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.