pack, unpack, repeat

so january has come and gone- and it has been so fast! january was such a busy month and february is right around the corner.

i came back to racine on january 3. i struggled the first week back a little bit. getting back into the routine here was not as easy as i thought it would be after doing close to nothing for 2 weeks! but the kids were ready to go and still as funny as ever so that definitely helped out some.

two weekends later i was packing pack up and heading to pennsylvania for the lasallian volunteers midyear retreat. all the volunteers from around the country meet up for a weekend to check in with each other, talk about our years so far, and have some time to think about what we plan on doing for next year. i will admit i was a little (or a lot) dissapointed that we were in pennsylvania for our retreat because the idea of new orleans had previously been on the table, but it turned out to be a really good weekend. it was nice to have time to see the other volunteers and have some good conversations about what our service is like and how we are feeling about continuing in the program or moving on to something else.

so what am i thinking? im still on the fence a bit...wondering if i should try something completely new, get back into school, stay in the program but go to a new site, or come back to what i am doing now. i have about 2 more weeks until i have to make my decision final, but deciding is not easy! i think i am getting close to a decision, but im not saying anything yet- just in case!

nothing too terribly exciting at work this week. the usual stuff- laughing hysterically at the humor of middle and high school students. typical :) highlight so far: student- "you know...that thing right before a funeral home" me- "a nursing home?" student- "yes! thats its!"

friday morning i pack my bags again and am off to manhattan college! the lasallian volunteers send an alum each year to recruit and share our story about the experience we have had as a lasallian volunteer. i am excited to be able to visit new york again and see some of the people i didnt get to see at christmas, but i am also really looking forward to sharing my experience and telling others about how much i have come to believe in the lasallian mission.

this will be my third trip in the month of january! so i have felt like i have been living in and out of suitcases alllll month. it has been exciting but flying in the winter is most definitely not one of my favorite pastimes. although i have become pretty good at fitting tonsssss of stuff into a carry on suitcase :)

famous round 2!

Beyond school: John XXIII Educational Center helps students with more than academics

a day in the life

i'm famous! check it out :)

a day in the life of a lasallian volunteer

so why are you here?

i wish i would have counted the number of times i have been asked this question since i moved to wisconsin. "i went to college in ny." "whatttt...so why are you here?!' the conversation generally goes something like this and usually leads to me explaining what lasallian volunteers is and where i work and in fact, why i am actually living in racine.

but even after answering this question a countless number of times, i still feel like i havent really answered it for anyone! i know the answer to the question, but its not anything that i can tell someone in a quick 20 second explanation. so i figured it would be nice to actually be able to explain my thought process in a blog entry :)

when i first moved here, there were zero reasons in my mind as to why i was being sent to live in racine. my answer to this question in august was something like "i am taking part in a year long volunteer experience and this is where i was placed" followed by me thinking "what have i gotten myself into?!"

over winter break i was talking about my experience so far with someone and my response was no longer "what have i gotten myself into?!" but instead it was "this is what i am supposed to be doing right now." and it felt good to finally be able to say that! her and i continued talking and she told me about a service experience she had in ecuador when they were asked the same question. "so why are you here?" and at first there seems like there is not really a clear answer and then all of a sudden, one day, something happens and there are tonssssss of reasons as to why you are doing what you are doing. when she said this i couldnt agree more! i now see lots of reasons as to why my journey has lead me to serving at john xxiii educational center.

so why am i here? as surprising as it sounds, the list is longggg and sometimes i cant even articulate what exactly it is that proves to me that i am in fact supposed to be here. the obvious answers: because the kids here need someone to remind them that school is important, to show them that adults actually value what they think and do, and because without the work of the center, many of these kids would simply fall through the cracks. the other (more important) answers: because i cant remembered a time in life when i have grown this much in such a short amount of time, i can build relationships with students and families that are easily dismissed by others, and because if you dont try something you will never know if you actually like it!

pay it forward 2011

pay it forward 2011



i promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. they must in turn post this on facebook, twitter, a blog, or forward it via email and send something they make to the first 5 people who comment wherever they choose to post it. the rules are that it must be handmade by you, and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011. so leave a comment here, send me an email, or comment on the link on facebook or twitter and you may be getting a handmade surprise from yours truly sometime in 2011! :)

out with the old, in with the new

happy 2011! it is hard to believe that 2010 is already over- it was a big year! i rang in 2010 by traveling to kenya, graduated from college, and moved to wisconsin. i did a lot of good things, a lot of things that i probably shouldnt have, and wished i would have done some other things- but i had fun doing it! and ive learned a lotttttt, which is never a bad thing :) soooo here is my list of wise words from 2010:

1. whoever said change is good was right- sort of. in the end, change is always good, but in the beginning it can be challenging, but thats what makes it worthwhile!
2. i am so so so lucky. i have a house, an education, a great family, great friends, and plenty of opportunities to come :)
3. kids are funny! and smart! and we really dont give them enough credit most of the time
4. you cant miss something or appreciate it if you dont spend time away from it
5. happiness = success!
6. there really is someone who always has it worse than you do
7. dont be afraid to try something new, especially if its something you NEVERRRRR pictured yourself doing- you might like it!

cliche, yess...but true! 2010 was a really great year and although i am sad to see it go, i hope that 2011 will be just as good and maybe even better. plans for 2011? i have no idea...im going in with an open mind, an open heart, and expecting the unexpected!