Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Life Lessons

            High school is an important four years of a person’s life. It’s the transition between being a small and naive child into an adult capable of leaving home either to college or the workforce. High school is required to mold students, give them the skills and confidence in order to be successful. Some people find this change through sports, or personal experiences or other clubs. I found this necessary change through service learning. I have been in service learning groups since my freshmen year when I was in the New York Service Learning Trip. For the following three years I did NOLA and now that the final school trip is done I’ve looked back and was able to see how fully responsible service learning is for the person I am today.
            Back in middle school I was quiet, shy and invisible to everyone except my friends. I was scared of everything, unable to even raise my hand in class because I was afraid I would be wrong. Then I entered freshmen year and I felt like I faded even more and got more scared; there were too many new people, I rarely was in classes with my close friends (All my friends were in band), and the school was huge. I signed up for the New York Service trip because my sister was in NOLA and it sounded like fun. I was glad when I got in but if I had known how important to me this program would become I would’ve been fully and utterly relaxed.
            The change started at the first fundraiser New York did; we went to a professional hockey game and sold chuck-a-puck bags. The problem was we had to get people to buy them and to do that we needed their attention. I knew I had to yell. For someone who spoke few words to people I wasn’t comfortable with I was freaked out. I made a choice though in that moment; I was comfortable with Kane, I was comfortable with the other NY girl I was with and I wanted the fundraiser to be successful, so I started yelling. I yelled and I yelled and I yelled until my throat was sore and I knew what I was doing was alright and nothing to be afraid of. We left that night with our fundraiser successful and me just a little less scared of the world.
            Over the next few years change like this occurred slowly as all change occurs but each meeting, each fundraiser gave me more personal skills and knowledge. NOLA has taught me such simple things as how to talk to professional people on the phone, how to advertise, how to plan events, how to speak in front of large groups of people and how to organize sales. These simple things were followed by larger ideas; NOLA taught me to be confident of myself, taught me to be comfortable in new situations, and most importantly taught me I have a lot of offer to the world.

            This year I am about to graduate. I have multiple schools to choose from, multiple paths my life can take. I’m not afraid though, the idea of college terrified me four years ago but now I know I will be successful in any of the paths I choose. The only thing I’m scared about is that I won’t be able to have another experience as amazing as NOLA has been. Each year when I go down to New Orleans I am given a week with 40 people who care about me and trust me like I care and trust them. I get to work as hard as I possibly can while leaving behind all my trouble from school or my personal life. NOLA is a break from life where I have a huge family; everyone should be able to experience this type of personal experience.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Homesickness at Home

"It's a funny thing coming home. Nothing changes. Everything looks the same, feels the same, even smells the same. You realize what's changed is you." -F. Scott Fitzgerald


    
     I know no one said it would be easy, but I also don't recall anyone saying it would be this hard. Today I found myself stuck in a rut. It's so difficult because my body's here, but my head and heart are in New Orleans. Today I had an attention span the size of a peanut and sitting here right now I am still unable to self motivate enough to even pick up the unfriendly looking homework. No matter what I was doing today, I could not keep my focus on anything for more than 5 seconds. So here I am, staring at my blinking cursor and the Google homepage attempting to start a 7 page research paper on the cult of domesticity at 7 in the morning, but all I can think about is how I would much rather be watching the sunrise in New Orleans and eating breakfast with 48 other people. Here I am forgetting every Spanish vocabulary word I've ever known apparently, but I'd much rather be starting off my day at a worksite or even learning ladder safety from Twiggy and Darrell (yeah, I'm that desperate...UM). Here I am completely missing every entrance and dynamic marking in wind symphony, but I'd much rather be enjoying my satisfying lunch break in the warm sun. And here I am, getting off the bus to go home. An extremely peculiar thing for me to do seeing as it is Monday, and for the past 10 months, 2:00 to 3:30 every Monday has been a special time slot reserved for NOLA meetings and nothing else. I would much rather be at a meeting. Or on the balcony. Or around the fire at reflection. As awful as it sounds, I would much rather be there than here (sorry mom).
      
"If you want to know where your heart lies, look to where your mind goes when it wanders."




     I want to write very plainly about this so that anyone reading who was not on the trip can get a slight understanding for what I'm saying and might even be comforted by the honesty. Before this trip when NOLA veterans would speak of New Orleans being their 'home away from home', I told myself that was...bologna...for lack of a better word (mom's probably reading this, gotta have censorship). The concept of a place feeling like home after only 8 days seemed strange and unfeasible to me. I was mistaken. After just a few days down in New Orleans you get into a routine that you become comfortable with, both mentally and physically you start to conform to this routine so that it becomes second nature and hard to break. After having such a tough time readjusting to "reality" at school today, I've started to think: how odd that I can feel so misplaced in the only place I've ever known as home, yet in New Orleans I felt a sense of comfort and belonging even after only a handful of days.


~Dominique

Recipe for Happiness

Endorphins give an absolutely euphoric sensation, mix endorphins with service learning and you will find the most incredible feeling in the world. Gutting a house is extremely taxing work. While gutting you are conscious of every inch of your body, your arms ache from hammering at the ceiling, your back burns from bending in every direction, your feet become exhausted from the extra weight of sledge hammers, however the one thing that feels sensational is your heart. The house has a way of speaking to you in a non creepy or haunted way but in a way in which you can learn to appreciate it's history. The "Dust Crew" (my amazing group) found a Halloween mask, a newspaper from 1946, family photos, and sport equipment bag underneath the rubble. Standing in a room covered with rotting wood, chunks of the wall, and dust I could still envision the moments that took place there. Being able to imagine the birthdays, weddings, family dinners that took place in that home was amazing. I felt like I was becoming a part of those memories in a way.  It was an amazing experience not only to destroy a wall but gaining the ability to connect with your work on an emotional level is up-lifting. Connecting with the Dust Crew, the house, and my work was completely transformational.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Stars & Scars

               It is so difficult to find a way to interpret the innumerable amount of reflections I've had to summarize the past three years of NOLA. There have been so many memories made, all of which I will always cherish and pass on to those I love. I will try to explain an epiphany I've been realizing the past few days... As hard work and dedication drive every student involved in this organization, there are bound to be a frequent manifestation of scars. I'm not referring to the scars you'd anticipate to read about. I am writing about the ones that have no meaning on the outside, but the ones that have an ethereal meaning on the inside. Everyone that has experienced the thrill and euphoria of this journey understands what I mean. The scars hold celestial memories, like that of gutting an entire house embodied by a gash or a scratch. The torn knuckles created by jagged siding that was painted so meticulously. The skinned knees formed from playing too much knock-out at the basketball court. The cut elbows from pulling hundreds of pounds of food from an enormous box to redistribute to families in need. Every scar has its purpose and its message. Those that are left on the inside are sometimes even more profound than the cosmetic wounds. The feeling of dismay when a man or woman has no place to stay but an abandoned parking lot. The mourning of those whose lives were stolen by a storm of unthinkable proportion. The sadness that is spawned by the harsh reality of privilege. Scars represent the materialization of remembrance and consciousness of a life lived. They are not a negative aspect of life, but a reassuring one, and one that portrays a moment in time that a lesson was learned. New Orleans has left many scars on all of us, both good and bad. Do not take advantage of them. Remember why they are there and what part of your life was affected by their existence. Reflect on how you may have affected those around you in that moment. Now look at the stars. They are a paradigm of hope. The bright quiver of light they radiate so far up above us symbolizes an illuminated future. Use the lessons of your past to guide you and to push forward. If you set goals and have aspirations you will accomplish anything, no matter of its arduousness. You will discover the real you by examining your stars and scars. The hope, memories, aspirations, inspirations, motivation, and passions you have are all inside of you, just waiting to be unveiled. New Orleans has proven this to me. Everyone who participated in service learning at my side also know it. I am so grateful and proud to have been a part of this experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I have opened my eyes to a greater perspective and have finally learned that everything in life serves a purpose. I hope I've touched the hearts of others as much as they have mine. Inspiration is not easy to come by, but NOLA has provided me all I've ever needed and what I have to show for it are my scars and the stars above.

-Bryan Vachon


To Do List

Does anyone ever really find themselves? Or are we always searching for something that we may never find. We all feel lost, out of place and we're just looking for somewhere to belong. We're all too busy trying to find ourselves on some dramatic journey that we can't see we've already been found. We're just waiting for our mind to be ready to accept who you are. NOLA is my home and it's where I belong. I learned more in this week about myself than I had ever hoped to. As I expressed at reflection on our last night I feel as though I've lost myself somewhere along the road and I'm desperately trying to find where I fell off. I've done some thinking this week and I came up with a "To Do List" to live a happier and more fulfilled life.

1. Start putting everything you have into anything you do. Either you put 100% effort into what you're doing or don't do it. What's the point of doing something if it isn't your absolute best. Why waste your time?

