An AmeriChristmas

Campus is dead. Seriously, dead. Almost post-apocalyptic dead, but not quite. Yesterday, I slept for 14 hours and nobody noticed. There is only one person on my floor right now and he works most days. So, yeah, it's been lonely. Last week went by relatively fast though. I tried to keep busy. Here's the rundown.

Before everyone left there was a flood in the building. Some kids decided to play Frisbee in the hallway, and subsequently broke the sprinkler head. Half of the first floor was flooded, a steady stream of water poured for what felt like hours. The fire department came and shut off the water, but unfortunately a laptop was already washed away. Thanks to some fast acting Corps Members it was one of the few casualties. They are still trying to repair the hall way, and the people that live there have yet to return home. The majority of my weekend was spent hanging out with people before they left town. Monday, I went to Davis and got my first, and most likely last Tattoo. I don't have much more to say on the subject. It itches and the guy was a jerk. I would suggest to only go to Urban Body for piercings. The piercer was really friendly and according to my friend has an excellent touch. The tattoo guy was not impressed by what I wanted. At least it was quick.
Tuesday I worked at the Urban League, with the Sacramento Kings. We handed out 300 food boxes. It was really cool to get to see the people we helped. Although, it was a little awkward to load food boxes into Mercedes. I know that there were some boxes donated to organizations as well; I feel better thinking that the Mercedes belonged to people who were picking up the food boxes for others. I did get to make fun of Tyreke Evans and his watch cell phone. I feel like picking on professional basketball players in person is one of those things that few people get to do in their lifetime. So I can cross that off my list. All of the people affiliated with the Kings were really cool, even Tyreke. Wednesday and Thursday I wrapped presents for the kids at the St. John's Shelter. It was really cool project. I felt like an elf in Santa's Workshop, and took pride in wrapping each gift and hoping the the recipient would love it. I was fortunate to find out that the kids were really appreciative of their gifts. Each kid received at least 10 gifts to unwrap. What a cool thing that St. John's Shelter was able to do for it's clients.Christmas was spent at the Shelter again. We cooked dinner for the families, and hung out with Willie who was a team leader for West Coast campus class one. He was probably my favorite part about that day. As a retiree he spends his free time volunteering for the shelter and possibly other organizations. Apparently, AmeriCorps has that affect on people, it turns you into a life long volunteer. I look forward to that. I left before dinner was served, to be served by my Project Sponsor. Jay, one of the members of my team, and I went to Irma's house to have a Mexican style Christmas dinner. We ate Rice and Green chillies on chicken, and other food I can't pronounce, one of which was meat stuffed with meat. Also, Buñuelos my new favorite pastry. We stayed for awhile and chatted. Irma had a slew stories to share with us. She told us love stories about her husband and her parents . It was cute, touching and the perfect way to end the evening.Saturday, I had an early morning project with the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. We worked the mobile food bank and passed out food and toiletries to people that needed it. After which we went to the Goodwill to find ugly sweaters to wear at our feast. We had an AmeriChristmas dinner, complete with ham and turkey donated to us by Loaves and Fishes. It was really great to be able to have a Traditional meal with friends. Afterward everyone left to play Laser tag, I stayed back because I missed the van. All in all it was a great day.

Sunday, I slept for 14 hours.

That was my Christmas week. It was really great, and unlike any Christmas I've ever experienced. I'm looking forward to my friends to return from their respective homes.


These are the cool new shoes I got for Christmas from my brother. Speaking of whom. I was talking to Joe and he and I had this awesome conversation. He was telling me all about his new ... Hi Susan.


Sara

It's the first official day of Winter Break

I'm in the computer lounge of 947 with my friend Michel, waiting. We're waiting for the time to pass, the sun to come out and for general happiness to return again. Today I was supposed to be working at Loaves and Fishes a local, homeless shelter but the opportunity fell through. Now, I'm enjoying the break. I had been working 10-12 hour days so it's nice to wake up at 9 and not have to worry about having anything important to do. I spent most of my time this morning looking up potential projects that might take on me and my friends last minute but it's not looking good. I'm hoping that Loaves and Fishes will change their mind, and decide that they have work for me and my friends to do.
This past week at school had been pretty stressful, the students were in finals and so we had bunch of kids trying to finish their essays that they should have completed 3 months ago. On top of the that we had to finish our end of the year logs so it had been pretty busy all week. My team is starting to open up more and communicate their feelings, which is definitely important when you are in a live/work environment.
Christmas is fast approaching and I am scrambling to get gifts together. I kind of dropped the ball this year, as I haven't really had a way to get to the mall, had time to make anything or to get to the post office. I need to get some stamps quick though so I can send out my second annual Holiday Greeting Card which I will be happy to post here after all of my intended recipients receive them.
My friends have returned from their respective projects so it has been really great being able to hang out with them and catch up. Their experiences are vastly different, and it's interesting to note that even though we're in the same program no single person will have the same experience. We all react differently to our new projects, not many of us are sent to the same location and most of the projects we are working on vary. For example, I'm working at a high school, while Chase is working at a elementary school, Michel works clearing and creating trails in Washington, and Monica is clearing trails in San Diego.
Their stories are very different but it's great to hear about what they've been up to. Most of my friends have left for their respective homes for Christmas break, while I'm here with only a few friends who will be spending the holidays with me.
The only crazy thing that has happened as of late is that sprinklers broke on the first floor of my building, and the building was flooded. My friend Stu lost his laptop, but most of everyone's belongings was saved or salvaged. The hallway smells of wet towels. It was probably not the best way to start of Winter Break. But I'm sure that this break will be full of opportunities and experiences as soon as I stop trying to find a last minute ticket home.

Wish me luck,
Sara

Another Week of School

It’s Saturday afternoon, I’m exhausted and I’m in the computer lounge watching the Alabama vs. Florida game. It was intense in the first half but now Alabama has such a lead the mood is kind of lame. School is hard to talk about. I don’t know how the teachers come back day, after day to students who could care less. I had one student who told me that she doesn’t do any work ever. I asked her what’s the point of showing up. Her response was “I’m not old enough to drop.” It hurt so much to hear that. That the only reason she stays in school is because she’s not old enough to drop out.

It’s frustrating to work with kids that expect you to do all the work for them. I try to trick them into doing their work, but it’s difficult to do with essays, and after awhile you get so tempted to kick them out of the computer chair and just write it for them. I wouldn’t do it but it’s difficult. My team is affected by the lack of enthusiasm amongst the students. We dread having to work with certain kids because they don’t do anything. They just sit there, waiting it out, trying to get us to tell them what to type. This is Ameriku most accurately describes how I feel about some of these students.

Procrastination,

You’re here because you waited

Next time start sooner

In other news I learned that I’ve been writing senyus as opposed to haikus. Haikus can only be written in Japanese and are about nature. Senyus can be written in English and are usually in seventeen syllables or less, and don’t always have a five-seven-five format. I checked out a book from the library on haikus in attempt to improve my style.

I’m still in love with my team. I’m happy we held it together this week without our team leader. It was good to see that we’re self-sufficient. I didn’t think that I’d like them. I knew I’d like some of them, and that I’d be able to find common ground with all of them. However, I didn’t realize that I’d love them that I would want to spend time with them each individually and as a group. They are each in their own way so great, and so essential to the make up of our entire team. Well it’s time for crepes so I’m out!