12.07.09
This week was our first full week on project. Started off a little rough, caring for some broken fingers that happened last weekend. But overall it was pretty good. The corps members have built relationships with their students and seem to really enjoy the work.
At the elementary school the students are learning Christmas carols for a performance on December 17. They continue to be rowdy, but I think we continue to learn what we can do to control it. It was also tag week so each game this week was a type of tag. By far the favorite and also the simplest was tail tag. Each student puts a bandana so it hangs out their side pocket. Everyone is “it” and tries to pull each person’s bandana out. When your bandana gets pulled you have to sit down in place, but you can still pull other people’s bandanas out. We don’t always play in the games, but I did this week . And I found that I either win or am the first one out. The kids are so fast, and if I win once they all gang up to me and get me out immediately on the next game. So that’s a good time.
We also started support for the Christmas in November event that CYFC puts on each year. Two corps members have volunteered to lead this project, coordinating wrapping, managing community volunteers who come to wrap and keeping a log of all the presents wrapped. This project is a little slow right now, but is expected to pick up as the holiday season approaches. In total the corps members and volunteers will wrap thousands of gifts to distribute to community children.
The corps members working at the high school were invited to the weekend football game by several students. It was a game against their rival high school, Crenshaw. Students warned that security would be tight so some of them were kind of nervous. Most of the corps members got to go (some of us got stuck in traffic!) and had a good time. They wore Dorsey High School t shirts and saw a few of their students play.
The few of us that got stuck in traffic and missed the 7pm gate close went to see the movie Brothers. It was really nice to get out in a small group and see new people (even strangers at the movies) and see a new place too. The movie was pretty good. Serious and intense, but good. Lots of time in this program I don’t feel like this is real life or that I’m a real person, but the simple act of seeing a movie made me feel like a person again. Also, not wearing my uniform makes me feel like a real person too! I gotta try to do that more often. On our movie outing we learned that the van is less than 6’8”, but just barely. The outside of the garage said the clearance was 7 feet and then all of a suddenly halfway up it switched to 6’8”. We were ducking inside the van the whole time, as if that would help!
Saturday was a pretty good day. A few of us went to La Brea tar pits. There are giant pits of tar right in the middle of LA. They have some pretty cheesy fake mastadons all around the tar pits. There is at least one site still being excavated where they find dinosaur bones. The tar pits are a little stinky and bubble. There was also some modern (confusing?) art sculptures around the park.
We then continued on to Hollywood. Got some giant NY pizza slices (almost) as good as real pizza from home. Then continued to the touristy stuff in Hollywood. Grauman’s Chinese Theater, walk of stars, flashing lights. Its kind of the Times Square of Hollywood. Later that evening I went out with another team leader who is also on project in LA. Good to have a break from the team. Thought I would have to sneak around when I got back, but my corps members were up having a dance party. A few of them had found a local bar and made friends with locals. Probably the rest of us will check it out again another weekend.
Sunday I went back to Hollywood to hang out with another team leader on project near LA. We met at the LA farmers market which was quite impressive. There were a several rows on vendors as well as prepared foods. Then we drove up Mulholland Drive, which is a windy uphill road with some scenic views. Lastly, we went to Santa Monica and sat on the beach. Jeff is crazy and stuck his feet in the water, but mostly we just enjoyed the quiet and bright lights of the pier. There was also a little downtown section of Santa Monica that has stores, restaurants and Christmas lights. Quite possibly the hardest place to find a bathroom in California. While there we got yelled at by two power hungry cops who told us not to walk across the street because “this ain’t new york city.” And I think at that exact moment we all wished it was. They demanded that we stand on the curb until the light changed, then followed us about 2 blocks. Santa Monica’s finest for sure. (do I look like trouble? Leave me alone.)
All in all, a pretty good weekend. Picked up a pretty solid cold somewhere along the way. A few people in my house have been sick, so I suppose its to be expected. But they got over it pretty quick and hopefully I will too. Think that’s about it for now. Looking forward to Christmas!
