Don't listen to them when they say you're just a fool to believe you can change the world...

I'm moving to New Orleans at the end of September to begin a year of service with Habitat for Humanity!!!!!

Thanks everyone for all the good wishes, prayers, vibes, etc. I couldn't do it without all of your support!

I wouldn't change a thing that changed my life...

So I left Alaska four days ago and obviously its taken me a while to write this entry. Life has been a little chaotic since returning but tonight I finally got to reflect about my time in Alaska,

Be ready for a long post. :)

Friday, our last day in Hoonah, was much different than any other. First being that I didn't go to Headstart because they kids were let out a day early for spring break. I really missed them and wished I could have spent at least one more day with them. Before any of us went off to our service sites for the day we went to Grandma Nina's, a local coffee shop, and got some java and muffins. It was also Jeff's 19th birthday so I made sure to give him a party hat and birthday pin to wear all day. It wouldn't be a real birthday if there wasn't some embarrassment involved with it, right?

Jeff's birthday attire.

When we finished holding court at Grandma Nina's, we all headed over to the school. Some socialized in the cafeteria, others played games with students in the gym, and some (myself included) caught up on homework. At 9am a group of us was expected at a local church to finish the painting some other team members had started that week. A wedding is supposed to happen there in a few weeks and I'm really happy we got to finish the church so the mother of the bride didn't have do it, like she thought she was going to before we came into town.

The church

We all had different schedules and after a few hours I was left alone, painting in the church. It was a moment I really enjoyed. There was no talking, no radio, no noise except for the gentle sound of snow/rain falling outside. My experience in Hoonah, and the impact of the group that I traveled with, began to hit me then. In a town of about 860 people, 14 people from 14 different backgrounds with 14 different goals in life from one university came together to serve that town in whatever way they needed. We planted a garden, we fixed a leaky toilet, we helped with an engineering project, we were someone to talk to, we were a hand to hold, we were a shoulder to cry on, we were teachers, and we were students.

With those thoughts storming my brain, I decided to take a walk back to the school and think about the week some more. I wasn't at the school long before Roger came and whisked me away to lunch at Grandma Nina's. Yes, the coffee shop from that morning. Lunch was on the house for our group so a good number of us showed up. Then it was time for me and Marc to go to the Hoonah Indian Association to do some more legal type work.

While there, I began to feel lightheaded and naeusous. When I woke up that morning I was really congested and had a slight cough, but this hit me like a truck. The nausea would come in waves and after a while it was hard to concentrate on much. So Rory, Roger's sister, decided to take me back to her cabin and let me rest, she also set up an appointment for me at the local clinic. After the most wonderful nap I've ever had, Rory came rushing in to whisk me away to the clinic where I found out I only had a terrible cold, which I had figured. Being around those pesky preschoolers and not sleeping much can really compromise your immune system.

I came back to the bunk house and started to help things get ready for the potluck dinner the community was holding for us. When the other team members trickled in I noticed a sign was posted up in the living room. It was from the K-2 class thanking the team members who worked with them that week. Reading it, the emotions I felt earlier about our team and what we'd done in the community came flooding back to me. Let's be real, that's just a poetic way to say that the note made me cry. I dried my tears and got back to work setting up the kitchen and living room for company.

The note

We had heard that a good number of people would be showing up and that there would be native food, singing, and dancing. At 7pm, the bottom level of the bunk house was filling up with members of the community. I wasn't at all what I had expected but I was pleasantly surprised. Our entire group loved watching the dancing and singing and we got to dance too. Soon after that was over, Jeff, Morgan, and Kimberly were presented with bear claws from the "chief" of the Tlingit tribe. Apparently, this wasn't something that they do often and they wanted to recognize those individuals for their service to the community.

Our group with members of the Tlingit tribe.

With all that going on, the smell of salmon, seal meat, and seaweed fried rice began to waft in from the kitchen. I decided to be adventurous and tried all of the above plus smoked octopus and halibut pizza. I mostly enjoyed everything except the seal meat and rice. I'll just say that those weren't my cup of tea. If you want a more descriptive reason, ask me later.