2. Forgive and forget. Stop dwindling on the past. There's nothing you can do to change the past. It's dead and gone. You have to learn from your mistakes and go with the flow.

3. Cherish your family. They're always going to be there for you no matter what. It doesn't matter how frustrated they make you at the end of the day they're the ones who know you better than anyone.

4. The love you give into this world is the same amount you're going to receive. If you're putting out negative vibes that's all you'll receive.

5. Accept others for what they are. Don't try to change them and make them something they aren't. If everyone was able to forget about everyone's differences and live in harmony the World could be such a beautiful place.

6. Accept yourself. Sometimes all you have is yourself. If you can't love yourself how can you live a happy life. Don't try to change yourself, you are who you are and that's OK. You don't need to conform to anything in this World. You just do what makes you happy and that's all that matters.

Every year I venture down to NOLA I learn more and more about myself. I don't know where I would be without this program. It's shaping me into what I want to be and it's making me a better person. I still haven't found exactly what I'm looking for but does anyone really? It's opened my eyes to all the beauty in the World and I feel for the first time I can see clearly.

Meg Hawkins

My New Home

Over the past 10 months, I have had probably one of the strangest experiences any high school kid could have. I've stayed after school for days on end, begged Starbucks and Paneras for pastry and coffee donations after others had fallen through, planned fundraisers, served around the community, gained 48 new family members, and changed my life. No matter how crazy busy my life has been this year, it has easily been the best yet, and an amazing way to end my high school career.

I have only been a part of NM's Service Learning program for two years now, unlike many who have been for four, and I regret every second of freshmen and sophomore year for not signing up. Through this program I have learned the values of life, how to appreciate what I have, and realize how lucky I am to be raised the way I was. I've always known that I was lucky, because I always have 3 meals a day, have a roof over my head, and a family that loves and cares about me, but I never really understood that some people don't have this.

Over the past 8 days, I'm pretty sure the whole experience was just a roller coaster that hasn't even come to an end yet, starting at the top with the plane ride down with 42 of my closest friends, and still running now with coping with being back in Townsend again. From touring the lower ninth, to  visiting the quarter. From working at the church, Milton Mary's, Shalom Zone, Houma, Green Light, Arc, and Second Harvest, to our free time, Smoothie King trips, Bops, CiCi's, reflections by the fire, nights on the balcony,and rides in the vans, I don't know what I would do without every single person in the program.

I haven't really come back to reality yet: falling asleep in a room by myself, waking up and eating breakfast alone, and simply wearing a jacket again, it's just not normal again yet. As of right now, I'm definitely on a low part of my own personal roller coaster, as we've been calling it the Post NOLA Depression (believe me it's actually a thing... And so is Senioritis, but that's a story for another day) and it's definitely not the easiest thing, knowing that my last service learning trip with North Middlesex is over, the fact that I've had my final reflection by the fire, and that there are a lot of underclassmen in the group that have the chance to go to New Orleans again and experience it all over. But I know soon enough I'll start climbing back up the hill, maybe it'll be tomorrow morning, making sandwiches in Kane's room with you all again, or maybe I'll be next week, or maybe the next time I make it back down to New Orleans, as I know I will make it back down again someday.

Everyone keeps asking if I'm glad to be home, and asking if we did a lot of work in New Orleans, and my response will always be "I'm glad to be back in Townsend to see my family and friends again, but there's no way I could ever have a more life changing experience with my new family in my new home."

-Sam Meehan

Dear Dylan,

I should've typed and posted this last night when we got off the plane:
    
     These are things I feel I need to tell you about but I don't believe they are things I can be poetic about.
     I've been trying to write this for awhile now. Being 40,000 feet up in the air with nearly 4 hours of spare time, I figure now would be a good time to conjoin my thoughts. Last Saturday, our first full day in New Orleans, we visited the lower ninth ward and saw many parts of the city. Probably to your amazement, we saw much demolition and debris still left from the storm. This is not a poem. We had the opportunity to see and go inside a small, very typical New Orleans style shotgun house. When I say typical not only do I mean in the sense of the architectural layout of the house, but also in the sense that like many other homes in New Orleans, this house was completely destroyed and ripped apart by Katrina. We walked around inside the gutted house, trying to get the slightest idea of what it might have been like to live in this house. This not a poem. You won't know the troubles I've seen unless you've seen them yourselves, likewise, I will never know the troubles these people have experienced because I was not there to experience it.
      I keep looking down at all the blank space on this sheet of paper and then out the window of the plane at skyscrapers that appear to be half the size of my fingernail from up here. At the paper and out the window. Over and over again I repeat this and I am still unsure of what it is exactly that I am trying to convey to you.
     While in the abandoned house we came across a notebook lying on the dusty floor. The notebook contained love letters addressed to Dylan from Monique. The love letters were discussing how she had been and what she had been up to and classes she was taking. In one of them she explained how this was not the only letter she had written to him and not sent. I obviously don't know much about Dylan nor Monique except form whatever I read in the letters, but it got me wondering: would she have ended up sending them?
     Down here at cemeteries, caskets and tombstones are both above ground so that if a storm were to hit again we wouldn't be seeing any caskets coming up from the ground and dead bodies floating down the streets like they've seen before. Mr. Kane was telling us how in some parts of the city if we were to dig down a few feet we would still find parts to washing machines and pieces of appliances from washed out homes.
     These are things I feel I need to tell you about but I don't believe they are things that I can be poetic about. Because there's nothing beautiful about never sent love letters. There's nothing beautiful about abandoned destroyed houses. There's nothing beautiful about spray painted x's on the front paneling to tell you what diseases they found and how many dead bodies they found within the home upon inspection. And there's certainly nothing beautiful about dead bodies breaking out of their caskets and floating down the streets- in a city which is already drowning in 20 feet of water. And that's just the beginning.


~Dominique

An Experience of a Lifetime

Today I sit here in Pepperell, MA pondering all of my thoughts and really absorbing what has just hit me. I am usually not an emotional person at all but once I returned home and sat in my bedroom reading all those comments that my peers wrote about me I broke down. During the trip when others cried and were upset I always wondered what made them so upset and how their emotions took over so quickly. I can honestly say I understand now, the aftermath of the trip is what got to me. The second we arrived home I was so exciting to see my family and talk with them about what I consider to be the best week of my life. However when I walked through my front door every time I spoke I choked on my words, not being able to explain anything because every time I opened my mouth the memories would come back into my mind. During the trip I dreaded reflections but understood that they were so necessary for a trip like this. Last night the only think I said to myself was I want to be around a fire in New Orleans with 48 of my best friends who I call a family now.

Before leaving for the trip everyone who was a returning member told me you will change. The thought of change scared me, was it going to be for the better or worse? The moment I knew it was going to be was for the better was on Monday after I did my first day of service at Mr. George's house for United Saints. I got out of a 12 passenger van and saw this beautiful mural across the street it stated "Be the Change... You seek". The change I want to seek is to become a better person to those directly around me like friends and family and to help those whom are in need. New Orleans has changed me, I have learned so much from all of the people that I have spent this last week with and it's going to take time to recover mentally and emotionally from what I have just endured. I can not thank every other member in this fantastic group enough for all they have done for me so for one last time I say Thank you everyone and I love all of you so much

~Michael Spagnolo

Emotions Running High

As I sit here at my desk after a restful night of sixteen hours of much needed sleep and enduring the longest day of travel I have had in a very long time, my mind has wandered to all of my responsibilities now that I have returned. (Those two essays are not looking very friendly right about now.) I had such a great time reading my green sheet when I woke up this morning. All so genuine. I certainly did not realize what everyone noticed about me during the week. This trip has been such an emotional ride for everyone. However for me as a returner, it was strangely more emotional than last year. I had no idea what my second trip to New Orleans had in store for me. As a sophomore, I did not realize the emotional impact of what we were doing. I've gone back and forth with my emotions already today. From frustration to enthusiasm. I will be taking the New Orleans 2014 experience and applying it to my everyday life. I have set that goal for myself, along with a few others that I will not be able to accomplish until I return next year for my third and final year on the NMRHS NOLA Service Learning trip in 2015. As I have told many of my peers as we returned from this trip, it was an emotional experience that even some adults in our life won't ever be able to fathom. 


-Marie

Saturday, February 22, 2014

We Are One

We are all the same.
Although we come from different backgrounds and experience different obstacles in our lives, I believe we are the same. We are all teenagers who are rambling to find a place in this world. 

