Lessons Learned after 3 weeks in JVC

It is amazing how my life can go from miserable to amazing in a day. I'm so grateful that I've had a second chance at Smithson Craighead Academy. The 5th grade (where I was meant to be) is challenging, to say the least, but I love it anyway. I thought that changing jobs meant I was giving up on the high school students. Sister Sandra helped me realize that I wasn't giving up, but rather finding the service that was best suited for me. Here are a few things that I've learned so far.

1. I'm meant to teach children from Latin America.
2. I'm meant to dance often.
3. I'm meant to have friends, work with, raise, etc. people with disabilities.
4. I'm meant to teach teachers to teach.
5. I'm meant to work with elementary and middle school students.
6. I'm meant to sit on the porch at night, drinking sweet tea, and shooting the breeze.
7. I'm meant to find happiness in living simply.
8. I'm meant to learn about other people, places, foods, dances, etc.
9. I'm meant to build community everywhere that I go.
10.I'm meant to take time on the weekends to do nothing.
11.I'm meant to have children of other ethnic and racial backgrounds.

More than anything, I'm meant to love and be loved.

This week during spirituality night, Courtney asked, "Why do you do what you do?" My answer, "To spread love."

So go, my few and loyal readers, and spread love. I'm busy doing it down here in Nashvegas.

P.S. I can't seem to get a good spellcheck and don't have time to proofread. Please excuse my errors. Paz

New Beginning :D

After telling Sister Sandra that I needed more resources for high school, she decided to offer me a different position! She realized (with my help) that I never wanted to teach the high school. Since I was originally hired to teach 5th grade, I'm happy to report that I'm now coteaching with a young, Teach for America teacher and also serving as a coach. I'm using my experience with small groups, differentiation, and special education to help teachers instruct their students using best practices.

Community life is still going pretty well. We've started watching documentaries together a few nights a week. I really like it because we're all learning about new things and can discuss our responses to it, too. Our dinner situation is quite hilarious. We currently eat a lot of rice, beans, spaghetti, and vegetables. Basically, we rearrange those ingredients every night to make something new. It is good and pretty healthy. The funny part is that most of us have large sweet teeth/tooth/s (I don't know). Sophie and I made a yummy vegan cake and Scott's made delicious peanut butter cookies. We're quite lucky!

One Week Down...

So, I've been in Nashville for just over a week, but it seems like I've lived here for a really long time. Between seeing the community of East Nashville, taking walks, talking for hours on our front porch, eating and cooking as a community, and working, I have fallen into a laid-back, yet busy life. Every week we have a community night and then later in the week a spirituality night. We plan the spirituality night (last week was awesome and included art, prayer, yoga, music, a St. Ignatius Spiritual Exercise), the community time is orchestrated by former JVs. We have 3 former JVs who are our support people. They counsel us and are our go-to people here in Nashville. We went to the Family Wash Thursday night to see Paul Burch & WPA Ballclub. Chris Scruggs was their guest artist on guitar which was a special treat. Ed, one of our support people, bought the drinks and even my molten chocolate cake. Yum! Nashville has a lot of free or cheap entertainment options, especially during the summer. Sophie's famous quote is, "I'll do anything that is free." I really thought that the city would intimidate me, but in reality it is easy to get around. I'm saying that though because a few of the JVs in my house have Iphones. We just look up directions and go where we want. So, maybe that previous statement is mute. We'll have to see when friends come to visit.

So school, well, hm, what to say? School is really rough. It is hard to say that. I love the 4 tenets of JVC and want to love my job, but I just can't right now. I've come into a really rough place where the students don't respect themselves or others (especially their teachers and even more so their White teachers). It kills me that I have to fight extra hard for their respect. Yesterday, my entire afternoon was filled with diffusing arguments, breaking up fights, trying to explain dialect differences between Black English and Standard English, and talking to staff, security, and parents. To say the least, it was emotionally tiring.

On Thursday, when I had the class ask me questions so they could get to know me, one girl asked, "Why would you put up with us?" It was such a shocking question that it took me a minute to respond. I eventually explained, "I believe you are all young, bright, talented, funny, caring, and respectful young adults. I have faith that you will learn to show those things to me, other staff members, and your classmates." Probably the best part of my jobs is being able to use Jesus as an example when counseling or asking them to dig deep within to find the root of their disrespect. Yesterday, I felt God on my heart, so I piggy-backed the other teacher after she had a discussion with the whole class. It was freaking amazing. I didn't think a single thought. All I did was let the Holy Spirit speak through me. And do you know what? Some of them got it. They apologized and improved their behavior for the rest of that period. I guess I'll consider that my one victory for the week.

I've decided that finding joy in the very very very little things at work is going to have to pull me through until things change around. I have faith that it will get better but fear it might take longer than I can handle.

First Day of School

After a week of orientation and 5 days of in-city orientation and cleaning (eww...our house needed some major help), I'm starting school today. Most of my community members are riding the bus, but since I work in a pretty rough neighborhood and it is hard to access by public transportation, I'm getting picked up. In a few days, I'll have a loaner car from Project Reflect that I'll be able to take to and from school. Internet at home is very weak and goes in and out a lot so I'm hesitant to write anything long. We wouldn't want my great insight to be whisked away by the great internet-god, would we? Off to start teaching 9th graders!

Here and Ready to Begin

I am living with 6 other Jesuit Volunteers (JVs) in Nashville in a pretty quiet neighborhood. We have some great neighbors who keep an eye open for us. Yesterday, we went to the Tomato Festival. Apparently, East Nashville is a very trendy/hippie area where a lot of artists live. The festival was filled with original art, eco-friendly small businesses, and one of a kind jewelry, clothes, etc. It was the first time I felt the affects of living simply. 2 weeks ago, I would have purchased a handful of things and not thought twice. Instead, we all spent about $3 of cool drinks/treats and ate all of the free samples, collected coupons, and enjoyed the live, free Nashville (blues, mostly) music. With the music playing, I definitely realized I wasn't in Peoria. I looked around, hoping I'd run into one of my dance friends who would want to bust a move with me. Luckily, one of my community members likes dancing, too. We did a little, but the temperature was over 90 and no one else was dancing, so our moves ended rather quickly.

Our house was not in the best condition. Structurally, it is not too bad. The cleanliness, however, is another story. I've spent hours cleaning the house and it is far from acceptable. Last night was tough because I wanted to relax with my new community members, but I was so overwhelmed by the dirty walls and disorganization that I cleaned instead! Seriously, cleaning our house at 10:30 pm on a Saturday night is not fun. I can't wait to get it all done!

Heading into the Unknown

Unfortunately, I don't have very much time to reflect on my last week in Peoria. Stated simply, I was busy! I filled every minute with friends, family, and last minute moving preparations. I'm off to salsa dancing and then a camping/hiking trip with Danielle Wood! She'll drop me off in IN where I'll begin my week-long training! Here I go!