First Week Came and Went…

As everybody by now knows, I started my year long volunteer job with the Brighton Center.  I’m the Housing Support Vista Volunteer.  My main job for this year is to work on creating a resource list that is full of housing information from agencies around the Northern Kentucky area.  Plus, I’ll be creating a tracking system on how these agencies use this resource list and what they think about the resource list.  That is my main goal for this year.  Other things I’ll be doing is helping Brighton Center counselors with any help in regards to housing.  This first week was very information packed!  My first task is to meet like 17 different program coordinators to help me better understand the different programs that Brighton Center has but also let them know who I am and see what I can do for them during my year service.

So, in this first week, I had a lot of information given to me and I also read a lot of information.  Already did a few things like reformatting the apartment listing and working on another document that they wanted reformatted.  Plus, I started setting up appointments with the different coordinators that must be done by the end of October.  Been reading a lot of information about Brighton Center and the programs they offer.  This upcoming week is going to be as busy because I already have something like seven meetings all this week and more to come.  Not to mention continuing to get the computer and office the way I want it.  I’m very much going to enjoy working there.

Now on the TL’s front, things are going pretty good.  My mom would be proud of me because I’m using a gift that she gave me a long time ago when I graduated with my bachelor degree back in 2002.  She gave me a briefcase that I have mainly been using to carry odds and ends things whenever I move and then it sits in the closet.  Really didn’t have anything to really use it for until now.  So, I have dusted it off, re-organized the inside, and stuffed it with work from Brighton Center.  Are you proud of me mom?

I have to start acting and looking professional now.  I guess I better look and act like one?  My friend Chris commented on how professional I sounded on the phone.  Not to mention I have been taken steps to keep myself more professional and making sure that I don’t get any complaints similar to the ones I did at other jobs.  For example, where I’m currently staying here in Delhi, it takes me two hours to get to work.  I get up at 5:30 am every weekday morning.  I walk from the house to the bus stop on Delhi Pike to wait for a bus.  That is maybe a quarter of a mile if that.  Then I take a 40 minutes bus trip downtown to Government Square in Cincinnati.   Where then I walk from there to Ann Street in Newport.  A very long walk (roughly 45 minutes) but I love it.  So, as you know, I’m a big person that sweats a lot.  Well, now I’m not wearing my work shirt but I’m carrying it with me in my briefcase.  Plus, I have deodorant and cologne in my office now.  I didn’t do this in the pass.  So, when I get to work in the mornings, I go and change my shirt to a clean shirt and reapply deodorant and etc.  That way, I’m hoping it will help me eliminate the complaints I got at the other jobs at this new job.  This is all part of me trying to work on things I know I need to work on.  But I do this walk twice a day and I love it!  But with winter coming won’t be doing it that much though.  Hopefully not at all as I’m trying to get housing closer to the Brighton Center.

Which brings me up to the next thing which is housing.  I took a step toward gaining a new place to live this week as well.  Just waiting to hear that it has been accepted.  I filled out my Butler Foundation paperwork today.  If they get accepted then it’s in a positive step toward gaining a place.  As of right now, even if I did find a place to live, I wouldn’t be able to the utilities into my own name because I owe Duke Energy, and my last landlord money.  This could keep me from getting my own place.  What the Butler Foundation does his it will pay off those past bills if they accept it.  So, in doing my paperwork, we also added my cell phone bill.  So, hoping that all three of these bills get paid!  Keep your fingers crossed.  Once I know about those, then things really open up when it comes to finding housing because not only will those bills be paid off, I’m also available for the Hearth Program as well.  The Hearth Program will pay for my rent and/or utilities for up to a year.  So, that is another huge help on my part.

Wow, look how much I wrote?  I guess I bored you all enough for now.  I’m trying to get more involved in writing sooner rather than having a long wait between blogs.  Keeping praying for me and call me if you know my number!

TL

The Time Has Come…

It has finally arrived.  T-minus 14 hours until I start fighting poverty.  I can’t wait to enter the work field again.  I’m going to get the experience I need over the next year as I become a new me.  So, what isn’t there be excited about?  Over the next few week, I will start to gradually continue getting my stuff out of storage.  Tomorrow night I will start with my clothes.  Since I’m starting to work I need more choices than what I currently have.  Then when I get my new apartment, I’ll get the rest of my stuff.  I really miss my computers and some of my stuff.  But more importantly I’m thrilled to be working again.

