I'm Alive

It's been 13 1/2 days since I arrived here in, what seems to always be rainy, Baltimore. Yup practically 2 weeks. I've lived in this city of Baltimore. It's been interesting so far. Nothing too exciting has happened.

Topic 1: Work
I've been working or someone has been training me and on Friday was my first official day on my own. It wasn't too bad. I've met 2 great girls that aren't VSers but work with AmeriCorp Vista and I've enjoyed talk to them while at work and sort of getting to know them a bit. They are pretty great. The others I work with have been very supportive also and they have been wonderful! I've enjoyed laughing with them and getting to know them a bit more. They are wonderful people.
Some of you may be wondering exactly what I do. Well I'm not sure I can really explain it very well but I'll try. Overall background, I work at Project PLASE (People Lacking Ample Shelter and Employment). They provide transitional housing for homeless and along the way help them by providing any type of resources they may need. I work as the wait list coordinator. My job is pretty vital. When they come in for the first time or talk to someone, I'm the first person they see or talk to about our program. That pretty much makes me the face of Project PLASE. So I would do an intake interview of some sort either by phone or face to face and before that I have to tell them there is waiting list to get into one of our 62 beds that aren't available. Yeah exciting right. I get their hopes up just to crush them because I don't know how long the wait will take. It could take a couple of weeks or even a couple of months. Who knows when! And there are at least 500 some people on this list. That's a lot of people and all of them are not even active. Some of them have not been in contact with us for the past year. It's just crazy. So I'm in charge of that place sort of running because if they have an available bed at a unit, I have to fill it. That's sort of nerve racking. But yeah...that's my job.

Topic 2: Baltimore (BMore)
Baltimore has been very intersting. I'm just going to be honest, yeah I've been the minority before but not this much. Today was intersting cuz there was a block party and there was a parade that came through. They all call themselves a marching band. BUT they only had people playing drums and then had girls and some guys dancing along with it. It was awesome. It was just very intersting. And it gets werider, mainly because I was thinking this, but Black or African American women are amazing. They have such guts and glory. There were some plus size women out there exposing their stomachs and looking and feeling totally confident. I wish I had that. Why in our White culture, we only see the ugliness of it? I mean yeah, I don't want to be stereotyped as obese but yet why should I not feel sexy and confident about myself and who I am. Yeah I may not have a boyfriend, but that's ok, I'm still a woman who has everything going for her. I'm happy and somewhat satisfied with the way I'm living my life. I've learned a lot in just the 2 short weeks I've lived here in BMore. I'm pretty sure every girl struggles with their physical appearance and yeah I'm obviously still struggling but that's part of living, learning, growing. So yeah....
I might have mentioned before or some just know but right now, I have 1 housemate, Aaron. We've been having fun so far. Well as much as we're going to have I think with it just being the 2 of us. Last weekend, we went out to eat at a place called Joe Squared and it was delicious. We had a pizza. Then after that, we walked it off and walked down to Mount Vernon area and up through Bolton Hill. It's pretty intersting. It's gorgeous that's for sure. The houses are the perfect Out East homes that I think of when I think of Out East. They are built with the beautiful stone like bricks and then have gorgeous and tons of ironwork on the doors and windows that my dad would just absolutely love. I'll definitely have to take them down that way when they come to visit me again. It's just absolutely beautiful. And then we hung out at home last Saturday, just like this Saturday because it's been rainy and we went out the night before. Last night we went to a movie. It's nice to get out every once and a while.
So there's a lot to do here and we haven't even done a lot yet. I think we're more waiting for the others to get here. We don't want to leave them out of too much but we've definitely found things to do. It's exciting! And it's nice to just get to know Aaron and hang out.
We also joined the local YMCA which is great cuz it only costs $25 a month (that's like $1 a day). And we get to join classes for free. That's exciting too! I'm super excited about that!!!! Another thing we did last weekend was the Book Thing. Basically we walk in, look for books we might want, take them and leave. You don't have to pay for them. It's that awesome. There are
definitely things to do here! :D
PS We don't have air conditioning, so it's hott all the time here in our house. But it's a fun house. There are lots of people to hang out with. They are funny, intersting, and just great people. I can't wait to hang out with them more. We've had great conversations thus far! We'll see how it ends up!

