I can't believe next week is the last week at my agency! Time as flown by!
Tomorrow I am heading to Goshen to visit friends and hopefully apply/interview for summer jobs! On saturday I'm meeting up with Mom! and we're heading back to Chicago for saturday and sunday (easter) morning! I'm excited to be able to show her around saturday! Hopefully it will be as beautiful as it was today, yet...weather.com says rain for saturday. boo. Then sunday we are going to Obama's church for the easter morning service, which should be quite an event. Then we're driving back to Goshen for a family meal with my great auntie and family. I will then head back to Chi-town sunday night. It will be a traveling, action-packed weekend! I'm excited.
I better get to bed since I am leaving straight from work to the train to Goshen!
Also, my final social work paper is completed! It has been sent off to my editor(since freshman year!) for suggestions and edits but it feels soooo good to be basically done.
The weather finally feels like spring and life is so good.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Official Deferral
I am sitting in the biggest libraries I have ever experienced. http://www.chipublib.org/branch/details/library/harold-washington/ It has ten floors. I settled in the middle on the 5th floor with a lack of direction for a space this big. It's located right downtown.
Sitting here in downtown Chicago, I have sent my official deferral request to graduate school. (Loyola University) I still have not heard any word from Americorps so that's not looking very promising... but I needed to register for classes or send my referral...sooo it's done. It's official. No grad school for me next year.
My time in Chicago is coming to an end. I have very mixed feelings but overall I'm feeling like I need to move on to somewhere else. I feel that I have had the best internship I could have wanted and have learned so much about social work, homelessness, case management, african american culture, the south side, and myself.
I'm sure I will write again before my internship is over but I thought I'd take a break from this (almost finished) paper and say whats on my mind.
Sitting here in downtown Chicago, I have sent my official deferral request to graduate school. (Loyola University) I still have not heard any word from Americorps so that's not looking very promising... but I needed to register for classes or send my referral...sooo it's done. It's official. No grad school for me next year.
My time in Chicago is coming to an end. I have very mixed feelings but overall I'm feeling like I need to move on to somewhere else. I feel that I have had the best internship I could have wanted and have learned so much about social work, homelessness, case management, african american culture, the south side, and myself.
I'm sure I will write again before my internship is over but I thought I'd take a break from this (almost finished) paper and say whats on my mind.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Much needed updates
My blog has definitely been neglected due to how busy I got, which was my fear. Yet, I am back to try to remedy this void of blog-ing.
My internship has been going very well. I cannot believe I am now closer to the end than to the beginning of my time in Chicago. Time is flying by. I have gained very valuable lessons in learning immensely about homelessness, black culture, and social work. I have also obtained amazing connections, networks, and friends through my co-workers and experiences in the south side. The neighborhood I work in is getting increasingly violent because more warm weather brings more gang activity. I have yet to directly be involved in any problems, luckily. I do not regret walking the streets and riding the public transportation instead of driving though. I believe that part of working where I am is understanding the society and culture that surrounds the area. Just because you have privilege and power does not mean that you should always use it. I am constantly reminded of this fact.
My paper is also coming along... I have three more sections to complete. It is a constant stress on top of working fulltime so I will be glad to have it done... hopefully sooner rather than later. Yet, it is due in a few weeks anyway.
I have also started running which has been a wonderful self discovery. The trail that runs along the lake is beautiful and very close to my house. The cooking gas has also been out all week at my house so salad and bagels have been my main source of food, which is quite annoying.
I am also going through the lovely life decisions of post-graduation. I have been accepted into Loyola University Advanced Standard program which is very affirming but I am not sure that is what I want to do next year. I am working on getting all my documents in for Americorps (www.americorps.org) so hopefully I will be living in the high mountains of central Oregon near Mt. Bachelor!..ya know, the second biggest resort in the country. yesssss. Today I went downtown to get fingerprints to obtain a Federal Background Check. Once I pass that (2-3 wks for processing), all my paperwork and documentation is in for Americorps! I may be devastated if I get rejected, heads up family.
So, I am starting 'endings' with my clients and factoring in the limits of my time left here in Chicago. Tomorrow I am doing a presentation to a group of teachers and students who are visiting my work. I will be talking about what I do at my agency, the program I am doing in Chicago, and social work in general. I hate public speaking so I am quite nervous. Yet, tomorrow is friday so another week completed and another weekend to enjoy (and work on my paper).
My internship has been going very well. I cannot believe I am now closer to the end than to the beginning of my time in Chicago. Time is flying by. I have gained very valuable lessons in learning immensely about homelessness, black culture, and social work. I have also obtained amazing connections, networks, and friends through my co-workers and experiences in the south side. The neighborhood I work in is getting increasingly violent because more warm weather brings more gang activity. I have yet to directly be involved in any problems, luckily. I do not regret walking the streets and riding the public transportation instead of driving though. I believe that part of working where I am is understanding the society and culture that surrounds the area. Just because you have privilege and power does not mean that you should always use it. I am constantly reminded of this fact.
My paper is also coming along... I have three more sections to complete. It is a constant stress on top of working fulltime so I will be glad to have it done... hopefully sooner rather than later. Yet, it is due in a few weeks anyway.
I have also started running which has been a wonderful self discovery. The trail that runs along the lake is beautiful and very close to my house. The cooking gas has also been out all week at my house so salad and bagels have been my main source of food, which is quite annoying.
I am also going through the lovely life decisions of post-graduation. I have been accepted into Loyola University Advanced Standard program which is very affirming but I am not sure that is what I want to do next year. I am working on getting all my documents in for Americorps (www.americorps.org) so hopefully I will be living in the high mountains of central Oregon near Mt. Bachelor!..ya know, the second biggest resort in the country. yesssss. Today I went downtown to get fingerprints to obtain a Federal Background Check. Once I pass that (2-3 wks for processing), all my paperwork and documentation is in for Americorps! I may be devastated if I get rejected, heads up family.
So, I am starting 'endings' with my clients and factoring in the limits of my time left here in Chicago. Tomorrow I am doing a presentation to a group of teachers and students who are visiting my work. I will be talking about what I do at my agency, the program I am doing in Chicago, and social work in general. I hate public speaking so I am quite nervous. Yet, tomorrow is friday so another week completed and another weekend to enjoy (and work on my paper).
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)