Plains, GA + President Jimmy Carter
GUESS WHO’S BACK, BACK AGAIN?! yeah, it’s me (sorry if you were hoping for the jonas brothers). If you’ve been reading for a while, you know how much I love Jimmy Carter. Last April, P and I drove down to Plains, Georgia to meet former President Carter and his sweet wife Rosalynn and it was such an incredible experience. Last month, we decided to take the long drive back again for his Sunday School class and to get to see more of Plains, because our first trip was super rushed. This time around, we got to see a lot more and it really did make such a difference! Since I’m obviously a seasoned pro (ha ha ha, jk), I wanted to share a couple tips in case any of you want to go worship with the Carters!!
· Quadruple check his schedule at http://www.mbcplains.org because it can change at the last minute (generally with a couple weeks' notice) and it would stink to go just to see him and him not be there!
· Start researching hotels the SECOND you decide to go. Plains has one hotel (an inn), and Americus (the town next door) has a bunch to choose from, but they aren’t the best. That being said, we did notice a couple that seemed pretty nice when we were there! The Windsor Hotel and Hampton Inn should be pretty safe bets. If those are booked (or just too pricey), don’t worry! Staying in a hotel that you normally wouldn’t stay at honestly adds to the experience, and everyone there is so nice.
· Pack NICE CLOTHES! Churches in general have become a lot more laid back regarding clothing, but you do not want to show up to Maranatha wearing jeans or leggings and a sweater. Dress like you’re going to a job interview! There will most likely be locals wearing jeans, but do you really want to meet a president when you don’t look your absolute best?
· Arrive early or stay late. Getting to Plains early Saturday (around noon) or staying until Monday allows you to see all of the monuments that look like they haven’t been touched since the 60s. You can visit President Carter’s boyhood home, his high school, the train depot he used as his campaign headquarters and see his current home, all for free. We didn’t get to do any of this the first time we visited and it honestly made all the difference! Most of the landmarks are unlocked until 5pm-ish and they’re open on Sunday.
· Pack snacks! Eating dinner at The Silo and trying peanut butter ice cream from Plain Peanuts are essential stops, but you don’t want to have to worry about finding breakfast on the way to church. Pro tip: put the sample peanuts in your peanut butter ice cream…you’re welcome. You can also take water bottles and light snacks (granola bars, almonds) into the church, just be respectful with the noise and mess. Kind of a related tip, visit the political shop next to Plain Peanuts — one of Carter’s friends sells campaign memorabilia dating back to the 1800s, signed Carter books and buttons from his campaign!
· Go to bed early!!! This sounds so lame but it is so important. You’re advised to be at Maranatha Baptist Church before 6:30am and if you stay up all night you will be miserable when you’re standing in line.
· Bring a camera, but use your iPhone to take pictures with the prez and first lady! Cameras are good for taking pictures around town (bonus points if you bring a disposable camera), but we made the mistake of using my camera for our picture with him the first time we went and the lighting in the church made it so gross.
