The end of round 2

I’m writing my team leader application. I am applying to AmeriCorps NCCC for another year. I know that I am capable of taking on this role, especially after I complete my term. I just hate filling out applications and often wait until the last minute.

It’s been quite sometime since I’ve updated. (I wrote this one before I wrote the last one and then posted them out of order, but any who).The Community Center Toy, Food and Clothing drive went well considering the obstacles we faced along the way. We were able to collect clothing toys and food for the kids of the community center and the center will distribute them to the families who will benefit from them.

We’re leaving soon. Thursday, April Fool’s day. Part of me wishes that it would be a giant April Fools that we’re leaving at all. I really like it here and I really enjoy this project. This space has become really special to me for some reason and I will be sad to leave my beautiful construction paper mountains. I hope that one day I will be able to live in a place this gorgeous.

I’ve learned a lot during this spike.

I’ve enhanced my construction abilities including: how to shingle a roof, how to install door knobs, how to paint, and how not to paint, how to dig trenches, how to rip up trees with out anything but gloves, how to frame a house, how install towel racks and toilet paper holders, and how to frame a door.

I also learned some unexpected things, like: always check your shoes for beatles, dogs have the ability to turn your day around, when playing games with kids always follow their rules (it’s more fun for them), if you draw something for one kid you will have to draw it for at least three more, always wear safety glasses when painting over head, appreciating what you have is often times better than chasing what you don’t, sedimentary mountains will crumble under your finger tips if you cling too tightly, having access to the internet is not as important to me as I initially thought (although watching Lost is still high priority), completing monotonous tasks is a good time for to listen to books on tape and lectures, walking through the desert at night is often more fun than walking through a city late at night, and finally fear can only hold you back.

I am forever grateful for this place, for this experience, it is in many ways defining for me as a person.

Reflection Round 2

Dear Mecca,

You’re beautiful. I love looking out over your construction paper mountains and sandy desert landscape contemplating the next step and often wondering what the baby burning factory actually burns. I don’t know if I will find a place more peaceful, and I’m not sure that I want to. I enjoyed our time together and I appreciate all that you taught me about life, love and the pursuit of happiness. It was here that I learned that what is important to me in my life isn’t money or status but the adventures I go on and the friendships I make a long the way. It was here that I realized that love is less about finding someone to spend the rest of your life with and more about cherishing your friends, your family and yourself. It was in you I realized that happiness isn’t something you buy it’s something you find within yourself, and sometimes within others; within the simplicity of coloring a picture for a seven year-old friend. Thank you, Mecca for dispelling stereotypes, for helping me to overcome fears, and for allowing me to realize my next step.

I want to say that I will come back to see you again, but I find that to be unlikely. I hope to visit you. I hope to be able to show people your beauty, but at the same time I don’t want anyone to come in and try and change you. I don’t think that you need to be updated or fixed. I think in a lot of ways you’re perfect the way you are. Which leads me to possibly the most important thing that I learned from you: that sometimes it is more rewarding to appreciate things, and people the way they are then to try and change them into something else. I will forever remember our time together. I will remember your cool desert nights, and that time I stood on a roof without fear. Thanks.

It's been busy around these parts.

Another few weeks in Mecca have come and gone. I have started to hit a groove with the work we are doing and am starting to adjust to my new living arrangements. I still enjoy the work I am doing; I imagine that there isn’t much that will change about that. I really love building houses and physical labor is somewhat thrilling, it’s certainly more exciting than paperwork. For the most part, I’ve been having really great conversations at work with the people on my team. I really enjoy being able to hang out with them and getting to know these people better.

Last week we started working on our Community Service Day project. We’re helping the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition with a Toy Food and Clothing drive for the children of the Paseo de Los Heroes Community Center. I’m hoping that our efforts will benefit the children of the center and they will have safe toys to play with. The majority of the games and toys here are broken or missing pieces. I would like to give them something that they can play with. I want them to have incentive to come here and play. I’d rather them be here where it’s safe as opposed to home alone or hanging out with the wrong crowd.

If you’d be interested in sending in Toys, Canned Food, or Clothing you can mail it to:

Coachella Valley Housing Coalition

45-701 Monroe Street, Suite G

Indio, CA 92201

In other news, I went to LA this past weekend and visited my friend Trish. She showed me around town and we went to Disneyland. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed my short vacation away from all things AmeriCorps. I love what I do but it was nice to have a break from it all. We’re back at the worksite now and we’ve been putting some finishing touches on some houses. I installed door knobs this morning, but most of last week I dug irrigation trenches and leveled the ground. The week before we were clearing lots. I’m not sure which I enjoy more, leveling ground or ripping up trees and getting cut up by tumbleweeds.

Note to the public tumbleweeds have angry thorns like roses but meaner.

Also, we found out our next project we will be going to New Orleans staying in Camp Hope. We’re going to work with the Recovery School District. This job will have a lot of different tasks. I’m looking forward to a Gulf project more than I had expected but I am not happy about being there in the summer, which seems very likely. We will be there for Jazz fest and for that I am thankful.

Well it’s dinnertime and we have our mid-site visit tomorrow from our Unit Leader so I have to go back and help clean.

Sorry it’s taking so long for me to update. My mind has been elsewhere lately and I find it frustrating to write about what’s going on here. I enjoy the work but I’m not always happy, which is to be expected. I’m doing my best to stay positive.