Clockwise from the bottom: Smoked salmon, seal meat, halibut pizza, smoked octopus, seaweed fried rice, taco meat, and venison in the center.

The excitement died down after most of the food was eaten and conversations were exhausted. It was time for our final reflection. I had a feeling I would end up crying again, as the last night on ASB is always a powerful one. We started off making a web out of yarn by throwing the yarn to someone who had impacted us on the trip. Once it made it to everyone, we continued it until we ran out of yarn. Standing in the circle holding our strings, we each described how this week had changed or challenged us. Everyone's answers were different and enlightening in their own ways.

When it was my turn to speak, I thought I was going to cry...again, but I found no lump in my throat. Instead of sobbing and making a barely audible statement, I simply said, "You all have changed me." And it's true. They did. I said that Nadeem and I had spent a significant amount of time picking the best team we could for this trip and what they did far exceeded the expectations we had set. I told them about how I felt earlier and that I was so proud and they should be proud of themselves as well. It's good to recognize how different we all are and that we come from different experiences but that we can come together for a week of service and get so much done. It's inspiring. We're not really sure if we've made a fingerprint or a footprint in Hoonah, and we'll really never now but we'll never forget what we did there and what we learned about ourselves.

I learned that I am extremely privileged. I have a family and friends who love me, a job that pays well for a college student, a great education, and much more. This isn't to say that the people in Hoonah don't have these privileges but they may be harder to come by.

This trip also reaffirmed to me that I HAVE to do Americorps next year. Notice the word "have", meaning that I haven't been accepted just yet but that I am dying to get in that program. I want to travel and experience new things and serve whatever community needs me. To me, a life without service isn't a life well lived. If I could be a vegabond and just do service the rest of my life, I would. Unfortunately that isn't very realistic so I've decided to devote a year or two of my life to Americorps, if they accept me that is.

So for now that is all about my ASB trip to Hoonah, Alaska. I'm still adjusting to going back to school and living in a city again. Living in a remote town in Alaska for a week can really affect your perceptions on those things. You forget there are such things as massive highways, fast food restaurants by the hundreds, and Target.

Also, if I get into Americorps, know that I will post that on here ASAP and that this blog will be used for that experience as well.

On that note, thanks again for all of your support through the years; it is noted and appreciated. I love you all.

(These two photos were taken by Susannah Brinkley)

"Service rests on the basic premise that the nature of life is sacred, that life is a holy mystery, which has an unknown purpose. When we serve, we know that we belong to life and to that purpose." -Rachel Naomi Remen

"Gracias! And 'Gracias' means 'I am going to the bathroom!'"-Jozlyn

Yesterday was my last day at Headstart because the kids were getting a one day start on spring break. So I woke up feeling sad about it being my last day with the kids but I was excited because the kids were going on a field trip to the beach across from the building where Headstart is. But before we went to Headstart we met with the new school counselor, Renee, who wanted to talk to us about life in Hoonah and the kids. She graduated last spring with the masters degree in social work and felt called to serve the people in Alaska. She offered an insightful perspective on the kids and their behavior and they way the community responds to problems.

Finally it was time to go to Headstart and soon after getting there we headed off to the beach. The kids absolutely loved it! They especially enjoyed flipping over the rocks and seeing the small crabs and starfish that hide underneath them.

Mrs. Edna lifting up the rocks for the kids.

Alona with her baby crab.

We had our fill for the beach and went back to Headstart where we had lunch and played more games and did activities. This is where the title for this entry becomes relevant. Jozlyn, one of the girls at Headstart, had to use the restroom and just like a pre-k kid would do, left the stall door open for everyone to see her do her business. From her spot on the commode, she yelled to Mrs. Edna "Gracias!" and obviously not really knowing the meaning of the word, she said that gracias meant she was using the bathroom. Of course this was one those "kids say the darndest things" moments. These kids are so happy all of the time and I really enjoyed the time I got to spend with them. So we said goodbye and I headed back to the school to blog and get some work done.

