G.R.I.P. (Great Relationships in Pairs) is a program through YSS that
has given me the opportunity to work with an amazing 8th grader.
Recently, we were featured in the G.R.I.P. blog! Check it out!
http://gripmentoring.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Non Profit Summit
Wednesday and Thursday I attended the Iowa Non-profit Summit in Des
Moines. The Summit was a great place to network with other non-profits
as well as other AmeriCorps members. I came back with new ideas for
things to implement at Youth and Shelter Services (YSS) as well as some
ideas that will carry over into future work.
Things I wish I knew:
1. One of the sessions was focused on service-learning. I thought it was the type of service-learning done with high-schoolers and middle schoolers, but it was actually college service-learning, which is pretty different. This session was still interesting, but the knowledge will be filed away for a couple of years. :)
2. To bring snacks. It's always about the snacks.
Major take away messages:
1. Whats your 50? Iowa's Governor has released the challenge for all Iowans to volunteer 50 hours in one year! That's about an hour a week for those math wizards out there. Mentor a youth, check out the volunteer opportunities in your county, or become a 4-H volunteer! The average Iowan already volunteers 34 hours per year, so why not step-up your service! Make the commitment to make Iowa the healthiest and most dedicated state today! Share what you are doing in your community below!
2. Handing out dollar bills increases participation in discussion.
3. Public value is important to stakeholders. As I write my Great Stories and talk about my program, I need to talk about the works importance to the community and state as a whole, rather than just the participant value.
4. Rumor has it, drinking from a camelback straw could cause wrinkles.
Things I wish I knew:
1. One of the sessions was focused on service-learning. I thought it was the type of service-learning done with high-schoolers and middle schoolers, but it was actually college service-learning, which is pretty different. This session was still interesting, but the knowledge will be filed away for a couple of years. :)
2. To bring snacks. It's always about the snacks.
Major take away messages:
1. Whats your 50? Iowa's Governor has released the challenge for all Iowans to volunteer 50 hours in one year! That's about an hour a week for those math wizards out there. Mentor a youth, check out the volunteer opportunities in your county, or become a 4-H volunteer! The average Iowan already volunteers 34 hours per year, so why not step-up your service! Make the commitment to make Iowa the healthiest and most dedicated state today! Share what you are doing in your community below!
2. Handing out dollar bills increases participation in discussion.
3. Public value is important to stakeholders. As I write my Great Stories and talk about my program, I need to talk about the works importance to the community and state as a whole, rather than just the participant value.
4. Rumor has it, drinking from a camelback straw could cause wrinkles.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Me: "Can you tell me how to put out a grease-fire?"
911: "Address."
Me: "sharing... So how do I put it out? Well, it's bigger now."
911: "someone is on the way..."
Outside:
Me: "Well, now I can't make my potatoes in the microwave."
Later:
Me: "I'm cold and I want this blanket."
Sarah: "That's too bad."
Me: "I'll start another fire."
"There's soot on our dishes in the cupboard."
Tonight I started a grease fire I didn't know how to put out. It was a very contained fire. It never left the pan. I was making caramel corn for a 4-H event on Thursday. Building 4800 was evacuated and I met some friendly people. My apologies to all of those who were outside. I can't write real sentences right now because I just want to drink milk.
The rest of the night shall be spent drinking whole milk.
Maybe I should make cookies for the people who live in my building...
This is the microwave after Sarah cleaned it.
911: "Address."
Me: "sharing... So how do I put it out? Well, it's bigger now."
911: "someone is on the way..."
Outside:
Me: "Well, now I can't make my potatoes in the microwave."
Me (text to room mate): Fire in our apartment. It's under control. Don't call me yet.
Me: "For the reference, I wasn't making a BAG of popcorn."
Me: "I'm cold and I want this blanket."
Sarah: "That's too bad."
Me: "I'll start another fire."
"There's soot on our dishes in the cupboard."
Tonight I started a grease fire I didn't know how to put out. It was a very contained fire. It never left the pan. I was making caramel corn for a 4-H event on Thursday. Building 4800 was evacuated and I met some friendly people. My apologies to all of those who were outside. I can't write real sentences right now because I just want to drink milk.
The rest of the night shall be spent drinking whole milk.
Maybe I should make cookies for the people who live in my building...
This is the microwave after Sarah cleaned it.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Randoms of Niger
Dearest Readers,
It’s been awhile. Tom got the wireless internet working, but there’s a funny thing about wireless, it only works with power! However, we have had a lot of power outages recently, so the internet hasn’t really had the opportunity to show us its best, but it’s still a huge blessing!
