post- austin

i got in from austin last night so happy to be home. it is such a cool town with an interesting mix of cultures, but still small enough that you feel like you can get around in one day. i could move there tomorrow. the shopping is so unique and the food is good. and of course, university of texas at austin is a great school too! i got an awesome quilt that was handmade in peru to hang in my office at a local store and matt a luchador mask from mexico, which he of course loves. pictures to come...

we stayed at the hotel across from the hotel where the conference was...and i have to say that the embassy suites rocks. free breakfast, a free shuttle to anywhere, and happy hour (which i should note that my professors got us involved in) every evening was great. we ate at some pretty good tex-mex places, one really cool cafe, a fast food Japanese place, and Amy's ice cream- a yummy local chain.

i have so many ideas and thoughts from the conference, but that's for a separate blog. i got to meet and socialize with some big scholars in my field and as i am now sick and losing my voice, literally was speechless when i went to meet an author of one of my favorite language books. oh well, i think he got the point.

so, now i've literally lost my voice - the result of a chest and head cold that has been coming slowly for the past week. today i slept in late, matt made me breakfast, and now we're chilling out and watching tv. i need to do so much work before everything is due next week (and as of tomorrow i have 23 final projects getting turned into me)....but today i need to rest!

hope everyone is well....may have to talk to you after the 13th when i finish the semester up! take care:)