I know that for me, coming from a different culture compared to my peers, I have tried to fit in all my life. This ideology has created another side to me; from the way I act to the things I say. To be honest, like many others I am very self conscious, especially of the way I talk, as english is my second language. All these years of trying to assimilate into this society has plastered mask on me. Those who has known me for a while know how mute I was during my first few years at school; I barely talked much even with my closest friends. Throughout the years, my thoughts and feelings have always been contradictory. I was an attention seeker as a child, but when I came into a completely new surrounding, I wasn't so sure anymore. I like attention( I mean, who doesn't), but my constant fear of being looked down and bullied prevented me from revealing myself. Although, I was a native born citizen, I was not exposed to the American culture until third grade. Unconsciously in my youthful mind, I was jealous of the "cool" kids and wanted to be like them. I wanted the vast friendships they had and their outgoing personalities. It was only with the arrival of genuine friends like DJ, did I realize that being "cool" was not important and having one true friend outweighed all the others who were just "friends". From then on, alongside the growing friendships and my improvement in English, my mask that I put on began to disintegrate. 

Each year a piece of my mask falls off and I reveal a sliver of my  inner self. This journey of scavenging for the true me is extensive but worthwhile, and it is only through the encouragements and kindness from people like you guys that I obtain the confidence to show others another facet of me. Through the reflections people gave during this trip, I came to understand that as teenagers and young adults of great will and unlimited passion, all we need is the right people, joyful memories, and a little guidance.

There are still many pieces of me that have yet to be displayed. Until I gain full confidence and courage, I will try my best to sustain my transformation. I believe through patience, hardships, and love I will eventually be able to fully remove my mask and I know that others like me can do it as well. 

Remember, we are the same. No one should feel left out because we all reach for the same goal. The goal to find the true place where we belong. 

-Linda Zheng

Everlasting Change

The last day of the trip, but my first time blogging ever. I find myself dumbfounded and ecstatic this trip happened. To be given an opportunity to help right where hurricane Katreina hit, there are no words to describe it. I found myself with the group in the ninth ward of New Orleans one of the first days. If you don't know exactly what the ninth ward is, that is where most of the major floods happened. They were hit incredibly hard. What I realized at the moment we walked around the neighborhood, was that I was standing exactly where I saw around eight years ago people stranded on their roofs waiting for help. I remember that time, watching my television with my mom by my side, staring at the catastrophic event that was taking place. These New Orleans returners have been stricken with devastation, no one can change that. But they definitely can get help dealing with what happened. When I was sitting in the car in the ninth, one word popped into my thoughts, plagued. These poor poor human beings had lived through so much. And that's one reason I believe it's great to come down to New Orleans. Moral support; hope and to show we care. It's such a moving thing, what Mr. Kane has created. And I can easily say he is my hero. Out of all the politicians, celebrities, friends and family members, Mr. Kane is one of my biggest heroes in this world. No amount of thanks can justify how grateful I am for this experience.
~ Kaitlyn Istnick

Life of the past

          Before the trip Kane always talked about the difference between 'Nola' time and normal time, however I never could really understand until I experienced it myself. Boy, was that realization a doozy. This trip - or should I say journey, has felt like a day. Yet each day felt like weeks. Looking back over my entire experience, I can proudly say that I have indeed changed, this trip placed all of the trivial quarrels and trials in my life into immense perspective. The worldseems much more grey than ever before, and although that may be confusing and emotional at times, one should always prefer grey over checker board.
          What I found to be particularly amazing, was how quickly United Saints became my home. Early on my second morning down in New Orleans I came to except my fate. This was my new home, these were me new family members, and that mess hall was our dining room. So once I returned to my real home here, something was wrong. It was as if I had abandoned my new life, for a life of the past. For if one thing is for sure, I am no longer the same. I have seen some pretty interesting things this past week, yet the sight that I deemed to be the strangest - was my own bedroom. Something about my room felt off, yet for a few minutes I could not realize what it was. Until it hit me and the water works began to shed once more... I was alone in my room, with only my self and my dog. Not ten others.
       Of course, it was impeccably amazing to see my family again, yet amongst all the reunion hugs, I could still feel the hugs of our departure lingering through me. I have made so many friends, as well as made prior ones indestructible. This was truly the best experience of my small seventeen years. Although I know and understand that others will not be able to fully grasp the emotions and the memories I hold, I still feel comforted knowing that my fellow travelers will well understand and relate.  I miss everyone so much already! I am so much looking forward to our continuation of the sandwich making at seven o clock in the beloved Kane's room. Thank you for such an amazing, and life changing experience. As J.A. Put it to my friend and I "This program will straight up ruin your life, but you will be okay with that," and he was right, I will never see things the same again, but the fact is - I don't want to.
                            - Hannah Britten

The Life Change

Although this trip was only a week long it was truly a life changing experience for me. Prior to this trip I was not who I wanted to be, nor was I happy with who I was. I did not believe that I was a key member in the group and I felt like I should not have been chosen. However through this trip I proved my worth to the group always giving 110% of my effort while on the work sites and usually doing the heavy lifting and the dirty work that not many other people wanted to do. I also think that I inspired others to also give it their all at the worksites, also being able to help out others and show them how to do certain things with power tools or just the work in general. Through the whole NOLA experience I have truly become who I have strived and wanted to be. I know that this was only my first year and also my last, but this truly was a life changing experience.
Before getting chosen for the group I was just one of those random faces in the hallway. When walking from class to class I would often just put my head down trying not to make eye contact with anyone as I was ashamed of who I was. I tried to impress others by the way I dressed and the way I acted and most importantly the car that I bought. I have never really been liked by a lot of people so I thought having a nice car would make people like me, but kept enough it actually did the opposite. The people I tried to impress to gain their friendship actually disowned me and disregarded me. I worked my hardest for almost 3 years to save up enough money to buy it myself. I though that this was my greatest accomplishment, however looking back on the trip today on the flight to Houston, I realized that this is not the case.
My greatest accomplishment is that of finding who I really am and now accepting and being happy with who I am and have become. Although I am still not confident and only talked at reflections once because I was very anxious and nervous, I decided to blog about my feelings instead. Even though I did not publicly make known my feelings and emotions till 2 nights ago with a small group of people I can now call really good friends, I still got so much out of this whole experience, more than money can buy and the money that the trip required.
Down here in New Orleans I felt alive, and instead of living in the future and ignoring what is right in front of me, I started to live in the moment and have so much fun. This is the happiest and most satisfying time in my life right now, bring able to be who I want to be and also share all of the great memories with 42 other students and the 6 chaperones that came along the trip as well. I could not imagine going on this trip with anyone but the group that came down here, I just want to thank every single one of you because you have all shaped me and helped me gain the confidence to be who I want to be and no longer do I have to put on a "hard outer shell". This trip has given me the confidence to live in the moment and not in the future, because frankly before this experience I was not enjoying the life that I was living.
I used to make the days go by before high school by playing video games most of the day because I did not have a lot of friends. This was my way of interacting with people who actually "liked" me even though they had never met me before nor did they know who I was, where I was from or even what I looked like. Then once high school hit I started to work more, going to school and then to work and getting home around 10 most week nights. I would then eat dinner and do some homework and then go to bed. I was not a very social kid so this is how my life was spent. On this trip I gained the confidence to be able to talk to anyone about anything, even my feelings which I do not usually share or let be known to others.
Lastly I just want to say thank you to everyone who was there when I needed them 2 nights ago after reflection. I can honestly say that you all mean so much to me now after all that was said. I just hope that after today, once this trip is completely over, that we can stay in touch and continue the friendship(s) that were only found midway through this 8 day trip. I just wish we got to be better friends before the trip in the 10 month span prior.
"Be the change you seek in the world" is now a saying that is embedded in my mind and will be for the rest of my life. I can not wait until the day where I am a licensed doctor and will be able to help others in their time(s) of need everyday for the rest of my life. I am really grateful and humbled to be able to be a part of an organization that is so great and can make the seemly impossible possible through hard work and dedication.
~Mike Niemi

Friday, February 21, 2014

Creating Bonds and Support

A few days ago, I worked on gutting a house we know as Milton Mary's house. I've been wanting to write this post for a while but I couldn't quite find the words. I am the kind of person that loves nothing more than using the power tools and doing manual labor. But that day, it wasn't as much about that for me as it was to reach my goals and watching everyone in this group grow and change into the people that I have seen in the past few days. It dawned on me how something as simple as taking down base boards of a wall or ripping down a ceiling can form a strong bond with the people which you are working with. These bonds are something special and beautiful that don't come along too often. I am lucky to have experienced this multiple times and really understand how one person and their actions and connection to you can have such an effect on one person's life.

