turning a house into a home

I've officially been moved in for a week and feel so comfortably at home. This apartment, city, community, atmosphere, work-team already is so amazing that I couldn't imagine leaving a year from now. My current roommates will be gone before I know it and they've been repeating for the last week how sad they are to leave. I'm glad its had such a great impact on them that they have molded their lives in to this city and are upset to leave because that just gives me more encouragement that it only gets better from here.

My first big meeting was today with one of the Build teams and it was definitely a lot to observe. Every day I realize more and more the process and the dedication it takes to give these families a home and not just a place to sleep for a night. It really is a reminder of how many wonderful people and things I've had in my life. My senior thesis quote was 'Live Simply so Others May Simply Live' by Gandhi and these experiences truly give the statement meaning. I am so grateful for the things that have been provided for me and I am so thrilled for every challenge that I've overcome and the challenges that are being granted this year so that every day I can learn more about this amazing life.

Chapter One

Overwhelming but THRILLING!

Well, I'm moved in [with two incredible women, Jen and Katie] to my first apartment, ever and am already wanting to live here forever. But unfortunately I'm receiving very limited living allowance and will most likely be moving somewhere cheaper in the next two months. But that's okay.

Jen, Katie, and I had a girls night last night before my first day of work to play 'get to know each other' and it was awesome. I've never been so excited about a new living experience as I was last night. Katie, though, will be moving in a couple weeks and Jen will be too just another month or so later so I'll definitely be needing a new roommate and/or a cheaper place come October. Fortunately the girl I'm replacing [the wonderful Desiree] has a friend of a friend who needs a roommate that I've been chatting with briefly so I'm hoping for the best in that case. I'll be updating with that, for sure.

But on to the most exciting - I started today!! I finally met Eve and Desiree in person today and they are both beyond wonderful. Within minutes I already felt comfortable with the team I'm working with and am already upset that Jen and Des will be leaving in 6 weeks. I didn't do any real work today but certainly learned a lot. There were a few of us that went on a walking tour of the Habitat Sites and it definitely was a lot to take in. It was so cool though to see how much work has already taken place in the last ten or so years and there is such an amazing vision for the future that I can't wait to help initiate! One of the first things that Eve mentioned today is that there would be a lot of information today and would appear as being overwhelming at first but then we'd realize how smoothly things run through the team. I definitely felt that. There was absolutely a lot today to take in but it was amazing!

Tomorrow is another day to learn more and I can't wait! Keep reading!!

Dedication

Hey readers.

Sorry for the delay but I've got plenty to update now so get comfy!!

PSO was awesome. Meeting 150 new VISTAs in Atlanta Georgia for 4 days last week all there for amazing reasons was inspiring in itself. Every person I met had an amazing story to share about why they are becoming a VISTA. Outside of the sessions, there was so much conversation about where we’re from, where we went to school, and where we’re working. I seriously met people from every corner of the U.S. including Alaska and Hawaii.

We stayed at an incredible hotel that was originally designed as a luxury apartment complex so I was very pleased to take in the building's beauty. Besides the suite style hotel rooms we stayed in we had our break-out group sessions in beautiful ballroom style conference rooms where we learned much more about the life-style of someone in poverty and what our responsibilities would be as a VISTA living the life of poverty. While I didn't learn as much about my own Habitat Position as the Community and Faith Relations Coordinator, I definitely learned about the position I'd be taking on for the next year of my life as a Volunteer in Service to America.

Aside from the text-book sessions I learned so much more from the discussions in the sessions:

It was amazing to be surrounded by so many people who all have the same passion; to help those in need. Everyone has a story about their experience with poverty or personal struggle but the people who choose to do something about it, like these 150 VISTAs are special. To donate your money or to read about it and share the knowledge with someone else to spread the awareness is AMAZING-GREAT-WONDERFUL but the people who take the extra time out of their lives to do something active for a year is truly dedication. I’m dedicating my life to service for a year. I’m living in poverty for a year as I help provide opportunities for someone else to exit a life of poverty. I’ve grown up with the resources I've needed to survive and took for granted that I was supported and was making it by in life with ease. It’s time for me to provide that for someone else. I'm so thrilled to do this for the next year of my life!