Well, that was Quick!

As the title of this post eludes to, this was quite a quick week.

After last week's burst of efficiency and progress, my attentional and motivational resources for capacity development were depleted. I used a good deal of my time at work this week to research the more fun and creative side of afterschool programming (aka I made a Pinterest account and looked up fun things to do with elementary school students). I also started a lovely email correspondence with my dear Anakin that was both thought provoking and cat-humor filled. The transition to real life is hard and it helps to have someone close to you to talk about the challenges of working 8 hours a day.

I encountered a moment of discouragement quickly stomped out at the beginning of this week during a meeting with an Americorps VISTA at Bates College this Monday. I planned the meeting to talk about recruiting volunteers, but a large part of what we talked about with the VISTA's supervisor was the amount of programming for students that already exists in Lewiston; the supervisor described the development of afterschool programs as "mushrooming" and Bates as hard pressed for volunteers as it is. Through the course of our conversation, I found my spirits considerably lifted when I described our program design in greater depth. What we're attempting to do with the program I'm designing will fill a need in the community that is not yet being addressed, which is to make a meaningful, intentional, and supportive connection between students' individual learning needs at school and in the afterschool program, not just help students with their homework.

Also at this meeting, I came to the conclusion with the VISTA that my job so far has been like that of a VISTA and hers has been like that of a State and National. I should be doing direct service every day for the majority of my time, not capacity building, and the VISTA should be doing the opposite. I am so grateful for this opportunity even though it has not been what I've expected. I will feel SO PROUD to say at the end of this that I independently started an afterschool program and helped implement another afterschool program with a federal grant. What other job could I have right now that could give me such professional responsibility and power of choice and decision?

An interesting development this week: I went on an honest-to-goodness, may-I-take-you-to-dinner date with a fella I met in Portland. I haven't been asked on one of these kinds of dates since high school, so I couldn't help but accept the invitation out of respect for the courage it took to ask. Overall, it was solid; there was talk of a second. I'm not leaning in that direction, but nonetheless, a good way to spend a Friday.

What I find myself surprised at that makes me constantly think in this "that was quick" mentality is that I am surprised that after a month of living here, I've got a life! I feel at home and comfortable here. I feel like I'm not at all far from home because I have made so many meaningful connections to my life here and because I have an ever growing and expanding network of support; my job, my corps, the church I've been attending, familiar students at the afterschool help center I'm at , and even the familiar faces at Tim Horton's where I do my bloggin. When I first arrived in L/A, I thought there was no way I could have a life here, but lo and behold, here I do have a life! And it's a good, kind, life.

During the month of August, a particular piece of scripture became evidently present in my life, resurfacing over and over again. The words of Psalm 139 made me brave enough to take this leap with a confident expectation that, as it says, God would already be here waiting for me, preparing a place for me. I cannot help but marvel at how true and fully met that has been.

Here are some pictures of my hood where I live my life:

My building

My Street

Heading into "downtown" Auburn. Note the ralliers on the left corner.

I love this place!

I love this antique store

I got some very strange postcards here for my sweet friends at home.

The legitimate L/A bar. I spent three nights in a row here this week. They have thee best beer.

There are berries EVERYWHERE up here! Berry trees, berry bushes, berry vines.

I think this is probably cool during the summer when they have fabric up and public concerts; it's right next to the riverwalk, which is beautiful. I love running there.

The bridge to Lewiston.

 As stated in one of the above photo captions, there were ralliers standing on a corner near my house today. I was walking around to take pictures so I went right by them. They had colorful rainbow signs asking people to honk if they supported Amendment 1 (which will legalize same-sex marriage in Maine). I walked through the cheering and enthusiastic group of about 10 college-aged people, chatting with them about the recent anti-amendement rallies going on around Auburn as they jumped around with excitement as motorists drove by honking. As an aside, I wish people would treat each other like the neighbors they are instead of treating one another, on both sides, as ignorant/hate-filled/sin-filled wretches, so I always keep my language neutral when talking to any liberal or conservative people who demonstrate. I continued walking til I got all the pictures I wanted and headed back on the opposite side of the street toward my apartment. On the corner across from the ralliers, there was another person holding a sign; it was cardboard and had "INJURED GULF WAR VETERAN HOMELESS PLEASE HELP" written in black marker. No one would even look at him. People drove by honking in support of civil rights to end oppression, but could not even acknowledge the flesh and blood presence of one living under the oppression of a socially unjust system. I'm no better, all I did when I walked by him was smile and say hello. My heart is heavy as a cinder block.

Dear friends, please, let's not forget to cheer for those for whom it's not as comfortable to cheer for.

Thinking of you fondly,

JB