It wasn't long after I got to the school that I got an invitation, along with a few other team members, to go get some crab pots with Keith, Mrs. Edna's husband. So Morgan, Nadeem, Jeff, Marc and I went out with Keith on his skiff to get some dungeness crab. We loved seeing the surrounding area from the water and we even saw some bald eagles. Our catch was about 12-15 crabs and Keith let us bring them back to the bunkhouse and eat them. So yummy!

Kissin' a Dungeness!

Jeff and an Alaskan King Crab.

The team at Tlingit class.

After feasting on the crab we went back to the Hoonah Senior Center for Tlingit class. We got to learn some sweet nothing type phrases and really enjoyed that. When we got back we did reflection, something we have done every night here as you can tell. It was another powerful night. I'll probably end up discussing that with most of you on my return as the activity we did was pretty personal from some of the students and I don't find it really appropriate to discuss all of that here on the worldwide web.

So today is our last day here and we've gotten a good bit of work done. A lot of us feel reluctant to leave so soon but we are ready for some normalcy again. I won't lie, I am ready for some warmer weather. :)

Thanks for reading this blog and I will update tomorrow with an outline of what we did on our last day here.

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."-Ghandi

So yesterday morning Nadeem and I were interviewed for the radio via the high school journalism class. I swear we're celebrities here in this small town. It was really exciting being that I have never been on the radio before (unlike my little brother).

Once I was done with my celebrity duties I headed over to Headstart and was swarmed with hugs when I walked in the door. The kids have truly grown on me, most people who know me know that I don't really like kids so this has been a learning experience for me. I've found myself loving to play with them and just act young again. I did a lot of drawing and made more zoo animals out of play-doh! and even did some coloring. Yes mom, I colored-colored-colored. I drew some castles for some pretty princesses in my class who loved them and were so excited.

We left Headstart early so our whole group could go on a hike back to Icy Strait Point. Another local, Chris Budke, who works with the forest service lead us on the hike and discussed environmental issues here in Hoonah. Then it began to rain a good bit and we headed back to the bunk house where we had good discussions on being a team leader and the class you have to take along with it. Nadeem and I kept getting complimented by our team for having this trip so well planned, even when it seemed to us that it wasn't. That was really nice to hear especially since we have been working on it for so long.

Not long after we got back to the bunk house, Moto, our Japanese friend who kind of shadows us here came and made us a traditional meal of curry rice. It was delicious! We all really enjoyed it and it was the first time some of the team members ever used chopsticks, and that was fun to watch.

When we had finished dinner we went to the senior center for our Tlingit language class. Now that was a good time. Some of the words felt really strange today and others you couldn't help laugh while saying them. Don't be surprised if I start incorporating some of these phrases in conversations when I get back. Our teacher, Genevieve, used to be beaten when she was younger for speaking Tlingit in school so she has been trying to relearn the language. So it impressed her that we, and previous groups, have shown in interest in learning her native language.

After our class we came back and had reflection just like every night. Reflection always goes well and everyone enjoys learning each other's experiences during the day. We all were feeling pretty tired and delirious after reflection but we stayed up for a while serenading each other with old 90's songs. That should have been caught on tape.

More pictures will be posted tomorrow. I love and miss you all.

The one with play-doh and a carnival.

Yesterday morning at school I sat down at a table in the cafeteria full of 2^nd grade boys. The boy sitting on my right immediately put his head down when I sat beside him. He whispered something to his friend and then his friend yelled out, “I DON’T WANT TO TRADE PLACES WITH YOU!” Nice, right? Ha. The teacher then said to him, “In a few years you’ll look at this as a missed opportunity, having a pretty girl sitting next to you.” I knew then what was going on, as the boy, Robert, got up to leave I made sure to tell him bye, which only made him blush.

So that was a good start to the day. We headed off to Headstart and I was greeted with hugs from some of the children instantly. The best part of the morning was getting to play with play-doh!. I decided to make a walrus and a shark out of it and that led to the kids basically wanting me to make a zoo of play-doh! animals. I was decently good at it and think I may have found my next calling in life.

My play-doh! walrus.

