Concrete Jungles Where Dreams are Made Of?

Today is officially halfway through YAV (dis)orientation. It has been an amazing week so far and I've learned a lot. But this post isn't about what I've learned; it's how I applied it/looked through these new lenses.

Today we went to New York City. OMG right?! But it wasn't a fun field trip; we were there to enter different neighborhoods and be their guests. We had several tasks of the day: answer several questions about what we observed about the different neighborhoods, talk to a local, bring back a free souvenir, and buy lunch using $5 per person. Wow. That's a challenge. And that's exactly what it did to us.

My small group was assigned to Washington Heights (IN THE HEIGHTS!!) where we first went to a park. There we met a YAV staff who gave us additional directions. From there we made our way north and onto Broadway. Wow. Was that a street. There were all sorts of vendors, selling fresh fruits and vegetables alongside jewelry and electronics. All of these people were predominantly Hispanic, which we learned because Washington Heights consists of people from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and other Central Americans.

We ate at a restaurant where there was a language barrier. Mi Paso Centro Americano serves Salvadorean and Spanish food. The six of us each ordered one pupusa each: three bean and cheese, two chicken and cheese, and one spinach and cheese. It took about 20 minutes to wait, but they were worth it. They also brought out pickled cabbage and some other fermented vegetables in repurposed jars alongside our meal. This satisfied our hunger. Paying the check was difficult as well. Will the waitress bring us our check? Do we go up to the counter? Do we pay at our table? Do we pay at the counter? Finally, using some rusty Spanish, we paid our bill and was on our way.

The restaurant where we ate lunch.

We made our way South on Broadway, heading towards New York Presbyterian Hospital. As we got closer, we noticed a distinct change. Local stores and restaurants turned into chains. The buildings looked newer and the people changed socially. English became more common to hear and we felt more comfortable. This is one of our lessons to look out for the year. We should never be comfortable. There are many systems in place that should make us uncomfortable and think about our place in society. We shouldn't be comfortable for too long because that means we've accepted and refuse to change our ways.

We finished out our day in the city by buying some peaches at a local market with our money. We took a picture with a local Presbyterian church. We walked around some more in the places that were different, that made us uncomfortable. I hope to take this experience with me as I go into this next year and my life. It taught me that I am privileged in this country; many people are not. To learn more about other people's lives, I must become uncomfortable. I must be an invited guest into their space.

Our peaches from the market.

9 hours and counting down

So as you can tell by the title, in 9 hours I will be flying out from home and heading to Orientation. The anxiety/nerves have hit. Am I ready for this? A year is a long time. Will I be able to handle all the responsibilities? Did I pack the right items? What if I forgot something, whether paperwork or something in my suitcase?

The answers are all Yes and It will be okay. I am not alone. Orientation is a testimony to this. Tomorrow I will meet all National YAVs who are all in the same boat as me: we have no idea what we are doing. We will use this upcoming week to prepare ourselves for the year, both spiritually and mentally. We most likely will be presented with challenges that we haven't dealt with before. We're going to test ourselves the next year, putting others before ourselves.

Orientation takes place at Stony Point Conference Center. What happens there/how is it set up? I don't know, but I know I'll come away stronger and more ready for the year. There is a worship leader, who will lead us with keynotes and hymns. I will get to meet all the people who I have been in contact with for the past nine months. Finally, I get to meet the ladies with whom I will be spending the next year.

Next week we have our own local orientation where we will learn the lay of the land. The ladies and I will get to explore the community we will be living in (will have more about that in a future post) and all around Asheville. We get to visit each other's job sites and learn the bus system. We will come up with rooming arrangements and our covenant of living together. It might be information overload, but if I forget at least I'm not the only one listening; I can ask someone else for a review.

Things I will/won't miss about Florida:

I will miss my pets. Where we are living is a pet free place and I don't know how often I will interact with furry friends. Cuddling with my guinea pigs after a long day has always comforted me.

Fred and George in their Halloween costumes

My last day with George (black) and Fred

I won't miss being the black sheep when it comes to politics.