I am way overdue to be posting this blog since its been nearly 10 days since my last one, but I finally got around to writing one because I can't sleep AND my buddy is lending me his laptop for a couple days since our town house is right next to the computer lab with the wireless internet...so definately a double bonus.
Last time I left off I was briefly talking about the breakdown on how each day went this past 2nd week of AmeriCorps. This 3rd full week was a little of the same but we had disaster training instead. Disaster training consisted of Red Cross representatives coming into the University of Delaware and speaking to us and training us for the possible call down to TN and the tornadoes...and simply preparing us for our duties down in the gulf. My group is not stationed in the gulf quite yet...but our time and chance will come. Instead, my Raven 3 team will be driving down to the coast of Georgia to live on an island for our 1st spike location. The island is called, Skidaway, and is located roughly 15-20 mins from Savannah, GA. We are assigned to live on this island in what was described as, "incredible housing", so we will see what that means :) We are all stoked because we will be on the ocean, in the warm weather, working with the ocean and restoration of clams and other organisms on the Atlantic Ocean coast. Super ready for it and get out of BORING Perry Point. There really is nothing to do here...you either hang out with friends and each other's houses OR go to the bar that is about .5 miles away from the houses. I do not go to the bar that often which is good because I have lost 9 lbs since being here. I weighed myself and I am down to 204 lbs. I just need to keep it up, watch what I eat and drink, and work out daily. PT will be consisted of possibly scuba diving and other water activities which you all are jealous...right? :) This Georgia location is not considered a gulf trip, so that means the next 2 out of 3 Spike locations we could potentially be down in New Orleans or Mississippi or down there. Preferably I would want to be down in New Orleans around June because I hear that Jazz Fest goes on during that month and past teams in AmeriCorps got a lot of their ISP hours helping and aiding with the Festival. AWESOME!
My team that was assigned is getting more and more comfortable with each other. We have 2 that are sort of shy and need to become more social, but there are others that are definately fun to be around. We are going to try to avoid all drama at all costs. We all seem to share similiar interests and tastes for music which makes the van rides much fun when we all can agree upon the proper songs to play at the correct time. We had our first 1 on 1 with our TL the other day for 15 mins and it went just fine. She is such an awesome person and very out-going. I do not see myself disagreeing with her or anything. All love her dearly. Our team is super tight in terms of having a slogan, we are thinking of a song to relate, I made a team word search the other day, another girl put together a collage of all of us 'irish kicking' out of the van...turned out GREAT! (If you want I can email it to you...just let me know). I hope this continues and we all can get along just wonderfully. The fear or being put in a group with non-motivated people is gone and I know all of us will be doing a great job as a cohesive unit.
It is insane how many people are 'hooking' up or having their Ameri-crushes (we have started this phase where we start everything with 'Ameri" and end it with any word). Love is swiftering around and its nuts. I have made a lot of great friends so far which is awesome...I am close to alot of people. These people are excited to be here and help. Tons of reminders of people I went to high school and college with. I have a bff (best friends forever) friend that we met the 2nd day and have this secret hand-shake and everything. It is cool, her name is Gwen and we relate a lot in things. Nothing more than strictly a friend.
As my eyes are fading as I look at the clock and it reads 2:45 AM, I will try and speed through this next story. We had a 3 day weekend this past weekend because since we are a federal organization, we received President's Day off...so what a couple friends and I did was traveled and road-tripped to New York City for the 4 days and 3 nights and hung out in the Big Apple. My friend Mike, Jared, and I went together to stay with Mike's uncle who lived in East Village (over in Manhattan). Tons and loads of fun hanging in the city and the uncle showed us around to everything. We did the tourist thing and got some pictures. We stopped at many places, for examples: Empire St. Building, Rockafeller ice skating rink, Times Square, Harlem, Central Park, and many, many more. I picked up some sweet postcards as souvenirs. Boy...those I Love New York shirts are SUPER expensive...i said no can do. Over the 4 days we visited so many restaurants, tourist locations, and bars...INSANE! Overall a great weekend and I hope the lack of sleep (considering I was on the floor in a sleeping bag the whole time and my left and right hip hurt like the dickens) does not catch up on me the remainder of this week :(
As I end this ever-so-long blog, coming up this week we are doing more training and possibly chain saw training. We shall see where this week takes us as it is a shortened one for sure. We get our first pay this friday, a whopping 300 dollars will be direct deposited...a lot of people are stoked and are getting piercings and tattooes with their first check. I am saving mine for a possibly plane ticket home during the time period June 30-July 4 where we get some time off. I am debating coming that time because Kristin and I have talked about going to Summerfest since it begins June 30. I have to look up plane tickets though. Couple people here are from Wisc and have also talked about going back to see it. We shall see and play it by ear.
