Greyhound Trip Reflection

Greyhound reminder: “Be kinder than necessary for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle.” (Plato)

I made a trip to Pittsburgh to surprise my best friend Tatiana for her 23rd birthday a little over two weeks ago. I'm extremely lucky and have been friends with three girls for over fourteen years that I met in elementary school. In order for the trip to be affordable on a volunteer stipend I decided the Greyhound was my best means of transportation.

Busing transportation isn't new to me. I have taken the Megabus more than a handful of times, along with the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), but this time was my first Greyhound experience. Airing on the cautious side I arrived at the station forty minutes early and found my spot in the line. I was surrounded by many regular riders who warned me that Greyhound will leave whenever it wants to leave. This may be early, on time, but usually late. Two and a half hours later we loaded the bus, and three hours and fifteen later we left. I have to admit at this point I was far past being patient. I had a friend to surprise and the plans had already been arranged! Little did I know, as these thoughts of annoyance ran through my mind that I was about to be reminded of a valuable lesson of the commonality of human experience. I want to share with you all a few encounters of the people who I met on the Greyhound.

Middle aged women (In line) : A woman with kind eyes and a not so discrete Mickey Mouse shirt watched my stuff as I went to the bathroom three times (not out of the ordinary) during the long wait in line. I returned the favor for her a few times myself. Finally, we actually exchanged a few words. She has taken the Greyhound everywhere- Tennessee, Pittsburgh, New York, Chicago. She is a single woman loving life. Her words of wisdom were not to rely on a man to make you happy! She told me she was going home to family. Her cousin had died in a coma a few days earlier. I would have never had this suspicion during my brief interaction with her.

Middle aged man (Cleveland to Canton): A man sat down with me on the bus. He wasted no time getting comfortable and began to fill me in on the details of why he was going home to Canton. He is a veteran who served for thirty years. He left home at sixteen and was returning for the first time. With a big smile he told me that for first time since he sixteen he could finally relish in having long hair and side burns. Freedom!

Soon the conversation tone got a bit more serious. As we exchanged information about each other he found out I was a Psychology major. He said, "Oh no! You're one of those people." Next, he told me about his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He couldn't find a job and he had just spent the last of his money on a Greyhound ticket. Finally he was going home and his family had no idea. Smiling he said, "Hey kid do you like 80s? Listen to Journey and my other music". Not only did he want to share his music with me, but wasn't about to wait around for an answer. He put his earphones on my ears, adjusts the volume up high, picks the song and goes to sleep until we arrive in Canton. We said our goodbyes.

(Canton to Youngstown): At the Canton stop the bus driver realized that Greyhound overbooked the bus. His solution is for people to stand in the aisles. The aisles are full! A young man catches my eye. I smile at him and feel so bad for the many standing. He responded with the biggest smile on his face. Aren't you annoyed, I thought?

Young man (Youngstown to Pittsburgh): The young man with the biggest smile sat down with me. On the surface some may think he appears to have it together. Aside from his happy mannerisms he was in a crisp business suit. As I looked a little closer I most noticed his very tired eyes with big black circles. As he introduced himself his thick accent and minimal English was evident to me.

Once again I was privileged enough to learn another passenger's story. He was a Guatemalan who had his green card (he was hoping still up to date) for work. He had a five year old son and a wife that he married at seventeen. He loved her, but confessed missing Guatemala and never feeling like he was at home. Oftentimes he lived alone for business trips and years later he explained how language was such a difficult barrier for him. For the next hour we went back and forth and quizzed each other on vocabulary. He tested me on Spanish vocabulary and in exchange I gave him the English vocabulary word. His ending words of wisdom he gave me were to finish school, keep reading books, learn Spanish, don't get married until I know myself, and drink beer.

