Take me out to the ball gameeee & with our powers combined

Take me out to the ball gameeee & with our powers combined
"You say it's your birthday It's my birthday too, yeah They say it's your birthday We're gonna have a good time I'm glad it's your birthday Happy birthday to you."
-Beatles

This song is the epitome of September 16Th; both Kendra and my birthday. We woke up on our birthday morning to our doors decorated with balloons and birthday signs and an egg, coffee and pancake breakfast which was a phenomenal and delicious surprise. Our two other roommates purposely got up extra extra early cause I am usually the first one to head out the door and cooked us breakfast which tasted much better then the yogurt and fruit as per usual.

During the day the Moms at the shelter called me down to the dining room and sang happy birthday with their babies. I was surprised that they first of all knew it was my birthday, and then took initiative to call me down from my office - without the suggestion coming from a higher power. During my lunch hour the Sisters and staff personnel brought out a cake and gifts for me which was also very sweet.

When I got home I was greeted with dinner and a chocolate cake with homemade vanilla frosting just like I like it! :) my roommates are too good to me! (crumbled up milano cookie was added down the center to create the Great Wall O' Cake so Kendra and I could both feel special hah) Rico came over to join us and we even wore party hats, had balloons and party favors compliments of my wonderful mom and dad <3

Below is Kendra and I blowing out our candles and making our wishes....

To conclude our birthday week, which was filled with cake literally every day, packages from my family members EVERY day (which are still coming!) and many happy birthday songs, one of the Priests next door got us tickets to the Yankees game.

Now, now, now Boston fans/Merrimack-ers... the tickets were free, Yankee Stadium is 2 minutes away, it was the first game of the last series EVER played in the stadium, A-Rod is a babe (ehh sorry had to throw that one in there), and whats living in NYC for a year without going to a game... I had to.

We had a phenomenal time at the game; they won. Our seats were a riot - we were near some wild middle aged man who was doing what looked like a combination of the Soulja Boy dance and having a seizure. All in all it was an amusing way to begin the weekend.

Below is a picture of the new Yankee Stadium, which is literally 100 feet away from the old one. The far left side of the train track is jam packed with individuals going towards Manhattan and our side, is well.... lacking any ANYYY human existence. We were dying laughing cause not only were there 5 empty trains sent to pick up people going to Manhattan which people were fighting to get on, but our train had us and maybe ten others. We were the ONLY white people heading towards Fordham Road whereas the Manhattan trains were predominately white. Shows what kind of draw the Yankees pull from despite being located in the Bronx.



Saturday night we ventured down to Brooklyn to meet up with tons of my Daybreak friends (some live in NYC and some came down from Vermont) to have yet another birthday party. This time the party was superhero themed and there were 6 of us with birthdays therefore 6..yes six more cakes. SO MUCH FUN and SOOO much cake!


Kendra Katie and two Daybreak friends Kim and Katie (all k's..weird now that I am typing that) and I dressed up as the Planeteers from Captain Planet. I was Earth, Kim was Heart, Kendra Fire, Roommate Katie Wind and Vermont Katie water. We made our shirts which turned out fabously despite the hilarious looks we received on the train; some intrigued, some confused and one man who offered to escort us to the party if he could be Frozone from the movie the "Incredibles"...quite priceless.

Below is Kim and I getting ready to leave my apartment to head to Brooklyn... Please notice the beautiful shirts we made EARTH represent...and our planeteer rings.



All things considered, I would say this is by far one of the most random, yet one of the most successful birthdays I have had in a lonnnng time.



This week at work has been fairly mellow and it looks likes the next few days will be as well. Tomorrow night I am taking eight of my women to see the NY Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightening play at Madison Square Garden fo free yeaa.

Work a little charm, smile here and there..badda boom badda bang free tickets.



Friday we all of my roommates and I are road tripping up to the Merrimack area to stay with the Lawrence volunteers and attend Merrimack's homecoming. Despite the rain I can't wait to see the other community, my lovely little college crew and Adam Lisa Aidan and baby Ellie!!!!



One quick last little story before I head to bed...I find it amusing. I was walking to the train this morning at 8am, my head phones in when I saw a man talking to me. I politely smiled and said hi as I usually do -- they are typically asking to marry me so I usually just say hello and keep walking. The man kept talking and gesturing so I took my earphone out just in time to catch him saying "white girl got some pretty eyes, almost as pretty as my dogs"

I know his intentions were sweet, and in all honesty it made me laugh, but I couldn't help but think that If they were just a little prettier I would be equivalent with a DOG.
Sweet, personable, dazzling smile and shes single gentlemen...oh and her eyes are almost, not quite, but ALMOST as nice as this here puppy.
The End.

