Day 1 Observations

I am tired. I am really tired. this new schedule of being back in grade school is wearing on me, and it's the first week of actually being in the school! I guess it's more of an adjustment that i still need to... adjust to. My day is about 7:30 to 5:00-6:00 so that's fun, but the kids are great and I'm very happy.

Just a quick observation. Today was day 1 with kids in the school and i noticed something. This is the first time in my life that I have been a minority. St. Rose through Bishop Guilfoyle exposed me to maybe....2 african americans throughout my 12 years? Then in college at Juniata, the vast vast majority was still white. Now today, for the first time, even since being in Boston, I was one of the possibly 5% of whites in the room. Now, admittidly, there was a time in my life when this would have made me a little bit uncomfortable; not because I have any negative racial feelings whatsoever, but simply because that experience is much the opposite of my upbringing, and my school years. If City Year does nothing else for me this year (which would be an absolutely ridiculous claim) it has placed me in positions that remove me from my comfort zone, and when we are removed from our comfort, we experience new aspects of life, and we grow as humans. I could not be happier that I am here, and that I am taking part in an organization like this. I actually feel like I am making a palpable positive difference in my world. I guess that "quick observation" wasn't all that quick.

(click to view HQ on flickr)

Picture Info:

Church is Trinity Church in Copley square in the Back Bay area of Boston. The tower in the back is currently the tallest building in Boston. As a note, this is where my City Year friends and I will be performing public physical training throughout the next couple weeks and then the rest of the year, it should be interesting, especially when we start our call and responses and our pledges... maybe I can get a video of it sometime. It really is a sight to see!

Thanks for reading, and remember, comments are always appreciated :)

~elliot~