Everyday is a Learning Experience

So I have been here for over a week now, and it is finally hitting me that I'm not on vacation. Establishing somewhat of a routine at the office of CFL (Center for Family Life) has been good for me to get settled, but now I am experiencing what I do every time I move to a new location. I am so enamored with all the new external stuff I am experiencing that it goes unnoticed by me that my emotions and lifestyle are on a figurative roller coaster. All this to say that the ups and downs are much more dramatic and noticeable until I really get settled in a have somewhat of a stable lifestyle. The thing that is both fortunate and unfortunate about my current situation is that I have intentionally set up the next 8-12 months of my life to be exactly the opposite of what I just mentioned. It is fortunate because it will give me the opportunity to practice living an unsettled life and become comfortable in almost any situation, and unfortunate because, well simply because it will be difficult.

With all that said, this has already been an amazing and very enlightening experience, and it has only been about 10 days. Everyday I go to the office and work with the clients and staff, I am so deeply humbled by how fortunate I have been throughout my life. From birth, I have been surrounded by loving people who care enough about me to make sure I take advantage of everything that is available to me. Everyone that I have been working with the past week either hasn't had, and doesn't have the same resources, or simply does not know about them or how to use them. It is really sad because they are all very talented, wonderful people. The other thing that has really struck me is that because of their situations, a lot of them really have no self-confidence and no goals. They have been beaten down and indirectly told time after time that they aren't worth it and that they have nothing special to offer. Their stories are heartbreaking, and yet they keep going the best they know how, and they now are taking a huge step by letting go of their pride and coming to a place that really can help them discover what's inside of them and use it to create the life they have dreamed of, but never really considered realistic.

As far as what I have been doing specifically at the office, it has been a very involved and varied process to this point. Since last Monday, I have been going step by step through the process that CFL has in place to create long term and sustainable change in these people's lives, specifically in their professional lives. Monday was an introduction to the program with some basic testing of math and language skills, followed by skills assessment and identification on Tuesday. Wednesday was all about goal setting, obstacle identification, and finding realistic solutions to each obstacle. Thursday and Friday we devoted to resume development and interview skills workshops. This is the same format for the first week of each new group of participants, and it was amazing for me to see the change in these people throughout the week. At the beginning of the week they all came in with their heads low and seemingly without any idea of who they were and what they wanted to do, but by Friday afternoon the majority of them were excited about what they had to offer and nervously excited about going to their first real job interviews. After they go through the first week, they have access to all the materials and assistance CFL offers, and they are heavily encouraged to attend job search workshops every Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9-11am.

I have put up some photos from the last week here. The first one is of "The Sphere," which was a piece that was out in front of the World Trade Center, and which was made to signify world peace. It somehow survived, although clearly not undamaged, the 9/11 attacks and is now in Battery Park in honor of the victims and heros of that day. The next was taken just a few steps away from there, and I just love how it looks like the Statue of Liberty is staring down the moon. The next one I really like and it shows Midtown Manhattan rising up over the Great Lawn of Central Park. Finally, there is a photo of myself and two of my friends, Laura and Adam (I'll leave it to you to assign the names without further explanation from me), from college who both live out here now. I will include photos of myself and the office, and the employees and clients of CFL once we all get more comfortable with each other. Undoubtedly I have another exciting, enlightening week that has just begun.