Blessings are typically accompanied by prayers… Prayers for our water pump would be much appreciated. I don’t know much about the situation, but I think the Pastor said it would cost around 500,000 francs (1 USD= 460 francs) to get a new pump for the village.
Here’s a bit of humorous pieces for you... (maybe you won’t think they are as funny as I do, so I used asterisks if there is a side story)
1. Last night at dinner we were reading our devotions, and it talked about Mary Poppins*. As soon as Tom closed the devotion, Laurey whispers to Marie, “Can you believe Mary Poppins is in the Bible?”
*The girls really enjoy Mary Poppins
2. I have discovered it’s much more exciting to take a bucket bath in the dark. On the same note, I have decided to not shower bucket bath on the days we go to the swimming pool in Maradi. Actually, to get really personal, I bet I only bucket bath on the days I run jog until I see something that’s demanding to have its picture taken.
3. Every day, the guard greets me in Hausa, the guard and I exchange our greetings, which is actually like a paragraph.. and then the girls laugh because I said something wrong. I’m learning Hausa is tonal, but the tones are much more difficult than Mandarin Chinese. Hopefully next week I’ll be able to surprise the guard by asking him something.
4. Running in sand is a great way to exfoliate your feet at the same time! I always have to dump my shoes when I get back!
5. Ellie always loves to ask me “Does you mom make ____?” Almost every night before dinner, Ellie will ask me if my mom makes whatever we have for dinner.. Sometimes I can say yes. “Yes, my mom can make pizza!” But usually, that is followed by “Well, my mom makes it best!”
And some fun facts:
1. The Tureg people (in Northern Niger) can survive on nothing but camel milk for days! Actually, camel milk has full nutritional value! I can’t wait until I can try some camel milk, but if it tastes better* than whole milk, I’m not sure what to do!
*I love whole milk.
2. There’s a chance I am going to get to learn how to make yogurt! Making yogurt is on the list of things that I have always wanted to know how to do!
I hope everyone is doing well! Send me updates: kinkadea1@gmail.com
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Typical Day
Yesterday, someone asked me what a typical day consisted of here in Niger.. So, here it goes.
I spend my entire day fighting off ear wigs.
I’m joking, but have you ever seen one? We just sprayed for them yesterday, but the spray made most of us really itchy.
Here is a more accurate description of my “typical” day:
Occasionally, the wonderful Mr. Boyfriend calls me just as I am waking up. Then it is time for breakfast before school starts at 8:00. Marie and Laurey have Bible/Prayer, History, Hand-writing, Language Arts and sometimes Literature/Reading before our 10:30 break. After break, we have Science, Math, and anything that wasn’t done in the morning. We usually also do some activities depending on the day and lesson.. Fridays is piano day! It’s usually a pretty full morning for school. Each day, I am surprised at the depth of Sonlight Curriculum. How many of us learned about Ancient World History in 2nd grade? I don’t even think I could locate the 7 continents.
After school, we have lunch around one.. My afternoons currently consist of picnics, trampolines, preparing the next days lessons (though I struggle to pronounce many of the Historical names), reading (for myself and sometimes to the girls), reading the Bible, checking my email to see if I have a student teaching placement, and lastly learning/practicing piano. The last one is quite the task, but I think it’s a great thing for the girls to learn, and I can’t expect them to learn without staying ahead of them!
Dinner is around seven, and following dinner I usually watch some Gilmore Girls on my computer and reading as well as working on a few special projects... We are still lacking running water, so if I’m feeling dirty enough I might take a bucket bath.
Weekends here are really relaxed compared to my 12 hour Fareway days. (I miss you all!) On Saturdays we usually go to the pool in the early afternoon and eat lunch there. On Sundays church is around 9:00 with a Bible Group in the evening.
I have also been using the “More with Less” cookbook a lot, but I’m afraid my English Muffins will never work out in my favor.
Other typical day things may include:
…Going to Maradi
…trying to use my Hausa with the guard (or others)
…Running (this is interesting considering the amount of sand that accumulates in my shoes)
… waiting for the power to come back on
For those on the count-down, I think we are down to 90 days left in Niger.
I spend my entire day fighting off ear wigs.
I’m joking, but have you ever seen one? We just sprayed for them yesterday, but the spray made most of us really itchy.
