Oh, they oriented me all right...

I'm almost done with week two of three of training, though it really feels like the past two weeks have been a month long. The real world is exhausting. I was able to function on a pretty little amount of sleep in college, but now I find my eyelids drooping in meetings unless I get at least seven hours of sleep (which I forced myself to get last night, what a difference!). The other VISTA who is training with me at College Bound and I decided that our brains were close to being fried today - the weekend will be a welcome break.

Here are Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) and onsite orientation in a nutshell.

Sunday, October 31st, around 11:30 PM: Finish packing, book a cab to the airport for the next morning and double-check itinerary. Realize that despite the fact that you told AmeriCorps THREE times that you were moving to St. Louis from Indianapolis, and despite the fact that both you and your parents looked at your flight itinerary before, you are booked on a morning flight from Indianapolis, not St. Louis. Panic and call parents with life crisis #8,764 (number is approximate). Decide to call AmeriCorps State Office in morning because according to your paperwork, nothing can be done without their approval.

Monday, November 1st, around 7 AM: Get up and begin calling AmeriCorps State Office, only to be told when you finally get through that you should have just called the travel agent in charge of PSO. Call and get your flight changed to a 3ish flight out of St. Louis. Arrive in Albuquerque and discover gratefully that you are not the only one coming late. Arrive at hotel only to be told that "dinner was at 6:45" (you were aware, thanks) and that you can't check in and get your PSO materials until breakfast the next morning. Oh, did I mention that you've also been assigned a room with a roommate but only one bed? The bright side of the evening includes dinner at nearby Jason's Deli with two other latecomers and getting yourself switched to a room of your own.

Tuesday, November 1st through Thursday, November 4th: Meet a handful of the 150 other VISTAs at PSO from other southern states. Learn a lot about poverty. Learn probably more than you ever wanted to know about poverty, and get angry about it. Have I mentioned yet that you talk a lot about poverty? Go over your VAD (VISTA Assignment Description), which tells you what you'll actually be doing for the next year (sort of). Explore a little bit of Albuquerque, but mostly when things are closed because you're in training until dinnertime and shops close early for unknown reasons. Luckily, find a Mexican restaurant with delicious margaritas and a friend who's willing to treat.

Break for the weekend, when you meet one of your favorite singers, Dave Barnes, after arriving back in St. Louis just in time to see the last half of his concert at Blueberry Hill (note: singers are impressed when you tell them you came to their show all the way from Albuquerque, even if they know you live in St. Louis), and help raise over $166,000 for children's hospitals by dancing for 12 hours at Dance Marathon. You know, the usual.

Monday, November 8th through the present: Start on-site orientation at College Bound. Learn pretty much everything you ever wanted to know about College Bound's history, mission and programs. Meet all of the wonderful College Bound staff, who make you laugh your way through lunch everyday. Learn that you have a lot of work to do and that you "can't start soon enough," according to your supervisor. Help lead College Bound students through BizTown, a town/business simulation through Junior Achievement, and observe them in the classroom. They are funny and energetic and facing incredible odds. You are happy to work for them.

I'm getting sleepier just thinking about everything I've been doing lately. But I have a feeling life isn't going to slow down anytime soon... Wish me luck!