Other than what has been mentioned above...that is all I got. If you want to know more about the NYC trip, i surely have plenty more stories to tell :) I begin week 3 with a tired look on my face because of the time...but surely will get alot of it. I will try and try to keep you all posted more frequently and not every 10 days as some of you are eager to find out more. So I sign off for tonight by leaving you with this quote: "Dang it feels good to be a RAVEN!"
Monday, February 18, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
Continued AmeriCorps experience...
Hello again. I am back for another update on what is going down here in Perry Point, MD. You thought the first week was a thrill...well this whole week has been a rollarcoaster of good times and meeting a lot of cool people. My last update talked about what happened previous to meeting our permanent team members and leaders and UDA's and Unit Leaders. But to make it easier I will break down day-by-day how everything came together this past Monday...
Monday
- Traveled to the University of Delaware to congregate and do ice breakers and other activities
- Found out later that night who our team leaders were, the unit we were in, AND the other Corps members joining us
- They made it into a scavenger hunt in efforts to hopefully find our TL in the manner of getting a bag of candy and on the other side was a clue to finding the room # the TL was sitting in. Basically they waited for us to come into the room.
- The clue I had was difficult...figure it out...the 27th prime number is???
- We met with our newly members of the team and got a chance to talk and ride in the van back with them
Tuesday
- Went back to UD and surveyed the area looking and learning about new things in the city Newark (home of the Blue Hens of Delaware)
- Our newly formed team had to split up and look for potential people that could help our group as well as the AmeriCorps in earning ISP (independent service project) hours. We are needing to received 80 + hours before we graduate on November 13th.
- We ended up finding a couple connections and now we have to follow up. I might be contacting their park district and finding a volunteer position there as a coach, ref, or something sports related. It should be a blast!
- Ideas for ISP we were thinking about are: food pantry things, supporting the University's fraternity and sorority phillantrophy projects, and many more
- We then came back and had some training sessions
- Had our 1st team dinner together, I busted out the Hawaiian girl that Mitchy gave me when she got back from Hawaii. It fits wonderfully on the dashboard of our tan colored van!
Wednesday
- Today began with going to early morning PT beginning at 5:15 AM. That meant waking up and being ready for the van drive at 4:50. BRUTAL! Worse than the baseball workouts at PR.
- Vigorous work outs early in the morning. Mostly stretching but we have a circuit of exercises that we will be doing. Our team's set day is Wed.
- Traveled back to Delaware and had more training meetings. CPR/First Aid. I passed both with flying colors!! Not too difficult at all. The most tough part was keeping awake for the whole presentations.
- I did not get a chance to go to an Ash Wednesday service :( I was looking around for a ride or something but the chapel didn't offer it. This is the first Ash Wednesday I can remember that I have not attended. Sad indeed!
Thursday
- Went out on our 1st service project in the a forest preservation in Baltimore, MD clearing trails, pruning trees, and many other landscaping jobs
- It was my team and 2 other teams in our unit. Roughly 35 AmeriCorps members working at this place
- They loved the outcome, once I get pictures I will post them. My phone copped out on me so I am relying on friends to tag pics from the events to eventually tag on my facebook
- We worked til 3, then drove to the YMCA for a team workout. That was a good time. We played basketball, sat in the sauna, and did some free weights. It is too bad that we can't go there more than 1 day a week. I think I am going to swim next time
Friday
- Still have not found out yet about our first spike. Hopefully by the weekend or Monday. Once I know I will let you know, I am hoping the gulf coast...but if we get trained quick enough we could be down in TN helping with the tornadoes. Never know.
- I had the driving training test today in order to become certified. I passed the written test only getting 1 wrong. We still have to drive an hour with our TL and practice. I am sorta worried about it since its twice the size of my car.
- 4 drivers per team...2 hour shifts at a time...so many rules that go along with it. I know Michelle knows what I am talking about.
- We did a lot of team hanging out and played several games. I learned a couple new ones I am more than welcome to share with you...just ask!
Well...that is all I can think of that has happened in the last 5 days or so. Some side notes: I did go to church on Sunday at the chapel in the VA building, I got Mom's little package on Thursday, and days have been tiring me out and sleeping has been tough the last couple nights. Living on the top bunk is brutal when you have to go to the bathroom. The friendships that I have started are great! The roommates are a bunch of goofballs but we all get along very well.
