A few weeks ago, I participated in a Habitat for Humanity project called "A Brush with Kindness." A group of volunteers, builders, leaders, and home owners work on multiple houses in the same neighborhood. Instead of doing extensive repairs to the entire house, this part of Habitat sticks to doing external painting, repairs/improvement, and landscaping. The idea is that these improvements coupled with educating the recipient about home care can help people take initiative in caring for their home. In addition, the neighborhood becomes more beautiful, thus inspiring other home owners to do the same to their houses. While many of the home owners are on some sort of government assistance, most are people who can not do a lot of improvements because of ability or age. They try to do these projects in 1 or 2 weekends, so obviously they involve a lot of volunteers, long days, and effective leadership.
I painted and did a little landscaping on the house for 9 hours one Saturday. The weather was perfect! It didn't rain and it was just a little hot with a steady breeze. By the time I left, it was almost ready to be revealed at the block party on Sunday afternoon. We'd (not just the crew I was a part of but everyone who worked on the house) painted the exterior, put on a new roof, purchased new front windows, built a handle bar around the cement block steps leading into the house, and put a small covering over the door.
The work was tiring, but rewarding. The home owner's son worked along us all day, so it was great seeing to whom the house was going. At lunch, he shared his story and his mom's, so I was really able to she why they were receiving Habitat's help. The entire day he was helpful and encouraging. Obviously, he was proud and thankful. Opposed to my negative experience at the Habitat for Humanity Homestore, the other volunteers, crew leader, and supervisor on site were genuinely kind and helpful. I met a young couple and a few others from a Belmont Church. There were Vandy freshman who had done Habitat at home and some guys from fraternities. We were an eclectic bunch of people who had one goal: To finish the house. It was encouraging to see strangers pull together and work hard all day.
Doing "A Brush with Kindness" reminded me a lot of working in La Mina in the Dominican Republic. The idea of improving some homes and thus inspiring others was the same. Working along side the home owners was the same. Diverse people joining together for a common goal was the same. Really, I think I enjoyed the experience because it was a reminder of the times I had in La Mina. It is not an exaggeration that the Dominican Republic changed my life, so I'm grateful that Habitat was able to reopen some of those memories and allow me to make connections between DR and what I'm doing in Nashville.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
A Mess of Great Options
I was going to wait until I had figured out what I was doing next year to share, but I guess I'll catch you all up on my discernment and many options. To start, I decided a few months back to do JVC. I told myself, however, that I would discern any options that came my way even if they weren't with JVC. With that said, I'll explain what options are currently available to me and how I feel about each one!
JVC
Cathedral Academy at Pompei, Syracuse, NY- This is a really small (PreK-6) private school that is an international school that serves primarily refugees. The stats of this school are remarkable! 89 kids. 15 different languages. 20 different countries. I would be so happy here. Class sizes range from 8-17 with the maximum number being 20 per class. I love that the principal taught at the collegiate level for many years and has a great connection with LeMonye College. That connection brings in graduate level ESL tutors and mentors. I've been guaranteed an elementary teaching position, but it sounds like 2nd or 3rd grade are my most likely placements. Another year of Syracuse would give me the blessing of another year in community where my simplicity, spirituality, and social justice work is all intentional. I know that I'd love the retreats and the challenges and benefits associated with being a JV. Like anything, I'm nervous about a few things. My main concerns include adjusting to a new community, balancing a full-time teacher's responsibilities with community, exercise, and keeping in touch with friends and family, and living so far way from my main support system...my family. Nonetheless, I'm excited to be going there...unless, I get the job in St. Louis. See below for more details.
Traditional Teaching Job
St. Cecilia's, St. Louis, MO- So this story is quite long, but I'll try to abbreviate portions of it. After spending the weekend in Chicago with my community, Sara, Sean, and Jeremy, and other JVs to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I made a last minute decision to hop in St. Louis's car and go home with them for the week. The coming week was my spring break, and St. Louis had an extra seat and my boyfriend lives in that house, so I did the most spontaneous thing of my life and went home with them. The story about surprising Chino is a great one but not related to my future. Basically, I ended up working at his placement, St. Cecilia's Catholic School and Academy, all week. I helped out with recess, 1 2nd grader, 1 1st grader, and in the Kindergarten room. After one day the principal asked how I was doing and my response was, "One day here has renewed my faith that I'm supposed to be a teacher." To say the least, I love St. Cecilia's. It is a poor, inner-city Catholic school that has primarily Hispanic students but diversity as well. It has fewer resources than most schools and it has students with rough home lives, but it is a place I was excited to go back to every single day.
