Round 1 - Complete

Round 1 has finally been completed (except for the paper work)

Overall, we visited over 10,000 houses and handed out over 2,000 bags, and over 8,000 door hangers.
I am so excited that this round is finally over.
I mean, don't get me wrong, our sponsor was fantastic. Everyone at the Regional Planning Commission we so great to us and offered us so much support. They were so appreciative of our assistance with not only canvassing, but being patient with them when we ran out of cities to canvass.
I am ecstatic to venture off to our next project. Tonight we met up with Cedar 1 and Maple 7, which was amazing. It was so great seeing Maria and Jackie, as well as Parker and other Corps Members. It was a relief to see other AmeriCorps members and it was wonderful picking right back up where we left off. I missed them so much. It's amazing how close you get to certain people depending on the circumstances. We knew each other for a month and I feel so close to certain people. I just wish I could feel more of that with my team.
I am hoping that next round brings out the best in people and we start realizing that we are all different and instead of shutting down, we start working on out our differences and work to become stronger and better workers.

I am looking forward to going home at the end of May to see my family and especially my Dad before his surgery. I know it will be hard to get back on that plane to head back to Wisconsin, but it will be for the best. I'm upset that Jason will still be in Malta when I come home. He is scheduled to fly home on June 2nd, only a few days after I leave. I wish he was going to be there with me, but I will have my family.

We will be heading to Dodgeville, WI, for 6 weeks to work at the Friendship Camp doing invasive species removal and then working on infrastructure improvement to some of their buildings. After the 6 weeks, we will be heading down back to Vinton, Iowa, to stay. We will be working down in Cedar Rapids at the Children's Science Center in the mall. That will be a nice chill down time before we go home for summer break! I am so excited to come home and see Jason. We get from June 30th to July 9th off, then its back to Vinton to begin Round 3!

Let's hope for the best next round!

Round 1 - Ahead of Schedule and Rocking the rural towns!

Canvassing has been pretty interesting.

We've already given out 600 bags to around 20 different communities. We are ahead of schedule and doing great!

Packing Bags on Day 1!

I was really freaked out about the idea of canvassing. Having to walk up to strangers doors and give them a speech about the program and why we are handing out these bags for free. Having to try to hand out at least 10 bags a day, AT LEAST! Having to approach people out of the blue and talk to them. Not what I normally do. But it's been far easier than I thought it would be.

Getting ready to canvass!!!

I've already built up my confidence within these past two weeks. I've been stopped mid speech and told "not interested". I've been shooed away from their property. AND I've gone through my whole specheal and they tell me not interested and go away haha. I don't really push and I don't mind at all. I understand what it's like to have strangers coming to your doors. You think we are selling something and when we say Free Bag, you look at us with this sense of unease. I get it.

Most of the people we have come across have been extremely sweet and are thankful for the free light bulbs they get in the bags!

The second day of work, our sponsor took us around town to show us the highlights of Champaign and we enjoyed a group photo in front of the circular barns they had on the U of I campus.

The joyous awkward pictures of everyone!

 So we've enjoyed the college night life (mainly Chipotle) and enjoyed getting some nice games of Kickball and Soccer in, as well as using the gym at the hotel.

We had a pretty nice thunder and lightening storm today. It poured and hailed on the ride home which is always nerve wracking! But we made it home safely and are ready to enjoy the weekend off.

I miss the people that I bonded with over CTI. I cannot wait to get back to Vinton and enjoy the few nights we have together reuniting. It's amazing how close I've become to certain people. I miss them terribly being away from them and we are still within a days drive of one another. Imagine how it will be once the program is over :(

We'll I've had a interesting week and I'm looking forward to letting off some steam tonight. Be safe and be wise :)

Greetings from Champaign, Illinois!

So we have arrived in Champaign, Illinois! It's been about 75 the past two days, which is a huge difference from the weather back in Vinton. It's nice being in a real city again. Full blown college town here, which is really nice. I love college towns. Such a sense of pride that you don't often find other places.