Here is a more accurate description of my “typical” day:
Occasionally, the wonderful Mr. Boyfriend calls me just as I am waking up. Then it is time for breakfast before school starts at 8:00. Marie and Laurey have Bible/Prayer, History, Hand-writing, Language Arts and sometimes Literature/Reading before our 10:30 break. After break, we have Science, Math, and anything that wasn’t done in the morning. We usually also do some activities depending on the day and lesson.. Fridays is piano day! It’s usually a pretty full morning for school. Each day, I am surprised at the depth of Sonlight Curriculum. How many of us learned about Ancient World History in 2nd grade? I don’t even think I could locate the 7 continents.
After school, we have lunch around one.. My afternoons currently consist of picnics, trampolines, preparing the next days lessons (though I struggle to pronounce many of the Historical names), reading (for myself and sometimes to the girls), reading the Bible, checking my email to see if I have a student teaching placement, and lastly learning/practicing piano. The last one is quite the task, but I think it’s a great thing for the girls to learn, and I can’t expect them to learn without staying ahead of them!
Dinner is around seven, and following dinner I usually watch some Gilmore Girls on my computer and reading as well as working on a few special projects... We are still lacking running water, so if I’m feeling dirty enough I might take a bucket bath.
Weekends here are really relaxed compared to my 12 hour Fareway days. (I miss you all!) On Saturdays we usually go to the pool in the early afternoon and eat lunch there. On Sundays church is around 9:00 with a Bible Group in the evening.
I have also been using the “More with Less” cookbook a lot, but I’m afraid my English Muffins will never work out in my favor.
Other typical day things may include:
…Going to Maradi
…trying to use my Hausa with the guard (or others)
…Running (this is interesting considering the amount of sand that accumulates in my shoes)
… waiting for the power to come back on
For those on the count-down, I think we are down to 90 days left in Niger.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Beauty
This weeks lesson…
Find beauty in everything.
Did you know a single ant can carry an entire peanut quickly across a picnic blanket?
Did you know you can laugh for countless hours while playing various versions of Duck, Duck Goose?
Did you know you can also laugh for countless hours watching three children jump on a trampoline?
If anyone can learn from God though the beauties of Niger, they can also look into their own lives each day. I’m going to pose a challenge for each of us this week. Find beauty in something you have never made the time to notice. When you find yourself frustrated with the world take a look around and discover something beautiful. Take note of what you discover, and return to it each day.
Also, studies are wrong… never go to bed angry. The Bible says, and I trust the Bible more than a study.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Cats & Lizards
As I was typing this in a email to Curtis, I decided everyone might like a little humor in the middle of the day… (some will not find this humorous, and I think it would be better told in person.)
For those of you who don’t know this, I grew up in the country. I used to put mice in buckets and spun them around so they would be easier for the cats to catch. I know this sounds in-humane, but it was just part of living in the country. Yesterday there was this lizard stuck in the chicken around the turkeys. The lizard was stuck, and I thought he was dead because he wasn’t moving. When I realized he wasn’t dead, I tried to use a stick to get him out, but it wouldn’t work. Tom said the cats eat lizards, so he got this cat to come and get it. Easiest catch of this cats life, right? Not true. The cat tugged on the lizard for a second, and then gave up. I’m pretty sure the turkey ended up getting the lizard in the end, but I thought it was so funny that cats in Niger can adopt the same lazy quality as cats anywhere else. :)
I also need to mention that Laurey and Marie were throwing scraps to the turkey while I was poking the lizard, and if an orange peel hit me in the process, I would scream; which of course made everyone die of laughter.
For those of you who don’t know this, I grew up in the country. I used to put mice in buckets and spun them around so they would be easier for the cats to catch. I know this sounds in-humane, but it was just part of living in the country. Yesterday there was this lizard stuck in the chicken around the turkeys. The lizard was stuck, and I thought he was dead because he wasn’t moving. When I realized he wasn’t dead, I tried to use a stick to get him out, but it wouldn’t work. Tom said the cats eat lizards, so he got this cat to come and get it. Easiest catch of this cats life, right? Not true. The cat tugged on the lizard for a second, and then gave up. I’m pretty sure the turkey ended up getting the lizard in the end, but I thought it was so funny that cats in Niger can adopt the same lazy quality as cats anywhere else. :)
I also need to mention that Laurey and Marie were throwing scraps to the turkey while I was poking the lizard, and if an orange peel hit me in the process, I would scream; which of course made everyone die of laughter.
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