Today, I went back to the Milton Mary house and something that I came across was very symbolic and meaningful to me. There was a door upstairs that only one hinge attached to what was left of the door frame, but it was surrounded by pieces of wood and broken pieces of the walls that we had demolished and gutted in the previous days, so it was supported and could stand. I hadn't realized the reason the door was able to stand at first, and began cleaning up the wood and debris that was surrounding the door. Soon after the debris was cleaned up and in the dumpster, I realized that the door could not stand on its own. I believe that this door symbolizes our group perfectly. Like that door, we all have our own imperfections and obstacles that we have to face, but we are able to move through these obstacles because like that door, we each have forty eight other people who are full of love and compassion that we are able to be supported. I dare say that these people that I have only spent the past ten short months with are like family to me. I love every one of them. Without them, without this program, I don't know where I would be in my life. Maybe I would be like that door with only one hinge, just trying to hold on and stay standing. I am fortunate enough to say that is not my case and that. Have so many people that would be there to support me through my obstacles and imperfections, as all of us would do for anybody in our "family." I couldn't be any more thankful and lucky to have met every single person in this group, and I will certainly never forget this experience.

Danielle Crouse

Words can not even describe...

I have learned so much about myself, the group and what it means to be a part of something bigger.  I am endlessly grateful for my opportunity to be a part of this group, and to have grown as a person along side of each and everyone of my peers in this group.

As the week started, I was so overjoyed to be down here in New Orleans for purely service.  But what I got out of this program I dare say might be more than I ever could have put out in work.  I had my expectations shattered by the group, the individuals and the work we did.  The whole program is immensely important and I could not even begin to describe how I feel right now.  I am feeling so much joy tonight on the last morning at 12:36 am Saturday morning.  But with this joy comes some sadness, I really don't want to have to go back and assimilate back into our everyday school lives.  I say that we don't have to, I say that why should the group change back into who we are at school just because this week is over.  The sides of people that I see here on this trip are some of the most genuine and kind people I have ever met, and to be honest I did not expect some people to break their shells.

This entire week I hadn't really been thinking about what the end would feel like, I was trying to live in the present moment and enjoy as much as possible while I could.  But now that we are here I find myself wishing that we had more time,  as I am sure many of us are at this point.

At our reflection tonight I did not share everything that I had on my mind because I wanted elaborate on this more than I may have been able to do at the reflection.  I am usually a very outwardly happy or friendly guy, or at least I try to be, but as a few people brought up today they were not as they seemed.  I try not to come out of my comfort zone a lot and sharing emotions is something I have an extremely difficult time doing.  I spoke to a few people about this during the week, about how I felt that I didn't really fit in or I felt like I didn't belong, I know now and will always know that each and every one of this group in some way would be there for me if I needed it, and for that I couldn't be more thankful.

I now realize that all of my self conscience ideas about myself were totally and utterly wrong, and that each person and individual would gladly help me or anyone out if they were ever in need, whether it be rebuilding a house or just offering a condolence or some support to anyone who may be feeling down.

I would like to end this blog with a quote, and here comes the nerd in me, it is from J.R.R Tolkien.
"Courage will now be your best defense against the storm that is at hand."  I chose to include this quote for a few reasons, but the most significant reason being that it takes courage to be a volunteer, it takes courage to give up so much of your time, it takes courage to offer yourself unconditionally to assist anyone in need, to be selfless, and that courage is something each and every one of the individuals in this group possess.
-Tyler Ruf

What I have seen and who I have become to be

This is not known to most people, but I am not very confident with myself, nor am I able to communicate my feelings very well with others. Even tonight before two other members of the group opened up to the rest of the group, I wanted to let everyone know how I was feeling but I still couldn't find the confidence to share my feelings or who I truly am. So instead, like two other nights this week I decided to blog about those feelings instead.
Every night at the reflections I have so much to say and so many emotions to express but when the time comes I can not find the words to truly express how I am feeling. I am not very confident speaking in front of others, although in school it seems to be different, I tend to just keep to myself and share the least amount of emotions and experiences as possible.
Being down here with everyone for the first time has truly changed my life and no amount of thanks would ever be enough to express how truly grateful I am. Just in the 6 days that I have been down here I have worked the hardest that I have ever worked in my whole 17years of existing on this Earth. This work that I have done has also been the most rewarding and satisfying work that I have ever done as well. I am a very hard worker and I work a consistent 30+ hours at my job every week along with going to school everyday and playing sports for NM. However none of that compares to the amount of service and work that I have down while down here in New Orleans. No amount of work that I do back in Madsachusetts will ever equal this experience and the work that I have done in just these few couple days.
Words can not and never will be able to describe this experience as it is truely life changing. At the very first reflection Mr. Kane said that everyone would get emotional and I didn't believe him, but after tonight I saw that he was correct. In my emotions tonight I wrote up a poem:

Be the Change you want to see:

Waking up in the morning is like your homes stay
Then comes breakfast, get up and go, time to make your own
Making a difference is what we are doing, not here to just play
The work is so hard don't even try to be caught on your phone

From the work site of Milton where it all started
Gutting and smashing is what is happening there
Everyone working hard, and all open hearted
Even tearing down the ceiling leaving nothing to spare

Then going to Ernest George's where the work is close to being done
Seeing the joy coming back into his eyes,  so close to being back
I do not like painting, but the group there made it all the fun
Like the flood from Katerina, giving no warning to try and pack

New friendships were made, and old ones were lost
Although time is short, and the trip is coming to an end
Doing the work on the site at every and all cost
I have realized now that, till the very end they will be my friend

~Mike Niemi

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Meaningful Aggression


On Monday of the trip I visited a man's house by the name of Mr. George. I went with a small group and we were working toward finishing up on the interior of his home. We had to do things like texturing, painting, and- my favorite- tearing up his deteriorated linoleum flooring.  The best part about this specific project was that Mr. George helped us and worked with us on the remodeling. He was with us through the whole experience and got to see his home transform. I knew that he was unable to live in the home for quite a while and I loved being able to  help him reach that goal of returning. He made me realize how we really are here not just to serve people, but work with them to accomplish what they couldn't without our help. Today I was really excited to sign up for the Mr. George project again. I had connected with it on a more personal level than the other sites and wanted to see the progress that had been made throughout the week. Sadly, not enough slots were available and I ended up working at a different home that needed to be gutted. I had already done it on Tuesday and I have to admit I was really disappointed. The gutting site had been a blast, but all I had really done was smash walls apart with heavy tools and release constant physical aggression. It was a great experience, but it didn't live up to the connection I had made at Mr. George's house. When I arrived I was working on dismantling the ceiling and I was trying to find a way to make the experience meaningful rather than just physically demanding. I found the solution unexpectedly. I was in a room alone and I spotted something in the rubble. It turned out to be a school picture of a nine year old named Derrick (it was depicted on the backside). Despite the fact that it was just a simple picture, it impacted me profoundly. I came to the realization that you don't need to meet the people you're helping. All that matters in service is that you are benefiting someone and it doesn't matter who. This boy had lived in the house and with my tireless efforts I was helping restore the home for someone else to live in. Another nine year old could have his school picture hanging up in the same room someday. I'll probably never know and there's a sort of beauty in that. I was doing the work without hope for immediate gratification. I was doing work simply for the sake of compassion and human decency. I realized that doing a job without affiliating with the person(s) you're helping doesn't make it any less meaningful or special. I found a way to make tearing apart ceilings and walls, covering myself with a thick layer of dust and dirt, extremely personal. This inspired me to work harder for the rest of the day, trip, and probably any time I do a service in the future. I hope this newfound philosophy sticks with me over time.

Molly Cassidy

The Learning In Service

"Service learning" is a term I've heard so many times that I don't think about the words anymore. But service learning is a strange phrase when you consider it. I didn't understand at first. Learning takes place in school. Service involves no textbooks. The ideas to me were incongruous.

One of the first lessons I was taught in this program is that there is no service without learning. I have never been to a job site and not felt like my perspective changed. Being involved in service has taught me more than I ever could have learned from a book.

One of the first job sites we worked at this year was HOUMA, a Native American reserve. I found myself up on scaffolding,  trying to nail ceiling boards back in place. We soon discovered that owls lived in the attic space above us, by the hundreds of bones pouring onto our heads every time a hammer hit. But what I took away from that experience was not the apparent horror of the situation. The two girls up there with me and I wanted to go back up there after a break and were disgruntled to find others on the scaffolding. We had fun. We sincerely enjoyed the work and each other's company. Throughout this week, I've seen the same trend. It taught me to find joy in unexpected circumstances.

I've also learned that my perceived limits are not the true extent of my ability. I never pictured myself  on a 24 foot ladder, as I'm terrified of heights. But one literal step at a time, I found myself scraping the paint from a second story window. When I was gutting at Milton Mary's, I paused from my work demolishing walls with a hammer. I realized that my friend and I had created so much rubble that an entire staircase was unusable for an hour. There's something empowering about that.

Service work has given to me so much more than I have given to others and I am so thankful to have gotten involved. I have learned countless lessons and I know I will continue to for the remainder of the trip.