We arrived a the hotel around 2 on Monday and met up with our sponsor. Our hotel is older but great. Jess, Hayden, and I are sharing a duel room. 1 room has 2 queen beds, a tv, and a bathroom, and the joining room has a pull out couch, a chair, and a small kitchen like set up. The other girls have the same set up in another room and the boys are all sharing a loft, which is practically a small apartment. It's really nice. Our sponsor went way out of their way to make our stay amazing. After we met with our Sponsor at the hotel, we unpacked the van and then went over to her house for dinner which was awesome. She has the most adorable home. My Grandma would be jealous :). We had a small orientation with her, which was more of a nice introduction. Then she got us tickets to see a famous pianist, Ian Hobson, at the University which was wonderful. Since we had such a tight schedule, we didn't get to go and get Chipotle before we had to meet with the sponsor, so John took us by there and we got yummmmmy Chipotle!!! It was amazing.

This morning we arrived at the sponsor site, the Regional Planning Committee Office, and got not only a tour and orientation of the program, but they also took us around the city, showing us the major interests and other things. They also provided us with Jimmy Johns for lunch!! So needless to say, we had a great day. We stuffed 600 pages full of flyer's, referral information, and eco-light bulbs, all for our Energy Conservation canvassing. We start tomorrow in a smaller town on the outskirts of town at 10 AM. We have PT at 7 AM and then relaxing till it's time to head out!

I miss Jason terribly. He's only been able to email me at random due to stormy weather and lack of internet. :(
I worry about him over there and there's nothing I can do except hope that every email I get is one from him.
July can't get here quick enough

Some pictures of the day!:

Just a neighborhood in Champaign, Illinois

This park has a nature trail that has multiple sculptures on the trail. 

Round Barns

Oak II!

Here's the team!

Sorority Houses in Illinois

Another Sorority house

Packing 600 bags!

Oak II Gets their work done!

That is all for now. More updates about Round 1 to come :)

CTI Mini Spike

So for our CTI Mini Spike, Oak II was assigned to Tilford Elementary School in Vinton from Feb. 29th to March 2nd,  to do some maintenance work around the school as well as work in some classrooms as a teachers aid. I worked with a 1st grade class each morning and did various tasks in the afternoons (cleaning lockers, working with the Principal [Laminating and discarding old textbooks], cutting brush from around the school grounds, a bit of mulching in the school garden, and on Friday I continued to work in the classroom with the 1st graders). It was a lot of fun. The kids were great. They were so excited to have us there. 

Front view of the school

We got to eat breakfast and lunch with the kids, which was great because I have never experienced an indoor school! So we all sat together with the kids and enjoyed their questions and comments :)

Cleaned kids lockers out! 

The boys worked cleaning out the shed. James (right) trying and succeeding at being creepy.

The Auditorium seats that some team members shampooed and vacuumed 

The large mulch pile and the garden on the right

Here are just some pictures from the project

Saquisa and I working hard on the first day

Friday was a long day

Jess Lester. My New York Twin!

Cheesy group Feet shot

Johns favorite picture EVER

Girls at work!

Finished our Mini Spike with a bang!

So I had my first snow day ever on Friday! It had snowed all night and into the morning so the facilitators for our Disaster Training were unable to make it to campus. Which is unfortunate because I was really looking forward to that training! O well, it will be rescheduled for some time later this week. So our team went into Cedar Rapids to do some shopping and just get out of town.

Jackie taught Casey and I how to make hemp rings and I am looking forward to making some awesome bracelets. She knows so many rad crafty things, so I'm pretty excited about it.

Craft Nights! That's my ring in the making on my leg

I miss home a lot. I had a great conversation with my mom the other night and it just made me realize how lucky I am to be here. I have been given the opportunity of a lifetime and I have no intention on wasting that. My parents have given me everything I have and made me the person I am today. I am so proud to be their daughter. My mother has sacrificed so many dreams and adventures on other's behalf's and I can't wait to see the adventures she takes. I can't wait to see her accomplish some of her own dreams :) We all have the chance. Each day is a new day, a new opportunity to change our lives. Being here has made me realize that I don't want to be on the back burner. I have already upgraded my leadership skills and everyday, I feel like I am learning something new or realizing the progress in my self.

