Packing: Part II

With my journey westward commencing in a few short days, I have begun to kick the preparations into high gear! I’m actually putting items into boxes and performing a triage to pare down what I’m bringing to an absolute minimum. It’s sort of a tough call, because I will be there for a year – but I’ll be in transition for much of that time. Still, I’d like to feel ‘at home’ at least while I’m on campus, and to do that, I need to have some of my stuff.

The good news is that I’m really only bringing one (big) suitcase of clothes, and a few other boxes. But with limited space, its important that everything I bring be something I NEED to have. I’m basically dealing with a ‘if you were going to a deserted island and you could only bring two things, what would they be.’ I’ve never cared for those questions, because while they’re supposed to say something about your personality, I always try to be practical. We’re planning to listen to Hatchet by Gary Paulsen on the drive out west, so maybe that will get me in the mood. That was one of my favorite books when I was growing up!

This little exercise of packing for AmeriCorps, particularly blogging about it, is reminiscent of The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. It’s a book about a group of soldiers during the Vietnam War and the various items, feelings, and memories that they carried with them. I’m bringing a lot of physical things with me, but I’m also bringing my emotions and experiences.

I’m definitely carrying some nerves, excitement, and a whole lot of passion for my work with this program. I’m already passionate about AmeriCorps NCCC before it has even begun. Community Service programs like AmeriCorps may be a lot of work, but it’s a work of heart! I’m carrying a real sense of pride in my country, in the work that we will be doing in NCCC, and in myself for the opportunity to serve. I really do feel fortunate that I was offered the position, and that I was in a good place in my life to accept! Some things in my life just feel right, and this is absolutely one of them. I can hardly wait to get started.

So, I’m packing today, Friday. I have lot of other plans Saturday and Sunday that will preclude me from packing activities. Monday evening I have a farewell dinner planned, and then Tuesday I leave!

Fitting It All In

As of about an hour ago, there is one week left of my summer at home.  It’s difficult to believe that the time has passed by so quickly.  There were many things I had intended to do that I did not do.  This unfortunate situation is most likely due to the fact that I had vague goals and did not work efficiently to accomplish them.  Setting and accomplishing realistic goals is a skill I hope to expand in the ensuing year with AmeriCorps NCCC.

With one final week of “freedom” the clarity of my immediate goals begins to sharpen.  Suddenly, I won’t call the Honda dealership “at some point,” I will call today.  I won’t visit with a friend “this week,” I’ll see her “on Friday.”  With this clarity also comes a sense of urgency.  There are still many things I am able to do before I depart for the wild west, and I would like to do them.  And there are also an exceedingly large amount of things that I need to do.  Must find time to do those as well.

I’m trying to fit in visits with friends, appointments, packing, and work.  Of course, this difficult balance of things to do will undoubtedly pale in comparison to my responsibilities witth NCCC.  In order to help address these concerns, I took the advice of another blogger and purchased a weekly planner.  I’m using this to keep track of all my engagements and my to-do lists.  It’s actually quite a well-designed planner.  And the icing on the cake is that it’s got a giraffe print pattern on the cover.

Try as I might, I cannot find an image of my planner on the internet.  I even scoured the website of the company that made it.  I could always take my own photo, but that seems a little excessive just to show off my planner.  Just trust me when I say that it’s great, and it’s going to help me fit everything in.  I’ve heard that planners are good for tracking long-term goals, too.  I’ll have to try that!

Traffic

Traffic is such an interesting phenomenon.  We have roads to help people with cars get from one place to another in an efficient way.  But all of this convenience is lost when the roads are flooded by drivers who seem incapable of driving consistently.  Honestly, stop-and-go traffic benefits no one.  And I am of the personal opinion that changing lane is often one of the big reasons for the slower traffic.

One of my biggest challenges as a driver is to keep a cool head.  I’m NOT prone to road rage by ANY stretch of the imagination.  However, I do get irritated by inconsiderate behavior on the roads.  I prefer to drive at a normal speed (5 miles +/- the speed limit) and only pass people when they are really driving at a snail’s pace.  I don’t tailgate because it’s dangerous.  I recognize that the difference of driving a few miles faster is rarely more than a few minutes, and those few minutes are hardly worth putting my life at risk.