Anyways if you have any questions, write a comment and I will go more into detail about things. I am just about to head out the door for dinner. Take care everyone and miss you all! I will report back in the next couple days.
Monday
- Traveled to the University of Delaware to congregate and do ice breakers and other activities
- Found out later that night who our team leaders were, the unit we were in, AND the other Corps members joining us
- They made it into a scavenger hunt in efforts to hopefully find our TL in the manner of getting a bag of candy and on the other side was a clue to finding the room # the TL was sitting in. Basically they waited for us to come into the room.
- The clue I had was difficult...figure it out...the 27th prime number is???
- We met with our newly members of the team and got a chance to talk and ride in the van back with them
Tuesday
- Went back to UD and surveyed the area looking and learning about new things in the city Newark (home of the Blue Hens of Delaware)
- Our newly formed team had to split up and look for potential people that could help our group as well as the AmeriCorps in earning ISP (independent service project) hours. We are needing to received 80 + hours before we graduate on November 13th.
- We ended up finding a couple connections and now we have to follow up. I might be contacting their park district and finding a volunteer position there as a coach, ref, or something sports related. It should be a blast!
- Ideas for ISP we were thinking about are: food pantry things, supporting the University's fraternity and sorority phillantrophy projects, and many more
- We then came back and had some training sessions
- Had our 1st team dinner together, I busted out the Hawaiian girl that Mitchy gave me when she got back from Hawaii. It fits wonderfully on the dashboard of our tan colored van!
Wednesday
- Today began with going to early morning PT beginning at 5:15 AM. That meant waking up and being ready for the van drive at 4:50. BRUTAL! Worse than the baseball workouts at PR.
- Vigorous work outs early in the morning. Mostly stretching but we have a circuit of exercises that we will be doing. Our team's set day is Wed.
- Traveled back to Delaware and had more training meetings. CPR/First Aid. I passed both with flying colors!! Not too difficult at all. The most tough part was keeping awake for the whole presentations.
- I did not get a chance to go to an Ash Wednesday service :( I was looking around for a ride or something but the chapel didn't offer it. This is the first Ash Wednesday I can remember that I have not attended. Sad indeed!
Thursday
- Went out on our 1st service project in the a forest preservation in Baltimore, MD clearing trails, pruning trees, and many other landscaping jobs
- It was my team and 2 other teams in our unit. Roughly 35 AmeriCorps members working at this place
- They loved the outcome, once I get pictures I will post them. My phone copped out on me so I am relying on friends to tag pics from the events to eventually tag on my facebook
- We worked til 3, then drove to the YMCA for a team workout. That was a good time. We played basketball, sat in the sauna, and did some free weights. It is too bad that we can't go there more than 1 day a week. I think I am going to swim next time
Friday
- Still have not found out yet about our first spike. Hopefully by the weekend or Monday. Once I know I will let you know, I am hoping the gulf coast...but if we get trained quick enough we could be down in TN helping with the tornadoes. Never know.
- I had the driving training test today in order to become certified. I passed the written test only getting 1 wrong. We still have to drive an hour with our TL and practice. I am sorta worried about it since its twice the size of my car.
- 4 drivers per team...2 hour shifts at a time...so many rules that go along with it. I know Michelle knows what I am talking about.
- We did a lot of team hanging out and played several games. I learned a couple new ones I am more than welcome to share with you...just ask!
Well...that is all I can think of that has happened in the last 5 days or so. Some side notes: I did go to church on Sunday at the chapel in the VA building, I got Mom's little package on Thursday, and days have been tiring me out and sleeping has been tough the last couple nights. Living on the top bunk is brutal when you have to go to the bathroom. The friendships that I have started are great! The roommates are a bunch of goofballs but we all get along very well.
Anyways if you have any questions, write a comment and I will go more into detail about things. I am just about to head out the door for dinner. Take care everyone and miss you all! I will report back in the next couple days.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
My AmeriCorps 1st week journey
Hello everyone,
As some of you might know I am currently stationed in northern Maryland in a city called Perry Point. We are actually located near a US naval base along the coast of the Chesapeke Bay. Very beautiful view from my town house looking into the bay. It is great when the sun sets because there are so many different variations and tones of colors your eyes are set on and the weather is gorgeous! It has been raining off and on every other day but for the most part we have been in the consistent 40 degree range.
I figured that throughout this blog I will go into more detail on the different events and things that have happened in bullet-point form. Enjoy...