These are just three stories of people I spoke with that day, yet I met more people and heard more stories. My six hour Greyhound trip that should have taken three hours was very rewarding. I was reminded that regardless of our differences we all experience the commonalities of the human experience. During my transportation experience there were people of all ages, socioeconomic background, and race all manifesting similar reactions as we waited in line, loaded the bus, and finally arrived at our designated locations. I was far from being alone in my experience.We all got annoyed when the Greyhound was running late. Despite our differences we were all much more the same than different. As humans we all love, suffer, question, think, and feel. Just look around you.

Destination Pittsburgh!!

Love,

Tina

Keeping the Sanity

Some days I crack a cold one after work and sit and enjoy my crisp, refreshing beverage as I let my mind wander. Some days I light some candles, lay flat on my back, close my eyes, and meditate. Some days I put on my running shoes and hit the pavement with my favorite workout playlist pumping through my headphones (the perfect mix of 90’s dance music, alternative rock, horrible pop songs, and angrified anthems). And then some days, I lay a tile floor or swing a hammer. Yep, Habitat for Humanity days are my “mental health days.”

This last Tuesday was a perfect example of why I need these days. I was working alongside Ruby, a volunteer from Naples, and Gloria, my supervisor. We were laying a tile floor (my favorite and unquestionably most relaxing job). As I work in my section of the kitchen measuring, cutting, and laying the tiles in a calming alternating pattern the radio plays in the background. Gloria, Ruby, and I joke with each other as we catch up on each other’s lives. Before you know it we are all three singing along to the radio as we work. Pearl Jam’s Last Kiss was the winner of the “which song do all three generations know the words to contest” this week. Thank goodness for Bob FM and their mix of music from the 60s through today.

Home improvement projects have always been an outlet for me. Whether it’s cleaning out the garage, building flowerbeds out of 4x4s, painting anything you can imagine, or refinishing furniture from my grandparents’ houses I find a peace in not just the finished product, but in the work itself. Just ask my family and they will tell you that Lowe’s is my favorite store. They have begun to refuse to take me there because they know that I will inevitably wander off and come up new projects that they will get suckered into helping me with. So for now, my sanity will just have to depend on my Habitat days and Lowe’s drive-bys with my sister. Yep, I’m not even allowed out of the car most times.

I am learning a lot this year. The skills I acquire by working at Habitat are invaluable and will prove to be useful as I one day hopefully own my own home. Even more so, finding that balance in my life and having an outlet for stress relief that is built into my work week is something that I am extremely grateful for. Everyone needs those days in life that make you smile and laugh and relieve a bit of stress. Better yet, we should find something each day that does that. Ask yourself, “What is my stress reliever?” and “What makes me smile?” Seek those things out daily.

Peace Out

Love,

Babs

HM Legacy in Immokalee

The Immokalee volunteer house has had many inhabitants through the years. Each person has left his or her own particular legacies and legends behind. Most of the volunteers have since moved from Immokalee, but some parts of them always remain here. For example, the first Immokalee HM volunteer went on to start a non-profit organization that partners with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers here in town. A volunteer from several years ago now teaches English in the local technical school, and another teaches Science at the high school.

Our worksites all welcome us with open arms because of their memories of past HM volunteers. We always hear our co-workers’ favorite memories of former volunteers and they ask how they are doing now. It was honestly a little intimidating to try and fill the shoes of those before me because of all the praise and adoration placed on them and I hope that I, too, leave such a positive legacy.

There are 7 years of HM volunteer pictures on our refrigerator. Especially when we first got here, whenever a friend or co-worker mentioned someone who lived in the house before us, we would run to the kitchen and try to get everyone straight.

Of course, meeting a person really helps aid the process of figuring out who lived here before. We have had several visitors already this year who are former HM volunteers. One former volunteer even brought his entire youth group for a week-long immersion trip that we hosted for them. I think that wanting to return to Immokalee shows just how much a year (or more) here impacts individuals.

Whether it be a room shared by a lineage of inhabitants, a bike passed on through the years, or a story that is told again and again, I feel proud to be, what the community calls, a “voluntaria Catolica (Catholic volunteer.)”

