Suddenly I See

We woke up yesterday, had a quick breakfast, and got in the car with Ana, Eva’s boss at her new placement. Ana took us to all the different agencies we’ll be working with so that we could meet our co-workers and see where our community members were working. It was a great day, but a lot of back and forth. I am so happy that now I’ll be able to picture everyone in her workplace, and I learned a lot about the city of Houston in the process.

Seeing the different social services in a city is a great way to learn about it as a whole, its problems, and where it is thriving. Many of my housemates will be working with people experiencing homelessness, and seeing their placements was a great look at the different reasons for homelessness in Houston and the services available to the homeless. Their organizations are really incredible- they minister to everyone: the sick, the addicted, pregnant women and families, and the mentally disabled. Rachel’s site has 400 beds, and if needed has mats for many more people when it’s raining or (rarely) too cold.

The people we met amaze me in terms of their willingness to serve without judgment, and their intense understanding of homelessness. Just because someone is experiencing homelessness does NOT mean that it’s his or her fault. In fact, for the most part, they are the product of a system that underserved them. They are hard workers and 99% do not want to be there. The classic picture of the “shelter shopper,” someone who goes from one place to the next just freeloading off of different ministries, is rarely a reality.

There is a lot of interesting work surrounding immigration and refugee resettlement in Houston, which Cassie and Eva will be dealing with a lot. Karen will be combating human trafficking, which is a big issue in Houston (where there is water, there is opportunity for trafficking) and its surrounding areas. Human trafficking awareness month is September, and I’m hoping to be able to volunteer for some of their events and learn more about the issue next month.

Ana, our tour guide for the day, was so helpful in showing us around! She was born in Brazil but grew up in Houston, and has a wealth of knowledge about the city. She and I had a conversation about Hurricane Katrina’s impact on the city of Houston, not only in terms of emergency preparedness but the impact on all the social services agencies in the city. It’s been difficult for them to deal with the influx of people, but also the way that certain landlords and other agencies view them and accept their services in the aftermath. I’m excited to explore this topic further!! She also took us to a Texan chain called Pappasito's for Tex-Mex lunch. I had shrimp fajitas that were SO good!

And yes, I did get to go see Cristo Rey. And I love it even more than I thought I could!!!!! I am SO excited to begin working there- can I start right now?! My co-workers were so friendly, supportive, and excited, and I am feeding off of their enthusiasm. It’s slightly overwhelming, but also a dream come true, and I can’t wait to start working tomorrow. I will have my own desk (yes!!!!!!), and the school as a whole is so cool. And well-air-conditioned (phew).

Our reception at each site was so warm and welcoming! It’s so nice to not have to explain what a JV is at every place we go, and the people of Texas have been so friendly and warm. They love to make jokes about how hot we must be, since we’re all from “up north.” I have been trying to write down funny expressions I hear, like “she’d get lost just crossing the street.” Try to hear it in a Texan accent- it’s just better.

That night we watched the closing ceremony of the Olympics- why did I ever stop listening to the Spice Girls? I’m not sure, but have begun listening to them again, don’t worry. We had a fun night of coloring and working on my Spanish skills, since I’m the only one in the house who doesn’t speak Spanish. It’s coming along though!

We came home absolutely exhausted- most of my housemates and I came home and took a power nap that lasted much longer than we anticipated, and dinner was cleaning out leftovers, since our fridge is full of them! That's what's on par for tonight, as well. Today, we planned a week and a half of dinners, community nights, and Spirituality nights- I’m planning the first one, and cooking dinner tomorrow night

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More topically themed posts are heading your way, less day-to-day, I promise. I just wanted to share my excitement about my new job and city! I actually wrote one about baseball that I'll publish right now too. Double post day, woohoo!

xo