IYC in San Diego
I'm back from San Diego--the week was awesome. The trip I went on was a Free Methodist (protestant denomination) conference for youth groups throughout all of America. They have one of these conferences every 2 to 3 years or so, but for my church, they haven't sent a group for over 5 years. So, the fact that the church could raise enough money to send 11 high schoolers to San Diego (previously the trip had been to Colorado, only 7 hours away) was in itself incredible. The fact that I could go, for no personal cost (the funds had already been raised for the other female sponsor who got sick) was also an incredible opportunity for me.
This trip really pushed me to be outgoing and friendly. Usually when I make friends, it is slowly over a matter of weeks or months... this time I had to bond with these girls in a matter of days so that I could be a good example and support system for them. Many of them hadn't traveled farther than a couple of states outside of Kansas, so I think the fact that I used to live in San Diego put them at-ease during this crazy week. Which really was crazy. The planning was totally haphazard and I often did not know what we were doing the next day -_-... but it also helped me let go, if only for a week, of my control-freak side and sort of just go with the flow. This is important to do once in a while.
We did have to take one girl to the ER, but she was fine (it was really just dehydration).
We went to and from SD by Amtrak, 32 hours each way, which for those of you keeping score was over 64 hours in 4 trains. (I say "more than" because the train going back was over 3 hours behind schedule). What an "adventure." On the way out it wasn't bad because we left at 1 AM and the teens slept most of the time, but on the way back, they had all made new (noisy) friends with teens from the other churches (McPherson, Wichita, Lawrence, and Topeka all took the Amtrak). and the annoyingness of the know-it-alls behind me was at times unbearable. But I'm back in one piece and my sanity is more-or-less undamaged!
One more thing! I have a job interview at Amics Mediterranean Cafe (one of the classier eating establishments in McPherson) today at 1:30! Wish me luck!
This trip really pushed me to be outgoing and friendly. Usually when I make friends, it is slowly over a matter of weeks or months... this time I had to bond with these girls in a matter of days so that I could be a good example and support system for them. Many of them hadn't traveled farther than a couple of states outside of Kansas, so I think the fact that I used to live in San Diego put them at-ease during this crazy week. Which really was crazy. The planning was totally haphazard and I often did not know what we were doing the next day -_-... but it also helped me let go, if only for a week, of my control-freak side and sort of just go with the flow. This is important to do once in a while.
We did have to take one girl to the ER, but she was fine (it was really just dehydration).
We went to and from SD by Amtrak, 32 hours each way, which for those of you keeping score was over 64 hours in 4 trains. (I say "more than" because the train going back was over 3 hours behind schedule). What an "adventure." On the way out it wasn't bad because we left at 1 AM and the teens slept most of the time, but on the way back, they had all made new (noisy) friends with teens from the other churches (McPherson, Wichita, Lawrence, and Topeka all took the Amtrak). and the annoyingness of the know-it-alls behind me was at times unbearable. But I'm back in one piece and my sanity is more-or-less undamaged!
One more thing! I have a job interview at Amics Mediterranean Cafe (one of the classier eating establishments in McPherson) today at 1:30! Wish me luck!