10.9.07

Week 7: Monday, September 10 – Cincinnati, OH – Event

Waking up, Kristian is directed to the local mechanic by Emilia to find out what is really wrong with the car. To date, different mechanics say that the water pump needs replacing, the gas tank leaks, and the muffler, tail and exhaust pipes needs replacing. The latest Cincinnati analysis is that the oxygen sensor, distributor and throttle housing need replacing. If there is one thing that Caspar (our 1990 Honda Civic DX support vehicle) does need beyond all of those things, it is our prayers for a safe arrival in New York City!

After spending most of the day working on administrative things, Ali, Kristian and Emilia (our homestay friend from www.couchsurfing.com) go to the "inner city" area of Cincinnati called Over the Rhine. We get out of the car just in time to greet all the kids coming out the building because of someone accidentally pulled the fire-alarm. After hanging with the firemen, the building is safe to enter.


After we set up for the talk, Ali and Kristian feel it is one of the best we've given. However, near the end, we pick up the pace. We're presenting right in front of the 60" television and the Cincinnati Bengals are playing for their first game of the year. Wrapping up, the kids are really appreciative and while saying good-bye, Emilia gets information to work as a tutor for some of the kids.


Afterward Emilia takes Ali and Kristian on a tour of the City. Apparently, there is more history to Cincinnati than Jerry Springer being the former mayor, and the hit TV show which ran from 1978-82 "WKPR" in Cincinnati (which in fact never existed in Cincinnati).

Driving through the city we passed the stadium where the Cincinnati Bengals were playing that night. We slowed down and asked some scalpers how much tickets were. One said, a buck a piece. Kristian, getting very excited that perhaps was today he would see the ending of his first Live NFL game, asked if the tickets were really only one dollar each. The independent ticket contractor was less than amused to the seriousness of the inquiry, and walked off.

Afterward, we drove across the bridge to Kentucky and eventually made our way home. Catching a movie at a local independent cinema, "Becoming Jane". A partially fictional depiction of Jane Austen's early years. In melancholic reverie from the movie, Ali and Kristian returned home to a nice visit with the home-stay family before retiring for the evening.