An update! Finally!

I am doing laundry right now, so it seemed like a good time to squeeze in a blog update.

Things are going really well. The work is more routine/easier, we know exactly what to do, how to do it, when to do it. I'm actually a little upset that I only have a week left working on this project. I love the people we work with, I love the project, I have even come to love the farmers tan I have from working outside in the humid sunny heat.

I think part of my not wanting to leave, though, is my dislike for change. As soon as I get into a nice routine and become comfortable, I don't respond well to change. But it's good. This is part of why I am in NCCC, to help break out of those comfort zones and learn to enjoy the change!

Yesterday, Friday, we worked in the planting field again. From 7-9:30ish we were on our own. Then a group of about 15 middle school kids showed up to help us as a class field trip. I have worked with kids for a long time, but I gotta say, I wasn't excited about it. Middle school is such an awkward age and I have no patience for them. But I was wearing the "A" so I put my happy face on, partnered up with Tony so I could rely on him to be the fun one, and did what I needed to do.

Oh my dang. The kids that were assigned to Tony and I were so great! We had a sixth grade boy and an eigth grade girl. That girl was a mini me. We spent the day ragging on Tony. The boy was so cool too, he and Tone had the sports thing in common and any time anyone would joke about Tony he could fire back and save Tony. It made the day really fun. We got a lot of planting done too. Those kids were such hard workers. We gave them two opportunities to call it a day and we would finish up the field, but every time they said they wanted to do the work.

It was cool. I hope we made volunteering fun for them.

ALSO:
I got an e-mail with the projects for the next round! There are a lot of projects in MS, AL, and New Orleans. I dont want those. I want the project that is in Louisville or Memphis. SO BAD. There is also one in SC that I wouldn't mind. But Louisville or Memphis?! The music scene alone in either of those places is going to be incredible! And the work, if I remember correctly, is more environmental which is what I'm realizing I really enjoy. We have until Monday to put in our requests, so pray, hope, wish, or whatever you do, that I get to go up north for the autumn season!

One last thing.

I have to mention how many amazing people I am becoming friends with. Some I never thought I would even like, others I have been enjoying since day one. I really really enjoy the people I am able to surround myself with. We have a ton of fun together, and work well together, and play well together, and everything else. I've been getting homesick a lot lately and to be able to find someone on my team that I can just hang out with and feel even a little bit like they are family, is so great.

Sooo.... this is tough stuff....

Wednesday was the worst day here in Florida by far. We pulled spartina from 7-11:30, sorted the plugs from 12-4, then did a 1 hour and 21 minute PT, then quickly showered and went on a Walmart run (which is a 20 minute drive), then got back to base camp around 9, Jo and I had to cook dinner - we busted that dinner out so fast it was ridiculous, ate at 9:30, team meeting around 10... I had other things to get done before bed and didnt get to sleep until 11:30 and had to wake up at 5:45.

Oh my dang, it sucked.

Thursday was such a hard work day because of it. No time to relax the day before and jumping into 9 hour work days is ridiculous. And the heat index was 114 yesterday! It's been tough.

Today's work day went by a lot quicker. We pulled from 7 to about 9 as a team and then started rotating people out of the sun and into the shade to start sorting. Aaannnddd I got 7 1/2 hours of sleep the night before so I was well rested.

This is the field I work in everyday:

Each plant you see there is a spartina bush. We dig 1/3-1/2 out, our sponsor comes around on his mega golf cart pimped out with mini monster truck tires and halls it to the shade, where we then separate everything into 2 inch plugs. Then it is taken to the planting site (which we will see/work in tomorrow) and is planted.

Very exciting work, I know. This is a picture right before the sun came up over those trees. If I could only explain how miserable it gets after that. The morning humidity doesn't effect me all that much, but as soon as the sun hits my face, I want to kill myself.

I complain a lot, but obviously I don't mind all that much. I haven't quit yet. I enjoy the idea of working in a field and being able to tell people I know everything about spartina digging. It's something I would have never in a million years done if I hadn't joined the AmeriCorps and for me that is what this whole experience is about. Trying new things and new lifestyles. I'm not going to rush out and get a job in farming/environmental/conservation work, but atleast I know what it's all about and can say I have done it!

Ending this post with a picture of the lovely Kari, excited no doubt, about Spartina digging:

Florida marshes are beautiful in the early mornings, but dang hot the rest of the day.

Okay, work day post!

Oh my dang. It was so much harder than I thought it would be, but not as hard as I was expecting, Does that make sense? First, let me explain for those who don't know what I am doing. My team is working with St. JOhns Water Management to restore the marshes to their natural state. In the early 1900s the marshes were drained and converted to farmland, invasive plants were brought in, it was no bueno, they are now trying to put it back to normal.

So what we do for them is dig up 1/3-1/2 of a plant, seperate the roots into small 2 inch diameter plugs so that they can be replanted in other locations in the marsh. We have shovels, dibbles, and gloves. Again I say, Oh my dang.

That is some tough work. It's not as back breaking as I was expecting it to be. When I found out it was just digging up plants, I was like Oh sweet. Then we started doing it... for 8 hours... I'm pretty sure if we do this for 3 weeks I'm going to die. Just die. Right there. In the marsh. The buzzards can eat me. That's right, buzzards circle over us all day reminding us that we are in a ridiculously hot deathly setting. It's pretty awesome. We also have water mocassins and rattle snakes to keep us company. Haen't seen them yet and I pray to God it stays that way.

I can usually rally and push myself through hard labor, but towards the end of the first day I was struggling. Thank goodness this team is hilarious to work with.

I have a picture of what I looked like at the end of the first day. Nice lookin dirt line there, yeah?

This is the house I am living in:

This is my OWN room!

This is the cold spring we swam in as a nice relaxing treat.

Today... was a day.

I am in Leesburg, FL right now, just completed our first day of work in the marshes. But oh man! I havent updated about New Orleans yet!

So this is where we stayed while there:

 This is my team eating dinner:

This is everyone on Anderson Cooper 360

And below, is an entry from my journal that I wrote while in New Orleans:

August 28, 2010

New Orleans.
Wow. So much to say. It is so weird to drive around the city and be in the areas I have seen so many photos of completely drowned by water. Driving past the Super Dome is difficult. I can't imagine the despair and devastation people were feeling five years ago. 

But when you come to New Orleans, even though you may feel these types of emotions, that is not at all the vibe of the city. People here are hopeful and excited and so thankful. We have been received with open arms and joy. Everyone here is looking forward to the future. The energy while working on these houses is incredible.  


I am so thankful for being given the opportunity to serve with NCCC. I can't explain it. Every single day something reminds me of how amazing it is to be here. My team, our team leader, the projects... it doesn't matter how tough the day gets, all of these things keep me going and keep me feeling blessed.


Also, I was on National television and met Anderson Cooper. Silver Fox. That's all I have to say about that.

I will post another update about how my first day of work went a bit later. Right now, I need a nap.