Lisa Clark

Freedom From My Own Mind

Brash. Loud. Talkative. Confident. I tend to be this one sided extrovert who seems to be in a perpetual good mood back home. I use humor and a smile to attempt to talk to anyone, probably because I am an attention seeker who loves the sound of my own voice. But everyday I've reached a point at my work site where I am working by myself in silence, alone with my thoughts. On every other service learning trip I've been on I craved conversation, and couldn't stand a menial task without a good conversation to accompany it. But there's been a change in me this year and I find myself perfectly content to be alone with my work, listening to the radio and not thinking. As a constant worrier, this clear mind is paradise. In my service I have found an escape from the constant fear of insignificant and unimportant consequences. I am being the change without the fear that I'll miss a homework assignment, or I won't get into my top choice college, or I'll make some poor decision at this vital point in my life that can destroy all I have worked for. Service is my freedom from my own mind. Unlike at any other place, I can take deep breaths, and paint for hours without a care in the world.

Katherine Koulopoulos

Acceptance


During our group's first team bonding day at the beginning of the school year Mr. Kane had us all work to develop a few goals for the following months together. One of these goals included trying to eliminate cliques within our group. As soon as I read it I could tell that it was far-reaching and probably unattainable. As we're all high school students, forming cliques is inevitably our favorite thing to do. Once we find a close group of friends, we typically stay with them and avoid all other excessive interaction. Even by the last meeting, I really believed we hadn't come close to our goal. I remember looking around the room and seeing everyone in the same seats they had sat in at every meeting, with the same people holding private conversations. When we were pushed  to decide whether or not we had accomplished it everyone agreed that we had. I still couldn't find it in myself to agree, but didn't speak up to avoid seeming too pessimistic. Later, when we left for New Orleans  I thought the unsociable attitude between groups was still evident. Throughout the year I've often felt like an outsider within the group. As a first year member it's especially hard to gain that sense of community with everyone else. I've never been especially extroverted so for me it was even harder to escape my infinitesimal comfort zone.  To my surprise this all finally changed once we arrived. It was almost as if  just being surrounded by the beautiful city changed everyone's perception of each other. As soon as we walked outside of the stress-ridden airport everyone had suddenly become best friends. I found myself running around in a small patch of grass outside completely giddy at the fact that there was no snow in sight and I had the entire week ahead of me. I no longer cared about who my previous "clique" had included, and neither did anyone else. We all acted as though these social barriers between us never existed.  Today, on the sixth day of the trip, I'm talking to people I never really did during the school year. And although we find ourselves sometimes regressing back to our usual groups, it's nothing like what it had been.  I've become incredibly comfortable, often times too comfortable, around people I had barely spoken to prior to our arrival. I don't have to battle with  as many feelings of inferiority or  outlandishness. As cheesy as it sounds, we really have become one big family. I love each member of this group more than words can express and the unity between us is stronger than I ever could have thought possible.

Molly Cassidy

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Tearing Down Walls

Today I was able to see myself in a different light than I normally look at myself with. I was gutting the Miltin Mary house. Gutting had been one of the aspects of this trip I'd look forward to most. For some reason I just knew that I would enjoy destroying walls with all the strength I could find, strength I was unaware I had, to reveal the bare bones that would serve as a base for a new home that would house so many future lives. I loved the idea of tearing down the old to make room for the new. As I ripped down intire sections of wall, more than just the beems that suported the house were exposed, I also found the strength and suport within myself. In that moment, standing in the narrow space that once was a closet sending board after board tumbling to the ground with just one tug of the hammer I realized that I have the strength to do nearly anything as long as I put my mind to it and truely care about what I am doing. I can completely gut four closests with minimal help if I am determined to finish them all independently and leave my mark on some one I wil never meet. In the same sense I realized I also possess the srength to over come one the largest obstacle in my life, being shy and all if the anxiety that comes with being shy. Lately I've been struggling with my own self doubt and trying to break out of my shell. Every time I try, I find my shy exterior getting in the way of the real me busting through the walls I've put up. Today hammer in hand I felt none of the usual helplessness that typically accompanies the idea of overcoming being shy. I felt truly impowered. I finally saw that I could reverse being shy as long as I put my all into and have the determination to finish what I started. I can tear off my shell as long as I just picture gutting and remember that feeling of power and strength as the nail covered boards fell to my feet and old drywall filled the sir. I just need to pick up a hamer and tear away all the walls I've put up over my many silent years in order to let my thoughts and ideas shine through.
My experience today brought me back to a week ago at our pre-trip team bonding. As one of our activities we were each given a board. On one side we put a goal of ours, on the other side all the things holding us back. My goal was to always feel free to speak my mind and my set backs were all the various aspects of myself I'm not too happy with. Then using our bare hands we broke through the board. The activity, and the feeling of bliss afterwards have remained in my mind. Today gutting brought my back to that moment, back to the idea that if I can break through a board that easily, I can overcome, I already have over come, so much more than I give myself credit for. Amongst all the ruble and dust today I saw in myself for the first time the strength and personal growth I have been told by my friends I now posses. I saw that I am in fact powerful enough to tear down walls, be they dry wall and wood or anxiety and reservation. I just need the will to do it and the drive to finish.
~Rachael Savage

Just a thought - 2/19/2014 - Matt Desrosiers

I'm not the type of person who likes to talk in front of large groups or the one who likes to be the center of attention. Quite frankly I hate it.  Every night while reflection takes place I have my own little reflection  in my head and numerous thoughts pile up. With all the talk about this being that last year for many seniors, including me, I took into consideration of what some people were saying about the passion they had for certain projects.  They are so dedicated to that one project and they get so caught up in it and don't realize all of the different opportunities that they are missing out on because every single job site gives off a different type of satisfaction when completed. I know that it is what they want to do but personally, I feel that everyone should explore a variety of projects and do as many different things as they can.  I made a connection with the future in saying that nobody in life should limit themself to just one thing and one thing only, everyone should do anything and everything that they believe they can do. Knowing that I only have a few days left in the service learning program at North Middlesex and with Mr. Kane I want to challenge myself  and challenge everyone who reads this to step out of your comfort zone and take different opportunities in life. Just because you may not like the idea of going out of your comfort zone and trying something new doesn't mean you shouldn't because somewhere someone won't ever get the opportunity that may come your way.

Humanity and fear

We are a few days into this trip and I feel myself becoming increasingly more emotional, or rather just reflective I guess. I have really started to just sit back and think and genuinely consider both myself as well as the concept of humanity.  The amount of just raw humanity that is shown by this group is simply inspiring to me. I experienced something today that, at first made me angry but transpired into something much more positive. I was standing at the top of a 25-foot ladder today, completey petrified, as with every gust of wind, shift of balance, or pretty much anything else I saw as an obstacle, I would put down my paintbrush, close my eyes, and stand frozen for a moment. To those who do not know me very well, you should know that I do not often accept my own fears because I feel like if I don't recognize a fear then it in turn just won't exist. So with this said I forced myself to stay on the ladder, although for only about 20 minutes. Eventually I got down from the ladder and when asked if I wanted to go back up I knew that I was not willing to do it. I beat myself up over what I thought was some great act of cowardice on my part because I was not mentally strong enough  to go back up the ladder.
It was not until about 20 minute ago, at around 11pm that I stopped beating myself up about how for one of the first times in my life I just could not shake a feeling of fear. What kind of made me step back and reconsider my experience was when my oldest friend, who had been on the ladder next to me, says "In almost 15 years of friendship I don't know if I have ever seen you so terrified." She then continued to say how proud she was of me for trying, and for pushing myself beyond the little bubble of security that I have always been so comfortable in.
So this "humanity" that I speak of became clear to me, not just in this one instance of friendship, but throughout this trip as a whole thus far. I find it absolutely beautiful that I have been given the opportunity to surround myself with people so in touch with humanity. These people encourage me to be a better person, not for the sake of competition, but because it is just the right thing to do. It pains me to think that we only have 2 more days before we leave to go back to Massachusetts because I don't ever want to stop being reminded of the love, dedication, commitment, and kindness that I have seen while on this trip.
-Mary Shakshober

