)

ABL Spotlight

Introducing this week's featured Alternative Break Leader... Sarah O'Rourke! Read on to discover more about your fellow break trip leader:)

Year in school: Sophomore
Major/minor: Social Work Major/Psych and Public Health Minors
Past Alt Breaks experience: Marginalized Homeless Populations - NYC - Spring 2014
Favorite Knoxville restaurant/dish: Tupelo Honey Cafe - Meatloaf
Dream job: Executive Director of a non-profit
Spirit animal: Elephant
Favorite UT tradition: Singing Rocky Top with 100,000 friends in Neyland!
Dream travel destination: Ireland

Still have questions? Think the answer could help a fellow ABL out? Comment below with what you may need a more in depth explaination of. Have another part of the trip planning process you are getting hung up on? Comment so I can address it in the next MwithM installment to help your experience go more smoothly. Best of luck!



-MPG-