I suppose NYC is a good place to turn 23...

Well, it is not quite my birthday yet and I have already experienced how much love this city and the individuals I am surrounded by have to offer.

Anna, the woman whom I work at the Siena thrift shop with once a week found out it was my birthday and bought me lunch. She is an absolute doll and I had an amazing first day of officially working with her - I'll talk about that later.

Tonight the priests next door had us over for a delicious dinner, made me a cake and gave me a card with $50 in it. Absolutely unnecessary especially considering the nature of their lifestyle, but their generosity warmed my heart! They are also taking us to a Yankees game Friday evening - the first game of the last series in the old stadium... hollllla.

And lastly, my roommates are already planning a birthday dinner for both Kendra and I cause we have the same birthday which I LOVE!!

The rest of this past week had both ups and downs. On Sunday I found out that one of my good friends fathers had passed away from Lou Gehrig's disease. He had been sick most of senior year, but I was in total shock. Tuesday I worked a half day at the thrift shop with Anna and then as trying as it was, I managed to navigated my way through not only a massive rain storm thanks to the hurricane, but also NYC's overly huge subway system to catch a greyhound bus to Boston.

The trip was long, uncomfortable and freezing. I spilled a large coffee on myself, my bag, and my seat, but I eventually made it to Boston. The wake and funeral were heartbreaking. He was so young and his disease was so devastating. The strength that his wife Mary, son Phil and my friend Kristin had was so inspirational. My heart goes out to the three of them. Although the two days were so sad, it was comforting to know that my roommates, as well as the Sisters at Siena House were praying for the family.

The only positive that came from my whirlwind 24 hour trip to MA was my ability to squeeze in visiting with a large majority of the individuals I have been missing so so so much. Numerous members of my graduating class showed up for the wake and funeral and then afterwords I was able to spend the night at Merrimack with my Friend Meg in our other friend James' room. He ironically is an RA in the building which I lived in last year which was major deja vu. I was also able to see all of my freshman (which are now sophomores ehhh), friends from orientation, my boss, the 3rd floor SAK crew- Res Life, Student Activities, the Dean, Joni as well as Hannah another AV who is living in Lawrence and working at Merrimack.

Despite the terrible circumstance which brought me to Massachusetts being with all of my friends was something I was in need of. I returned back to my NYC greeted and comforted by my three amazing roommates, and I realized that although this place is still semi unfamiliar it is starting to feel a lot more like home. Below I included a picture of my room... starting to look like an actual functioning place. Behind where I am standing is my own bathroom.



The rest of the week was fairly uneventful - work at Siena House was slow due to the large amount of mothers who have started either GED classes or parenting classes so I was left to play with the babies numerous times throughout the day, which was sooooo miserable :)

One of the babies at Siena


Three of the kids at Andreas after school program which I helped out at after work.


SUCH BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN.

This weekend I was able to see one of my best friends from Vermont, Brian as well as a whole crew of Camp Daybreak friends which again was a much needed taste of home. I unfortunately got a 24 hour bug and spent all of Sunday day and night either sleeping or getting sick. Being sick away from home, not having a Mom or a Nana to take care of you is terrible no matter how old you are. My roommates were sweethearts and brought me crackers and ginger ale and this morning I felt back to normal.

Which brings me to the Thrift Shop. The shop is run by Siena House and although the initial goal of opening it was to make profits which would benefit the shelter - the extremely low selling prices that are put on everything does not make for much of a profit. There are only a select few items that exceed $3 and I am sure Anna or Sister Lauria could easily be talked into selling them for cheaper. Today we gave out bread to homeless individuals who came into the store and I had the pleasure of hanging out with a man named Johnny Five - decorating the two store windows for fall with him.

Johnny Five is a man who has struggled with homelessness much of his adult life. In a city full of lights Johnny has called a cave under a roadway home. He has had his bout with drugs and alcohol and unfortunately to this day still slips into his old habits quite frequently. Although is lifestyle is one which I can't even begin to imagine or understand, today he proved that he is one of the most sincere, to the point, wild, courageous individuals I have ever met.

His story is so hard to believe, as is his friendly demeanor and upbeat attitude considering his struggles. I honestly could not stop listening to him. He went between talking about how he has had to keep clean by using rubbing alcohol in place of a shower, to joking around about how Irish I am and how he should start calling me a Leprechaun and make me dance.