Topic 3: North Baltimore Mennonite Church (NBMC)
Last Sunday was my first Sunday at NBMC. It was intersting. I don't know if it was just because people might have been on vacation but there weren't a lot of people there. It seemed like a small church but yet very intersting. I'm always nervous around new people and that night we also went to someone else's house for dinner. It was sort of fun, sort of awkward because I didn't really make much of great conversation. Or least I feel like that. I was just really tired and just exhausted so I hope tomorrow goes a lot better. But yeah....I've already met 2 younger couples. They seem really awesome. Hopefully we'll hang out with them if they aren't too busy. So that should be intersting. We also have to go to church retreat. All I have to say is that it better be good.

Topic 4: Service
It's intersting to think this is service. It doesn't feel like it right now. I know I'm serving a population that doesn't have much of anything but it just feels like work right now. I don't see the service in it yet. But it will come! I see how I'm sort of helping but God definitely hasn't fully opened my eyes to all that yet. But it will come just like the field of dreams! HAHA

Well maybe I should sign off for now. I've written a lot even though there's a lot running through my mind right now. It's just too much and not worth writing about at this point. There will be more later. Sorry it got really long also. There was just a lot like I said. Take care all!

PEACE

"Stars are dancin' on the water here tonight
It's good for the soul when there's not a soul in sight
This motor's caught its wind and brought me back to life
Now I'm alive and well
And today you know that's good enough for me
Breathing in and out's a blessing can't you see
Today's the first day of the rest of my life
Now I'm alive and well
Yeah I'm alive and well"
--I'm Alive by Kenny Chesney feat. Dave Matthews

Magnificent Adventure: Day 3

Let The Journey Begin

Today was my 3rd day in Baltimore. It's been interesting.

--I hate that I have to learn where everything is here in the city, like I've had to learn every two years. That's the worse part about moving somewhere new but thus far it's been great.

--I've gotten to know other people who live in this intentional community.

--I've hung out with one of my housemates, Aaron, and it's going good so far too.

--I've started my official job now and it's just crazy. I feel like I'm not qualified to do any job but for some reason, I must be.

So that's life in a nutshell. We went on a shopping excursion last evening...very interesting! And tonight I'm having dinner at my LCP or LPC's house (not sure what it stands for or the correct name). But life so far has been pretty good.

Keep praying! I'm still nervous!

Am I there yet?

MVS Orientation began Monday afternoon. It was awkward and I was not looking forward to it at all. But thank goodness it turned out to be one of the best weeks of my summer. We talked about everything it seems. Rascism, culture, etc etc. Yeah it's important stuff but 1. I never can seem to get my point across when we discuss things in groups because of my lack of great communication skills and 2. I just wasn't looking forward to the whole orientation process in general. But whatever because in the end it ended up to be a great week. I met new people and made great friends. It was even great to reconnect with old friends again. We had such a wonderful time.

One of the highlights was definitely meeting 2 of my housemates. That made things seem easier. It helps that I have a connection to one of my housemates through friends and because of location. I love the Mennonite world. A second highlight was the new friends. It's weird for me to think that I only lived 20 minutes from Goshen and I can meet someone else who knows most of my friends but we never knew each other. That always creeps me out, it's just strange.

And the end of the week was absolutely amazing...there was a band camp there which wasn't that exciting. They actually pissed us off half the time because of their annoying sounds and squeaks. But I had heard they would have a dance party and once I heard that, I knew it had to be crashed. So 5 of us decided we wanted a good time. It was the best part of the entire week. We had so much fun dancing the night away or just for 1 1/2 hours but that made the whole week the best week ever. Then this morning was sad because we had to say goodbye to new friends, that always sucks though.

But now comes the challenge, the nervous feelings. I'm not nervous of moving into the unit house, I'm more nervous about starting this new job. What do I expect? What if I'm too nieve and become to vulnerable? Then what?

Ok God, work your magic. Calm the storm inside my heart!



Random Information: (If you're interested)
I will be living here --> http://rhhp.blogspot.com/
I'll be working here --> http://www.projectplase.org/
And let me know if you see or hear of anything exciting that I and my fellow housemates should do while we stay there in Baltimore for the next year.