TL

I’m Back Baby…

That’s right, I’m back from Catlanta.  Just to bad I wasn’t there to watch the UK Wildcats but I was there for my next favorite thing.  That would be my new passion which is fighting poverty.  I’m officially now an AmeriCorps VISTA.  Which also means that on Monday, I will start my assignment with the Brighton Center here in Newport, KY as I start getting back on my feet myself.  So, let’s get this going.  A new path in my life is starting.

Catlanta was rainy and more rain.  It didn’t stop until we got on the bus to leave for the airport.  But the whole time down there, I must admit it was a real eye opener for me.  Not to mention I met a lot of people that will probably be friends with for years to come.  So, if you are thinking about becoming an AmeriCorps Volunteer I would wholly recommend that you do.  Everything that happened that was involved with the conference was great.  My only complaint was the very last thing on our way home in Chicago as we were on time until a cargo net got tangled up and we sat on the tarmac for about an hour and was late arriving in Cincinnati.  But know what?  That I can take because that was the only thing that was bad and it was at the very end.

But today is my day of rest before I start looking over my assignment and start working on things for Monday.  I also have some other things to do as well.  I’m also glad to see somebody looked me up from the conference.  I can’t believe somebody actually beat me to the punch on that.  She was going to be the first person I looked up as well.  So, Majal glad to be your friend and hope we can keep in contact as we start our journey.

Also, I realized why I was gone to Catlanta that I really do like Windows Live when it comes doing my blog.  Just couldn’t believe that I couldn’t twitter out my blog post each time I did a blog entry each day.  But now I can.

TL

The End is Here...

It's with sadness that the Vista Conference here in Atlanta, GA has came to an end. Today we got sworn in as we are officially AmeriCorps Vista Volunteers. *jumping for joy* As my group and I are waiting for the shuttle to take us to the airport to start our journey back to KY, I have been thinking back over the last few days. I learned a lot of things here and I meet many friends in the process that no doubt will be seeing down the road. The conference here was planned great. It went smoothly. Not to mention the Emory Conference Hotel did a great job providing great service here at the hotel. The more and more I think about my decision on to become a AmeriCorp Vista Volunteer is one of my greatest choice I possibly could have made. This is where my life will now take a change for the best. This will be that spark that will prevail me to greatness and the path in my life that I like to go. Over the next year, I'm going to grow as a person that a lot of my friends and families will be shocked to see in years time. The conference here might have came to an end but the friendship I have foster and the experience I'll be gaining over the next year will continue. If I had to choose today, I would possibly be serving another year of AmeriCorps!

TL

Day Three Reflection...

Not only is this day coming to an end but also the training here in Atlanta is coming to an end as well. We have a half of day of training tomorrow before we are whisk off to the airport. But before that happens, let me tell you about today. Day three started with me having a headache and it looks like I'm going to end with a headache as well. Overall, today's training was all about understanding our VAD's and how we were choosen to serve in the capacity we are going to be serving.

Over the weekend, I'll be dissecting my VAD a little bit more before I start at the Brighton Center. As I'm starting to get even more excited to be serving my time with the Brighton Center. Also, I'm going to miss the number of people I have met here over these last few days. I hope some of us will keep in touch with me and vice versa. There are a lot of people that have similar stories or in the same situation as me. It's good to feel that I'm not alone.

Something else that I learned today that has nothing to do with AmeriCorps is that I need to freakin get more people to view my blog. I know a few people view my blog but how come you aren't responding? You know how much I hate talking to myself? That's what this is feeling like. Maybe I should do a strip tease and maybe then I'll get people speaking up. Anybody out there? *as I hear crickets cricketing*

Over and out!

TL

Day 2 Reflection...

