Pomona, CA/Vashon Island/Sacramento, CA
So it has been quite a while since I have given you guys a full update of what is going on out here in California on my AmeriCorps adventure. Things have gotten hectic in the last few rounds and have wrapped me up in things to where I haven't had much time for the outside world. So here is the run down.
Our last project was in Pomona, CA just outside of Los Angeles. We were living in the basement of the YMCA, working on/in the YMCA and working in the surrounding elementary schools. This was a very unstructured project which we ended up getting pulled from three weeks in. I saw many emotions go through all of my team. They did not want to leave the kids that they had developed slight attachments to. Some of us knew a small piece of the inner workings and why we needed to be pulled. The basement was moldy, damp, and flooding, and there was asbestos in the ceiling. This was making the team very sick, and causing various problems. The structure within the YMCA was horrible as well and needed some serious revision.
Luckily they have sent out a team to rectify the situation this round and hopefully they will get the YMCA up and running as it needs to be. After Pomona we were sent to Vashon Island, Washington, which is about 15 min off the coast of Tacoma, and 30 min off the coast of Seattle. This is where the fun began on the project. Sam, Lauren, and I got to run chainsaws from 9a.m. until 4p.m. I gained a nice piece of experience in running a chainsaw and learned many things I did not know. As you can see from my pictures I got to see my first bald eagle, sea/river otters, and my first Orca whale sightings. We also were able to canoe the Pudget Sound, and I learned what happens when two people from my team flip a canoe into 40 degree water. They get very, very cold. Also, look up what a Sound is, it is a body of water that is not a river, lake, ocean, or sea, it is its very own entity which I was not aware existed. Learning new pieces of geography every day!
Seattle was very beautiful and I advise everyone to go visit it whenever they get the chance. Now we are back in Sacramento working in elementary schools in hopes to get a fresh start and see how an education project is really supposed to work. We started our first day today and I found that I will be working with 4th and 6th graders. They are pretty good kids so far. I've been introduced to new learning/teaching strategies, new games, and all kinds of walks of life. My comfort level is not at its peak in working with little ones but I expect to be highly comfortable with the wee ones by the time we are done. Also, over transition me and three friends drove down to Napa Valley, which is very beautiful especially in the starts of spring. We tasted many different wines, got a tour of a castle and the winery, and got to see the small towns nightlife and shops. A wonderful vacation spot for those newly-weds who want to get away and a great place for retired couples. I should have more fun updates soon on my travels since I will be on campus this entire round.
Our last project was in Pomona, CA just outside of Los Angeles. We were living in the basement of the YMCA, working on/in the YMCA and working in the surrounding elementary schools. This was a very unstructured project which we ended up getting pulled from three weeks in. I saw many emotions go through all of my team. They did not want to leave the kids that they had developed slight attachments to. Some of us knew a small piece of the inner workings and why we needed to be pulled. The basement was moldy, damp, and flooding, and there was asbestos in the ceiling. This was making the team very sick, and causing various problems. The structure within the YMCA was horrible as well and needed some serious revision.
Luckily they have sent out a team to rectify the situation this round and hopefully they will get the YMCA up and running as it needs to be. After Pomona we were sent to Vashon Island, Washington, which is about 15 min off the coast of Tacoma, and 30 min off the coast of Seattle. This is where the fun began on the project. Sam, Lauren, and I got to run chainsaws from 9a.m. until 4p.m. I gained a nice piece of experience in running a chainsaw and learned many things I did not know. As you can see from my pictures I got to see my first bald eagle, sea/river otters, and my first Orca whale sightings. We also were able to canoe the Pudget Sound, and I learned what happens when two people from my team flip a canoe into 40 degree water. They get very, very cold. Also, look up what a Sound is, it is a body of water that is not a river, lake, ocean, or sea, it is its very own entity which I was not aware existed. Learning new pieces of geography every day!
Seattle was very beautiful and I advise everyone to go visit it whenever they get the chance. Now we are back in Sacramento working in elementary schools in hopes to get a fresh start and see how an education project is really supposed to work. We started our first day today and I found that I will be working with 4th and 6th graders. They are pretty good kids so far. I've been introduced to new learning/teaching strategies, new games, and all kinds of walks of life. My comfort level is not at its peak in working with little ones but I expect to be highly comfortable with the wee ones by the time we are done. Also, over transition me and three friends drove down to Napa Valley, which is very beautiful especially in the starts of spring. We tasted many different wines, got a tour of a castle and the winery, and got to see the small towns nightlife and shops. A wonderful vacation spot for those newly-weds who want to get away and a great place for retired couples. I should have more fun updates soon on my travels since I will be on campus this entire round.
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