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....