Marines Graduation Trip

I'm back! All these late night escapades have me very beat. It started after work on Thu, driving down to an airport I've never been to (definitely NOT as bad as everyone says), and the airport was actually quite lovely. My flight wasnt until 10pm, but got pushed to 11:20pm. I didnt touch ground again until 1am, and processed my first rental... I had reserved a small, economic car. They gave me this huge Hyundai Santa Fe:

(Stock photo)

Let me say I wasnt happy, but it was 1am, and I wasnt going to back and argue. It being my first rental, I dont even think I could argue. I just wanted a small car...

Anyway, we stayed at a Days Inn, and that wasnt half bad. It was decent enough. Not a big-star hotel by any mean, but for two days, it wasn't bad.

Then the graduation was on a very cold, but sunny day. There were so many graduates! He said around 300 per company. It was very interesting to see them all and how coordinated they were. I would say that I am impressed, but that'd be taking from the main event... I was hugely impressed at how my brother had changed. When they finally released it, you saw people jumping at each other's arms, and waves and waves of parents, friends and family rushing to greet their graduate. We found my brother, and he actually spoke to me (with a voice that was mostly gone, he said from all the yelling). We actually talked, for the first time in what seems like 6-7 years. We talked a lot. Marines stuff, we had tons of questions, but still. Who knew I could still talk to him?

One of my friends told me that perhaps the military can change the spoiled hearts of my family members... two down, 2 to go! Haha. Now, if only my mother would join... she could use some military sense.

I'll post some photos of the graduation. My brother actually stayed in my room (thank goodness I did request a double room!), so we talked a bit more, mostly about the graduation and stuff. He changed so much. He looks much taller, his eyes are not condescending, and his manner isnt anymore of a person just looking for the easiest way out and looking to you like you're an annoyance. He's very respectful and tolerant, even of my mother's nagging, which is amazing to me. He's back home for 10 days, then getting moved to another base a bit north for further training. It feels very strange, but I may actually look forward to his next break. The real feel of a family is such a foreign thing to me, but I wont back away from it. It's actually kind of nice.