However, while I can control myself on the road with patience and a conscious effort, it’s impossible to predict or control other drivers.  So much of the driving experience is dependent on the traffic and weather conditions.  Otherwise, all roads traveled would literally be just the same, with only a change in scenery.

Contemplating traffic and other travel conditions is of particular interest to me for two reasons.  The immediate reason is that to get to my AmeriCorps campus, I have opted to drive.  This drive will begin in Williamsburg, and take me through six states on the way to California.

Thanks for the image, Google Maps!

This will undoubtedly be an epic adventure!  I’m sincerely hoping that once we leave Tennessee, we won’t hit any more major traffic until San Diego.  Is that a realistic dream?  Are dreams supposed to be realistic?

This trip represents the last leg of my pre-AmeriCorps journey.  This is the last time I’ll get the chance to hang out with my mom before I leave for twelve months.  Though, barring an emergency, I will receive a break from Christmas to New Year’s  Day.

So what do you think?  Am I crazy to be driving as opposed to flying?  The main reason I am driving is so that I’ll have my car and the associated freedom to travel in my free time during and shortly after AmeriCorps.  On my to-visit list are Yosemite NP (again), Lake Tahoe, the redwoods, the Napa wine country, San Francisco (again), Portland, Seattle (again), the Cascade Range, and Glacier National Park.  I’m expecting to accomplish most of this in the weeks AFTER my service and before I drive back to VA in 2011.  I’m also driving because I love my new car and I would miss it for a whole year!  I get 36 mpg driving in town … and I imagine I’ll be getting 40+ on the highway!  Woohoo!

This is my beautiful automobile. Her name is Fifi the Fit!

The other reason I am interested in thinking about traffic is that driving is a big part of my AmeriCorps experience.  With my team all piled into a 15-passenger van, we’ll be hitting the road for much of the year.  Driving with AmeriCorps is much more strict than driving on my own.  Exceeding the speed limit while driving the vans is expressly prohibited.  So, we’re going to be those slow drivers in the right lane that everyone tailgates and then (sometimes wrecklessly) passes.  Not that I’m not that driver a lot of the time already…  But this time, it’s the rule.  It’s so tempting to speed, and other drivers get so upset when you don’t, that driving can sometimes be more stressful under those conditions.

So, it will be even more important to maintain a high level of patience and control while I’m driving with my team.  And what better way to practice than to drive roughly 3000 miles across the country.  Did I mention that the driving time is approximately 56 hours?  Did I mention that I’m just a little bit crazy (but in a good way)?

Packing

These next few weeks will be devoted primarily to the following activities: goodbyes, cleaning, and PACKING!  I’m trying to say my farewells to a number of very important people in my life, and a lot of that will take place in the span of just a couple of days as friends come back to town for a new school year…  Of course, it’s NOT as though I’m going to be gone forever…  But I will be away for a solid eleven months…  And actually, it’s really going to be more like a year and a bit, due to driving both ways from VA to CA, plus some travel plans I have following the completion of the program.  I’d love to find a friend or two in the program and travel throughout the pacific north west for a few weeks.  One place I absolutely MUST go also is Glacier National Park.  It’s been a dream of mine to visit there for many years…  But I digress…

I’ll also be cleaning because I’d like to leave my room and our house in excellent condition while I am away.  Now, as far as what happens after I’m gone … I’ve got no control over that.  But I’d like to get loose ends tied up and loose belongings put away…

But the biggest single project is PACKING!  There are so many things that AmeriCorps recommends that I bring …  And though it doesn’t seem like much other than clothes and toiletries, it feels like a lot…  Actually, it feels like they’re ASKING us to bring a lot, but expecting that we keep everything to an absolute minimum.  Mom keeps giving me a hard time about how I’m going to fit everything into my car.  But really I’m not bringing much, and this is the space I have available to fill!

The really difficult thing is that when they ask you to bring one or two outfits for each season … you think to yourself, “Which two outfits do I have that I will want to wear during ALL of my free time for the next year?”  It’s not an easy question to answer.  As a result, I will probably bring more than they suggest in the way of “free time clothes” because I do want all of my bases covered, and if I ever regretted anything about packing for college, it was the certain clothes I left behind.