In solidarity,

Julie

Friends

Here in Immokalee, we, the volunteers, are blessed with a wonderful community of friends. This community was present from the time that we were picked up from the airport by a former volunteer. Even today, her words, spoken to us during the hour drive from Ft. Myers to Immokalee, resonate with me. “You do not know it yet,” she said, “but you have a lot of friends already in Immokalee who are very excited to get to know you and find out who you are.”

And what she said could not be truer. We, as Humility of Mary volunteers (known as the voluntarias catolicas in town), arrived in Immokalee to find a supportive community of friends. Past volunteers, having built up wonderful connections and friendships with people from all aspects of the community, had left the program with a great reputation and we, as the new volunteers, benefited from these associations.

Now, for me, community is one of the most valued parts of the experience. We have all established invaluable relationships. Just today, for example, another volunteer and I woke up to head to one friend’s house to hang out, eat ice cream, get centered, and help plant seeds for the garden. Tonight I will go with another friend from work to a paleteria in town to get paletas (popsicles). The examples are endless. There is hardly ever a lonely moment in Immokalee with jewelry making with the girls, working in child care on Sundays, having people constantly walking into and out of the house, having friends working in the garden in the backyard, partaking in sports nights at the park, having community dinners, etc.

Each day, I am continually thankful for the blessing of community that is here in Immokalee. I am thankful for how open the people were to us when we arrived and for how kind and wonderful they are.

Sarah

Picture is from google images

Birds on a Sunny Day

Cleveland is having an unusually warm spring this year, with plenty of sunny days and highs in the upper 60's/lower 70's. As such, I have spent a lot more time hanging out by the lake in Lakewood Park. I was there one afternoon and wrote this reflection/poem. Enjoy!

People don't fly like the birds do. Sitting at the park, watching the birds over the lake, I was struck by how they flew. Climbing, diving, veering, turning, and soaring. Then I saw a plane in the background. Flying straight and true. No curving, no change in altitude, just the answer to a physics problem. Nothing playful and nothing majestic. I want to be like the birds. Dancing through the sky, in a show fit for Cirque de Soleil. But completely unaware of any audience. Indeed, the path of the bird may be erratic and inefficient. But it is beautiful. It is a dance of joy from a creature that feels profoundly its place in creation. A creature that is its true self. To praise God with every beat of my wings, to share my dance, my joy, with the rest of the world.

PS, I also have a prayer request for one of my refugee families. I can't say much about the situation, but thoughts and prayers are definitely needed!

-J.P.

Dead Man Walking

Morning

The rain continues today with expected sunshine and 70 degree temperatures by afternoon. Yesterday Richard and I walked two fields to obtain soil samples for testing. We will continue to do all fields once the rain stops.

This past week the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown and the Sisters of Humility of Mary partnered to have Sr. Helen Prejean visit Youngstown. Sr. Helen's presentation was held at St. Charles Catholic Church and attended by approximately 300 people. Many Ursulines and HM's were in attendance along with the local peace and justice crowd.

Dead Man Walking is powerful as a book and movie - but absolutely nothing is more powerful than seeing and listening to Sr. Helen Prejean speak!!!! She is a bite size energy filled woman with a beautiful southern voice. To say that she captivated the audience is an understatement... Her presentation was given in the chapel at St. Charles - a tall wooden cross and the purple colors of Lent were the back ground as she talked about the death penalty and walking the final journey with men on death row. The visual effect alone was enough to rock your soul.

Sr. Helen spoke for one hour without a note - the passion and committment that is held in
her heart is so evident. Her presentation is inclusive of all issues - the prision system, the victims, the families, the convicted and violence in our world.

Sr. Helen then visited Beaumont High School (University Heights, Ohio) for two days - speaking with the students and attending the play performance of Dead Man Walking. I have included the link for her interview with Channel 3 - Good Company. http://www.wkyc.com/life/programming/Good_Company/article/234685/267/Sister-Helen-Prejean-Dead-Man-Walking-3812. Erin and I attended the play on Sunday - the drama department captivated the spirit of all the characters. From beginning to end the audience was emotionally invested in each scene. Many of the audience (myself included) were in tears during the execution scene.

