It’s
officially summer, and last weekend began our summer of traveling. We
have something planned for every weekend from now until August. While
we don’t have any big trips planned (they’re mostly just relatively
quick drives to places nearby), last weekend was one of the longer,
farther trips for the summer: Raleigh and Durham, NC.
This
visit to Vincent’s parents’ house in Raleigh was different than it normally is because we were also joined by my family. As my sister
enters her senior year in high school, and my brother his junior year,
so begins the college touring; and certainly Duke must be on that list
of schools to visit in person. I was able to tag along with my family
on the campus tour, making me feel very old! It’s hard to believe that
when I was a freshman, my sister was in 1st grade and my brother was in
kindergarten, and now they’re looking at Duke for themselves!
It
was also interesting to see the changes on campus since I graduated.
While my parents accompanied my brother on the tour of the Pratt School of Engineering, my sister and I managed to sneak into the recently
constructed dorm on West Campus. I only took photos of the exterior,
since I was trying to be inconspicuous, although we eventually did get
caught.
No
trip to Duke is complete without a visit to the Duke Chapel. As much
of an advocate as I am of innovative, contemporary architecture, it’s
hard not to appreciate the beauty and grandeur of this neo-Gothic
cathedral.
After
completing the student-led campus tour, we stopped by the Smart Home
before heading back. The Smart Home is a “living laboratory,” a LEED
Platinum house that serves as a dorm for students performing research
projects contributing to the technology within the house and green
living in general. The house was in the design stages while I was a
student, and it was something I wish I had known about earlier so that I
could have been involved, so it was great to see the final building.
All
in all, it was a great trip. Colbert had fun playing with Vincent’s
parents’ dogs and cats, Vincent enjoyed multiple golf outings, and
everyone loved Cook Out! How will you be spending your summer?
Not to be picky about grammar....however, you were at Vincent's "parent's house" not his "parents' house."
ReplyDeletehappy 4th.