1. First of all, I live in a town house with 6 other guys who are pretty cool for the most part except for one outcast who does not really want to be a part of anything the other 5 want to do. He sits in the room, bought his own food, and basically not a social person. I find it ironic since he is a 2nd year AmeriCorpite that he would not be more active and excited...cuz I know I surely would be. The other guys are super chill and cool. 3 cook the food and the other 3 of us wash dishes. It is a good trade off.
2. Our house has it's ups and downs as a whole in terms of what kind of condition it is in. The shower is an old school one with the curtain circling around the perimeter of the bath tub. The "hand me behinds" were pretty classic. If you want to know more about those...just ask. We were one of the few houses with carpeted living room/family room AND a tv left behind. Granted the only thing you can watch on there is DVDs.
3. We were put into temporary pod groups for the first week to get a feel of peoples personalities and traits in helping them decide the permanent teams. Our pod group is awesome! We really click and hang out a lot. 4 of us went to church today and a couple of us bonded last night at the bar. Closeness within the group is HUGE. I hope that my permanent group is similiar, but time will tell. With these pod groups we have: had icebreakers, gotten physicals, scavenger hunts, went to training sessions, personal training, AND even grabbed dinner together.
4. There have been talks about road tripping to close places in the area...for example: DC, Philly, Baltimore, NYC, and many more. I love the idea and everyone is so eager to do so. I totally wish I had my car for that reason, but people not knowing how to drive stick-shift was a biggie.
There is a head start on a couple things happening so far. I will keep you all posted every 2 or 3 days or whenever I can swing into the computer lab. It is had considering there are 8 computers in here and over 300 have to share them. No biggie. I am not going to hoard the computer.
If you have any questions about the experience or simply want to learn more about AmeriCorps NCCC, let me know. I would love to hear back from you. Tomorrow we get our permanent teams. Cross your fingers and pray I am put into a good one :) Take care and have a wonderful week!!
PS. Next post will be about the permanent team pod group members, how well we bond together, and the different training sessions that are in store!
As some of you might know I am currently stationed in northern Maryland in a city called Perry Point. We are actually located near a US naval base along the coast of the Chesapeke Bay. Very beautiful view from my town house looking into the bay. It is great when the sun sets because there are so many different variations and tones of colors your eyes are set on and the weather is gorgeous! It has been raining off and on every other day but for the most part we have been in the consistent 40 degree range.
I figured that throughout this blog I will go into more detail on the different events and things that have happened in bullet-point form. Enjoy...
1. First of all, I live in a town house with 6 other guys who are pretty cool for the most part except for one outcast who does not really want to be a part of anything the other 5 want to do. He sits in the room, bought his own food, and basically not a social person. I find it ironic since he is a 2nd year AmeriCorpite that he would not be more active and excited...cuz I know I surely would be. The other guys are super chill and cool. 3 cook the food and the other 3 of us wash dishes. It is a good trade off.
2. Our house has it's ups and downs as a whole in terms of what kind of condition it is in. The shower is an old school one with the curtain circling around the perimeter of the bath tub. The "hand me behinds" were pretty classic. If you want to know more about those...just ask. We were one of the few houses with carpeted living room/family room AND a tv left behind. Granted the only thing you can watch on there is DVDs.
3. We were put into temporary pod groups for the first week to get a feel of peoples personalities and traits in helping them decide the permanent teams. Our pod group is awesome! We really click and hang out a lot. 4 of us went to church today and a couple of us bonded last night at the bar. Closeness within the group is HUGE. I hope that my permanent group is similiar, but time will tell. With these pod groups we have: had icebreakers, gotten physicals, scavenger hunts, went to training sessions, personal training, AND even grabbed dinner together.
4. There have been talks about road tripping to close places in the area...for example: DC, Philly, Baltimore, NYC, and many more. I love the idea and everyone is so eager to do so. I totally wish I had my car for that reason, but people not knowing how to drive stick-shift was a biggie.
There is a head start on a couple things happening so far. I will keep you all posted every 2 or 3 days or whenever I can swing into the computer lab. It is had considering there are 8 computers in here and over 300 have to share them. No biggie. I am not going to hoard the computer.
If you have any questions about the experience or simply want to learn more about AmeriCorps NCCC, let me know. I would love to hear back from you. Tomorrow we get our permanent teams. Cross your fingers and pray I am put into a good one :) Take care and have a wonderful week!!
PS. Next post will be about the permanent team pod group members, how well we bond together, and the different training sessions that are in store!
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