But please don’t read this and think that I am obsessed with clothing or that I am one of those girls with an overstuffed closet. In fact, I am perfectly comfortable with the reality that I will be living most of the year out of a suitcase.  But due to the hassle of shipping things that I forget from VA to CA, I’d like to pack as much as is realistically possible WITHOUT going overboard.  My plan right now is to contain it all within two suitcases and one big plastic box (for the awkwardly sized items).  Sounds reasonable?  I think so…  I should check to see if the big plastic box fits in the trunk of my car (with the back seats up)…

So, I want to have enough clothes and footwear to keep me happy…  I want to NOT forget crucial items like a hair dryer or computer charger.  And I’m really torn about just how much “extra” stuff to bring.  I’ve already talked myself into a fan, and one decorative flower pot, as well as my colorful fabric boxes and laundry hamper.  But do I bring a holiday decoration or two?  Do I bring anything for a halloween costume?  It sounds silly to bring these things, but chances are I’ll be tempted to buy new things if I don’t have them with me.  And what good would that do?  I’ll still end the year with the stuff, and I’ll be out the money, all for the sake of being more moderately packed?  It’s a good thing I was only a girl scout for a few years.  I’ve already got the “be prepared” hardwired into my brain…  Years of scouting probably would have made me a MANIAC.

But packing has also meant some new purchases …  New winter coat (that I needed anyway), new athletic gear (I needed to replace mine), and some other odds and ends that included a wheel lock for my car.  So far, I think the three-in-one winter coat from L.L.Bean ($60) and the new running shoes from Nike ($99) have been my best purchases.  I mean, the coat included a fleece jacket as an under layer that completely separates from the shell as its own coat.  How great is that?

I think at this point, I’ve gathered most of the big items that I’ll need.  What remains are a few odd purchases (sunscreen, for instance) and the packing of my everyday things (shirts, pants) that I am reluctant to tuck away because I still use.  It all sounds so easy when I put it that way … but it still feels like I’ve got quite a long way to go.

And of course, I LITERALLY do have a long way.  Three weeks and three thousand miles separate me from the start of my AmeriCorps service.  I think I’ve run out of new ways to say that I’m EXCITED, but trust me, I AM!

Why Now?

Why did I choose AmeriCorps*NCCC … and why do it NOW?!

The answer may surprise you … and it happens to my ridiculously long.

1. Past service experiences

I’ve chosen to accept a position in AmeriCorps because of my strong background in community service.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, working with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) over two summers in high school is what initially got me PUMPED to serve others.  Honestly, we all serve others every day.  We help our friends and family out with their problems, because we love them.  Most jobs require that we help customers, clients, co-workers, or bosses, because they pay us.  We serve everyone around us by obeying traffic laws, recycling and not littering, getting an education, and living our days peacefully and productively.  But when you take a task that COULD be a job and call it “community service,” something special happens.  Through community service, you serve with no direct benefit to yourself.  No one directly loves you or pays you for your service.  However, there are certainly internal benefits, and there’s the benefit of the experience.  You may learn a new skill or meet an influential person in your life.  You may travel!  SCA took me to Denali National Park in Alaska and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in Kentucky (and VA/TN).  SCA gave me a taste of what it means to serve.  It was my gateway program.

Freshman year of college, I found myself with no desire to spend Spring Break week on a (cold) beach with (drunk, underage) friends all living in a (crowded, overpriced) beach house.  Shocker?  So, I woke up at 4:30am, walked all the way across campus, and sat in line for over four hours to sign up to volunteer my time.  Yeah – that’s how intense the culture of service is at W&M.  I got lucky and ended up selecting my first-choice trip.  After a great experience that first year, I jumped at the opportunity to lead a trip the following year.  Why?  Not for any good, dutiful reasons; I just wanted to avoid the line!  Turns out, every subsequent year there was some sort of lottery, because there will ALWAYS be more interested people than there are spots (similar to the AmeriCorps waitlist).  For trip-security and a myriad of other reasons, it was a great choice to be a Site Leader.  By the end of that second year, I determined that I would serve over every Spring Break, just to say that I did.  Trips 3 and 4 were each better than the first two years, and Trip 4 trumped them all (best project, location, group, and culinary experience).  Little did I know that these one-week mini-trips foreshadowed and prepared me for my role as a Team Leader in AmeriCorps.  I didn’t even KNOW about NCCC until the middle of Trip 4 Site Leader training.

