Date shakes and dead fish

Hello from a very sunny and warm Coachella Valley! It is absolutley beautiful here. Palm trees, mountains, sunshine, warmth, friendly people, good food, lovely culture. I think the sun has put me in a good mood :)

This being said, I am VERY busy, and we have limited internet. As Assistant Team Leader I have quite a few more responsibilities that take up more time, and I'm very greatful for this experience in leadership and paperwork. Hopefully it will prepare me for another leadership opportunity in the future!

We are being housed in Mecca, the office for the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC) is in Indio, and we build houses in Coachella. Everything is about 15-20 minutes away from each other. Our sponsors are great and we were welcomed the day after our drive (11 hours) with an orientaion complete with endless burritos! That next day we got right to work.

Work schedule is as follows:

Tues-Friday
5am Physical training
6:30am leave for the build site
6:50am safety and stretch circle
7:00am begin work (this can be ANYTHING, we are currently working between 25 houses)
9:30am water break
11:00am leave for SIESTA!!!
11:30-1:30pm: SIESTA!! nap, sit in the sun and read, do paper work, eat, nap etc
1:30pm leave housing to return to build site
2:00pm-6pm: four team members go tutor at two afterschool programs (two to each), this schedule roatates so everyone gets a turn.
6:00pm: work day ends
7:00pm: team dinner
8:00pm: various team meetings
9:00pm: extra PT ("Insanity"?! why am i doing this??)
10:00pm: paperwork
11:00pm: sleep

Saturday
6:30am-3pm work on the build site
3:30: hike for PT (there are SO MANY beautiful hikes in this area!!)

Sunday/Monday=weekend

So I'm kept pretty busy, but its fun. It was nice to know that I still remember to hammer from Habitat for Humanity, how to use a power screw driver a skill saw. Improving these skills has been good and frustrating at the same time. I really do enjoy construction work, and knowing that I am helping to provide someone with a home. This week was my week for one of the after school programs, which I LOVED!! I had missed children so much! Can't wait to keep learning and serving!

OH this area is known for its Dates ( the fruit) and also the Salton Sea (which is filled with dead fish and smells so bad a team member vomited once inhaling the air)

Buenos Dias!!

As I sit in my room, I am happy to be still for a moment. It feels as if I have been moving and traveling for quite some time. This is something I do indeed enjoy, but sometimes sitting is nice as well.

Our time in Grass Valley, CA sadly came to an end on December 16. It was hard to leave our fire station behind and harder yet to say goodbye to our sponsor and supervisor Joanne and Todd. We learned so very much from them, about fire safety, wild fire mitigation, trees, chainsaws, life and so much more. Todd might be one of the very best teachers I’ve ever learned from. In fact, Todd and Joanne cared so much about us they are our new team guardians for this next round! We have already received letters and packages with advice, games, cookies and a deer puppet from them!!

***Side note, if anyone is interested in being our team guardian for rounds 3 or 4 don’t hesitate to ask!***

A few quantifiables from our first spike:

• 430 cubic yards of scotchbroom removed
• 3 acres long, 50 ft wide fuel break: 1043 cubic yards of brush removed, 16 homes protected
• 14 Special Needs Assistance Program clients

• Worked in 29 Locations
• 38 acres of Defensible Space
• 326 cubic yards of Blackberry
• 3258 cubic yards for chipping
• 379 cubic yards of dispersed materials
• 210 pounds of leaves
• 175 cubic yards of brush stacked in 27 piles
• 27 piles burned, 25 left for future burning
• 1,400 scanned papers electronically
• 275 packets prepped for the community

3 News paper articles

1 radio broadcast

3 school presentations

It is incredible how much a small group like us, with little to no experience in fuels reduction, were able to accomplish. We were able to meet and exceed the goals set before us by the Fire Safe Counsel of Nevada County, in spite of NOT being a FMT (Fire Management Team), and NOT being there the extra week they expected. I am very proud of our team and everything we have done and learned. I’m proud of how close we became and how we all survived sharing one room and one bathroom! Silver 3 is pretty much the best team.

After we returned to Sacramento from Grass Valley we had a few days of meetings and transition activities. Seeing old friends from pre-spike and sharing and exchanging stories was a very welcome change of pace. Everyone’s experiences differed greatly, in both good and bad ways. Lets just say I’m very grateful for the team I have and the wonderful first sponsor we served with.

Then came Winter Break!!!! I was able to come home and also travel a little bit to a few reunions. Here is my list of travels : Sacramento > Chicago> Grand Haven>Mt Pleasant>Grand Rapids> South Bend>Chicago>Denver>Sacramento. SO MANY BEAUTIFUL FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!

I wish I could have spent more time in each place and seen more friends and family, but alas, my break was only two weeks. My family, neighbors, college friends, South Africa family and Bike & Build family rejuvenated my soul and I feel very ready for the next seven months of service.

Back on campus we have more meetings, trainings and preparations for our next spike project! I also got accepted for the Assistant Team Leader position for the first 4.5 weeks of Round 2. This means a bit more responsibility, leadership opportunities and paperwork! I’m excited to challenge myself and add to the efficiency of our team (hopefully!)

January 9^th is when we leave for Coachella Valley, where our next spike is located. That’s right, we will be in Southern California, in the desert! Yet another winter evaded in the life of Kristen (last year I only got part of Michigan’s winter before going to South African summer) J Our sponsor is the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, which is an affordable housing organization for migrant workers. Additionally we will be tutoring children at two different schools. Building houses and education kids!! In a warm place surrounded by mountains!!! Sounds good to me. This next project will be our longest at 9 weeks in length and I’m getting antsy to get out there. Our team has an advantage with several corps members moderately proficient in Spanish, several with construction experience, and a few with tutoring experience.

My new mailing address will be:

Coachella Valley Housing Coalition

Kristen Dyke AmeriCorps NCCC

45-701 Monroe Street, Suite G

Indio, CA 92201

But mail sent to our base in Sacramento will still get forwarded on to me as well. I love mail!!

I’ll update again once more work has begun, excited for siestas and fiestas!!