He falters between wanting to have an apartment and design clothing and slipping back under the streets to the place he calls home. He has nothing. Literally nothing, and yet he is so giving. I am in awe of his spirit and his pure determination. Offering his time to help Anna and Sister Lauria at the Thrift Store doing any medial task they ask him to (helping me decorate the windows, going to cash checks for a considerable amount of money... and bringing that money back or moving heavy boxes.)

He totally changed the stereotypical view of the homeless that had previously infiltrated my life. He is not dirty in fact he told me how he loves Cologne and dressing up nice. He not unfriendly nor is he untrustworthy. I honestly am at a loss of words - his life is so far removed from anything that I have ever experienced, yet I was able to completely relate to him. I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to push my personal boundaries and learn from someone like him.

This year is proving to be so much more rewarding then I ever could have imagined. Here's to turning 23 in this crazy city, and all that it has to offer.

just call me Auntie

Katie, Andrea, Kendra, and I one night during orientation.


Myself, Kendra, Andrea and Katie with fair trade coffee on our scavenger hunt through philly.

My Roomies!

Katie is teaching ESL at St. Rita's Immigration Center which is the first and second floor of our building. She is also working as an assistant preschool teacher for adorable little children.

Andrea is working a few doors down at St. Nicholas of Tolentine teaching Spanish and working in the Library. Her boss, although organized and really good at her job reminds me of the insane teacher in Matilda... she scares the crap outta me. The woman has equipped the library with 4 ginormous bunnies and a random hamster that gets let out to roam the building during the day and apparently returns in the evenings. Andreas new furry friends.

Kendra is kinda all over the place. She is working with Katie a few days downstairs as an ESL teacher, which will prove to be interesting considering she doesn't really speak much Spanish and she certainly does not speak Cambodian or any other language that seems prevalent around our area. She is also working with the Augustinian NGO in correlation with the UN... yet to be determined, apparently Catholic social teaching and education. Basically they stick her in a tiny room 100000 floors up in the building next door.

My job so far has been unreal. I absolutely love the people, love the commute and love the fact that I am never doing the same thing.

My commute is a 5 min walk up Fordham Ave (right near my place) a 10 min metro ride and then a 10 minute walk up a large hill. There are always interesting individuals on the metro - some playing drums, some in teeny tiny work out shorts stretching practically in my lap, and some proposing to me. Life in the Bronx is a new adventure each day.

Basically there are 27 females that either have a child or are pregnant that live at Siena House, my job is to interact with the females and plan activities and educational opportunities for them. Below is a picture of the place...


So really there is no description that would do do my job justice. During week one I have worked on resumes with the girls. Helped them draft cover letters, shown them how to use the Internet to look up jobs, credit reports, housing. We also have planned a BBQ for this coming Wednesday, and are in the process of planning an arts and crafts day where the women can tie dye onesies for their children. Oh yea, and I helped a woman give birth - - no big deal - -

Wednesday morning I arrived at work and was instantly sent to the hospital. Apparently one of the girls who was due September 11th went into early labor. She unfortunately, like so many others, does not have any family members who support her, her baby's father is not really in the picture and she was going to have to go through labor and delivery alone. Typically in these situations one of the Nun's will go to the hospital with the woman, but in this case the girl asked for ME! I have never been so flattered and yet so incredibly scared in my entire life.

The woman, who is only 20 opted to have a midwife instead of doctors, which was really fascinating although it meant that I was the only other individual in the room during the whole process. I honestly can not even explain how beautiful and yet how painfully vivid the whole process was. When I got there she explained how she was going through this alone and how she felt like she really made a connection with me (we were talking about music and our favorite foods the day before hah) and how she wanted someone who she could trust to be by her side. She was in hard labor for over three hours and ended up having a C-section because the baby was as she called it "stuck in her cave".

I literally burst into tears the moment I saw her and heard her cry. That moment was so intense and yet so peaceful. It really is the miracle of life. It was such a gratifying experience, one that I never expected to be a part of, and honestly could not ever have imagined especially considering it was within my first week on the job.






Her name is Carly and she was 5 pounds 14 oz 18 1/2 inches long and the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I honestly can't put into words how happy I was, and am and how lucky I feel to have someone who I just barely met think I was important enough to help her. Just pretty amazing.
JUST CALL ME AUNTIE MEG!!

Other then that big news, life has been going pretty smoothly. We are each exhausted at night after work so we usually make dinner together and then just relax having prayer or watching some TV at night. Thursday we lit a candle and had a little birthday celebration in honor of my brother Colin's 20th birthday and the beginning of his college career. I'm a proud big sis!

