Girls State!

Hey!

I am back from Girls State! I will upload pictures soon, I just don't feel like it now.

Girls State was super fun. I left early Monday morning and got back Saturday night. It was a crazy week. I don't know how many of you know that I love politics so I was excited, nervous, and anxious to go. Little did I know how different it was going to be from all of the other activities I have ever done.

Girls State is a government camp. You are put into one of twelve cities (all named after Utah governors) I was in Rampton City. In Girls State you are in a city and you have to vote, run and help govern a city then a county and after that the state. We learned a lot. It was more of a camp on how cities, counties and states are run. I wish it had more of the current political issues, but it didn't and that was okay.

On Monday we got to Southern Utah University in Cedar City and was put into our cities. We went to our rooms and met your roommates. There were four girls to a room and two rooms to a bathroom, so it was hard sharing a bathroom with eight girls! But a good learning experience. After that we met as a city went over rules and got to know each other better. One rule that is important for girls state is that you wear a skirt or dress ALL week. I am all dressed and skirted out. haha Anyways I am not going to lie, but on Monday I was ready to go home. It was awful! I felt really out of place and awkward! But it got better.

Tuesday was still pretty bad, we didn't know each other still and the meetings were long and boring. The governor came and spoke to us and that was interesting. I can't remember all that happened on tuesday because it was also not a good day.

Wednesday was way better! We played a get to know you game and all of us girls got to know each other better. We went to more meetings and I ran for county treasurer. I got to the preliminaries and found out that I had to give a speech. You should all know that I am a terrible public speaker! But it went okay.

Thursday. I won the election and was elected as the county treasurer! Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff came and spoke to us. He was amazing! I can't remember all that went on this day and I think I am getting some of my days and the activities in it.

Friday. More meetings and a banquet. We had the Senate present their bills and some of them I felt very strongly about, but couldn't say anything because I was the audience. We had a banquet that night. They announced the governor for next year. I was eating the meal and the chicken decided to slip from my fork onto my dress. (In the worst spot possible) They were not small spots either! haha then we partied and stayed up til 1:30 partying!

Saturday. Graduation. I am finally a Girls State graduate! Went on the bus and arrived at home at around 7:00.

All in all Girls State was a very good experience. I am glad that I got the opportunity to go. And I am glad that my parents supported me in this. There were many hours talking to them on the phone. I have to say that sharing one bathroom with 8 girls where the shower had very little water pressure was an interesting experience, along with the food we ate. Let's just say that we had potatoes every meal except one and I think that my life will be awesome even if I never eat another potato again!

I will post pictures soon (tomorrow) when I get them downloaded!

-Rachel