So alas begins my second AmeriCorps year on the blog. Only this time, there are more specified rules of privacy and advice given about what words I should avoid to say to avoid maximum snooping (i.e. the name of this program!) but I can tell you this kind of general information...
I'm "serving" for AmeriCorps (they "shh" you every time you say the word "work"...apparently this is my year to SERVE), my term goes from Sept 23-Aug 3 with 4-5 weeks off, and I'll be working with troubled children in a treatment facility. There are 104 kids (5-21yrs old) with a variety of issues, divided into units and cared for by a whole organized system of staff (overnight and daytime), teachers, team leaders, 18 AmeriCorps volunteers, and maybe 5 more categories. I'm living in a cabin in Douglasville with a roommate who's pretty cool, was a music major and went to college in Atlanta. The cabin is cozy but the roommate thing limits my freedom to crazy dance in my underwear. Aaand we don't start working with the kids until 5 weeks of training! I'm sure that'll be good and is necessary, but I have a feeling by the end of those weeks I'll be itching to see what's up with the kids.
First impressions: some pretty cool people, things seem a little micromanaged for my taste (but something I can get used to), I'll probably be tired a lot and value my own time, and the west african drumming program seems baller. They offer to those interested a 6-month west african drumming social therapy training for free (though these are often extra personal hours) and I was psyched to hear that. Drummed a little with the group already and it's definitely different from African Music Ensemble at college (it's more about therapy and a few different instruments, not so much about being eclectic and professional), but it's still people drumming together so that's solid in my book!
Off to get off campus and eat some mexican food, aye aye aye! Currently no internet access on site but hopefully within the next week...
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