The Life of a Work Roadie

Everything on the East Coast is SO close! It's surprising how it only takes 1.5 hours or less to get to other states around here. In Ohio it took a good 2 hours to get anyway from my locations, so this is a big deal!

So to begin my most recent adventure, my housemate Beth has to do a lot of traveling for her work and interview different people who have either helped refugees, or refugees themselves, for a project she is working on. At the end of last week, I was able to swing a 3 day weekend and took a MARC train (commuter train that only runs M-F) to our nation's capital Thursday night to meet Beth. This was also a big deal because it was the first real life, grown up thing that I've done on my own since being in Baltimore. Yep, taking the train by myself. I feel very accomplished. Turns out there was a bit of a delay, but things worked out and I sat by a nice lady who was on her way to visit her daughter. She was so helpful and gave me her metro map of DC because I told her it was my first time on the train here and hadn't been to DC since my 8th grade class trip. Whoa, it just hit me that that was almost 1o years ago! Crazy!!

Anyway, I made it and it was so fantastic! We stayed overnight with our fellow MVS Unit in DC and were shown great hospitality and were able to sleep in so late the next morning! Friday afternoon, I was allow to take part in a training on how to visit detention centers where refugees are held. I found out about it from Beth and she needed to do it for her work, and I thought it was very interesting. Then we spent the rest of the day in the city and visited the American History Museum, Washington Monument and had a great time.

Dorothy's Ruby Red Slippers. These are the REAL DEAL!



Beth and I in front of the Washington Monument.

We then started the home on the MARC train once again. Once we arrived we took a little time to refuel, repack, and reorganize ourselves for the weekend that lay ahead. We were then on our way to Lancaster, PA in order for Beth to conduct her first interviews of the year! I was along for the ride and got to be treated to a fancy hotel and to keep my busy working housemate company. I think we both did a very good job this weekend in the roles we each played. Beth conducted 3 interviews on Saturday and I met up with Sol, a friend from college who lived very close (once again, emphasis on everything being so close around here!). It was very nice to see a familiar face and just relax. The night of Halloween we took a trip to Sonic because Beth had never been there before and it was tasty. Also we searched for a drugstore where we could find some nose strips and cold medicine for Beth. She doing much better now I think, with the help of all those meds. Halloween ended pretty low-key, but still quite enjoyable.

Then, Sunday brought on more traveling. We stopped by a Burmese Festival celebrating their New Year, then hit the road to Delaware for one last interview. It didn't take too long and we did a wonderful job deciphering mapquest directions. We made it in time after getting a little turned around and I was able to meet a wonderful family and watch the interview process. It was so nice to see their hospitality and generosity. Kind people make me so happy!

We had to get back for our monthly house meeting, and then on to Morgan Fest! A fellow Baltimore Volunteer part of LVC's birthday party! It was a busy weekend, but very fun and so nice! I love having things to look forward to after the work week and so far have not been disappointed. Who knew my year in MVS would bring so much excitement? I am pleasantly surprised! :)

Zombies and Visionary Art and Lanterns, Oh My!

So, to add to my first everIHOP experience, the rest of my weekend was pretty wonderful! There was an event called Thrill Baltimore, which means a lot of people dressed up like zombies, got together and did Michael Jackson's Thriller dance. Beth and I deci

ded previously this month that we would do it, but when Saturday rolled around, and we hadn't practiced any of the moves yet, we decided to just dress up and watch all of the other zombies bust a move! It was soooo cool. This was an international event as well where people all over the world were dancing at the same time. The coordinator of this event was going for a world record, and I'm really hoping she got it!

THEN, on Sunday my housemates Kristin and Beth and I took a trip to the Visionary Art Museum because they were participating in Free Fall Baltimore, so in certain days in October a ton of places are FREE!! This place was amazing with the outside walls covered in mosaics and so many wonderful things to look at and experience. Also, the creator of Post Secret, Frank Warren was speaking that day which was so great to sit and listen to him speak! It was great!! It is also located right beside Federal hill which is another cool location in Baltimore.

THEN, Sunday night there was the annual Lantern Parade around Patterson Park which was phenomenal! So many cool hand-made lanterns by locals. It was so wonderful and put me in the fall mood!

IHOP

So, this morning I took a trip to a car dealership with Beth because her check engine light has been on since she got her car a couple weeks ago. The guy at the desk said they'd have to keep her car for a couple of DAYS before they'd be done. Rejection. To make up for this disappointment, we went to IHOP, which I've never been to before!


Above is the spread of our meal! Woohoo!! 2X2X2 is the best deal ever and it was so tasty. Blueberry, New York Cheesecake, Choco Chip, and Pumpkin pancakes, eggs, hashbrowns and bacon. Yum!


This is my housemate Beth with her trashy cup of coffee. She is great!


I was so impressed by the variety of syrups they had available. :)

It's Business Time.

This is a copy of my business card. As you may have noticed, I filled in most of the information that is important and necessary to contact me and to understand what I do. If there are any questions about that, you can reference a past blog that explains everything in more detail. Now everyone can get a hold of me, but remember: if you try to call, don't. There is no phone hooked up in my work space-yet. That's coming soon hopefully!

