Finally Getting Some Work Done

The AmeriCorps NCCC motto is "getting things done" and up until about a week ago that meant sitting in large groups and listening to other people talk about what we need to know and what we will be doing, while fighting the urge to fall asleep. However; now, things are starting to get interesting. (But, dont get me wrong, I am extremely glad I got so much training.)

This past week we had our mini spike in Wilmington, DE. We worked with in the state parks completing a variety of tasks. It was quite an adventure packing our van with everything we needed for the week. It makes me very nervous to think about packing the van for 8 weeks....but I guess we shall cross that bridge when the time comes. The day we showed up I got to work at a nature center in one of the parks. I wrestled with a large mass of thorn ridden vines for about an hour. I was beginning to think that the vines would conquer but I soon showed them who's boss. They put up a good fight though, as proven by a few thorn pieces still lodged under my skin and scratches up my legs. The second day we worked at the DuPont Mansion. We cleaned out the basement which was kind of cool. The house was originally built as a castle so there were lots of secret passageways and cool ghost stories. The next day we worked at the Brandywine State Park. We picked up a lot of debris left over from the snow storms. We had to saw a bunch of huge branches into a bunch of small branches. Then we got to do some hiking. For the last day we went back to the nature center and did some sanding and painting. We also got to do a lot of team bonding during the trip and I am so happy with my team now :)

Everyone of us has something to give everyone else. Jamie adds the totally unnecessary (but def in a good way!), Alexa adds the party, Tyler adds the comedic relief, Kathrine adds the sneaky, Alisa adds the awesome cooking and the acting, Evelyn adds the sick nasty , Josh adds the cards and frisbee, Jeremy adds the voices, Rob adds the quiet funny, and I am somewhere in all of that. I am so lucky to have a team that gets along.

In another week we will be going on our for real spike. It will be 8 weeks long and it will be slpit into two different projects. The first 4 weeks will be spent in Conowingo, MD at a girl scout camp and the second 4 weeks will be spent in Camden, NJ working at the Camden Children's garden. I am pumped about the split because that will give us a chance to learn more about different areas. Ill even get to see dinosaurs! ( I hear the children's garden has a dinosaur garden!)

Lots going on but I take it day by day and so far, so good :)