I encourage you to read Dead Man Walking along with the Death of Innocence and to see the movie. All are something we can read and view many times.

Beth

Cleveland Extravaganza Bowling Event

Yay bowling and community nights!!!

The bowling ball and I ...no action shot necessary:
Clearly excited:

Go Jen!!!

Focused and ready:

Spring's Uncertainty

Well folks, spring has certainly arrived in South Florida. The temperatures are creeping back in to the 80s and that ubiquitous seasonal smell is in the air throughout the early mornings and evenings. It is enough to remind me of last spring (albeit more late April and May) when I was waiting hear back from Ellen regarding my HM Volunteer application. Actually, I believe I turned in my application in March, but regardless, the year and process is starting to come full circle. I remember that the unrelenting emotions of not knowing what the future had in store accompanied every breath of fresh spring air, trying mightily to put a damper on the last bit of fun to be had with my friends. I have recently given a lot of thought as to how fast this last year has passed (more so in time of turning in our IS at Wooster and college graduation than anything else). I still remember the nervousness of waiting for my interview with my site supervisor, Michelle, here at AI Justice. Perhaps spring time in general has been the cue for anxiety as to summer plans and “the next step” every since we entered in the yearly school cycle. Or maybe it was knowing that with every passing spring I was one year closer to entering the ‘real world’. Even though I have since exited this cycle, the feeling of spring in South Florida has triggered the all too familiar feelings of uncertainty once again.

I am not sure whether to attribute this to simply the weather, or the fact that the end of my volunteer year and transition to a real employee at AI Justice is quickly approaching. It is crazy to think that another season of nervousness and uncertainty is already upon me all while the previous season is still fresh in my memory. However, even with all this said, I am more confident and prepared this time around than any other. A deep breath in combination with a moment of thought as to what I have learned being part of the HM community helps to settle my mind in spirit. Perhaps the most important thing to remember when encountering these emotions of uncertainty is not to think about the time that has passed, but instead think about what I have accomplished, the relationships I have made, and my personal and spiritual growth since last spring.

Cheers,

Anthony

Ohio Graduation Test Countdown: 6 days to go

Just a few of the OGT materials easily found on my desk

Last February I called my current supervisor at Saint Martins with an important request on my mind. If I was to volunteer at Saint Martins I wouldn't teach. I didn't feel ready to teach or qualified. He agreed. I wouldn't need to worry about that and would be helping mostly tutoring and research. Day two- Ohio Graduation Test Preparation (OGT) class begins! Welcome to the world of a volunteer.While I don't plan on becoming a teacher anytime soon, I couldn't imagine my life at Saint Martins without OGT. I continue to be stretched everyday, but I think that not only are the students learning little by little, but so are the instructors.

In six days students all over Ohio will sit down to take their Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) exit exam. For many students at Saint Martins this is a time filled with bouts of stress, anxiety, and anticipation. A lot is on the line for these students- the opportunity to take an elective versus an OGT preparation class, a high school diploma, graduation, entrance into college, respect from family and peers, increased job opportunities, the possibility of social mobility for their families, confidence to move forward with their education.

First let me start by giving a little background on the test. The test was first made a mandatory exit requirement for the class of 2007, which makes 2012 the fifth year the test has been administered. The test is composed of five subtests: 1) Reading, 2) Math, 3) Writing, 4) Social Studies, and 5) Science. Each section is a subtest and is evaluated separately. In the event of extenuating circumstances the test can substitute receiving a GED. At Saint Martins students will take the test once sophomore year, and twice junior year and senior year until all subtests are passed.

I am currently teaching an OGT preparation course to 27 sophomore students as one of my volunteer responsibilities. The students in my class range from below 6th grade to above tenth grade equivalents on each of the subtests. Each student comes to the class with completely separate needs. Teaching the class with JVC volunteer Angela and De Porres core volunteer Dan has been one of the biggest challenges of the year for all of us. Going in with little to no teaching experience and few resources was intimidating. Yet, the days where there are breakthroughs in the classroom are my most treasured memories from my volunteer experience.

