My Journey to the Red Jacket

Our first day was not like any other ordinary day at the office.  We thought we were going to just go fill out some paper work and call it a day, oh NO that is not how it went down.  We went in and got our name tags which had a number on it mine said  PITW#177, and being the smart group of people that we are we put 2 and 2 together and got into some groups that we later found out were our crazy teams for 2weeks.  Don't forget about that PITW#177, oh it meant something, PUTTING IDEALISM TO WORK #177: LAUGH ONCE A DAY EVERYDAY! We live by our PITW's, and our founding stories, it's what makes City Year run, it reminds us everyday of why we are here.  We got into these teams, came up with some team names, and then we went to our different stations to learn a little bit more all while filling out paperwork, it was 4hrs of paperwork.  Now that that is over.  We can move on to more interesting things!

As time went on we were started BTA(Basic Training Academy) which is a full month of learning everything we can about City Year, about what we are doing and how to do it correctly while getting the best out of the experience.  Even though i'm here to change the world, it's not the only thing that I am gaining from being here. Along the way I have made some amazing friends, met some amazing people from all over the country, and made some unforgettable bonds.  The other corp members are way more than I expected, they are very very intelligent, honest, funny,amazing,good looking, fun, wild, and best of all we all get along SO FAR! I never thought a group of 56 individuals who have no idea what they were getting there selves into came together for a common cause, something bigger than us.  I have made some amazing friends, friends that I never thought I would ever run across and if it weren't for City Year it wouldn't have happened.

BTA has had it's ups and downs, and it's been fun and confusing, basically every feeling all in one is basically how I would sum it up.  We started of will no uniform parts, looking like random people off the street with some nametags walking up and down the streets of Manchester looking crazy.  We had many trainings in many different places, the hottest being West High Schools Library, but we also sat in a bunch of rooms looking at powerpoints, and for most of us felt like we are back in a college classroom, and that was not fun at all.  The weather didn't help us out, it was crazy hott,sticky,smelly,and sweaty.  But it had to be done, and it felt good to know that I wasn't the only one sitting there feeling the same way.  But then we had some really good trainings that were interesting and had us moving around and wake up a little bit.  BTA basically consisted of training after training.  But then it got fun.

We filled out our preference sheets, and then we were assigned a team and team leader and I can't even tell you how stoked I am about the team I got.  I got Beech Street Elementary Starfish along with 8other corp members, and my team is amazing.  Our team leader is the best, and I still have a cheesy smile on my face because i'm so happy about my team.  We are a close knit team, and I feel so comfortable with them, and have a great time during our team time, but we still get things done.  As a team we are going to accomplish so much in just a short period of time all while still getting to know each other and have a great time.

  My Team on our 1st day of school!

BTR(Basic Training Retreat) at camp Berea was amazing.  It was very very intense, but I think it brought us together not only as teams, but also as a group.  I'm just saying this place had the most amazing view i've ever seen in my life.  It was so calming, and brought us down to earth.  We got to swim in the lake, got breakfast,lunch,and dinner, the camp provided us with amazing help, and they were so hospitable.  Loved this place and can't wait to go back in Jan.  Our trainings were surrounded around the cycle of oppression.  Talk about intense you learned a lot about yourself and about others.  Let's just say I feel closer to the people here than some of the people I know at home, but so worth it.  GREAT TIME

When we got back from BTR it was crunch time, and time to go into the schools, meet the principal, and meet a couple of teachers.  It was great, the principal is amazing and they are so welcoming to the job we are there to do, and they welcome us with open arms.  After we went into schools we started to get uniform parts which made us stronger, and look like we belonged to an amazing corp.  We looked good, and were ready for the 1st day of school, which went amazing.  When I saw the 1st kid at school I knew that this was the place I knew I was suppose to be, and I didn't have a doubt in my mind that we would make a change.  The 1st day we made some bonds with the students in different classes, and then we knew that when this came to an end, it would be so hard.  It's been a wk know since we started school, and i'm in love.  I'm in love with the students, with the teachers, with this town, with the people I work with, and with the job i'm doing.

Friday September 10, 2010 marked the end of BTA, and that was a bitter/sweet day.  We started off the day with our team challenge which consisted of many different things that proved our loyalty, and knowledge of City Year, and this was the day that we showed that we wanted those Red Jackets.  We wanted to wear the Jacket that was bigger than us.  This jacket symbolized something that we all knew we embodied.  We knew we were ready to put wear it.  WE ALL KNEW WE WOULD BUT WE ALL EARNED OUR JACKETS! If I must say so myself we all look really good in those jackets too!

That's the start of my Journey, be looking out for more,because I know this will be an adventure, and a journey I know I will accept with open arms, and an open mind!