Around lunchtime I got to go with the main teacher for Headstart, Edna, and 5 kids who will be kindergarteners next year to the cafeteria at school for lunch. It was good to see some of the other team members there with their kids and interact with them a little bit. After lunch we went back and played with play-doh! some more.

Jozlyn with her play-doh and dinosaurs.

I got a call from Roger’s sister, Rory (our connection to Hoonah), saying that Marc and I had gotten approval from the Hoonah Indian Association to work with them on some legal files for child custody and services cases. The work is extremely confidential so I am not allowed to discuss any of work we’ve done there. Which I’m pretty much used to having worked in a law firm for almost two years.

Being sassy with our food gloves.

When our work done there for the day Marc and I headed back to the school to get things started for the carnival that night. We worked in the kitchen with 3 other team members producing mass quantities of hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, and tacos. There were tons of people here for carnival, they said about half the town came out (which for here is a lot). After slaving over nacho cheese I decided to go check out our booth in the gym (where the main part of carnival was) and see how we were doing. Our booth was a bean bag toss game and we were pretty popular if I do say so.

The ladies at carnival.

Carnival was quite the experience. They even had a dunking booth outside in this 30 degree weather! We had so much fun interacting with the community and the kids we have gotten to know. I even saw Robert, from earlier that morning, in fact he dragged me to the carnival jail 8 eights, with me kicking and screaming. I would be standing around talking to the team and he would creep up behind me, grab me around the waist, and pull me all the way to jail. My ribs may be a little bruised but it was all in good fun.

From one of the eight times I was put in jail. As you can see, Robert napped a few of my team members as well.

When we got our fill of the carnival activities we went back to the bunk house and had reflection. I just have to say that I am so impressed with the team and how they are letting this experience challenge them. We talked a lot about recognizing our privileges back home and how that influences the experience for us. A reflection activity we did was A-HA! moments, which is basically saying a thought that you had during the day that makes you recognize your privilege or a new way of thinking. A lot of us talked about family, myself included. I said that I am so fortunate to come from a family where our love is forefront. We constantly tell each other "I love you" and "I'm proud of you". I am so grateful for that and I recognize that there are children in this community and all over the world that may never hear those things from their parents/siblings/grandparents, etc. My parents have always wanted me to pursue my dreams and have said that the world is my oyster and I can do anything that I put my mind to. For that, I am forever grateful.

"And when you dream, dream big

As big as the ocean blue

'Cause when you dream it might come true

And when you dream, dream big."

-Ryan Shupe

"We're so glad you're here!"

When I woke up yesterday morning, I was so excited, anxious, and nervous at the same time. It was our first day of service in Hoonah and our team was ready. I was looking forward to seeing how this day was going to affect them and how it would challenge their opinions and thoughts on service. I knew the day would bring touching moments for all of us and I was surprised when the first moment came for me when we got to the school.

The first thing we did when we got to the school, which is a K-12 program, we went to the cafeteria. Roger told us to go ahead and make friends with the kids and try to disperse ourselves. This intimidated me already but our team walked right into the cafeteria and immediately became friends with the students in there. I was so impressed with my team; they had no hesitation with a task that seemed daunting to me.

After some open gym time, we all headed off to our respective placements. Three other team members and I headed over to the Headstart program. Headstart is a pre-K program and those kids are bounding with energy! I immediately went over to the reading corner and started reading some books to one girl and soon after I was surrounded. I probably read about 7 or 8 books in 30 minutes and I could tell my voice was getting hoarse. We basically just spent the morning with them, playing and horsing around. They're learning about eggs this week and how many animals hatch from eggs not just birds. I even learned that octopi lay eggs!

Something our group thought was interesting about the program was that they let the kids serve themselves at lunchtime. Food is served family style and they have to eat something from every bowl/plate. They were very neat and didn't even make a mess.

A little while after lunch, Roger came to pick me up and we left to meet the local grandma of the community. Deborah Dalton is treasured by the community and even the kids love her. She is invited to the basketball games and given her own special seat. Our reason for meeting her was that she has a leaky toilet. Hopefully, it will be fixed today by one of our team members who has done some plumbing work before.