Like a grain of salt

Today I was at Milton Mary gutting the house for the second time and it was nothing like the first time I was there for on Monday. Today's work was very small and tedious to start the day off with. The group started with putting all of the finishing touched on the bottom floor especially, making all the edges clean and removing all of the dry wall and denailing all of the support beams that are left intact. This was a totally different experience then that of Monday where we were putting sledge hammers into untouched walls and hammers into every small crack and crevice trying to remove large amounts of debris. Doing this type of work today made me realize that everything is not always as it seems, and that in fact every little thing matters.
Today was also the hardest day of my life, not only was the labor demanding on the body (carrying 60+ lb barrels of debris down spiral stairs), but also emotionally. The feeling of leaving and not being able to experience this again, being a first time senior, really started to set in. Also the thought of home and family members constantly wondering how you are doing and what it is like is truly hard. This is also my first time being so far away from home alone, without anyone else from my family but now because of that everyone down here is truly becoming family to me.
Today was also the day where I was not working the entire time. Today I was "forced" to sit on the side lines just after lunch break was over and watch as everyone else was working around me from the group. This was due to a minor accident that caused my hand to swell up pretty bad, only the annoyance and the task of reducing the swelling kept me from not working more. From me not being able to work for that time was hard on me especially because I love to work and I do not like to quit on anything that I do. However seeing how everyone worked  together today was truly special and something that I have never experienced before.
I have come to realize that this is the hardest that I am probably ever going to work in my life. After high school I am going to college to become a Doctor and thinking on this today made me realize that being a doctor is not going to be this hard. I will never leave an operating room or hospital and have my skin be darker than the black colored shirt that I am wearing.
The most satisfying part of this is that we are here making others days better and giving them hope for their future. Even better than that, the most satisfying work that I have done is the work that no one will ever directly thank you for. We are not doing this for the thank you's and the praise, rather because they are human just like we are and deserve and will have the same things that we do. As said in the reflection tonight, "Quality is dignity". Every day so far down here I have seen everyone giving 110% at all times and producing professional quality work, even though we are just a group of 43 high school students no older than 18.
I just wish that this journey did not have to end in just a few days as I have truly changed as a person for the better in these 10+ months being in the program and just the 5 days that we have been down in New Orleans doing this service.
A saying has always stuck with me since learning it in Latin class and this saying is "Carpe Diem!", which means "Seize the Day!". This whole NOLA experience has really made me realize that now, in this moment, I truly am making the most of every moment and every opportunity that I have while down here. I just can't wait to see what I can do to make a difference once this trip is over and I am back to my regular life in Massachusetts
~Mike Niemi

A Change in Perspective

I have started to see a change in myself this week. It started at Green Light on Saturday. Green Light is an organization that has volunteers go around and change people's incandescent lightbulbs into CFL lightbulbs to help conserve energy. My group was dispatched to a very impoverished neighborhood and I remember feeling confused as to why they would just let some teens walk around and go into the homes of strangers. This put me on edge as we navigated the streets. As we walked by one home, a man came out from his backyard and started speaking loudly and walking towards us. He spoke so fast I couldn't comprehend what was saying. I ignored him and kept walking because I assumed he was probably kind of crazy or meant us harm. But he came up to me and said "Are you all ignoring me? I am trying to tell you that I am one of the houses that needs lightbulbs." I felt so guilty for immediately judging this man because of where he lived and how he was speaking. So after that I set a goal to look at people in a different light. He helped me change. I am reminded of a quote from Buddha that goes "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." . I know now that I must use common sense, but to also treat people with respect and give everyone a chance. That man opened my eyes to one of my weaknesses. I know now that every person I interact with should be thought of as a teacher.

Different Perspective

The stories I hear at reflection each night from my peers have given me insight to the accomplishments of each day at their respective work sites. Hearing about each experience at the end of an exhausting yet fun filled day inspires me. Inspiration that I have experienced in no place other than New Orleans. When we come together for reflection, each student has already had such different experiences. By the end of the week, not one person will have been at the same place with the same people every single day. Each individual is different, as is each experience but with that we all take away something so similar. A true understanding to the meaning of service. Imagine- a group of 40+ teenagers, who enthusiastically embrace the experience of service in an amazing city. Students from the most diverse areas of North Middlesex come together to tile a floor, paint a church, or gut an entire house. What is most amazing to me, is when you need help, any kind of help, someone from a different social group is there for you. They will hold the ten-foot ladder so you do not fall. It is experiences like this that give me faith in the goodness of humanity. I have been able to embrace every second of my New Orleans experience this year, and for that I am grateful.
Marie

February 18, 2014 - Matt Desrosiers

Today I woke up not knowing what to expect of the Milton Mary gutting worksite even after all of the good things that I heard about it.  During all of the preparations and safety procedures everyone seemed eager to start working and tear the house apart.  Although work started slow with tedious clean up from the previous day, it brightened up a bit when I got to get rid of unwanted stress by smashing and kicking my way through walls.  Today I worked with some new people for the first time since the beginning of the trip and what I realized today was that it is just so incredibly easy to become really close to someone while working with them.  It doesn't matter what you're doing or how long you're doing it for or even if you're communicating with them, work always seems to bring people closer because doing a job is much easier with some company.  Being with my peers outside of the school environment really showed me the true personalities of the "quiet" kids, but in reality I just never really had the chance to talk to them.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

A random jumble of thoughts: BV

Today was a day of constant self reflection and some inevitable nostalgia. This blog post will just serve as a poorly articulated string of today's thoughts, not really as a recap of the day's work. Listening to everyone around the fire influenced me to think hard about where I'm currently at in this final journey with NM service learning. I contemplated ways to form the thousands of emotions swirling around my mind into words and I am still struggling to do so. The reflections of newcomers helped me realize what the two most important parts about this group are; growth and change. Not one person here is the same person that landed in New Orleans last Friday. It's a truly awe inspiring thing to see my peers grow and display selflessness and altruism every single day. Seeing others develop into better people inspires me to do the same and I have had this experience every year in this program. A huge goal of mine is to pass my experience to others so they will do the same.

Sorry for having no sentence structure and most likely poor grammar, seeing as how this is being typed on my phone. Until later, Bryan Vachon.

Half way

Hannah Britten
Realizing that it was already Tuesday, I began reflecting  specifically on the beginning of the journey. I enjoy routine,  so I found it dumbfounding that by the second day of this amazing journey, I had already accepted united saints as my new home. This is my bed, my room, my people.
Today I went to an amazing foundation called ARC, a group that recycles old Mardi gras beads by re selling them and using the money to employ amazing people - who so happened to have a mental disorder. This trip has finally proven to me, that my core opinion is correct. I have finally been met half way with the concept : everyone has goodness and impeccable potential inside of  them. Throughout my life I have come across people who deem that ideal to be sweet yet unrealistic. Yet there I was inside peoples homes replacing lightbulbs, with extravagant kindness and thanks. There I was talking to a man who abandoned his wonderful job and abruptly moved to New Orleans after Katrina. And there I was hugging a man, who pleaded for me never  to forget him. The emotion and truth behind every soul is amazing. This adventure has been a year in the making, and four years in my dreams. So here I am - not helping, but assisting a cause bigger than myself ...Thank you to all my peers, mentors, and family. I have realized so much this trip.

My Really Cool Moment

So my name is Brandon and, as the title suggests, i had a really cool moment today. On my way back from a long day sorting beads at ARC, i saw something from the road that really moved me. Last year i spent a day working on a large urban mural on Hoffman Street. The point of the project was to brighten the mood of the neighborhood, which was rather rundown. The project was run by a man by the name of Henry who is no longer volunteering with United Saints. This was one of my favorite projects last year because it was so much different than all of the others and i had many a conversation with Henry, who was an amazing artist and individual and also an avid fan of underground hip-hop, like myself. Anyway, we painted an amazing mural that really brightened the neighborhood (along with several other incredible works of art that Henry did by himself on other occasions). Wow, i just realized how much i was rambling. Oh well, back to the point of this post. Today i saw that mural. From the road. Just as bright and beautiful as it was the day i finished it. It was untouched. No graffiti. No weathering. No fading. It was perfect. Just as i remembered it. And maybe this was just me since i helped paint it, but it really seemed to brighten that neighborhood. It was one of the most amazing feelings. To realize that i was a part of the change that that neighborhood experienced. As Ghandi and Mr. Kane have always preached, I WAS the change. I helped to brighten. I DID that. It was incredible.  I was speechless. I cant even explain the euphoria. And dont even get me started on the nostalgia. So many memories. I could go on for days and nobody reading this would be able to experience, or even understand what i was feeling. It was truly amazing.


Monday, February 17, 2014

First Day at United Saints

I really enjoyed my first day working for United Saints and the experiences I have had so far on this trip. Although painting the church was not my first choice, I decided to take the best out of it. I am most surprised by how much I enjoyed standing on the ladders. Personally, I am afraid of heights and did not think I would want to stay on those high ladders. I don't know exactly what made me step on it; maybe I just didn't have the time to think about it or maybe, in reality I am not afraid of heights. From the second I stepped on the ladder, I realized the word fear was never created but only present in the back of our minds. I felt that I was too concentrated on the specs I had to paint that I erased my fear of heights from my mind. It is only through today's experienced that I have understood the meaning of overcoming obstacles.

