One Year Later.. City Year

So I haven't done much blogging (or any at all for that matter) this past year. Here are a few highlights: I graduated from UW-La Crosse in Therapeutic Recreation with a minor in Psychology, completed a 16 week internship for TR in the Spring at Bethany St. Joseph's Care Center, and got accepted to an AmeriCorps program called City Year in Milwaukee. For the next 10 months I will be tutoring kids in the classroom (I don't know what grade yet) who need some extra help to succeed. The program is aimed at the dropout crisis from high schools across America, which in Milwaukee is about 40%. I'll also be participating in community service projects to enhance the schools and community of Milwaukee. I am excited to begin, and I figured it would be a good time to become a better blogger so my friends/family can know what exactly I'm doing. We'll see how it goes!

I have almost all of my stuff moved to Milwaukee, and our house is beginning to look like home! I absolutely love the neighborhood we're living in.. there's so much diversity! (At least more than I'm used to in La Crosse.) College students, families, professors, older people, black people, white people, etc. all living in the same area! It's surprisingly refreshing to be surrounded by people different than me. I enjoy sitting on our porch and seeing everybody walk past. =]

Tuesday was registration day for City Year, and I got to meet a few fellow corps members. Although a lot of the day was spent doing paperwork and other important things, there were get-to-know-you games mixed in, which reminded me of camp. I am a fan of the cheesey camp stuff, so I think it will be a good time. =] I kept thinking the whole day that in 10 months I am going to know a lot of these people really well, and it is probably going to be hard to say good-bye to them, so I better cherish the memories as they come.

Anyway, I'll move to Milwaukee for good on Sunday, and City Year Basic Training starts on Monday! We'll be doing a service project and then going to a camp for a few days later in the week for some team building. Meeting and getting to know that many people will probably wear me out, so prayers for energy and the capacity to build relationships with my team would be appreciated!

Oh man, I almost just lost everything I wrote, but thanks to the "back" arrow, it came back! I better submit this before I mess up something else. I'll become an expert blogger one day, just watch. ;}