On Wednesday, the principal asked to speak with me in his office. I was worried that I'd none something wrong, so I was really surprised when he began asking about my plans for next year, my educational background, and then finally asked me to interview for the 2nd grade teaching position at the school. I was blown away by his request, but said I'd consider it. I remembering being so confused with a mix of emotions that I couldn't go back to the Kindergarten class. I ran downstairs to find my boyfriend, and when I couldn't, I just went to the bathroom and sat. The previous day I'd submitted my list of JVC positions and was happy going to either Kansas City or Syracuse. God sure threw me for a loop.
I talked with my mom, Chino (my boyfriend), Sara (my sister), and a few other people about it. I realized that I had to give it equal prayer and thought as I did for JVC. By the end of the week, I had taught a lesson to the 2nd graders with the principal watching and taking notes, and had an interview. When I came back to Nashville, I started filling out the official Archdiocese application just in case I decided that I wanted the job. Weeks later, after much discernment, prayer, talking, and thinking, I am really hoping that I get the job in St. Louis. It's close to home and at a school that I could stay for more than a year. It would be the start of my future.
To say the least, I've been blessed with 2 fantastic options for next year. Of course, I have apprehensions about each place, but I'm confident that I'd be happy at each place. Putting my trust in God, I'm excited for the next year of my life.
JVC
Cathedral Academy at Pompei, Syracuse, NY- This is a really small (PreK-6) private school that is an international school that serves primarily refugees. The stats of this school are remarkable! 89 kids. 15 different languages. 20 different countries. I would be so happy here. Class sizes range from 8-17 with the maximum number being 20 per class. I love that the principal taught at the collegiate level for many years and has a great connection with LeMonye College. That connection brings in graduate level ESL tutors and mentors. I've been guaranteed an elementary teaching position, but it sounds like 2nd or 3rd grade are my most likely placements. Another year of Syracuse would give me the blessing of another year in community where my simplicity, spirituality, and social justice work is all intentional. I know that I'd love the retreats and the challenges and benefits associated with being a JV. Like anything, I'm nervous about a few things. My main concerns include adjusting to a new community, balancing a full-time teacher's responsibilities with community, exercise, and keeping in touch with friends and family, and living so far way from my main support system...my family. Nonetheless, I'm excited to be going there...unless, I get the job in St. Louis. See below for more details.
Traditional Teaching Job
St. Cecilia's, St. Louis, MO- So this story is quite long, but I'll try to abbreviate portions of it. After spending the weekend in Chicago with my community, Sara, Sean, and Jeremy, and other JVs to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I made a last minute decision to hop in St. Louis's car and go home with them for the week. The coming week was my spring break, and St. Louis had an extra seat and my boyfriend lives in that house, so I did the most spontaneous thing of my life and went home with them. The story about surprising Chino is a great one but not related to my future. Basically, I ended up working at his placement, St. Cecilia's Catholic School and Academy, all week. I helped out with recess, 1 2nd grader, 1 1st grader, and in the Kindergarten room. After one day the principal asked how I was doing and my response was, "One day here has renewed my faith that I'm supposed to be a teacher." To say the least, I love St. Cecilia's. It is a poor, inner-city Catholic school that has primarily Hispanic students but diversity as well. It has fewer resources than most schools and it has students with rough home lives, but it is a place I was excited to go back to every single day.
On Wednesday, the principal asked to speak with me in his office. I was worried that I'd none something wrong, so I was really surprised when he began asking about my plans for next year, my educational background, and then finally asked me to interview for the 2nd grade teaching position at the school. I was blown away by his request, but said I'd consider it. I remembering being so confused with a mix of emotions that I couldn't go back to the Kindergarten class. I ran downstairs to find my boyfriend, and when I couldn't, I just went to the bathroom and sat. The previous day I'd submitted my list of JVC positions and was happy going to either Kansas City or Syracuse. God sure threw me for a loop.
I talked with my mom, Chino (my boyfriend), Sara (my sister), and a few other people about it. I realized that I had to give it equal prayer and thought as I did for JVC. By the end of the week, I had taught a lesson to the 2nd graders with the principal watching and taking notes, and had an interview. When I came back to Nashville, I started filling out the official Archdiocese application just in case I decided that I wanted the job. Weeks later, after much discernment, prayer, talking, and thinking, I am really hoping that I get the job in St. Louis. It's close to home and at a school that I could stay for more than a year. It would be the start of my future.
To say the least, I've been blessed with 2 fantastic options for next year. Of course, I have apprehensions about each place, but I'm confident that I'd be happy at each place. Putting my trust in God, I'm excited for the next year of my life.
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