As a native Pittsburgher six months ago I couldn't have even told you what the OGT test is. I realized this month that I have never felt more invested in a test before. That thought caught me off guard for I spent two years studying for the GRE, but I am way more worried about the students that I am teaching. I know because of differences in life circumstances, experiences, and support that that some of them have many restrictions in life. When talking to Angela and Dan last week we shared with each other our fears of not doing enough for these students. Yet, the good news for our class is that they still have junior year and senior year to prepare for the tests. There are still 13 seniors at Saint Martins that need to pass various subtests of the OGT next week in order to be able to walk in June.

I have seen the ramifications that different learning disabilities and lack of resources has on these students' educational progress. The students’ confidence in their abilities to academically succeed has been stifled by their low performance on these tests. Many students have openly vocalized their frustration that these tests make them want to give up on their education. I often wonder what their lives would be like if they had resources early on in life to help them realize their potentials. I feel humbled to be able to share a little bit of their struggles these last six months.

Please keep these students in your prayers the next two weeks!

Love,

Tina

Alternative Pathway for Eligibility for a Diploma:

http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=216&ContentID=23705&Content=117924

Frequently Asked Questions about Ohio Graduation Tests:

http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=216&ContentID=4904&Content=108877

Three-teen is not a number. . .but maybe it should be

Some days things just make sense. Other days I am caught in a whirlwind of information and ideas that seem to defy all ideas of logic that exist in my mind. This reminds me of when I was a child and had to learn my numbers. For some reason one through ten made sense automatically—probably because they were the first ones learned. Then sixteen and up were easy (say the number and add the ending “teen” or say the beginning (twenty, thirty, forty, etc.) and add the number). But whoever decided on the numbers between eleven and fifteen was not a nice person. I mean really, where do eleven and twelve even come from? And then we have thirteen and fifteen which are so close to following the general rule, I start to wonder if someone had a brief lapse of concentration, misspelled them once, and decided to just never fix them. Then there’s poor fourteen who follows the rule but is stuck in the midst of the “irregulars” as I like to call them. I mean if we were going to break the rules we couldn’t have just made it one big streak? The point is though, that learning those numbers was the hardest for me. They are also the hardest for my School on Wheels student. Every time she says three-teen I can’t help but to think to myself “now wouldn’t that make more sense?” Nevertheless, we continue on in our lessons and I secretly find ways to make her practice those problem numbers just a little bit extra. . .just like my mom did for me when I was learning. There is something beautiful about seeing the parallels between two lives and being able to cross into and become a part of someone else’s experiences.

Another thought to keep in mind is that pan in Spanish means bread and cacerola means pan. So while I do enjoy the reciprocity of this statement, it can be confusing when trying to master the art of teaching/speaking/learning a new language. Another example is that grampas means staples, not your mom’s (or dad’s) dad. This was one that I learned when the staple sort function did not work on the copier in the office. No worries though, because a wonderful repair man came and fixed it. I now have massive amounts of free time on my hands due to the lack of a need for manual sorting and stapling. Ok that last sentence is a lie. But again, it’s that whole making sense in my mind thing. We have the same words in different languages but they have different meanings. You would have thought that someone would have collaborated a little better somewhere along the communication line. But that’s the thing with communication; everyone has their own style. We say things that make sense to us (and maybe us and no one else). It is an art to express ourselves in ways that translate correctly to others, and to translate what others are expressing into something that makes sense to us.

In Immokalee I have the opportunity to add a level of translation to my life through continuing my quest to speak Spanish fluently, or shall we say in a way that makes sense to me and to others. Some days it is a struggle to express myself or understand the sentiments of other people in Spanish. It is something that is getting easier with time and I am grateful to be in this setting that allows me to push myself to continue learning and making sense of things.

And the next time something doesn’t make sense to me, I’ll just take a cue from my student and come up with my own solution. Three-teen sounds pretty good to me.

Peace Out

Love,

Babs