My Journey to NH and a low down of my roommates

For those of you who don't know or have never even heard of City Year, it's a group of 17-24yr olds who act as tutors,mentors, and role models to elementary and middle school students.  We serve in 5 different elementary schools. Parker Varney(panthers), Bakersville Elementary(bulldogs), Wilson Elementary(wolves), Beech St.(starfish), and Gossler Elementary(gators).  The school i'm serving in is Beech Street elementary and Beech Street is the biggest of all the elementary schools and has the most refugee students.  We also have a group called Young Hero's who work with middle school students on Saturday's during various service projects throughout NH.  I'll get back to that, but let me start with my journey here!


I left for my amazing journey on Aug. 4, 2010, and it felt like a brand new beginning for me and my family.  I would like to thank them for supporting me always and forever, without putting out any negative vibes like some others.  The road trip was so much fun, but so so long, 18hrs of riding in the back seat with a car packed like no other, and a cooler.  Let's just say I slept the whole time while mom and dad drove, but it was fun being on the road with the rents because they make everything better.  Anywho, 18hrs later and I arrived to my APT(love it).

When I arrived I was greeted by this smiling face, that up to this point was just words in a text, it was my now really good friend Brittany who's from Sequim, WA(You try and figure out how to pronounce it because whatever your thinking that's not right haha) or as I call her Mama or Britt Britt. I mean we had talked almost everyday, I had some idea of her personality and I only knew what she looked like via facebook, not knowing at all how close we would begin to become, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  SHE'S MY GIRL!  Then there's Naeko (Na-Echo), and she's from Alaska, yea you read that right, Alaska and she is one amazing person.  Sadly I didn't really get to talk to her before we met, but I like to call those the lost months, but it all worked out for the best because she is an amazing roommate and friend.  She's sneaky and funny, and beautiful on the inside and out.  She's the photographer of the house, literally takes pics of everything, and there's never a dull moment with her.  SHE'S MY BEAR CUB!  Last but not least here's Brandyn oh Brandyn, he is seriously one of the funniest people I have ever met, but so honest and genuine at the same time.  He's very handsome just ask Britt Britt they're dating and so darn cute together.  Brandyn is from Enterprise, Alabama, and he's such a gentleman.  He makes our apartment complete with his amazing personality.  He might be hilarious, but he is also very honest with everything he says, and he's always himself no matter what.  HE'S THE MAN OF THE HOUSE!  Then there's me, need I say more!

Britt's Dad took us to Boston the first weekend! This is where it all started! :0)

Life is a Journey

Life is def. a journey. I came a long way from that little shy girl who didn't hang out with anyone, but mom to an outgoing wild, crazy, fun, and wanting to change the world kinda girl. But enough of that lame mushy stuff about my not so interesting life.  I never thought I would be blogging, let's be honest if you knew me this is def. not my cup of tea, but I figured it's the easiest way for people to keep up with what's going on in my life as I start my new exciting life in New Hampshire, and hey it'll prevent me from explaining the same exact thing about 300times, so here it goes.

My journey started with my friend Jenna telling me about Americorps, I heard of it before that, but I didn't know exactly what it was or what they were trying to accomplish.  So I did some research on the program she did and it sounded like just the thing I wanted to do, make a change somehow and someway, I was at a loss as to how to accomplish that task, and it looked like more schooling after schooling, so I decided to take 1yr off before grad school and do something that will change the world even if it's the smallest dent.

After I signed up to get more information on the Americorp program, the next day I got an e-mail from the recruitment director of City Year New Hampshire(i'm just saying, Ted Wing was very persistent, he wasn't taking "no" for an answer).  I had no idea at all what so ever as to what the heck City Year was, so I did my research and talked it over with my parents and came to the conclusion that I would apply and see what happens.  Not gonna lie I was stressed because I was so nervous because I knew that this was the place I needed to be at this point in my life, it was exactly the job I dreamed of. At the same time I was still a little confused as to what it was, but it sounded like what I believed in, and if it didn't work out I always had home and grad school as a back up plan.  I applied, Got and interview, and then got a second interview, and after the second interview was the waiting game, which just so happens to be a waiting game of a month, and I was nervous every single minute of every single day, and then over spring break is when I got the good news, since I was the only one home to celebrate I screamed at the top of my lungs, and of course when you call everyone to tell them the good news they never pick up the phone(cough cough, Angelina).

Basically that is how I got here and got to this amazing point in my life.  And for everyone wondering how and why I chose New Hampshire when there is a City Year Chicago?  1) The very simple answer is Ted Wing, he was very very convincing and very welcoming, friendly, and you can tell he wanted you here. 2) I feel like I am getting way more from this experience than I would ever get being home, living at home, and being in my comfort zone, this place is so out of my comfort zone it's not even funny, and I totally made the right decision.

Basically that's how I got here, and that's the end of that.... look out for tomorrow's blog- it's basically about What City Year is, and what i'm gonna be doing, and what school i'm gonna be working in, and some interesting facts about NH which will give you some insight on the 3rd reason why I chose this state!