Last night we saw Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close at the local theater. It was so good. The boy who played Oskar was FANTASTIC! Such a difficult role to play and he nailed it. The book is amazing. The movie was pretty up to par with the book. I just can't describe it. Just go see it.

Training week 2 is almost over. This week we’ve been through Red Cross CPR/First Aid, Diversity Training, Hands of Peace, Physical Training, Driving Test, and Jess and I finished our team brochure!

CPR/First aid was great because now that I am Red Cross certified, I am able to take some of the online/class courses RC offers to increase my knowledge regarding disaster! Today we have Disaster Training and Shelter Management training. I’ve been looking forward to these courses all week.

Diversity Training was a great team builder for our team. It was basically an overview of all the ethics courses I’ve taken, but having it be geared towards our program was helpful in the team building aspect.

Part of our Group in Diversity Training

Hands of Peace was great. I not only took away a sense of connection with our team, but I want to take the Hands of Peace training with me to whatever future job/back to camp. It was such a great team building course. You discuss Active Listening, I-Messages, Mediation, etc., and focus on understanding and listening to one another through all of these aspects. I think our team really took something away from it.

Awkward Group Picture Number 1!

Physical Training has been so great. Although I hate initially waking up for it, I really do enjoy it. I feel great and I am definitely feeling the change in my aura, ha-ha. We do PT every MWF. Monday we did the “Deck o’ Death” in which each suite is assigned an exercise and the number on the card is the amount of that exercise you do. Ex: Diamonds are Push-Ups, so the 5 of Diamonds means you do 5 push-ups. Each member draws a card until the deck is over. It was killer. I have never done as many push-ups as I have done here. I hate them, but I noticed today that I AM getting stronger and can last longer! Progress! Wednesday we worked out in the gym doing Ladders and Stretching. Ladders are you  climbing a ladder and the only way to the top is to do push-ups and sit-ups. So on the 1^st step, you do 1 of each thing (1 push-up, 1 sit-up), the 2^nd step you do 2 of each item (2 push-ups, 2 sit-ups), the 3^rd you do three, and so on and so on. We went to ten, then down to 5, then back up to 10, then down to 1. Then this morning, Friday, we went to the local middle school and played an awesome game of dodgeball! So needless to say, not all PT is bad. I’ve come to look forward to it. I like the routine.

The Driving Test was great! I passed the test to drive our 15 passenger vans that our issued to our team. Jess and I, besides John, are the only two official team drivers. Another girl is in the process of getting her driving record so she will be able to be a driver. We drove to the World’s Largest Frying Pan in Brandon, Iowa.

My happy ass in the Worlds Largest Frying Pan

The Other Van Drivers and Myself!

Jess and I completed our team brochure last night and I personally think it looks awesome! We still need to take an official group picture to complete it.

It snowed last night and it was so much fun. It snowed over the weekend as well and we had a glorious time sledding and making snowmen! We also had a great snowball fight going on.

The snow from last night has stuck and it was beautiful this morning. A beautiful white landscape that is so pure and clean. It’s just a beautiful site to wake up to.

I am starting to feel really comfortable here. My team is beginning to open up and step out of their comfort zones. I am getting to know my new friends very well and beginning to really grow a friendship.

Hoping around the town

Last night had to be one of the best nights, not only while being in Vinton, but in general. After a hard week of training and lectures, we all let loose and relaxed for a good night on the town. Although I won't get into details on here, it was filled with Karaoke, LOTS of singing and dancing, laughing, amazing pool shots, party fouls, pizza hut, and the only two of age places in town within walking distance of campus :) . Everyone, whether you knew each other or not, sang together and danced together like we had been friends for a life time. The one benefit to nights like those :)

(I'm sure you can all figure it out. Since I am representing Americorp, I don't feel the need to go into detail about some things, if you dig what I mean.)

Americorps has brought us all together from all walks of life. We all have differences and similarities. Last night was just an all around, amazing night, other than breaking my camera and the awkward moments with some older male locals :) i At least for me :)

Today is a day of rest and relaxation. Well deserved I do believe!