Friday night we met up with my friend from Camp Daybreak, Kim and a few of her friends in the lower east side. We started the night at a bar/restaurant which coincidently we had gone to for breakfast last Sunday, and then ended the night at a bar which oddly enough looked more stereotypical Vermont then most Vermont bars - country and oldies playing, boots hanging on the walls, a random game where the objective was to shoot deer. It was by far the last thing I expected to find in New York City a sweet little taste of home nonetheless.

Today Sunday there was a festival going on all day. Barricades blocked off the main section of Fordham road hosting bands (mostly salsa and reggae), tons of people and delicious food. The four of us meandered through the streets watching the cultures mingle, taking in the smells and of course doing a little shopping on the side. Life as a volunteer definitely puts restrictions on income, therefore I have actually learned the art of shopping without purchasing - - shocking I know huh Mom?(I did manage to scrounge up a little cash to buy myself some warm clothes... wouldn't want to be cold during a NYC winter now would we?)

Its midnight and although I am exhausted and ready for bed the sounds of Andrews Ave and Fordham road are still echoing throughout our apartment....

I <3 NYC pics

The church that our house is connected to, that is only part of it...its mammoth and gorgeous


Our little house on Andrews Ave. Our stoop and the gate that lets us in to our CRAZY driveway



A view from the car on the Major Deegan Highway entering NYC!


The View from the window, Motys Grocery store and Mi Gentes barber shop ... Both located across the street.

A New York Resident

Well, I am officially a resident of New York City! Orientation for the most part went smoothly. I had a few rocky points where I questioned whether or not I was making the right decision - giving up a year - but after calling my poor mother 3000 times and crying a little bit I realized that the community of past Augustinian Volunteers, the program, and my roommates are all amazing and although this year will be challenging in numerous ways it will also be extremely rewarding.

Our program has six different sites; four domestic and two international:
Bronx, NY
Chicago, IL
Lawrence, MA
San Diego, CA
Peru
South Africa

All of the volunteers for the 08-09 year were at orientation so we were able to make connections with them, and hopefully be able to keep in contact over the course of the year and beyond.

As far as NYC goes... our apartment is amazing. We are on the 3rd floor of a building that is connected to a magnificent church. The first and second floors of our building house an ESL program and classrooms. In our 3rd floor apartment we have 5 bedrooms for just the four of us which works out nicely. Three bathrooms (2 showers) which works out even better considering we are all females. We have a small kitchen in our apartment and a larger one that has a stove and oven, only downfall is that it is located on the first floor, and as I said...we are on the 3rd. We have a living room with a TV and another room solely for sitting. That room has become an amusing hang out area, as we all like to listen to the sounds of the street and peek out the windows to see the individuals who are out at all hours of the night. We also have a computer room/library.

Our driveway is a sight to behold. We have a locked gate at the entrance and then the maze begins. The road is barely wide enough for our very small car to fit through --with probably 2 inches wiggle room on either edge of the car. There are a few extremely sharp angled turns that you must make in order to successfully get to the parking spot. There are numerous areas of the buildings that have carpet running up the side of them to protect the sides of the cars --if that gives you any idea of the tight quarters we are dealing with. If nothing else this year will teach me excellent maneuvering skills.

As I said before, I LOVE NEW YORK CITY...I can not even begin to explain how much I love living on Andrews Ave. The place is filled with culture, music, amazing food smells and just life. There are people out walking around the street at all hours of the night. Numerous evenings we have found ourselves sitting on our stoop (because we have a stoop!! drinking a glass of wine taking it all in.

Our travels have taken us into Manhattan two times, the first to take in the sites as tourists (Times Square, Central Park, Canal Street, The Museum of Modern Art etc.) and the second to attend a Mass at a nursing home with a community called Sant'Eguidio, and then we explored around the Lower East side. One evening we met up with my college roommates brother who attends Fordham University which is just up the road. He showed us around his school and took us to a local bar where we met a few of his friends (one girl from Burlington which was amusing).

Mostly my three roommates and I have just hung out together exploring our neighborhood - Fordham road which is always busy and filled with shops, people and food - or just sat outside and talked to our neighbors; mostly two young guys Rico and D. They are both from the Bronx and have been giving us the ins and outs on where to shop, where to hang out and what there is to do

Work starts tomorrow morning which will be exciting. I have to walk a few blocks up the street, take the train for about 10-15 and then walk a few streets down to Siena House which I'm sure will prove to be exciting.