As day two comes to an end, the information that I gathered today has been overwhelming but at the same time it has helped me better understand the situation that I have been in over the last year and half better. For me, it's like putting a name to the face finally. That's the best way I can finally describe the situation I have been in. You see, everytime I was asked to explain the current situation I'm in, it has been hard for me to explain because I wasn't really homeless even though that's what it seems like. Today, here at training, I learned that I was what is called "situational poverty". Basically "situational poverty" is where a certain situation has put me into poverty. Another example of situational poverty are the people in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. A devasting event can have a devasting affect on people and/or individual. So, I challenge you to see if you can define what is poverty? What does poverty mean to you? Can poverty be totally eliminated? To better understand poverty, you have to define poverty. It's not just "lack of money", or "lack thereof anything". Defining poverty can be just about anything. Now that I better understand my situation by figuring out the name of it, it has helped me to figure out a roadmap for me to get out of this situation.

So, as today comes to a close, I'm so very glad that I decided to follow this path and become a Vista. I'm excited to get back to the Northern Kentucky area and put to use what I have and will be learning here. Anybody want to help me with this challenge? Poverty can be eliminated but not just totally. We all have to work together. I'm only one, but one can become many.

TL

Day 1 Reflection...

As the first day of my training comes to a close, I thought I would reflect on the common theme of the first day. That is, "Is Vista right for you". In this case that means me. As I sat in the first session today after registration and dinner, I couldn't help to think for now that Vista is right for me. To make a difference in a person's life, let alone a community is a very big thing for me. All my times growing up, I didn't just want to make a difference in a person's life but also in a community. Up to now, all I have been doing is making a difference in somebody's life but I have been leading up to this moment but just didn't realized it until today. So, I'm beyond thrilled to be starting this new chapter in my life. So, as I'm off to bed here shortly, I really can't wait until we start early in the morning with our training sessions.

TL

Coming to you from Atlanta...

As many know today I set off for Atlanta at 5:00 am. I have arrived in Atlanta safe and sound. So, after taking a small nap, I'm about to head off to the registration table to register. But thought I would stop by a computer and do a quick blog.

The trip to Atlanta went a whole lot smoother than the last time I came to Atlanta. All the planes were on time and I didn't even have to walk that far to change planes in Chicago. But the only question I have is "how does one go north to get south?" To start my trip I went from Cincinnati to Chicago and then on to Atlanta. I must say though United Airline's planes were very clean and comfortable. Not to mention the hot stewardesses. Apparently Delta need to checkout the stewardesses hiring processes of United Airlines. And take a cue from United Airlines ontime and take off time as well. Even the shuttle from the airport to the hotel was also in style. We were in a limo bus. Isn't that cool? I think Brad Harris might be happy to know where his tax dollars are going? Not only to volunteerism but I guess you can call it luxury volunteerism, Brad?

Anyway, I'm safe and sound here in Atlanta. I'm about to head down to registration and then dinner starts at 5:30 pm and then our first session of this training starts at 6:45 pm. Then the schedule for Wednesday and thursday is training from 8 am to 5 pm. Then on Friday it's from 8 am to 1 pm. Then I'll be flying back that night which is another mystery like the "flying north" that I mention above. The training and conference ends at 1 pm on Friday. Checkout of our rooms is at 12 pm. So, one will think that planes departure would be two or three hours afterward? Wrong, my plane doesn't leave until 7:30 pm. Which means, I'm going to be doing a whole lotta nothing at the airport. Anyway, I'm off to registration now. Talk to everybody later!

TL

It’s Go Time…

The day has become where I’m going to be heading back to work has finally arrived.  First stop is Atlanta, GA where I’m going to be doing training for AmeriCorps from September 15 to September 18.  Then I will start working at the Brighton Center on Monday, September 21.  I’m so excited but yet somewhat nervous.  Praying that everything will go smoothly as I start this new path in my life.  The only only thing left for me to do is where I find my own place and really start the process of getting back on my feet.  So, I will post more when I can get back from my trip.

TL

8 days and counting…

That’s right, eight days and counting for me before I head out to Atlanta for training to work for AmeriCorps.  Then when I come back, I will start working at the Brighton Center on the 21st of September.  Things are starting to move a little faster now.  Just a few days ago, I received my itinerary for my flight down to Atlanta.  So, things are going to be moving a lot faster.  I can’t wait and I’m excited but at the same time nervous.  But I’m going to love it!

TL