Rebuilding Myself

I can honestly say that today was the hardest I've worked in my entire life. I spent the day gutting a house, which basically means I took a sledgehammer and crowbar to drywall and tile for 7 hours. Between wearing respirators and the 80 degree humidity inside the house it was almost impossible to breathe, but i still managed to have more fun than I've had in a long time. I couldn't believe how much progress we made by the end of the day, and I think the site coordinator felt the same way. We worked so efficiently as a team and I'm honestly proud to be a part of such a devoted group.

One of the questions I've been asked a lot throughout my years in the program is why we still go down to New Orleans still since it's been 9 years since Katrina. I've come to realize pretty defiantly that Nola is about much more than rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina, or even rebuilding in general. Down here we work with a demographic that flat-out doesn't exist in Massachusetts. The relationships we form and experiences we go through are so different from anything back home and I think that is the learning part of Nola service learning. I'm so happy to have been a part of this program and I know that i wouldn't be the same person had I never got involved.

- Miles Massidda

Gutting

My name is Lizzie, and I'm a senior. Though I've done other service trips, this is my first year in NOLA.

Today I gutted a house that hasn't been touched since the storm in 2005. That means we ripped down everything. We tore up the walls until all that was left were the bare bones of the house. This was an any means necessary sort of mission, and our rag tag team of about 15, me being one of three girls, were armed with sledgehammers, hammers, and crow bars of all different sizes. We threw our weight against these tools with 115% effort, and the time flew by.

We each were required to wear work gloves, safety glasses, a respirator, and a hard hat. Trust me when I say that every single one of these items saved me from serious injury on multiple occasions. I have an unbelievable respect for those who do this work every day.

If you're not familiar with construction, this may not be easy to imagine.

Picture this: you're on a rickety ladder, and every time you slam your hammer against the wall, it rains Sheetrock chunks, nails, toxic dust, and shards of black mold wood splinters. It's hot, you can barely breathe, there's noise everywhere: grunting as people exert every bit of energy they have to do this massive job, hammers banging, shovels scraping. And somehow, as you blink the shratnal out of your eyes, you find you are having the best time of your life.
That was today. There was a special place we were all in, where we just worked, and were sensitive to each other's needs. It's impossible to talk with the bright pink respirator, but somehow... We made it work.

I can't explain it. Today was was one of the best days of my life. I felt like I was finally a part of New Orleans. What we did mattered,, and I can't wait to make more memories like this.

Houma: Your home away from home

Today was my first full day being down in New Orleans doing service. Today's service was done at a Houma school house that needed to be painted, stairways rebuilt and also trees and brush to be removed to form a walkable path. I chose to tear down and rebuild the main entrance to the school house, which required a lot of time and effort from everyone. Tomas, the head of the projects today was very helpful and trusted all 43 of us like we were his own family. He trusted us to use all of the tools that we needed to complete the job, anywhere from a simple tape measure to cutting 2x4's with a skill saw and keeping them in place using a compressed air nail-gun. Today's service reminded me a  lot of the work that I have done in the last with my grandfather. My grandfather and I have done everything from cutting down trees to building and painting staircases.
However today was totally different from any of these experiences that I have had in the past. With my grandfather, I would do a lot of the "heavy looking on", gathering and handing him the tools that he needed for the job. He would also tell me what to do and how to do it and would watch over my shoulder as I did it. He would correct me when I was wrong or not as accurate as he wanted me to be. Today was the total opposite, the tools were already gathered and at times they were handed to me. I was looked at as sort of a "leader" in this situation as I had some experience in this type of work but did not tell anyone. Tomas looked to me and told me what needed to be done and I went out and either did it myself or informed the rest of the group on what needed to be done. "Measure twice and cut once" was a saying that was heard a lot throughout the day, just like when working with my grandfather. We managed to finished both stairways, painting the main room in the school, nailing all of the ceiling boards back in place and widening the path that was made last year behind the school.I hope that this was just the start of the great work that we all can do when we come together and work as one!
     ~Mike Niemi

Sunday, February 16, 2014

First Impressions

        New Orleans, what can I say. I've heard countless stories of this city from friends, Mr. Kane and my brother Nick, but I never truly understood what the hype was. Well, now I do. We had an amazing first day, and we've had a great start to a second. The first thing that struck me as out of the ordinary when we got of the plane Friday night was that it wasn't below freezing. It's been in the 70's and gorgeously sunny so far, which is fantastic! A little too fantastic actually, because I already have a sun burn (sorry dad) but I'm getting the zinc oxide out today, so I have my fingers crossed. We started out yesterday by touring the lower 9th Ward, which is the part of the city worst hit by hurricane Katrina. Learning the history of the area and seeing the devastation first hand was eye opening, and really put into perspective the reasons we are taking this trip. We continued the day by visiting Blair Groceries, an organic garden in the heart of the lower 9th. Blair is the organization that prompted the growth of our community garden in North Middlesex, so seeing where the first ideas blossomed from was spectacular. We then volunteered with project green light, an organization that replaces incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient CFL lightbulbs around the city of New Orleans for free. This was the first real service we had done, and even though it was not very demanding, it gave us a good opportunity to see the city and it's people. We ended the day with a visit to the French Quarter, where the first Mardi Gras parade was taking place.

        Even though the French Quarter was by far the most fun part of the day, the most significant for me was the few hours we spent at Blair. The head of the organization, Turner, explained how they began and what they have been doing with the community. He also helped me understand some of the issues in the lower 9th that have arisen since Katrina. As he continued to speak I became captivated by his views on sustainable living and food justice. It wasn't until he had stopped doing the talking, and had asked us what we could do to expand our school garden and further help the community, that I had my breakthrough. He had been talking about how little work it is to raise chickens, and how you can make a profit by selling their eggs, that I knew that's what I wanted to do. Not only because it would be a sauce of income, but also because it would help my community by allowing easy access to organic eggs. After we finished up at Blair and started to leave I talked to Turner again and asked all of my questions, which he happily answered. So dad, can we get chickens?

        -- Harrison Adami-Sampson

Day 2- Houma

Honestly, I have no idea how it's only been 2 days. It's probably been the longest days of my life, but in no way at all is that a bad thing! I'm trying to make this week together be the longest, and most memorable yet: from the flight down, with maybe just a little too much turbulence, to Blair Grocery yesterday with Turner, Green Light, The Lower 9th, and Café Du Monde in The Quarter. And then today, starting with the BK stop for breakfast, and Houma with Tomas and the rest of the tribe. Thinking back, we've done so much in such an unimaginable small amount of time, and I couldn't have asked for it any other way.
What's standing out to me the most is what we were saying at reflection around the fire: how Tomas didn't treat us like his volunteers, or employees, but like his family. He trusted us with all of his power tools, And wasn't afraid to let us work the way we thought we could make it work. He wasn't afraid to just step back and let is do what we wanted, while also making sure we were doing things the safe way. At one point in the day, I had only walked outside for what was meant to be a second, and I ended up learning how to use a skill saw in about 5 minutes, and managed to cut about 10 boards without too much help from the guys! This is what I mean when I say Tomas wasn't afraid to step back and let us experiment and have fun. Looking at me working with the skill saw was probably a pretty weird sight: a 5'1" girl standing on her tippy toes trying to see over it cutting on over a four foot tall saw horse. If I was back home in Townsend, people probably would have thought he was insane for letting me do this, just by the looks of it, but I knew with two of the guys holding down the ends of the board, and teaching the proper way to do things, there was nothing that will stop me from jumping in at home now!
Little things like these is what I really think makes our group work the way it does. We are never afraid to step up and do something we would never even thing about doing back home, and are always willing to try something new, no matter how ridiculous. Let's continue to make this week even better as the days go by, and keep doing amazing things!
-Sam Meehan

First days

Today was our first full day doing service in New Orleans. We spent the day at the Houma Native American School House, working with Tomas and his friends and family. We worked on several projects such as building two porches for the school, clearing a trail in the woods, and painting and repairing the ceiling of the school.
     On the way to the reservation, I was expecting directions on how to build the steps, or how to repair the hole in the ceiling, but after arriving, I found that we were given very little instruction and we were allowed to work together to complete the projects. Everyone in the group was extremely understanding of each other and helped one another whenever we were in need. Myself and many others have never used a power tool, but today, with the help of the many great people that I have come so close to because of this trip, I learned how to use a nail gun. I found that although many of us were inexperienced, those that have had experience were not impatient, but extremely helpful. Today, we worked together as a group to complete the projects and were determined to finish the task at hand, even if it meant staying for an extra hour. I feel as though today was an amazing start to our week in this city that I have already come to love. Today proved that in the next week, we will accomplish so much, grow, and become so much closer as we continue to do what we all love.  I cannot wait to see what we accomplish.
         
