I can't say that I have anything exciting to write about today. I'm back from good ol' Cleveland, & I have to say that it made me appreciate how beautiful Washington is! The three-hour time change is a killer coming back, but I've recovered now. We're having a yard sale at La Casa tomorrow, & I have spent a lot of time this week getting and organizing donations. We normally have a lot of worthless stuff sitting around La Casa, but now the amount of worthless stuff has at least tripled.
Thoughts on Clevland...I rode the public transportation several times, and it really gives you a feel for what the city is really like. I really enjoyed going to a Cleveland Indians game and seeing the Rock N' Roll hall of fame. It reminded me that I haven't been to a good concert in a long time. I did enjoy seeing Bon Jovi's & his bands' costumes-I've acutally seen him in concert twice. Of course I enjoyed our hotel-I'm not used to being asked if I need help everytime I walk in and out, but I guess I could get used to it. And the robes in the rooms-that was a nice touch.
This weekend I have yet another wedding-this one is a girl that I grew up with. It's kinda weird when all of your friends start getting married, but I'm used to it-I've been to plenty of weddings within the last year.
I am happy to report that today I feel caught-up, and it is a wondferful feeling. We successfully wrapped-up our Spring Trimesterm, & now we're working on developing summer programming. Many of our women are working in the fields right now, so we're trying to develop a schedule that can accommodate as many people as possible. Currently, we are gathering information on what type of summer class offerings the women would enjoy most. We have options for CPR classes, cooking, make-up, and even a seminar on how to talk to your kids about sex! I'm not sure what my role will be in the summer programming, so I'm just being flexible at this point.
However, I do know that we have several grant opportunities that I will be working on. These include a Microsoft Unlimited Potential and a Technological Assistance CAT grant opportunity. I'm also planning to do some computer training with a couple of the staff members to help them increase their computer skills before I leave. I'm also trying to recruit several Americorps VISTA's & Americorps members to staff our new Homeless Drop-in Center across the street.
It's time for another fiesta at La Casa Hogar, and this is going to be a big one! This evening we are having the end of trimester fiesta in a nearby park. We've invited all of the students & their families from all of the classes as well as volunteers, board members, and anyone else that may be associated with La Casa Hogar. It's going to be a potluck with tons of food & games for the children. We're going to recognize women that have obtained their GED's or driving permits, & give a special gift to an early childhood specialist volunteer. I even got one of the Spanish classes to do a skit which should be really fun!
Other than planning for the fiesta, I've just been wrapping things up for classes. I have been giving post-tests in the computer classes & trying to gather enough information for the computer outcomes I've been working on. It has been a little frusturating to see class participation drop-off so suddenly. Many of the women have begun to work in the fields & will continue to work throughout the summer. For this reason our summer class offerings are limited-offering only 2 levels of ESL, 3 evenings a week.
We're collecting personal stories for our website-here's mine.
When I first entered La Casa Hogar, I felt a sense of community and family that I desired to be a part of. Perhaps, I was trying to replace the lost feeling of community I had experienced with college friends. Maybe I was just another lost college graduate trying to find her way, but something about La Casa Hogar felt intuitively right to me. While my motivations were not completely clear to me, I signed-up to be an Americorps *VISTA at La Casa Hogar for a year.
The first question I faced was how would I fit in? How could the barriers between language, culture, and age be bridged? I was uncertain how the women would react to me joining their organization, and I was terrified to use my limited Spanish. I learned that using simple phrases like ¡Buenos Dias! could draw a favorable response, and I realized that I would not be laughed at when I made mistakes. Gradually, the women of La Casa Hogar and I gained mutual understanding by realizing how difficult it is to learn another language. My fears of speaking Spanish melted away when my words were received with a smile that could melt my heart on even the worst of days.
I soon found that my new friends and I had two powerful things in common. We were all women, and we all experienced a desire for learning and self-improvement. It is difficult to describe the special bond that exists in an organization comprised solely of women. It created an atmosphere of sincerity, honesty, and compassion like none other I had experienced before. I also learned that a yearning for education can provide hope and promise in even the most adverse of circumstances.
I was privileged to be in charge of organizing the GED class for the women of La Casa Hogar. I was thrilled to witness the buzz of excitement that filled the small classroom when the women spoke of obtaining their GED’s. Although cautious and timid at first, they began to share with me their goals and dreams for the future. I was inspired by the glimmer of possibility I saw in their eyes, and I gained a better understanding of the motivation for the journey that led them to La Casa Hogar.
When I took this job, I was ambitious to make a difference. I wanted to help everyone and make a big impact on the organization. I soon learned that my new friends had everything they needed inside them. My definition of what constituted a strong woman was changed as I witnessed strong women playing a variety of roles all around me. The women of La Casa Hogar’s kindness, openness, and gentleness will always remain in a special place in my heart.