I’ve always had a sense of camaraderie with colleagues my chosen major.  The Geology Department is unique in so many ways, from the fantastic trips we take, to the strong student-professor relationships, to the awesomely dorky social events we frequently hold.  Holiday brunches, Chili Cook-offs, and picnics GALORE!  I particularly enjoyed traveling with great friends to off-the-beaten-path places.  Within the AmeriCorps program, I see the opportunity to continue this sort of camaraderie and group travel that I have enjoyed in College.

I feel as though I should also throw in other (random) influences, such as my training in The Phoenix Project, Petersburg, VA, in the summer of ’08.  This intensive program helped me to see behind-the-scenes of running a not-for-profit business, and introduced me to a number of talented individuals who are really “going places.”

Finally, I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to lead cooking shifts with the W&M chapter of Campus Kitchens.  This organization is modeled after work by the DC Central Kitchen, and has been providing regular meals to our town for the past three years.  I loved working in the upbeat and sometimes hectic environment, as student from all walks of campus joined together to boil pasta, cut up whole chickens, and portion deserts from local grocery stores.  I also had an amazing co-leader who really made the experience for me!

2. Good education, lack of direction

I absolutely loved school, but after four years of the same routine, I was really ready for a break!  I see myself going back to school sometime in the next few years, but I have no idea in what field or to what degree.  I may branch off from Geology and go into a program for Forestry or Soil Science…  I just don’t know!

Either way, I was definitely NOT ready to apply to graduate programs last fall, and I’m STILL not ready.  Any my strongest instincts and closest mentors have all told me that grad school is NOT just something “to do.”  You have to know what you want, and how you’re going to get it.  So, I wait because it’s best for me.

BUT I also am not ready for any sort of sit-down, career-track, move-my-base-of-operations-permanently sort of gig.  With only a Bachelor’s degree, there’s very little now-a-days for which I am qualified that also falls into the category of “things I’d like to do.”  AmeriCorps fit the bill!

I am overjoyed at the opportunity to spend the coming year 1) employed, 2) not on my own, 3) traveling, 4) organized, 5) content.  As I mentioned before, I love service and I love travel.  And I even love group living.  And I get to be a part of all this for a year, then move on.  I like that.  We’ll see how I feel when I get to the “moving on” phase.

3. Impulsive decision-maker

Here’s how I chose my College.  First: It seemed like I’ve always wanted to go there because it’s a good VA school, and it’s within my family’s budget.  Second: I visited my College once or twice.  And I chose my high school courses with that College in mind.  Third: I applied to my College Early-Decision with no back-up plans at all.  Fourth: I got accepted to my College and never looked back.  I graduated four years later.  Fantastic!

Here’s how I chose my major.  I looked at majors online before I even know I had been accepted into the College.  I thought Geology sounded awesome.  In the first week of school, I went to the department and introduced myself as a major, securing my position on the email listserv.  I took courses to fulfill my major, and never looked back.  Great decision!

Here’s how I accepted my position in AmeriCorps.  First: A friend introduced me to the program as a recent alum, having only the best recommendation.  Second: I applied to the program.  I did have one back-up, but it was half-hearted.  Third: I interviewed at two campuses.  Fourth: I was accepted into the program.  That, plus a lot of paperwork along the way.  And I’m not looking back!

Moral of the story: I am impulsive, but my decisions always seem to work out well for me.  Maybe it’s the kind of person I am, the attitude I have, the training I have to make good decisions…  Or maybe it’s the rose-tinted shades of time…  But I do not regret a single one of my impulse decisions.  When a particular place, project, course, or thing speaks to me … I act accordingly.

4. A girl needs a year

I just don’t have things figured out right now.  I don’t know where I would like to live.  All I know is that I need to be away from home and be independent to a certain degree.

