.... Three Weeks Later....

Well, I have been here for three weeks now. That's crazy!!! I've been busy doing so many things. I started to on the responsibilities of my two rep roles, yearbook rep, and media rep. I keep my phone turned off durring lectures, but dieting the activities I've been taking pictures. Today's training involved service learning projects, and tool safety. I took a lot of pictures when my team did the hands on part of tool safety. After today, I can definitly say I am getting more comfortable with my team-mates. Yesterday, one of them was saying about how I am gonna end up rotting my teeth, I managed to get a POP from the vending machine. Today another team mate helped me with using the the tools today. I feel better about him know, which is good. I'm the media rep for my team, and I'm trying to write a press release about the mini spike we will go on on Wednesday. It's not necessary to do one for this mini project, but stephanie suggested that i do one to practice. I looked at the sample in the media pack I was given, and i think I did an all right job. It unbelievable, on the 12 I will be leaving Vinton for my very first service project!!!!! CRAZY!!!!! :P

Week 3 has landed

Well, tomorow starts week three of training. I find it hard to believe that I have only had one week with Oak 1. It seems like I've been here for much linger than 2 weeks. I'm slowly starting to get more comfortable with my team, and others in Oak 2, we share the same kitchen, and dining room. I tried to make enchiladas last Friday, but people used the tortillas that were supposed to be for the dish used them for wraps. How can I be the only one who sprang't like wraps? My cooking partner and i had to improvise and make a sort of tacos salad. It really wasn't that bad. I got my shots taken yesterday, and took a drug test. The test turned negative, so that's good. Of corset it is good, it means I can stay in Americorps. We were trained on how to do individual service projects, and so I started to see what I might be able to find. I got a hold of the historical society, and they replied saying they would love to help me if they can. I'm gonna check with my team leader when I get the chance. Hopefully I can do it. That'd be cool, I can try and get to work in the history area. Today I'm just relaxing, letting everything rest. I'll be busy this week, I volunteered to work on the team brochure, and it's due on Friday. Hopefully when i set out to seriously work on it, I won't have internet problems like I did today.

Busy

Oh my goodness. Today was a busy busy day. I'm glad it is done. I woke up at 5 this morning because Oak1 had team training in Iowa City, about an hour away. It was team training trying to get around obstacles, and problem solving activities to help us get to know each other, and bond. We were there all morning. There was about an hot break, then I changed into my physical exercise clothes, and the team went to go over about why and what NCCC and physical training. Then we headed to the gym for some warm UPS, and endurance exercises. I did better than i thought. I can do 22 pushups in a minute, (no, not on my knees), and 7 sit- ups in a minute. The situps are low, but I'm glad I could do 7, because these are situps, where you actually should situp. In middle school a sit up qualified as lifting my head off the ground. Busy day. I'm glad it is done. Now I'm just waiting for supper, hamburgers.

Oak1 Day 1

Today was our first full day with our permanent team. I am in Oak one. We have the biggest team on campus, there is 12 of us. I was a little scared yesterday about the members on the team, but after our ride through Vinton, Cedar Rapids and coming back I'm glad these people are my team members. I look forward to hanging out with them more as the year goes on.

First Saturday

Well, I have been here for four days, and everything has been going pretty good. It has been harder to do this blog thing than I thought. The computershere don't have the right updates or something. I figured out how to get to this on my cell phone or ipod though. It has been a lot of meetings and paper work. Of course it has, there is like 240 of us they nerd to keep track of. We started cooking in ouryteam kitchens today, and that was fun. Lunch was simple, sandwiches. After lunch the turkey meat was gone. We started super at 4 though because there were shuttles going into Cedar Rapids. Two of the pizzas were thin crust, and folded up while cooking. There were only two or three of us there at the time, an while it still had a few more minutes, we didn't want it to fold up any farther. The other three pizzas were stuff crust. I went to our kitchen so we wouldn't take all the tools from the other team, and there was Ben, checking on those three. I'm afraid I accidentally burned my left index finger. I was holding a dish to put the pizza on, and my finger got to close to the grill in the oven. I bought some burn ointment when I went into town at 5:30. It started to hurt more than i thought. It feels pretty good now though, so no worries. When i got back I put on my sweats and a long sleeve shirt and played chess pieces with 4 other people. It's spoons, except we had chess pieces, not spoons. Then our game changed to catch phrase, and our circle kept getting bigger and bigger. I think they are still playing it. I can here them in my room. Oh well, I'm going to bed now.

Day 2

Day 2 of Americorps NCCC. I woke up pretty early for muster, then there was breakfast. Today was mostly about rules an stuff today. After lunch I went to Alco with a couple of other girls. It was good, they are pretty fun to hang put with. We hang out a lot. I hope we still have a chance to hang out after we are all divided into our permanent teams. This weekend there will be a shuttle to cedar rapids, and i'll take on of them. There's only so much I can spend, and Alco is very much like a Pamida. Though my blanket from there was 40% off. I'll write when I can!!!

Iowa/ Final Goodbye

My parents and I left home this morning at 9:30. We stopped in Fergus Falls to visit my brother for a quick bite, and so I could see him one more time before I leave, and then we hit the road again. About 7 hours on the road and down to Waterloo. I read and slept on the way down. Pretty boring tip. WE made it to the Comfort Inn, and had a good supper at Chapalas with my cousin and her family. We are back at the hotel and now waiting.
   Check in is almost 12 hours away. It's cool, and scary at the same time. I will get to meet everyone new, which is cool. I really can't wait to meet my team members and who my room mates will be. I've lived with my parents since I was born, so I don't really know how the whole room mate thing is gonna go. One brother didn't have much luck, but my other brother did. Tomorrow morning I will say my last good bye, and that is too my parents. I will really miss them. They have done so much for me throughout my not so smooth childhood. From ear infections, multiple times of stitches, and being sent to the emergency room twice in the same weekend for two different things, and the last medical issue cancer. They have been so supportive of me and are excited for me, but I am going to miss them so much. I love you Mom and Dad!!!!

...2 days left...

Everybody in the Americorps group says the countdown has begun, or has hit the single digits. It will come when it comes. And since I will be leaving in two days I am getting nervous. I am afraid I am going to pack to much, but I go through everything I plan on bringing, and they are very needed items. I guess I'm just worried. A friend of mine told me the other day I worry to much.

I am in a good conversation with one of the people who will also be in the same class as me, and I really can't wait to meet him. He seems like a really cool guy. I'll just have to wait to see what the others are like. I'm a bit of a loner, so they might have to take pity on me, and come to me first. I'm always nervous when I meet new people.

The begining..

So, when I was accepted into Americorps NCCC in November or October, I was ecstatic. Something to look forward to after I'm done with school, especially since I didn't get the experience I wanted at MSUM. They had a couple good teachers, they just didn't teach what I wanted to know with the History degree I was trying to work toward. I told my parents that I would be based in IA, and they were all for that, but if it were in a different state, I don't think I would have been able to join. Everybody who has been told seems to be happy for me, so that only encourages me to keep to it, even if it will be a hard 10 months. I can't wait till I start!!!