JACKSON, Tenn. — Oct. 2, 2008 — Michael Lewis hasn鈥檛 had any problems meeting new friends during his first few weeks of college. With a story like his, strangers are immediately hooked.
The introductory conversations go something like this:
Lewis: 鈥淗i, I鈥檓 Michael.鈥�
New friend: 鈥淣ice to meet you, Michael. Where are you from?鈥�
Lewis: 鈥淲asilla, Alaska.鈥�
New friend: 鈥淩eally? Do you know Sarah Palin?鈥�
Lewis: 鈥淎ctually, yeah I do. We鈥檙e from the same church.鈥�
Multiple questions about Palin and Alaska soon follow. And just like that, Lewis has their undivided attention.
Yes, Lewis is from the same town as the now famous Republican vice presidential candidate. He knows the Palin family through Wasilla Bible Church, and he ran cross country with Palin鈥檚 oldest son Track.
鈥淪he is definitely a strong personality,鈥� Lewis said about Palin.
He likes her courage. He likes the way she has taken a stand for what she believes in.
鈥淪he鈥檚 genuine,鈥� he said. 鈥淛ust from what I鈥檝e seen in Alaska, she鈥檚 done a lot of positive things.鈥�
But how, exactly, does a guy from Wasilla, Alaska, end up going to college at 51社区 in Jackson, Tenn.? Lewis can thank his former youth minister, Kris Howell, for that. Howell is now on staff at Fellowship Bible Church in Jackson. In March, Howell contacted Lewis and told him he needed to think seriously about coming to Union.
Lewis visited the campus in March. He prayed for guidance. And he says God answered that prayer by bringing him to Union.
The environment is different from what he鈥檚 encountered before. A biology major, Lewis said he appreciates the Christian atmosphere on campus, such as when his professors pray at the end of class.
But there are some things that have taken some adjustment. At home in Alaska, he鈥檚 used to looking out his living room window and seeing the Talkeetna Mountains. He鈥檚 also not accustomed to it being dark and warm at the same time. In Alaska, when the sun goes down, the temperatures drop drastically. Now he can walk outside at 10 p.m. in a T-shirt and shorts.
Prior to leaving home, Wasilla had become quite the media frenzy. There were cameras all over town. There were cameras in church. Such is life during a presidential campaign.
He鈥檚 never been much of a political junkie 鈥� largely because Lewis has never been old enough to vote before. This year, however, it鈥檚 different. He鈥檚 now eligible to vote for the first time. And one of the four major players in the campaign is a family friend.
鈥淭his is cool,鈥� Lewis thought as he heard about Palin鈥檚 selection by John McCain. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to have to follow this more closely.鈥