Orientation and community.

So I'm trying to keep this blog, but really, I'm failing horribly. It seems like every time I've tried to sit down and write, I've found that either my mind has gone blank or I've been uncomfortable posting my real thoughts for just anyone out there. To get things going, I sat down last night and wrote on paper instead, and I came up with what I hope is some good stuff. I won't write it all here, but most of it is in the words that follow...

ORIENTATION: WAY too long. I am virtually incapable of enjoying time spent in groups of more than 5, and I am almost totally incapable of enjoying outings with 56 strangers (OK, I knew some already, so let's say 51 or so), so twelve days with that many people, all the time, was not the greatest thing for me. I'm just not that kind of socialite. There's always too much gossip, too much intrigue, too many cliques. It might not have been so difficult for me if it had been shorter, but even in a small group twelve days is a long time for me, and with that many, it was bordering on interminable for me by the end. All that being said, though, I gladly admit these were not unenjoyable (if that's a word) people. I probably didn't become lifelong friends with any of them in twelve days, but I don't think I made any enemies, either (I hope?). I didn't laugh hysterically, or cry my eyes out, but I definitely learned a few things, probably even some things I haven't yet realized. There were a lot of life experiences, there were a lot of perspectives, and there was a lot of sharing, so it certainly wasn't all bad, it just wasn't really me.

MY COMMUNITY: I live with 5 other men - 3 Brothers (FSC) and 2 Lasallian Volunteers.
Br. Richard is awesome. He's kind of like the grandfather in our house. As community director, he's in charge of how the house is run, and as a person, he's very much my style. Short. Bald. Tight skinned. Tough. IRISH. He tells you what he's thinking, has an almost subversive sense of humor, and makes no bones about being generous and good-hearted. All around, he's just a good guy.

Br. Bernard is more of an introvert and less likely to be the comic of the group, which is of course why so much of what he says is hilarious! He's a beachcomber who never throws ANYTHING away if he thinks there could ever be a use for it, he's a stickler for tradition, and he's an accountant. He's a little checked out from the community and the school, but he's content to take care of the business and do his own thing so long as you're content to let him.

Br. John is a man who I do not seem to see eye-to-eye with. My goal with him is simply to find a common ground on which we can meet with tolerance and goodwill, because our personalities clash in a very real way. We aren't about to get in a shouting match or anything, but we're also not likely to intentionally initiate conversation with one another. To me, John's biggest redeeming factor is that he has a genuine interest in the kids' success, and if anyone needed something from him, I don't think he would hesitate to provide it.

The two volunteers in my community are Denny and Mike, and these guys are great. Denny has an enthusiasm and personality that is infectious. He's the kind of guy that drives you crazy if you're on the outside looking in, but who is invaluable if you're part of his crowd. He's an organizer, an enabler (in a good way), a good listener, a sincere speaker, and a genuinely nice person. I think Denny could hurt somebody by accident, but I'm sure he could never do it intentionally. He would give up so much to help his friends, and all his actions seem to come from his good humor and kindness combined. He is one of the few people I have ever met who I feel I can say "this person deserves all the good that will come his way." And believe me, there will be a lot. He is bound for the top of whatever he does, because leadership fits him.

Mike is a totally different guy, awesome in his own unique way. His strength comes from within him. He is searching for a direction in life and, while he will enjoy this year of service, I don't think he'll find what he's looking for here. Where some (Denny included) seek validation and support from others, Mike is trying to find something that will allow him to validate himself from within. He isn't truly confident anywhere, and he has some fear in him, but I think that when he finds his home he will flourish, grow, and give back. I think Mike is in this program somewhat on a whim, as another part of his search, but I also think he's in it because he cares about contributing to the causes of people who need him. There is a depth of feeling in Mike that is hard to tap but (I think) once tapped will be virtually bottomless. When he finally finds himself truly balanced, he will be a center of calm in a turbulent world, the place tossed ships and lost people find respite and renewal.

So how does all this fit together? I can't say I know, but I think it's either a jigsaw with all the right pieces, or a depth charge. Mike, Denny, and I have begun bonding really well. I think the three of us really have the ability to support one another like brothers through the coming year, and I think we will. I also think there might be times when we won't even like each other, but don't all brothers have those times? I already know that if those guys ask me for something, I probably won't have the ability to say no. In the 4 weeks we've been together, I have become attached to them in a way I certainly didn't expect. I look up to Denny as the second year volunteer who can do more to guide me into and through this next couple months than anyone else, and I look to Mike as the man who will be there to remind me what's what when I need it, but who will need to remind him of the same from time to time.


So, I hope this entry begins to paint a picture for you of what's going on in my life at the moment. I will try to put up another entry soon that talks more about my school and what I do there. Until then, feel free (as always) to leave me comments or send me an email with questions you have. If you sent me an email last time I posted and I haven't responded yet, please forgive me. I'm a bit busy, but I will be getting to them soon (I hope).

-Alex

The beginning of a story...

One of the boys told me a bit of his story the other day. The short of it is something like this:

His mom kicked out of the house when he was 13. He didn't have any other family to take him in, so he moved in with a friend and started selling drugs to support himself. He's bounced around, crashing at various friends' places over the years, and was most recently living with his girlfriend. But they just broke up, so he's got a home visit this weekend in which he's packing up all his stuff and looking for a new place to live.

But I hope to see him back here on Monday.

From Albany, NY!

