Summer's End

I know it's been a few weeks since I last posted. I hate myself for it, really, I do. Well, my summer with Habitat has ended. I absolutely loved my time there.

I am now at Georgetown. I just completed my second week, and I am loving it so much! I have already been presented with fantastic opportunities, and I am meeting amazing people. It is still hard to believe that this is my life!

Well, if you want to continue following me on my journey, please follow my blog on AmericansEmpowered.com! I won't be posting as frequently, cause my course load is insanely packed, but I will try to keep you up-to-date on my shenanigans!

Thanks everyone for the love!
Jeannie

Growing Pains

     If I had to describe this week in a couple of words, I would go with “tough love”. It has been a rough time in my life personally and professionally. I began the week with a tough encounter with my closest friend, which made me realize just how long you will hold back negative emotions to avoid hurting the people you love. Later, I found myself struggling to write my reflection paper because I really feel like I could make constructive suggestions for the organization, but I have been too outspoken in other jobs and it hasn’t served me well. Who am I to come in for twelve weeks and make suggestions? Is it just risk that stands little chance of paying off?

      All the while, I keep thinking about growth. William Butler Yeats said, “Happiness is neither virtue nor pleasure nor this thing nor that, but simply growth. We are happy when we are growing.” I find this to be profoundly true in many aspects of my life. For example, the encounter with my friend is allowing us to move forward when my holding back had only rendered us stagnant. In my work, I have managed to burn a few bridges, but I’ve also prompted growth when I’ve spoken up. I certainly can’t say whether my suggestions will be beneficial, or if their implementation will be possible, but if I enter into the conversation with the growth of the organization in mind, I think that the staff will see that my intention is well placed. I’m optimistic!

     I simply must end this post with a quote from our Business Manager. “Life is an amorphous blob that is constantly changing ... But there will always be hot dogs.”

Weekend of Weird at the ReStore

This weekend is super weird at the ReStore! Check out some of the finds.

Remember these?

Perhaps the weirdest of all-- a riot mask!

Packing peanuts! So many pack peanuts!

And finally, bathtub row! so many terribly fantastic colors to choose from!

On that note, have a wonderful, weird weekend!

Youth- Wasted on No One.

Monday, I taught one of our homeownership classes. We have been revamping some of the classes, Conflict Management being one of them. Since I have a background in psychology and experience putting on workshops, the homeownership director decided that the first go at the new curriculum should be mine (let me express here my deep gratitude for the affiliate’s trust in my abilities). I prepared heartily and thought through every detail, but something about the night caught me off guard and left me pondering.

 This workshop stood in stark contrast to the type of classes I often teach. My background has been heavily focused on youth activists. I’ve had very little experience teaching adults, and I can’t say that I’ve ever been comfortable with it. It’s strange: I can have a room of 17-year-olds dancing like penguins in less than five minutes, but an hour in a room with adult strangers leaves me wringing my hands. This workshop did likewise. The evaluations came back to us very positive, but I had a very hard time getting them to talk. The workshop was formatted to be interactive, but my inability to coax out their participation left it unfulfilled in my eyes.

I’ve spent the last four days trying to put my finger on the differences between the youth and adults I find myself teaching. I’ve considered cultural and social circumstances and narrowed into psychological differences. For example, I find at the conferences I used to plan for WV SADD, the youth formed strong bonds, a sense of comradery almost instantly. They were all there for the same reason, with a common purpose. The partner families here at Habitat have a common purpose, but it is not a uniting one. They are all here to work toward their homes, but the result is individual.

In youth, I find the ultimate uniting characteristic is self-efficacy. Every young person I’ve ever worked with knew that they could impact the world. I think this spirit is something we try to re-instill in our partner families. Often they come to us feeling like life happened to them, like they lost control. Habitat helps them gain back some of that control, and hopefully some of that youthful zest as well.

So my question to you is this: do you feel like you have the power to change the world, or have you “out-grown” it?    

Presidential Legacy

Listening to the President's speech last week reminded me of something ...

After Robert C. Byrd's funeral, a group of people waited for President Obama to pass us in the motorcade. Two little African American girls were next to me, and when he passed, their faces filled with light. In that moment, I realized what Obama's Presidency really means in this country, that every child can truly feel represented. Agree or disagree with the policies he may pursue, but recognize that his mere presence in the public arena gives hope and power to children who never knew they could find it from Washington. 

You think that skin color shouldn't matter? This country has been known to elect Presidents due to a deeper voice or a more handsome face; to say that appearance doesn't matter anymore is a lie that ignores human nature.

Mitzi--- I'm looking at you!

We are deep into Summer! Don't forget to spend a day volunteering with Habitat! We are working Tuesdays through Saturdays! Sign up here at http://hfhkp.volunteerhub.com/Events/Index

Do it Mitzi and bring your sons!

=)

Jeannie