tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338022176242118382024-03-13T05:18:08.647-07:00North Middlesex Service Learning- New OrleansWe are on our 8th journey of service to our beloved New Orleans. We have committed countless hours of meaningful service since Hurricane Katrina hit and continue to support the Herculean efforts of rebuilding this great city. Raymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-16418628116677111992015-09-14T12:04:00.001-07:002015-09-14T12:04:04.845-07:00NEW BLOG- New Orleans Service Learning 2015-2016Please visit <a href="http://nolaservicelearning2015.blogspot.com/">http://nolaservicelearning2015.blogspot.com/</a> to view this years blog! Throughout the year students will be writing about their experiences and would definitely appreciate you taking the time to read them.<br />
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Thanks,<br />
Liz Palmer, CoordinatorRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-24033212777387462522014-02-25T17:17:00.000-08:002014-02-25T17:17:35.490-08:00Life Lessons<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Raymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-86744681893195596772014-02-24T19:06:00.001-08:002014-02-24T19:06:59.247-08:00Homesickness 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<br />
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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).<br />
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"If you want to know where your heart lies, look to where your mind goes when it wanders."<br />
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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.<br />
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~DominiqueRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-12708882393911563622014-02-24T10:15:00.001-08:002014-02-24T10:15:16.253-08:00Recipe for HappinessEndorphins 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.Raymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-44184822622345452362014-02-23T21:26:00.000-08:002014-02-25T15:53:45.609-08:00Stars & 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.<br />
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-Bryan Vachon<br />
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<br />Raymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-43438717216736602132014-02-23T18:36:00.000-08:002014-02-23T18:43:50.118-08:00To Do ListDoes 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.<br />
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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?<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Meg HawkinsRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-3014901609644462592014-02-23T18:35:00.003-08:002014-02-23T18:35:50.010-08:00My New HomeOver 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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."<br />
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-Sam MeehanRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-59518688802237147312014-02-23T16:39:00.000-08:002014-02-23T16:39:51.460-08:00Dear Dylan, I should've typed and posted this last night when we got off the plane:<br />
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These are things I feel I need to tell you about but I don't believe they are things I can be poetic about. <br />
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.<br />
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. <br />
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? <br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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~DominiqueRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-47807549619791280862014-02-23T09:34:00.001-08:002014-02-23T09:34:52.037-08:00An 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.<br />
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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<br />
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~Michael Spagnolo<br />
<br />Raymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-61140749909037656042014-02-23T06:52:00.000-08:002014-02-23T06:52:10.737-08:00Emotions Running High<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">-Marie</span></div>
Raymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-49668895882813017412014-02-22T19:42:00.002-08:002014-02-22T19:42:42.811-08:00We Are One<div>
We are all the same.</div>
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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-Linda Zheng</div>
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Raymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-90717788307714772102014-02-22T19:22:00.001-08:002014-02-22T19:22:12.933-08:00Everlasting ChangeThe 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.<br />
~ Kaitlyn IstnickRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-62011809516463038392014-02-22T18:18:00.003-08:002014-02-22T18:18:49.084-08:00Life 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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
- Hannah BrittenRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-87727760739782943082014-02-22T07:11:00.001-08:002014-03-03T22:11:03.343-08:00The Life ChangeAlthough 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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
"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.<br />
~Mike NiemiRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-8224835046796667322014-02-21T23:08:00.000-08:002014-02-21T23:08:27.204-08:00Creating Bonds and SupportA 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Danielle CrouseRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-5276418017011164942014-02-21T23:02:00.001-08:002014-02-21T23:02:16.557-08:00Words 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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. <br />
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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.<br />
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I would like to end this blog with a quote, and here comes the nerd in me, it is from J.R.R Tolkien. <br />
"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.<br />
-Tyler RufRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-55815548167544029912014-02-21T06:42:00.000-08:002014-02-22T15:06:20.768-08:00What I have seen and who I have become to beThis 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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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:<br />
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Be the Change you want to see:<br />
<br />
Waking up in the morning is like your homes stay<br />
Then comes breakfast, get up and go, time to make your own<br />
Making a difference is what we are doing, not here to just play<br />
The work is so hard don't even try to be caught on your phone<br />
<br />
From the work site of Milton where it all started<br />
Gutting and smashing is what is happening there<br />
Everyone working hard, and all open hearted<br />
Even tearing down the ceiling leaving nothing to spare<br />
<br />
Then going to Ernest George's where the work is close to being done<br />
Seeing the joy coming back into his eyes, so close to being back<br />
I do not like painting, but the group there made it all the fun<br />
Like the flood from Katerina, giving no warning to try and pack<br />
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New friendships were made, and old ones were lost<br />
Although time is short, and the trip is coming to an end<br />
Doing the work on the site at every and all cost<br />
I have realized now that, till the very end they will be my friend<br />
<br />
~Mike NiemiRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-30278507652600206892014-02-20T22:04:00.001-08:002014-02-20T22:04:01.308-08:00Meaningful Aggression<br />
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.<br />
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Molly CassidyRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-85284320943567262182014-02-20T20:48:00.000-08:002014-02-20T20:48:16.919-08:00The 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Lisa ClarkRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-69814398253384719702014-02-20T15:38:00.000-08:002014-03-04T18:40:52.634-08:00Freedom From My Own MindBrash. 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.<br />
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Katherine KoulopoulosRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-80723851774652205882014-02-20T05:24:00.000-08:002014-02-20T05:24:49.970-08:00Acceptance<br />
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.<br />
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Molly Cassidy<br />
<br />Raymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-55062166707712179972014-02-19T22:18:00.000-08:002014-02-19T22:19:56.118-08:00Tearing Down WallsToday 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.<br />
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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. <br />
~Rachael Savage</div>
Raymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-26376189318551291692014-02-19T21:47:00.002-08:002014-02-19T21:47:44.294-08:00Just a thought - 2/19/2014 - Matt DesrosiersI'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.Raymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-40464765643698875042014-02-19T21:39:00.000-08:002014-02-19T21:46:32.474-08:00Humanity and fearWe 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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
-Mary ShakshoberRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233802217624211838.post-38286515332149781912014-02-19T20:53:00.001-08:002014-02-19T21:55:24.023-08:00Like a grain of saltToday 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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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<br />
~Mike NiemiRaymond J. Kanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15370217255220799089noreply@blogger.com0