Timeline since graduation:

Graduation: May 22, 2010. Moraga, CA. Bachelor of Arts degree. Valedictorian.
Move out of my apartment, and onto the floor of somebody else's: May 24, 2010. Walnut Creek, CA.
Start full time temp job at SMC Admissions: May 25, 2010. Moraga, CA.
Work 8:30-4:30, M-F: May 25 through June 30.
Mail everything I own, minus one backpack, to the east coast: June 30.
Cyber-hitchhike (via couchsurfing.com) from Oakland to Seattle: July 1-2, 2010.
Chill in Seattle with Michelle and her flatmates: July 2-5.
Hitchhike from Seattle to Montana: July 6.
Have an awesome time in Montana: July 7-15.
Attend Rachel Richardson-Osredkar's wedding: July 16, Pleasanton, CA.
Fly to Albany, NY: July 19-20.
Lasallian Volunteers Site Visit: July 20-22, 2010. LaSalle School, Albany, NY.
LV Orientation/Retreat: July 23-August 2, 2010. Philadelphia, PA.
1st day of service (aka work): August 3, 2010. Albany, NY.
Move in to my room in the Brother's house: August 3, 2010. Albany, NY.
Camping trip in the Adirondacks with 6 students and my supervisor, Ken Hackett: August 4-5.
Weekend: August 5-6.
Back to work: today!

Okay, now that's over with, here's a bit of what's been going on in a more user-friendly format. Summer after graduation was a bit of a whirlwind. After school ended I had to move out of my apartment on campus, so I moved in with my friend Celine in Walnut Creek and slept on her floor while I worked in the Admissions Office at Saint Mary's for another 5-6 weeks. Had a pretty good time and pretty much financed my cross-country move, which was good. After I finished work, I caught a ride to Seattle with a couple girls I met through couchsurfing.com, a traveler networking website that is absolutely awesome. If you are reading this and you think you're a little bit of a free spirit (or want to become one) I definitely recommend checking it out. I've met CSers all over the world, and the experience has always been awesome.

So, I went up to Seattle to visit Michelle, a good friend of mine from high school, then I hitch-hiked over to Montana to see my mom and some of my other friends who just finished school (or didn't). Notably, I also took a side trip down to Butte, MT for the National Folk Music festival, "Somebody shoot that thang!", which was awesome. I flew back to CA for the wedding of a good friend of mine, then came out to Albany to really get underway with my post-grad life.

I am serving for at least the next year (and probably the next two) with the Lasallian Volunteers. The LV program is founded around the Lasallian tradition(which I will explain shortly) and each year places volunteers all around the country in schools and social services centers aimed at helping poor and underprivileged populations. There are 57 volunteers this year living in 22 Lasallian communities from San Francisco to New York, and lots of places in between. We perform work that ranges from teaching elementary, middle, and high school to tracking students in inner city schools, to caring for the elderly. I myself am working at La Salle School in Albany, NY in the outdoor recreation department. On a day-to-day basis, myself and 2 other volunteers run the afternoon and evening programs for the boys (it's an all-boys school) - basketball, softball, etc. and on about a weekly basis we also organize and run off-campus trips like camping, rock climbing, or caving. Our typical work day starts at noon and ends at 8 or 8:30, with a break for dinner, though our day in full starts at 7:30 with morning prayer.

The school is a residential facility for court adjudicated boys typically sent here for anywhere from 6-12 months. Most of our boys are relatively local, coming from towns/cities within about an hour's drive from Albany, but we do have some boys from further away.  None of our boys are from New York City.  Boys end up at La Salle School for any number of reasons, most of which I have not yet heard about, but I will fill you in on that as I get a better handle on it.

So, a couple things about the Lasallian tradition, in hope of giving you some idea of what drives this whole program: In the Rule of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (aka the De La Salle Christian Brothers) it says: "The Institute is concerned above all with the educational needs of the poor as they strive to become aware of their dignity and to live and be recognized as human beings and as children of God." It also says, "The Brothers are entrusted with their mission by the Institute, a mission especially to the poor. As a community they become increasingly conscious of the reasons for the poverty that surrounds them and so become earnestly involved in the promotion of justice and human dignity through the educational service they provide." The basic idea, which comes all they way from Saint John Baptist de la Salle way back in the late 1600's, is that education provides an outlet by which the poor can be raised up out of their poverty. Though the number of people committed to living a religious life as a Brother shrinks every year, the number of people involved with the mission is continuously growing. In the LV Program, our commitment is threefold: to Faith, Service, and Community. "This is really a triple movement: seeing reality, looking upon it with the Word of God, being committed to actions that transform. This plan is what all authentic Lasallians should try to live out. The encounter with God in Lasallian terms will never be an individual search, but a community adventure; it will never mean running away from the world, but it will mean commitment and service in the world."

So, the idea behind the Lasallian tradition is that through the values of faith, service, and community, and by the virtue of education, we can make positive changes in the world. The work is not easy, but it is valuable and rewarding. This is something I am proud to be part of.

Mmm, I am sure I have much more to say about the LVs, my site, and my new life, but I'm afraid I have been at this computer too long already, so I hope you have enjoyed this post, and I will do my best to write more as things come up. Also, please take some time to explore the links I provided for the LVs, the Brothers, and de la Salle. If you have any particular questions you'd like me to answer, don't hesitate to leave a comment or send me an email!

Alex