I had been interested in some day applying for the IPE since I first joined USPC (a little late at age 14), but there was no stopping me from turning in an application when I heard that 2011 IPE was being held in New Zealand. I've been dreaming of visiting NZ since I first saw the country's amazing landscapes in the Lord of the Rings films. The more I learned about NZ, the more I wanted to visit: horses, backpacking, a great film industry, and awesome people (at least the New Zealanders I've met!).
Now, a dream has become reality...or almost. I can't wait to be on a plane to the IPE exchange (and then another 3 weeks in NZ before I have to be back in California to teach at Woodside Junior Riders summer camp), but there is a lot to do between then and now for me (as well as the rest of the team, I'm sure!). I am a Sophomore at Bard College, 2 hours north of NYC, on the beautiful Hudson River. I am studying Film Production with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies, or at least planning on it. The way Bard works, as a sophomore everyone goes through "Moderation", which involves (for film at least), three papers and 20 minutes of finished quality film work in digital and 16mm formats. These are presented in front of a 3-person board from the department, and if all goes well, you are accepted into the major. Unfortunately, film is one of the hardest, so fingers crossed for my board in April!
Other than worrying about Moderation (and getting those papers written in the next two weeks), my days consist of studying Arabic, a genetics biology class (my first science in years!), a film history class about films as propaganda, and my film production class: Script to Screen. For Script to Screen we are each shooting a 10 min section of the 1931 Frankenstein! It's tons of fun, but eats up time...principal photography begins next week! I'm also co-writing and directing a film to be shot in NJ over spring break.
On top of all of that, I'm trying to keep my riding up. I ride twice a week at a great barn called Cedar Crest where Bard's IHSA team just moved, and twice a week I am a working student for Cari Swanson and Rex Peterson, two great trainers (and the one's responsible for all of the amazing horse tricks and training behind films like Hidalgo and Secretariat!). Unfortunately, I had to sell my one (and only) horse, Kalypso's Page, over x-mas break, but I guess all these borrowed horses are the best practice for NZ!
Well I guess that's more than long enough. I can't wait to meet everyone in person, and I can't wait to miss finals to be riding horses in NZ instead!
Alexa
Now, a dream has become reality...or almost. I can't wait to be on a plane to the IPE exchange (and then another 3 weeks in NZ before I have to be back in California to teach at Woodside Junior Riders summer camp), but there is a lot to do between then and now for me (as well as the rest of the team, I'm sure!). I am a Sophomore at Bard College, 2 hours north of NYC, on the beautiful Hudson River. I am studying Film Production with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies, or at least planning on it. The way Bard works, as a sophomore everyone goes through "Moderation", which involves (for film at least), three papers and 20 minutes of finished quality film work in digital and 16mm formats. These are presented in front of a 3-person board from the department, and if all goes well, you are accepted into the major. Unfortunately, film is one of the hardest, so fingers crossed for my board in April!
Other than worrying about Moderation (and getting those papers written in the next two weeks), my days consist of studying Arabic, a genetics biology class (my first science in years!), a film history class about films as propaganda, and my film production class: Script to Screen. For Script to Screen we are each shooting a 10 min section of the 1931 Frankenstein! It's tons of fun, but eats up time...principal photography begins next week! I'm also co-writing and directing a film to be shot in NJ over spring break.
On top of all of that, I'm trying to keep my riding up. I ride twice a week at a great barn called Cedar Crest where Bard's IHSA team just moved, and twice a week I am a working student for Cari Swanson and Rex Peterson, two great trainers (and the one's responsible for all of the amazing horse tricks and training behind films like Hidalgo and Secretariat!). Unfortunately, I had to sell my one (and only) horse, Kalypso's Page, over x-mas break, but I guess all these borrowed horses are the best practice for NZ!
Well I guess that's more than long enough. I can't wait to meet everyone in person, and I can't wait to miss finals to be riding horses in NZ instead!
Alexa