Last night we went to the Hoonah Indian Association and met with Mary Beth Moss, Owen James' wife. She told us all about the tribal council and the basic history of the Tlingit tribe here in Hoonah. It was all very enlightening. Another team member and I may be working with her with some legal work towards the end of the week but that is still up in the air as of current.

When we came back from the Hoonah Indian Association we had reflection. The comments we got from the team about the people we are serving here were profound. They recognize the need here and want to do what is possible to aid the community in whatever they want us to do. I think it should be recognized that there are people in my generation who want to make the world a better place and know that service is important in every community, no matter what the need/problem is. With that, I want to share this quote:

"I realize this may be a shock but, I can change the world, and I refuse to believe that I am part of a lost generation."

That particular quote means a lot to me and to the life I have chosen.

Right now, we are at school, waiting to go to class and my group is about to head back over to Headstart. Tonight there will be a carnival and we have our own booth! It seems like we're celebrities in this small tonight. Most of the people we've met have instantly said, "We're so glad you're here!" It is reassuring that the community here recognizes us and commends us for our work.

On that note, it's time for more storytelling and games!! And, I'm sorry there are no pictures in this post, I promise to post more soon.

Alaska-The Final Frontier

Okay, so we made it and I have two days for you to catch up on.

On Saturday we caught an early flight to Juneau. The flight in was beautiful and landing on a runway surrounded by mountains was amazing. The scenery here in Alaska is absolutely breathtaking. If you haven't been here yet, you should definitely make it a priority.

After settling in at the hotel and grabbing some lunch, at a Subway that I think we overwhelmed, we headed out to Mendenhall Glacier. I never thought I would see an actual glacier in my life but the opportunity presented itself and I am so glad I got to see it. The pictures I took of it and the surrounding area don't do it justice.

The Mendenhall Glacier

The whole team (minus Roger) at the glacier.

Once we had finished taking in all the sights at the glacier we went back to the hotel and got some rest. We drove into the town of Juneau that night for dinner and ate at a restaurant that was known for its seafood, but me being me ordered the ribs instead of the local catch. The ribs were kind of tough and now I'm wishing I had gotten the salmon or halibut (oh well, you live you learn). After dinner we had reflection and went to bed.

The view from the ferry before we left.

The next morning we had to get up early again to catch the ferry to Hoonah, our final destination in Alaska. We all scattered around the boat taking pictures of the scenery and at some point a number of us ended on a part of the deck that was supposed to be off limits and we got yelled at. Funnily enough, the getting yelled out lead to us being invited into to meet the captain and go to the front of the boat. While there, we got to meet the first engineer who decided to give us the "whole-meal-deal" tour of the boat. We saw the engine room, the septic room, and the very back part of the boat. It ended up being the highlight of most everyone's day.

Some of the group on the tour of the boat, here we were on the back of the boat and first engineer, Matt, was discussing propellers and what not.

Coming into Hoonah on the ferry.

When the tour ended we pretty much prepared for our arrival into Hoonah. We took lots more pictures and took it all in. Coming into Hoonah we were met by Roger's brother-in-law and he took our luggage back to the bunk house, where we will be staying for the week. It was about a mile long walk to the bunk house and soon after we got there a local, Owen James, met with us and talked to us about hunting and trapping in the area. I felt a sea otter pelt for the first time in my life and it was one of the softest things I have ever felt. Then we went on a hike with Owen at the old cannery and to Icy Strait Point. Along the hike we got to see a sea lion poke his head out of the water and growl/make those sea lion noises at us, so that was pretty exciting/terrifying especially after we found out that that particular sea lion was around 1200 lbs.

The part of the forest we saw on our hike to Icy Strait Point.

The beach on our hike at Icy Strait Point.

We ended the hike by throwing snowballs at each other and just enjoying each other's company. Back at the bunk house we made dinner, played a competitive round of Battle of the Sexes, and had reflection. Our schedules for today were set out for us and we finally got a decent night of sleep.

I'll try and update tomorrow on today and all the activities we've done because I have to wrap this up. The school day is over and I need a nap, horsing around with pre-k kids will wear you out. :)