Transition out of Lafayette

We've now left Lafayette and are in day 2 of Gold and Blue Unit transition time. We've been staying at a volunteer camp (a big revamped textile factory, I think) with all 14 teams from our two units, and it's been a fun time reconnecting with friends from other groups. The place is called Camp Victor in Ocean Springs, Mississippi -- just across the bay from Biloxi. The town is beautiful, and we're only about a mile from the beach. I envy the team that got to stay here for the last project, since the area is just teeming with old Southern houses, sprawling live oak trees, the scent of flowers, and home to some good restaurants and bars. I had tapas food at a place just last night that is one of the culinary highlights of the year-- and that's saying a lot.

It's kind of strange to be leaving Lafayette. As my TL said the other day, "It feels like we're just going to take the van back and go back to normal." I personally was ready for a change, but it's still hard to leave such an inviting area as Lafayette. I could spend a good deal of time exploring the area, and one of my big frustrations was the inability of being able to convince my team to go out and explore with me. Thus my appreciation this transition of being together with other teams which are more down to get out.

What I do feel is sometimes lacking in my reflections on the last project is feeling complete about the work I did. I do feel pride that we got as far as we did with the houses, though I feel like for a great deal of it I was out of the loop. I'm not the fastest for jumping on a task when it presents itself at work, and therefore I didn't always get a chance for some of the more glamorous jobs. I never really got to manage many volunteers, I never got to hang very much drywall. I've seen how a lot of things were done, but not getting my hands dirty with them is something that I regret. Given, this was my first experience with construction, and it's more of my MO to sit back and observe and think through things before feeling good about leading people. Hopefully during my next opportunity to work with a construction organization like Habitat, I will be more mentally prepared to jump in.

As an update on the next project, we now know a little more about our work situation and living situation. The work is less hands-on than we imagined. There will only be three CM's working on the installation of the insulation and whatnot into houses. Those three will be leading some high-school age individuals from rough backgrounds who are part of a group called Green Corps. I've been told this is one of the better placements to receive. The other positions are more of office work, which we are all accustomed to but somewhat wary of. It might be nice to come home and enjoy New Orleans while not being physically beat, so whether this is really good or bad is yet to be seen. The office positions are working with grant proposals, outreach to find more clients, and education on environmentally friendly installments into homes (low flow toilets, shower heads, etc.).

Lastly, it's that time in the year that a lot of us are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with NCCC. It's strange to think that there's only about 6 more weeks of work ahead of us. I've already been having discussions predicting who we will stay in touch with and where people will be 5 year down the line and how much I really appreciate having met certain people. I may be jumping the gun starting to reflect before it's really over, but I think it helps me appreciate to program a little better. It's odd to think where I was last year at this time and whether I would have the strong sense of direction and, I suppose, the cojones to be approaching life with such confidence. That's one of the greatest selling points for the program in my outlook.