AmeriFamily

Every once in a while I find myself with several hours to kill in the middle of a day. During this time I’ve been reading, watching Band of Brothers, and decorating my room. I figured that perhaps I should also use this time to blog and update you all on my AmeriLife.

First things first, I found a building with reliable internet, so if you want to skype we can definitely make that happen. Second, is anyone playing with the fish to the left here?! I thought they were so cool, they follow your mouse and if you click you can feed them!

OH MY GOODNESS I DIDN’T EVEN TELL YOU THE MOST EXCITING NEWS!!! I FOUND OUT MY TEAM AND AM ON SILVER 3. Silver Unit is the wolf pack so Awoooo awoooooooo!!!

Thursday evening we were given our units in a fun creative way, and then we were split up once more into our teams with a scavenger hunt to find our team leader. Once we found our team leader (after several clues) she had set up a dinner spread! My team leader is Amber and she is awesome, it will be a good year. I also really like all of my teammates, which is a good thing because we will become very close over the next ten months.

It was strange, meeting everyone for the first time, awkwardly introducing ourselves, and my knowing that we are soon to become best of friends. More than friends, but a family. This is the third time in the past year and a half that I have found myself in this situation and I’m extremely excited to have an AmeriFamiy.

Friday was a training called “Hands of Peace” which was actually really interactive and beneficial. A lot of team building and just learning about each other and become more comfortable around each other was involved. It was my favorite training thus far.

Saturday I did my first ISP (Independent Service Project), of which we need 80 hours to graduate from this program. It shouldn’t be a problem. My roommate Molly set up this ISP with the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary. Twelve of us spend the day standing behind purses and handbags during their annual Helping Handbags auction and luncheon. We helped run the silent auction portion, they fed us lunch, gave us a chocolate purse and then we helped clean up after the event. I was happy to actually get out and serve after sitting in classes and trainings for so long.

Moving day was Sunday! I was lucky enough to only have to move from my old room into the room we share a bathroom with, the room Molly was in and she ended up not having to move at all! This was nice because we were able to help our other roommates and suitemates move. It was utter chaos. Just imagine, 300 plus people, all moving out and into new rooms in two different buildings, all at the same time. Three floors each, no elevator and one stairwell in each. Insanity, but it got done! We celebrated with a trip to the Thai restaurant just across the street from campus.

Yesterday we had PT (physical training) in the morning, and trainings in the afternoon. We are at the point now where we split up into specific trainings within our teams. For example: two people are trained on flood response, two on chainsaws, two on volunteer management in disasters etc. Adam and I were selected to attend the volunteer management in disasters training, and I really enjoyed this one as well! I’m glad the less exciting trainings about policies and such were at the beginning, because I’m certainly enjoying the more focused training more. In the evening it was my turn (along with three others-we are dinner group A) to made dinner for our kitchen. Our team (Silver 3) and a FMT (fire management team) Silver 2, share a kitchen, and there are 20 people to prepare food for. It was a challenge but I think everyone enjoyed the baked chicken, cheddar and broccoli rice, salad, and butternut squash we made. The extra-great thing about this is that another dinner group cleans up our mess and does all the dishes! AND all this week we just show up when dinner is ready and we eat.

Today was a short service project with the Water Dept of Sacramento, and we walked door to door handing out information about the recently installed water meters. Now I have another 2 hours until PT tonight.

Still sunny in Cali!
k