I also don’t know what field I’d like to tackle.  I’ve given a great deal of thought to a number of positions in the National Park Service.  I’ve also considered the USGS, NOAA, and the State Parks system, all of which have their advantages and disadvantages.  I know I need more education to go places, but if I have NO IDEA where I’m going, how can I choose the right degree?

I’m counting on this year with AmeriCorps to keep me busy, allow me to travel, allow me to build different skills, allow me to develop my leadership techniques, and assist me in my future endeavors.  I’m hoping to meet innumerable inspiring people, experience incalculable growth, and serve my National community in the most helpful and meaningful ways.

5. I need to serve

Nearly all my life I have been called to serve.  I don’t fit in with the commercial world, and I refuse to run the rat race.  I don’t think it could ever make me happy.  Digging in and getting my hands dirty (both literally and figuratively) is what makes me feel alive.

As I have named this blog, I sincerely hope I am able to find myself by losing myself in service to others.

Group Living

As I begin to consider my AmeriCorps NCCC experience in earnest, there are several things that strike me about this program.  Of course, there’s the discipline and routine that will probably be as close to military service as I ever find myself.  There’s also the extreme amount of flexibility associated with the location of spikes and the possibility that our whole routine may be turned upside down at the drop of a hat as we respond to a disaster.  You definitely have to be a certain kind of person to enjoy that sort of experience…  It’s too early to KNOW that I’ll enjoy it, but I have a pretty good feeling that AmeriCorps NCCC is not only “right up my alley” … it’s actually the perfect program for me.

Perhaps the MOST striking part of this program that is likely to take many people by surprise is the aspect of group living that is dominant in nearly every step of this process.  Group living is a lifestyle unlike any other, and one that very few people in my generation have experienced.  It involves not only the sacrifice of personal time, space, and boundaries, but also a willingness to act in a way that is best for the group at all times. This means that there should be no stragglers, picky eaters, or people who insist on highlighting their more odious qualities.  We are all a little quirky, but to get along in a group living situation, we must be content to be the most likable part of ourselves as much as possible.

Let me highlight some of the key complications realties of group living.

1. Less personal time and space. Very few opportunities to be quiet and peaceful, curl up with a good book, sleep in, or go off on your own.
2. Less time for personal hygiene.   Shorter showers, very little time alone in the bathroom, less time for primping and applying makeup.
3. Less choice in food for meals.  Group cooking involves making things that are easy, inexpensive, and pleasing to everyone.  I think one of the best ways to go about this is to cook in partners and let everyone have “control” over one meal each week.
4. Less choice in how you spend your time. Group living is very time-consuming.  It usually take a group two hours to get ready in the morning, when there are limited bathroom resources and people move at a variety of speeds.  Then, you must always wait for the whole group at a store or to leave on any trip.  You might think group cooking is easier, but it is actually sort of complicated, and everyone must be willing to pitch-in.  By the time you wake up earlier, work all day, and cook each dinner, very little time remains that is your own.

All this is not to say that group living is miserable.  I quite enjoy it.  My first experience with group living was on an SCA Trail Crew in high school.  There were six students and two co-leaders all living together in the woods.  Three people shared each tent, and we each had a different job to do each day.  For instance, one day I would be in charge of fetching water and the next cooking.  I actually enjoyed this first experience enough that I participated for a second summer with a different team.  I consider SCA to be my jumping-off point for every other significant service experience that I have ever had. To say that SCA changed my life forever is an understatement.

I also participated in several group living experiences in college, as both a leader (over three annual Spring Break weeks in three different east coast states) and a follower (on dozens of class and weekend field trips with the Geology Department and six weeks of extended field trips over two summers).  When I really sat down and thought about it, this means that I have experienced about four months of actual group living in the past six years.  That may not sound like much, but I’m pretty sure it’s more than most people that I know.

