Grad School....

Currently applying to Grad schools.....BLAAAAAH! This is stressful! Anyone want to edit my Statement of Purpose(s) and Resume? :) I'll hug you forever!!!

This week...

Well, it's been a very busy, but fun week. We had training on Monday and Tuesday. We are spending more and more time in our schools getting ready to begin our hardcore year of service on October 5! I also had an interview for a second job on Monday at Ann Taylor Loft; however, I won't be able to work there because of my hours. Shoot....back to the drawing board I guess!

Wednesday through Friday was our BTA (Basic Training Retreat) at Camp Vacamas in New Jersey. (Camp Vacamas hosts kids from the Bronx and Brooklyn on the weekends and during the summer.) It was so nice to get out of the city for a few days and just be around nature. Of course, my allergies were ridiculous and were acting up almost the whole time....but not a big deal! On the first day, we did a challenge course with many activities....some that I have done before and some that I have not. Our team was frustrating me quite a lot at the beginning of the rotation. We definitely were not following the "one mic" rule at all. However, it was so rewarding to see an improvement with each activity we did. I saw growth in our team from activity 1 to the final one we did that day. It's amazing how nature can have that effect on people. We spent a great deal of time bonding, getting to know ourselves and our teams better, and learning more about the work we'll do this year. I have a great deal of respect for the people on my team...they are just awesome. We are all so different, but we are meshing together quite beautifully. Since day 1, I've really felt like we have SUCH a good corps. I just felt there was something special about us, and I found out this weekend that many people, including staff, feel the same way. Some said that this BTA was the best they had been to in 4, 5, or 6 years! What an incredible compliment! I'm lucky to have the team I have and the awesome leadership to work under.

Just so you have an idea of what we did at the retreat....ate 3 times a day (my favorite part), completed a challenge course, did team building activities such as "Spotlight" and Crossing the Line, experienced an amazing Talent show, learned more about Ubuntu (look it up if you don't know what it means!), and stayed up late and woke up early. It was so worth it! I was ready to come back to the city, but it was great.

I got home and CRASHED. I was supposed to just take a nap from 8-10, but I never woke up to my alarm! :( BOOOO.

Today, I got to meet up with Kelli, Brook and Parish for the Buddy Walk! First, we watched the opening video in Times Square--Parish was featured in it! SUCH a famous baby. Then, we rode the school buses provided for us to Central Park to do the 1 mile walk. An actor from Scrubs was at the event (he plays Dr. Perry something I think??) and a host from the Early Show. Pretty cool...you know I love famous people! :) Parish was just so precious the whole time. He is such a happy baby. Several Ambassadors that live in NY came out to support Parish on his big day. I'm so glad I got to spend some time with them. What a great day!

Now, I'm just back at the apartment probably about to take a nap. We are going to Blockheads later which is quickly becoming my favorite place to eat!

It's been awhile....

Soooo....I haven't updated in awhile. We got placed into our final teams last week and in our schools for City Year! It was very exciting. It's nice to finally see what I'll be doing. Interacting with the kids has been the highlight of my week. The administration at our school is also excellent--I feel really lucky to get to work with such amazing leaders.

My mom also came to visit from Thursday evening through Sunday. We had a great time. We saw Burn the Floor (with almost all SYTYCD alumni), did some major shopping, and ate at some really great places. I like Mexican food again? YES, it's true. We got to go to the San Gennaro Italian festival on Mulberry street too.

I'm really sleeeeepy, so I'm going to go now, but I hope everyone is doing well!

GAMEDAY

Never a dull moment with gameday in New York!  I had a such a good time last night.  We started off at Legends to hang with a bunch of LSU Alumni and watch the game.  I thought we played pretty well overall. Me and Brian went to eat Wendy's before the game (GROSS!) because the food there is so expensive; however, the drink specials are GREAT!  Plus, we got free Miller for whatever reason.  All we had to do was take a picture in a Miller hat and get free beer!  HELLO. CLEARLY AMAZING! After the game, we went to a bar in the West Village that reminded me of Reggies...packed and ridiculous. After that, people decided they were hungry so we got some food at some place in the area.  I didn't order anything, and just ate the leftovers and got a full meal :) THANK YOUUUU, I'M SO GOOD! Gotta love mooching off people. just kidding. kind of. 