What to do?

I'm deciding whether or not I should paint some pictures on the walls in my room. No, I take that back. I have decided I will paint some pictures on the walls in my room. Now I just need to decide what to paint exactly. I like all of these images, especially the coat hanger! Hmmm... decisions, decisions...

Sunday Mornings

So, I decided that Sunday mornings are a good time to update this blog of mine. I am now unable to sleep in late because my body has decided it likes routine and wants to get up early every day as if I'm going to work. Unfortunately for me I don't go to work every day, otherwise I'd be set and probably not have to set an alarm every again in my life! Ok, that might be a stretch, but still...

Baltimore has more to offer than I originally realized. There are a lot more volunteer organizations and we've been getting connected with each other this past week. LVC, JVC, Mercy Corp, you name it. Some of them I have never heard of before, but I'm learning. Everyone seems pretty eager to get to know each other, which is pretty great and helps all of us not feel so alone in this new place surrounded by all of these new things and experiences.

I wish I had pictures to share, but my camera is not the greatest when it comes to holding battery life, and I've been too lazy to bring it with me different places. So it's my fault no one can see what I'm doing yet, but don't worry there will soon be documentation (I use "soon" as a loose term). However, something to look forward to on the 24th, my housemate Beth and I are going to partake in a Halloween Zombie Thriller dance that is scheduled in order to try and break the world record of the most people dancing at the same time! We get to dress up and need to learn some moves, and there is also an annual Lantern Parade that day as well which we will probably march in since we'll be out anyway. I'll definately get some pictures of this event!

Now it's time to get ready for church. We've all been set up with host families, so I'm excited to talk with mine today and get to know them this year! :)

MVS-work

Ah, it's been too long! So much has been happening that I've neglected to update everyone who's been patiently waiting for me to let them know what's going on here in Baltimore.

Ok, so I've officially been working for 3 weeks! Yay, only 49 more to go! Phew, I shouldn't be keeping track..

So, I'm working at Project PLASE which is an organization for transitional housing, and it helps people who are homeless get back on their feet. Here's the website for those who want to get a better understanding of the organization I'm working for this year: http://projectplase.org/ There are 4 facilities where people can stay, and a new office building! We just moved last weekend and I now have a desk and shared office space with 2 others who haven't been around much so it feel much more real. Before I was just floating around looking for a computer, not really sure of what I was supposed to be doing. I'm still not 100% of what I have to do, but that'll come. After all it's only been 3 weeks.

Also, here is a full list of my positions and the descriptions that go along with that. It looks pretty daunting, but don't worry I haven't done too much yet because I am still training and getting an understanding of what exactly I'm doing with each of them, and they are all going to be take up a little bit of time each week so I'll get stuff done. So, for those who are interested, enjoy!


Position Description

Name of Organization: Project PLASE

Title of Position: Waitlist Coordinator/Client Liaison/Data Analysis/Administrative Assistant

Description of Position:

Waitlist Coordinator- Check messages on voicemail; Meet with scheduled appointments to complete intake; Answer incoming calls and provide referral and resources; Input and update information into CTK; When needed- Review appointments for the day; Check bed status of each facility; Run reports (waitlist).

Client Liaison- Working with a variety of different client-centered programs including:

• Client Advisory Board: Help to interview counselors to identify clients that could participate on board; interview clients t ascertain interest in serving on board; create mechanism to convene board, manage & record meetings; develop protocol for relaying feedback to and from advisory board.
  
• Client & Staff Speakers’ Bureau: Research launching a client & staff speakers bureau; review client & staff suitability with PLASE counselors; draw up speaker training plan; engage community organizations to find suitable venues for client speakers.
  
• GED tutoring: Work with the volunteer GED instructor, to provide one-on-one instruction to adults GED students in reading, writing, and basic math. Assist adult learners with earning their GED by studying math, writing, and reading; Completion of an online course “The Basics of Adult Literacy Education” (www.c-pal.net/course/); Completion of a Project PLASE orientation and tour.
  
• To be open to any other programs and opportunities to interact with clients through out the year. (e.g. Garden Harvest, Art classes, etc.)

Administrative Assistant: When needed- Serving as receptionist in Main Office, greeting clients, visitors, staff, etc. and directing calls, inquiries to appropriate individuals; Helping the Grants Administrator with data bases and client service reports; Assisting the Executive Director with administrative tasks, reports, etc; Sorting mail, and distributing. Sending group emails, newsletters and communiqués to staff, etc.; Typing and assisting with the presentation of various correspondences, grants, materials fitting to the missions and goals of Project PLASE, Inc.; Making calls as needed to support various administrative staff.; Helping to organize office files, etc.; Helping to organize, write, edit, etc. internal staff newsletter.; Assisting with writing, typing of reports, grants, proposals, letters, etc.; Data entry on client and program performance.

Data Analysis- Work with HUD (Housing and Urban Development) system to input and update client data; review and analyze data to keep it current; Run reports annually.