Now you may say to yourself, “sure I’ve been a part of that much group living – and then some!”  But I’m here to tell you that there is no substitute for the kind of group living that I’m talking about, and a lot of more common experiences simply don’t measure up.  Family vacations aren’t group living, because you are intimately acquainted.  Group living is about overcoming the differences that people from various upbringings have to cope with.  Dorm life – in college, boarding school, or summer camp – is not group living.  You may share a bathroom and a community fridge, but you’re on your own schedule and you’re able to “get away” from everything if you need to.  Camping is a kind of group living, so girl- and boy-scout trips would count.  Extended road trips with more than four people are also pretty close to group living.

I’m not writing this to suggest that group living is either scary or miserable.  However, I do think group living is a bit of a shock to the system, particularly if you’ve never experienced it before.  I’m sure that group living for nine months in a row will shock and exhaust me, despite the fact that I have some idea of what to expect.

The main mantra for group living, however, is to “expect the unexpected.”  Every group living situation I have been a part of has been completely different.  One year, we bought and used 16 dozen eggs and ate bagels like they were going out of style.  Another year, we had so many bags of left-over bagels and barely ate eggs at all.  This is because in a small group, the dynamic is so heavily influenced by each individual that you never know what to expect.  Still, the best thing to do is to stay positive, be flexible, and make the most of such a unique bonding experience.

Did I mention that some of my very closest friends have come from shared group living experiences?  Definitely looking forward to more of that in NCCC!

The Blueprints of NCCC

The basis of my AmeriCorps NCCC service is a foundation of discipline, routine, and service-learning.  From the official member handbook, the program combines “the best practices of civilian service with the best aspects of military service.”  I’ll probably post more about the day-to-day routine once I’ve actually experienced it.  For now, I’m going to stick to the big-picture topics.

The full name of this 10-month service experience is AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps.  It’s part of the Corporation for National and Community Service.  The program began in 1994 and I am a member of Class XVII.  The program now runs five regional campuses that serve all United States and territories.  Each campus runs separately, but all operate under the same basic precepts and guidelines.

For all Corps Members, the program begins in October and ends in July, but as a Team Leader (TL), I arrive one month in advance of the Corp Members (CM).  During this month, I will be trained in many critical areas of leadership and instruction so that I may be prepared to lead my team in all aspects of our projects and daily life.  What I’m most looking forward to from this period is getting to know my fellow TLs and hear about all of their amazing life stories.  Just from the facebook group, they seem like a pretty fascinating bunch of people.

Once the CMs arrive, we will remain on campus for another month to do CTI with them, during which my role as a leader will be similar to that of an RA (at least, as far as I understand).  Meetings and training sessions will continue, and the other TLs and I will be just generally responsible for CMs.  During this month, we will be introduced to our permanent teams (of around 10 CMs) and begin preparations to leave on our first SPIKE.

A spike is a 4-8 week long term of service that involves an AmeriCorps NCCC team leaves campus and works on projects in another city.  Each team will have around 4 spikes during the year, and will return to Sacramento for a week of transition between spikes.  Spike locations and projects will vary, and remain the most “unknown” part of the experience.  One thing I do know about every spike is that as a TL, I am the sole responsible party for my team, and everything we accomplish or fail to accomplish rests on my shoulders, to a certain extent.  This doesn’t mean that I am a dictator, and I intend to rely on my team to help me in my duties and make smart decisions for themselves.  The rules aren’t any less strict on spike, but enforcing them is completely up to me.  That’s not a lot to ask of a 22 year old, is it?  Well, by the time the teams come, I’ll be 23 … so I guess that will make it easier 😉

As I see it, some of the prominent aspects of AmeriCorps NCCC service include physical training (PT) three days a week, strict personal hygiene (including a uniform that is worn the majority of the time), holistic service-learning, and developing a high level of respect for your country, your community, your team, and yourself.  I hope that all of my CMs are willing to take this journey with me, having an open mine, a good sense of humor, and a great deal of determination.

One of the best parts about AmeriCorps NCCC is that I don’t know where the journey will take us, or what it will involve.  I don’t know who I’m going to meet or what we might be doing.  But I have an extremely high level of confidence that I will be prepared, and that the staff back at the Sacramento campus will help us make this the best experience it can be.  They will prepare us, guide us, and provide us with opportunities to learn and grow.  They have provided us with the blueprints, and we must build the house.