I have to keep reminding myself over and over... There Are Worse Things.
I am telling myself that because I am sitting in a random McDonalds in Pittsburgh hoping that my bus really does come on a 3 hour delay and doesn't show up early (when I'm not there) or just doesn't show up (which is worse case). But, I made it safely to Pittsburgh from DC (only 50 minutes late which is saying something because the snow was slick and it was from 12-6 am our driver was driving). I am sitting inside a warm building, and I will get home eventually.
The past three weeks have been some of the most challenging, exciting, heartbreaking, exhausting, joyful weeks of my life. I met people that touched my life in ways that they will never know. I had my eyes opened to a WIDE array of things I never expected to see, hear, or experience. I met people that I couldn't understand one word of conversation, and people who I could barely get to say one word. I left work everyday with a smile.
I cannot wait until I am home, warm, and rested. I have learned how much my family and friends mean to me as a support system and I can't wait to be back with them. But, as hard as it is for me to say it, a little piece of my heart will now forever belong to the McClendon Center in Washington, DC.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
The Big City
Ok, I promised a blog and FINALLY... here it is!!
Most of you know that I am doing a 3 week practicum for the social work program in Washington, DC. I'm working at the McClenden Center which is a center for mental illness.
I'm 2 days in and I've been in DC (well, really in Alexandria, VA) for 5 days now. These 5 days have been some of the craziest of my life!! It started during my 18 hour bus ride here where I ended up stuck outside in Cincinnati, OH at 4:30 in the morning by myself. I was sharing the block with 2 homeless men who decided that it would be the perfect time for a fight. I found an open door and will be eternally thankful to a security guard who let me sit inside for an hour until it was time for me to leave.
I finally made it to DC and CRASHED! The next day was New Years Eve and the screen on my phone shorted out. So, I have not had a phone since I've been here but will hopefully have that fixed soon.
My first 2 days at the center have been great! I met a client who's name is Superman. He has both a mental disability and a mental illness. Today, without even knowing it, Superman melted my hear. He walked in and looked me in the eye and said, "Hi Miss Stephanie, how you today?" He remembered my name.
When I take a step back and look at what I have been experiencing I can only be thankful. I am surrounded by poverty, drug and alcohol addiction, depression, other mental illness, hopelessness, but yet some of the most appreciative and loving people I have ever met.
Today I met a man and I was giving him a survey. I asked him "Do you think the staff at the center believe that you can recover?" He said "Yeah they believe I can, I don't think I can, but they believe I can". That made me realize how important what I want to do is.
So far I've learned some lessons about life
1. When you are nice to people, people tend to be nice back.
2. If you give someone the time of day, you will be rewarded.
3. Things that may seem super stressful will work out.
4. You may find the most joy just sitting and spending time with a 40 year old, smelly, dirty, mentally disabled, mentally ill man in a waiting room. When he sings "I'll Fly Away" and spreads his arms out and then tells you he's Superman flying away.... well, it just makes my heart happy.
:) These are my adventures!
Most of you know that I am doing a 3 week practicum for the social work program in Washington, DC. I'm working at the McClenden Center which is a center for mental illness.
I'm 2 days in and I've been in DC (well, really in Alexandria, VA) for 5 days now. These 5 days have been some of the craziest of my life!! It started during my 18 hour bus ride here where I ended up stuck outside in Cincinnati, OH at 4:30 in the morning by myself. I was sharing the block with 2 homeless men who decided that it would be the perfect time for a fight. I found an open door and will be eternally thankful to a security guard who let me sit inside for an hour until it was time for me to leave.
I finally made it to DC and CRASHED! The next day was New Years Eve and the screen on my phone shorted out. So, I have not had a phone since I've been here but will hopefully have that fixed soon.
My first 2 days at the center have been great! I met a client who's name is Superman. He has both a mental disability and a mental illness. Today, without even knowing it, Superman melted my hear. He walked in and looked me in the eye and said, "Hi Miss Stephanie, how you today?" He remembered my name.
When I take a step back and look at what I have been experiencing I can only be thankful. I am surrounded by poverty, drug and alcohol addiction, depression, other mental illness, hopelessness, but yet some of the most appreciative and loving people I have ever met.
Today I met a man and I was giving him a survey. I asked him "Do you think the staff at the center believe that you can recover?" He said "Yeah they believe I can, I don't think I can, but they believe I can". That made me realize how important what I want to do is.
So far I've learned some lessons about life
1. When you are nice to people, people tend to be nice back.
2. If you give someone the time of day, you will be rewarded.
3. Things that may seem super stressful will work out.
4. You may find the most joy just sitting and spending time with a 40 year old, smelly, dirty, mentally disabled, mentally ill man in a waiting room. When he sings "I'll Fly Away" and spreads his arms out and then tells you he's Superman flying away.... well, it just makes my heart happy.
:) These are my adventures!
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