Today, we are having a picnic with some City Year people in Central Park.  I think I'm also going to do some grad school work as well at Silver Moon Bakery--fabulous outdoor place. LOVE IT.

Happy Sunday, everyone :)

September 11

Just wanted to write a little bit about September 11 in New York...

8 years ago, I was a freshman in high school and, like most of us, I distinctly remember, what I was doing, what I was wearing, who I was with, and how I felt when I heard about the planes crashing into the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania.  It's just kind of eerie to even think about.

It didn't hit me until I woke up on Friday morning that I'm living in the same place where these events happened.  Just 8 years ago, it could have been me and so many of the people I've come to enjoy in this city.  Many of the people I've met through City Year are from New York and lived first hand through the attacks and that's difficult for my brain to even fathom.

During training that day, we had a morning of reflection and observed a moment of silence to remember the attacks.  Instead of having trainings during the day, we went out and did physical service to help the communities around us.  My crazy team (NIGHT INTO DAY!) went to Staten Island to work in a Women's and Children's shelter. I believe the shelter is called Project Hospitality. 

Me and 9 other people from the Harlem zone got a chance to go to the 9/11 Commemorative Ceremony at Beacon Theatre.  It was awesome.  Although it was quite jam packed with speakers, each of them had a unique message that I took away with me.  The speaker that hit home the most with me was a firefighter whose son (also a firefighter) died when the North Tower fell.  He also sustained many damaging effects from working at Ground Zero after the fact.  At one point, he was in the hospital and doctors told his family he only had 6 days to live--and sure enough he was healthy as a horse at this ceremony!  The road wasn't easy though.  He had to relearn how to walk, talk, and just generally function which is quite a feat. Throughout the ceremony, the Roots, Gavin DeGraw and the lead singer from Five for Fighting shared some of their music.  Gavin sang Belief (one of my favorite songs) and it was absolutely AWESOME.  The Harlem Boys and Girls Choir sang too--it was cool to see a performance from people in the community I'll be working in.  All in all, a very good night. 

September 10

Tomorrow, in memory of the September 11 tragedy, we are forgoing training and having service days in several sites all over New York City.  My small group is going to Staten Island to work in a hospital (I believe...).  I'll update more on that later.

Some really exciting news...

Me a 9 other corps members from Harlem get to go to this huge event in remembrance of September 11.  I don't know a whole lot of details, but I do know that Gavin DeGraw will be there along with The Roots, Hilary Clinton, and Jimmy Fallon.  I also heard a rumor that Anne Hathaway will be there.  Should be meaningful and exciting to get to attend this event in New York City-a place that was so deeply affected by 9/11.  It's also very exciting to get to represent City Year for the first time. 

On a side note, I'm very frustrated with UPS.  Just in case anyone was wondering!

Week 2, Day 1

Some random thoughts about today...

• I am very sleepy, but had a very good day. 
  
• I LOVE my new crazy team. NIGHT INTO DAY!
  
• We learned more about Whole School Whole Child (the program we actually implement in schools) today and I'm officially more excited than I have ever been before to work with kids. I'm ready to get started! :)
• I never thought I would say this, but my Psychology degree is actually helping me in a lot of aspects in this program.  EX: How to work with people, how kids think, etc.  You know, the works. 
• I worked out after training today and I'm definitely extra sleepy because of it.  This is good.  Maybe I won't stay up until 2 a.m. again.

I took this quiz on facebook called "Where should you live?" or something like that.  I don't remember the location it gave me (oops), but this was the description with it.  I just thought I would share!  I hope I end up like this person.

You prefer pine trees to palm trees, rivers to oceans, and mountains to skyscrapers. You pride yourself on your independence and open-minded attitude. You consider yourself extremely self-sufficient, but you have an extremely close-knit group of friends and family that you would do anything for. Everyone that knows you adores you and you have absolutely no enemies. You don't envy those with money, nice cars, or huge mansions, because you know that "the finer things" in life aren't material. You are extremely well-educated and will most definitely end up in a career that will make a difference in the world. Although you know you don't need to be in a relationship to be happy, you will be completely and entirely lovestruck by someone that is enamored by your inner beauty.

GOODNIGHT, WORLD!