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.