Life

I really like the quote "life is not about finding yourself its about creating yourself." And i do believe its true. The past few years I've set goals to "become the person I want to be." I think the hardest part about this year in Americorps was that i was starting to lose things thay are an integral part of who I am. I don't ride my bike, I don't do any taekwondo training, last round I only ate a burrito once! And I was living in a city with no trees or mountains (the geographical landscapes that I've decided are important to my life.) And by the end of the 8 weeks in Houston I was tired of it, and I couldn't wait to leave and just get away from my team and that whole round. Not because I didn't like them or the project (because i cherish my teammates, and the project was really interesting) but because I lost myself along the way. My identity came 2nd to the team identity. I was the team leader, and that was the sum of my existence. This round, in Arkansas, I'm recreating myself to be the person I want to be. This past weekend i had two goals: buy a bike, and eat a burrito. Mission Accomplished! Today I found a taekwondo school. Chad, the sign language interpreter we had for today over heard me mention that I did taekwondo, and told me about the school he teaches at. And so I went. And reclaimed a part of myself. It felt really great. I was helping a kid with his pattern that he's trying to learn, and by the end of it a bunch of the other kids had crowded around and we whispering that they thought I was pretty awesome. The instructors invited me back for the remaining month I'm in Arkansas. Yay! 

My project is also Amazing! Today we moved rocks to improve the West Summit trail at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. Theres a great view, the work is hard, but makes me feel strong, and the day moves quickly. I've started trailrunning in the evenings, and Hopefully when the weather improves I'll be able to do some yoga outside (not enough space in the trailer to do anything more intense than bending over...and even thats tough).

Project Start

Yesterday my team and I moved into our camping trailers at Pinnacle State Park. Or, as Patrick likes to say "Pickle State Park." The project start was delayed two weeks, so we have been working at Ferncliff Camp with Fire 9. The camp is an amazing facility, and we've been able to bike, and kayak, and hike, and use their recreational resources. At the site we've been doing a ton of maintenance projects, building gutters out of scrap metal, installing them on the cabins, building step up a slop, learning to weld to create laundry posts, installing a Kincade-esque rock path, and various landscaping tasks to make the camp look great.

Monday we'll start our work at Pinnacle with an orientation to the park, and then get working restoring the trails here.

A blog written on my phone while traveling in a van with my new team.

For a while we were in Oklahoma. It brouht back memories of last rounds' spiketravel when we ended up in oklaoma for no reason. I think we are supposed to be here this time. We are traveling to little rock, Arkansas where we will be trailbuilding at pinnacle state park. Unfortunately our housing isn't ready so for the first week we will be working with jourdan's team at ferncliff camp. Which should be pretty cool. My new team is awesome! Everyone is really enthusiastic about learning sign language and have picked up so much already! Right now as we travel they are learning and practicing! Last night was probably the most boric night of my life! Left alone in my hotel room I watched "how i metyour mother" until 1am, and drank terrible hotel coffee until I drifted off. I can't wait until my team gets used to me and actually wants to hang out with me. I think they're just not used to a team leader that wants to hang with their team  more often than not. I feel weird getting so attached to my new team but I'm habit a great time! While I hope all my permanent team mates are having a great time I don't want them to like their new teams more! When we reunite for 4th round I want them all to have missed each other (and me, obviously).

First week of February

A list to summarize my week:
Farmers market set up
Houston sees ice for first time ever; no one knows what to do and the highways are shut down.
The Monster stump is finally removed from Olivewood
I feel a little sick
Souperbowl for caring at Kroger where we helped load food for the Houston food bank into a truck
Vomit in the van
A cold snap. I haven't run and I'm going crazy.
I got to see Noel. We spooned in my cot. Let's be honest the cots aren't really big enough for one person.
I have a gray hair. When asked if I was going to live I said "no I'm goigto dye"
I'm going for a run now

My life at a glance

Most of our project takes place at Olivewood Cemetery. This past week we cleared out alot of stumps and brush to make room for a new fence and to improve the road near the new entrance. After several days of landscaping we got a dumpster and took a half day filling it with the organic material (branches mostly) to be removed. We still have several piles to be removed and hopefully will be able to this week. We also have removed nearly 20 bags of trash from the site. The cemetery has more land overgrown and unable to be seen than it does area cleared. There is a big ravine created by runoff from the nearby warehouses which has created a hole that is opening graves. We were told to be careful and watch out for bodies that have become unearthed. I love being outside everyday and the work really makes me feel good. The very first day I think I impressed my team at how much of a beast I am. I would go off on my own and return every once in a while carrying a huge pile of trees that I cut down. No chainsaws either, just handsaws and loppers. Very physical. The hardest part for me is being the responsible adult in charge all the time. I'm always dealing with some kind of housing issue (cold showers, fridge not working, oven not working, etc) as well as being the worksite supervisor. It's been really draining. I love it though.


Sent from my iPhone

The first two weeks in Houston were amazing! I love my team. Everyone is so enthusiastic about the project it's such a positive experience. The team is also really benefitting from living together, it's been so good for us and I wish we could have been on spike for our first round. Anyway we spend everyday outside in warm Houston sunshine and do physically demanding tasks that fill us with a sense of triumph, like pulling up stumps using shovels and cutting trees using hand saws. The progress we've made in just a week has been really rewarding! Well I'm going to go watch "H I Met Your Mother" with the team. It's raining and I'm ready for a relaxing day off!

On my way to Houston

R1: Done
Round 2: Begun
Today was our second day of spike travel. We drove from Amarillo, Texas to Dallas, Texas. A trip that ought to have taken place entirely in Texas. So you can imagine my surprise when we stopped at our first gas station and I was informed that we were in Oklahoma. It went a little something like this:
Me: Hmm...I think I'll pick up a Texas postcard to send to my grandma. Yeah! That'll be nice, I bet she'll like that! ::Walks over to post card rack:: Hmmm...I wonder why all these postcards are for Oklahoma...Why would a Texas gas station sell Oklahoma post cards?
Gas Station guy: Uhh...you're in Oklahoma ("you idiot" he was thinking loudly).
Me: WHAT!?!? HOW DID WE GET TO OKLAHOMA!?!? ::Purchases post card and walks out to truck:: Uhh...we're in Oklahoma...
Jen: Haha, yea Katie, okay.

So today's trip was about 2 hours longer than needed.
Today during the trip I said: "I want to go bowling"
Then my phone rang. It was Noel. She said: "Guess what!?! Our hotel is right next to a bowling alley!! BTW, where are you?
Me: Oklahoma
Noel: Yea right, where are you really?
Me: ...
Needless to say I schooled my teammates in a quick round of bowling (181)

Tomorrow we are arriving in Houston where we will begin a two month project working for the Houston Volunteer Initiative restoring the Olivewood Cemetery. Not only will we be doing landscaping and beautifying but we will also be working with archeologists once or twice a week.