So here I am. Condensation on my skin and mosquito bites on my feet. The cicadas are actually deafening and I can barely hear our two little neighbor girls playing tag out in the street. What is this humid, cockroached, brick-buildinged, free-museumed, Jazz playing utopia that is St. Louis!? Where am I? Nelly has a radio station?? And what is Ted Drewes and why do I need to go there?
I am here in this amazing city. I have my own room in a two story, beautifully decrepit, old, brick mansion of 17 plus rooms. I am out on my breezy latticed balcony looking out on the leafy crumbling street and its selection of alternately boarded up and bustling houses. I am sharing this home with seven other wonderful volunteers who continue, every minute, to make me love them more and more. In the tiniest nutshell ever they are: Gabby: bubbly, vivacious, loving, with the most catching laugh you will ever hear. Ari: Activist, passionate, exploring. Reads the Tao and cares about environmental issues like none other. Mary: Independent, reflective. Introvert but loves coaching her girls. Jamie: Organized, balanced, thoughtful. Good with financial and entrepreneurial areas. Not a morning person and apparently not a hugger...we'll see about that. Dayna: Outgoing, loving, HILARIOUS. I pee myself every time she speaks. Ryan: Energetic, enthusiastic, used to have an amazing fauxhawk. He has a love for the people and the communities in Kenya and brings that love to us. Chino: The annoying brother I always wanted. Why weren't we friends at Gonzaga? Oh, that's why.
Things have really been a whirlwind. I shipped my three boxes to my mysterious new home and boarded a red eye flight with a week or so's worth of life in my carry-on, barely holding back tears (okay, not holding back tears). I arrived in the hottest place of my life (the middle-of-nowhere Indiana) and was instantly thrown into the kind of high that only Jesuit style retreat/orientations can bring. I met tons of fellow JVs in the style of, “what school did you go to?” “where is your placement?” “are you nervous/excited?!” I made so many amazing friends and I am so excited for all of them in their individual placements.
And now after some tours of the city by our Former JV support people, a voracious night of deep house-cleaning, some AMAZING dinners prepared by our culinary-genius boys and a night out on the town, I am growing accustomed to the thought of this crazy city being my new home. And now, along with Nelly, I too can say, “mmmm you can find me in ST. LOUIE!”
COMING SOON: How I set off the burglar alarm of my school on my second day, my experiences with Lil' Boosie, and what happens when it pours torrential rain on Wise Ave.
I love and miss you all!
PS: Here is my address for y'all!
4940 Wise Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110
