Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Yes Vanessa I do work! :)

This post is specially dedicated to Vanessa because when I was in Costa Rica I posted about all the amazing things I was getting to do in and out of the country and she jokingly thought I was even going to class! haha

Well my work here is really exciting, I'm the coordinator for the brand new College Resource Center. The center opens in January so I'm doing all the set up now. I'm basically the liaison between Northern Arizona University and the Flagstaff Family YMCA as they are jointing in charge of this new project. So that means I split my time between the two places, and in the community where I make partnerships with organizations in the area. I'm currently working on setting up the advisory board that we will have up and running in the next 2-3 weeks, which is exciting. I also do a lot of marketing and PE before the center opens and then the website closer to openings. Once we open my role will change.

The center is basically a place where anyone in the community can come to get help with all aspects of the college application process. It's tailered at increasing first-generation, low-income and minority student access, acceptance and enrollment in higher education. I'm really excited about the project as this is definately an area that I'm really passionate about since it's an area I know first hand.

Hope you enjoy the blog and I'll try to update every week or so. Feel free to comment or shoot me an email I'd love to hear from you all!!

Coral :)

Life in Flagstaff!

So those of you that have seen my facebook status in the last few weeks have some idea of the fun I'm already having in Flagstaff but for everyone else here's a short recap of my first month!

First week I was here I just moved in and got settled, but right away I found out what kind of dance scene Flagstaff had so I could keep myself entertained. Flagstaff has this incredible thing every summer that's called dancing on the square, it's in downtown and they teach a different style of dance for an hour and then its an open dance floor for 2 hours with different styles of music. I'm taken salsa and cha cha so far this month on Wednesdays.

My second week I went to Albuquerque for VISTA training. I meet some of the most interesting and incredible people and that really got be exciting and ready to start this adventure.

My third week I was back in Flagstaff and have been here since. I took Argentine Tango classes for the last two week and now attend the practicas with the other tango dancers in Flagstaff. The dance community here is absolutely amazing! I love them they are the nicest people and I see them at everything which is so cool. I even went to the World Dance Festival show two weeks ago. Last Friday night one of my roommates, Sarah was moving down to Phoenix for grad school so I took her out to salsa rueda, which is salsa done in a circle where you are constantly changing partners, it was the most hilarious and fun style of salsa I've ever done! :)

That's the rap up of my dance life in Flag, I love it and I'm having a blast!

Pictures to come, I'll take some in the next two weeks and post them.

Why I Choose to Serve as an Americorps VISTA

I have decided to serve for a year in an Americorps VISTA position for several reasons. While I love direct service, my skill set allows me to be better prepared for indirect service by using my skills to organize a new program and get it off the ground. I have a major passion for education and its role in empowering those who do not get everything easily. Empowerment is something that is very important to me. I was raised in a family where nothing else mattered as much as getting an education, as the same type of opportunities were not provided for my parents. This love for education has allowed me to want to become involved in community development. This program allows me to bring my skills to the table and also learn new skills to prepare me for my future career and graduate school. I also think that my activist sense will grow during this year of service. I think it will help me really tune in to what areas I feel the most passionate around, and show me how to continue to be involved in this area. I also know that I feel the most empowered when I am helping others and I then in turn get to see them learn how to empower themselves and move out of bad conditions. I also find a greater appreciation for what I have the more I work with others who do not receive the same opportunities. These and other reasons are the main reasons why I have chosen to serve as a VISTA for a year.

I first started getting involved with service when I was 12 and entering junior high. My mom suggested I volunteer at the community library since I enjoyed going. I did enjoy it and continued for several summers. In junior high and high school I continued a major involvement in service especially student government, and some other student organizations. I loved helping my school, even though I never enjoyed where I grew up. I figured that I could change some of the things that bothered me about the schools then I'd feel more comfortable there and enjoy my time, and hopefully allow others to do the same. I've also learned that I meet my closest friends with those that I serve with and am at a point in life where I'm looking to make these kinds of connections again. In college even though I did not serve much due to having to work instead to pay for school, I did learn more about activism and how I play a role in it. It helped me realize how much I love doing this kind of work.

My new life as an Americorps VISTA

This year I've decided to devote to the Americorp VISTA program. This program is under the branch of Americorps, the federal service organization. VISTA is different from what most people think of service, we do not do direct service like Americorps state and nationals but rather we build from the ground up and create sustainable programs around the country. I'm in charge of a brand new College Resource Center for the city of Flagstaff,AZ. I've lived in Flagstaff now a month and I absolutely love it, it's definately my kind of town, but more on the fun later!

My blog this year is going to take through my rollercoaster ride of serving to work towards the eradication of poverty, and as you guys can see I'm working in the education side of things. It's also going to be the trials of living at the poverty line, because as part of this program we live at the poverty line so we get a better understanding of the position the people we serve typically live in.

I hope you enjoy this year and see how I take my desire for change to another level. Enjoy!

Family and Friends!

These are just some of my favorite pics from the Holiday 2008 and Spring Break 09 when I came home to spend a week at home in March. Enjoy!!

Graduation Pictures!!

Elon Graduation!!!

Well some of these posts are written way later then this actually happened but I'm trying to catch up!!

I came back from Costa Rica, December 2008 from the most incredible four months of my life!!! I took an internship teaching ESL-English as a Second Language in Arizona. As part of my degree I did an independent study and got my license to teach English that's how I ended up with this job. It's really an international license so it's designed for those that want to teach English in another country. I choose to stay in the US and teach international students. It was definitely an experience let's just say I learned that I'm not meant to be teaching high schoolers!! :)

In May I returned to Elon to walk and receive my diploma!!! Since Elon's a small school I had to come back for graduation since we don't have one mid-year but it was incredibly worth it. Although I didn't get to see many friends since everyone was busy with there families at least we all got to walk at the same time. Above this post you'll see pictures from graduation!

Enjoy!!