Kaila Proulx

Universal Humanity

Living a safe and non diverse life can cause people to turn inward. Their problems are the worst in the world, their relationships are the only that matter, their childhood friends the only trustworthy people. It's difficult to imagine the lives of others especially of different ages, races, cultures or prosperity. Going to New Orleans puts everything in perspective. It can be getting invited into the lives of people when you change their lightbulbs, sharing secrets with people you met 10 months ago  who you know you can now trust, or getting fed a home cooked meal by people who you're helping; whatever it is, it causes reality to change. 


In my few days here I have seen New Orleans children who remind me of my brothers when they were young; excited, curious and able to fall in love with any older girl who enters their lives however briefly. I have seen a grandmother, exhausted but with so much love for her grandchildren. I have seen people I have gone to school with for years who I've always thought life was easy for share difficulties I could never have imagined. It just makes you realize that pain, happiness, love and fear are not only felt by you. From Massachusetts  to Louisiana and everywhere else  people live with the same needs; not just food and shelter but the need to be happy, to be loved and to be understood. 

Friday, February 14, 2014

The excitement of it all....

When I began to wrap my head around the idea that I would be in New Orleans with everyone that I had met recently, I was constantly excited!  However it hit more profoundly when I was packing my carry on last night.  I began to think about all the things that I would see, all the sounds I would hear and all the experiences I would remember.  The last thing that hit me, and possibly the most important thing, was the people that I would share this experience with.  I am extremely glad that I would have the opportunity to share this with everyone coming down... How happy I was to be able to be a part of this group.

To be honest, it took me a long time to actually realize how excited I actually was when I joined this group.  I had really no idea how it could sneak up on me.  But now, on the bus headed towards the airport the sheer volume of happiness and gratitude is immeasurable.  I don't think I could be more excited about this trip.

This group has already changed me, I am excited to see how much I am changed when I come back
-Tyler Ruf

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Here's to My Family Breaking Through

     Last night at our last team bonding before the trip (although, evidently, I would dare to say the whole program is "team bonding"...more on that later) one of the activities we did involved drawing/writing our goals down on a piece of wood, and on the other side drawing/writing what prevents us from achieving that goal. With a partner holding our board up, we were challenged to break through the preventing side of the board with the palm of our hand; both mentally and physically allowing us to conquer the preventions and "break through" to our goals. Silly, it might seem to you - it did to me too. This was an activity you might think was symbolic enough to get you thinking, but never did I think it would actually get you feeling too. It's ironic because when Mr. Kane warned us that we might get a little emotional about it, I was thinking that wouldn't be me, but it was. The most ironic part of it all though, is that breaking through to my goal wasn't quite what made me feel something. But when I saw the people around me getting emotional and breaking into tears-the people that I've known for 10 months now- I don't know, seeing people I'm so close to accomplishing something bigger than them, I can't help but be happy for them.


     It might be hard to understand if you're not part of this group, but I'll do my best. The connection this group has is that of the happiest family you'll ever know. You have to understand: these are the people I've spent countless hours with, weekends, weekdays, late nights; the people I ate thanksgiving dinner with, the people I exchanged Secret Santa gifts with, the people who sit down next to you and strike a conversation with you about anything and everything, the people who willingly and unwillingly support my coffee addiction, and the people I'll travel on my first plane with. What I'm trying to say is that they're more than people to me. Because when you do all those things with "people" they're not just people anymore- they're you're family. As cliché as it might sound, we are a family. I've been a part of a multitude of sports teams, councils, programs, organizations if you will, and never have I ever been a part of a group that was this close-knit, this friendly and truly enjoys each and everyone's presence.


     With that said, there are 11 hours 45 minutes and 54 seconds left (but I mean, hey who's counting?) until we begin our journey down to New Orleans and I couldn't be more ecstatic. The 10 months prior to this day have been lots of hard work, commitment and time, but I wouldn't have asked for it any other way. It's nearly quarter past 10:00p.m. and I've just finished packing. My biggest concern would have to be my suitcase weighing more than 50lbs., which I'm really hoping doesn't happen. But I'm all set to go and now I'll eagerly await the arrival of our bus tomorrow. Hey, maybe I won't need coffee tomorrow, maybe the adrenaline will be enough. For those of you that know me, that was a joke. I'm extremely excited for the plane ride because as I mentioned above, this will be my first time on a plane and I can't wait!


     To wrap this up, the whole group has grown exponentially over the past 10 months and I cannot even begin to wrap my mind around the idea of how much closer together we will grow over the next 8 days. Here's to my family. You guys are awesome and I'll see you all in the morning. Big day ahead of us.


-Dominique Goyette-Connerty

14 Hours 1 Minute 8 Seconds

     14 hours 1 minute 8 seconds until the moment I have been anxiously awaiting for the past 9 months. Ten months ago it was the moment that I never thought would come. It is the moment that was inconceivable 13 months ago, and in my world, 24 months ago, this moment did not exist. Now, I can't imagine the past 9 months without it.
     I remember my first time learning about the service learning program, it was at the activities fair on freshman welcome day. After passing by the NOLA and New York/ Philadelphia tables  I recall thinking to myself that I was too busy for such a huge commitment. At this point my schedule was laden with dance classes, and dance was my number one priority. A few months into my freshman year during my first period french class Mr. Kane called me up to his desk. He asked why I was not involved in the service learning program. Unfortunately I replied with my signature response, "I would but.... I have dance." Luckily, Mr. Kane did not give up hope in me. Thanks to him within the next month or so I became a coordinator of Giving Tree.
     Before I knew it I was in love with service learning, and by May I officially became a member of NOLA. Despite my love for the program I still lacked the understanding of what I had gotten myself into. Ten Months later after hours upon hours spent working on different projects in Kane's room I am starting to comprehend what an impact this program has on our community. Kane always says how we don't truly know what we have done, because to us it's natural, to us the work seems insignificant and the change appears miniscule. Of course considering the number of lives we have changed through Giving Tree, PACH, Heifer, the garden, and every other project we have been a part of the thought that what we have done is insignificant is pure insanity.
     These past ten months have been the most rewarding of my life. From my first day in the garden when I  met Ben and Evan, to my first day at Heifer, to my first fundraiser, NOLA has kept me sane and transformed me. Countless memories have been embedded in my brain, but most importantly with each of these events came a new friendship. These amazing people that have blessed me with their presence are some of the most compassionate, empathetic, selfless, and kind I have ever met. It only took me 15 years to get here and a few moments to realize how wonderful this family would be. With only 13 hours 8 minutes and 40 seconds to go, I have never felt more at home and inspired in my 5775 days on earth.

~Liz Palmer


Service with the Family

I'm greatly looking forward to this year's trip to New Orleans. As someone who has been there before, I'm really excited to see how much progress has been made since last year. Also, I'm excited to meet a ton of new people in the city, and to get another new perspective on life just like last year. Like last year, I'm excited about the group too. The only difference is that this year I feel much closer to everyone in the group this year than I did last year. To me, we are much more like one big family than we are just a group from school. I know I can trust each and every person in the group with anything! As I'm packing, everything is starting to click in my mind. I'm going back down. I'm going with the closest thing to a family that you can get outside of your actual family. The excitement is really kicking in now, and I can't wait to board the plane, and just leave everything else behind! Most of all though, I can't wait to create even more amazing memories with the group that has become like a family to me over the past 10 months.

-Benjamin Dauphinais-Szabady

Back down in New Orleans

There are no words that can describe how excited I am to be back in New Orleans with some of the most amazing people I have ever met.  Although it is only my second trip I now know the things I truly need for the week so I don't over pack like I did last year.  I am really excited to see the things that have changed in the past year and also to see the familiar faces of everyone that we worked with throughout the week.  The thing I am most excited for though is seeing the faces of the new members when we do all of the service together as a group.  I cant wait to see the emotions that everyone is feeling especially those of the people who have never been on the trip.  I'm ready for the plane rides, the family dinners, the reflections out by the fire, and just getting to know everyone a little bit better.  With less than twenty four hours until we take off to the beautiful city of New Orleans I am ready to leave Pepperell behind along with all of the snow and simply do good for others just because it's what I like to do.


-Matt Desrosiers

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Bryan Vachon: Pre-trip Jitters

Hey there viewers,

This upcoming trip to New Orleans will be my third and final voyage as part of the NOLA Service Learning group. I am ecstatic and anxious to leave as our departure date is only five days away (Valentine's Day). As a twice returning student, I have a good understanding of what to expect, which is even more exciting for me than previous years. The benevolence our group portrays is an awe inspiring aspect to our work in New Orleans and I cannot wait to be a part of the whole experience again. Hours of service in a city that radiates optimism, growth, family and hard work is what makes it all worth the wait. Every year is a new adventure for the NOLA family and working with over forty of the most genuine, inspired, motivated people I've ever met is something I will always treasure. I can't wait to make a difference and touch the lives of others in New Orleans all over again.

I'll catch you on the flip side,
Bryan Vachon