I See The Light /The Bahamas here I come AGAIN
Not much going on over here except March Madness. This is the first blog since forever that I will actually put some time in. I've been consumed by studying for my comprehensive exams. I'm still not where I want to be in my studying but I can say that it is getting better. I had a committee member add a concept to my question that I never ever in my life been exposed to.
The real reason I wanted to blog is because now that I found the answer and am in better shape to competenly explain an idea I had no clue about two days ago, I'm seeing how I've overcome some challenges in this program. Whether it was from my lack of motivation to actually apply myself or if it was my lack of interest, I can say this: I got it done. It's always after the fact that I see what I'm capable of. I come out of academic challenges more confident because I do know this stuff.
I thought I was going to spend more time talking about that but my mind has switched gears. It is official: I'm going back to The Bahamas. Those that know me and those that have read my posts from last summer know that I worked in The Bahamas last summer. This was an opportunity that I did not ask for. Instead, I was chosen for it. This time it will be a bit different. I'm going back to work but not the kind of work in an office. One of my home boys invited me to be a part of a servant team to go to The Bahamas and help out with the youth in the Haitian community. I'll be there for a week doing various service projects, encouraging the youth workers and hanging out with the youth. Sounds like fun huh. Well, I learned about this a few months back. I have to raise $1500 to help cover the cost of transportation, lodging, and bibles for the youth.
So I learned about this opportunity a few months back. But you know me it hasn't been my #1 priority. I'm really not going to focus on my plan to raise the money until after Monday when my exam is OVER!!! To share a bit about me, I have a background in working with youth, especially teenagers. I don't know where it came from or even why I'm attracted to serving in this way. My freshman year, I volunteered with my church's youth group. That frustrated the crap out of me because you had adults over 40 placing themselves in youth leadership more for political reasons. 5 years later they are still in the same shape. The following summers I kept being placed in professional positions that dealt with youth. In 2004 I worked at Kids Across America, which is a sports camp for urban youth. Kids that I had nothing in common with on the outset opened up to me about things that I never would have imagined. The following summer I tried my best to get a job in marketing but it didn't work out. I returned to what I knew, and worked the rest of the summer as a counselor at a youth center. In this job I started out working with teenagers then I got moved to working with 5-8 year olds. I was never so tired in my life. Them mugs keep going and going. I also volunteered at the juvenile detention center. Mentoring the guys that come out of there takes so much. You get to know a lot of people in the detention center, in the family, in the justice system, at the public school. All of which to just see to it that the youth stays on track. Now I pretty much follow up with the guys in the youth group at church.
I think its funny how with me what you see is not what you get. There is a lot going on in my sphere besides graduate school, work, and public relations work. But back to the service project. I jumped on the chance to go back to The Bahamas to do something that I am equiped to do. That is work with and encourage youth. I'm going to talk more about it in later posts. If you are interested in learning more about it or would like to give a small donation to the cause you can shoot me an e-mail at gmcurry@vt.edu. I plan on putting together a pay pal account and sending it out through facebook so add me as a friend "Gordon M. Curry" so you can be on the message list. That just reminded me: I should do a facebook note about it. That will be my project for next week.
The first day of the project is May 18 so I've got to get it together because April is approaching.
Talk to you soon.
The real reason I wanted to blog is because now that I found the answer and am in better shape to competenly explain an idea I had no clue about two days ago, I'm seeing how I've overcome some challenges in this program. Whether it was from my lack of motivation to actually apply myself or if it was my lack of interest, I can say this: I got it done. It's always after the fact that I see what I'm capable of. I come out of academic challenges more confident because I do know this stuff.
I thought I was going to spend more time talking about that but my mind has switched gears. It is official: I'm going back to The Bahamas. Those that know me and those that have read my posts from last summer know that I worked in The Bahamas last summer. This was an opportunity that I did not ask for. Instead, I was chosen for it. This time it will be a bit different. I'm going back to work but not the kind of work in an office. One of my home boys invited me to be a part of a servant team to go to The Bahamas and help out with the youth in the Haitian community. I'll be there for a week doing various service projects, encouraging the youth workers and hanging out with the youth. Sounds like fun huh. Well, I learned about this a few months back. I have to raise $1500 to help cover the cost of transportation, lodging, and bibles for the youth.
So I learned about this opportunity a few months back. But you know me it hasn't been my #1 priority. I'm really not going to focus on my plan to raise the money until after Monday when my exam is OVER!!! To share a bit about me, I have a background in working with youth, especially teenagers. I don't know where it came from or even why I'm attracted to serving in this way. My freshman year, I volunteered with my church's youth group. That frustrated the crap out of me because you had adults over 40 placing themselves in youth leadership more for political reasons. 5 years later they are still in the same shape. The following summers I kept being placed in professional positions that dealt with youth. In 2004 I worked at Kids Across America, which is a sports camp for urban youth. Kids that I had nothing in common with on the outset opened up to me about things that I never would have imagined. The following summer I tried my best to get a job in marketing but it didn't work out. I returned to what I knew, and worked the rest of the summer as a counselor at a youth center. In this job I started out working with teenagers then I got moved to working with 5-8 year olds. I was never so tired in my life. Them mugs keep going and going. I also volunteered at the juvenile detention center. Mentoring the guys that come out of there takes so much. You get to know a lot of people in the detention center, in the family, in the justice system, at the public school. All of which to just see to it that the youth stays on track. Now I pretty much follow up with the guys in the youth group at church.
I think its funny how with me what you see is not what you get. There is a lot going on in my sphere besides graduate school, work, and public relations work. But back to the service project. I jumped on the chance to go back to The Bahamas to do something that I am equiped to do. That is work with and encourage youth. I'm going to talk more about it in later posts. If you are interested in learning more about it or would like to give a small donation to the cause you can shoot me an e-mail at gmcurry@vt.edu. I plan on putting together a pay pal account and sending it out through facebook so add me as a friend "Gordon M. Curry" so you can be on the message list. That just reminded me: I should do a facebook note about it. That will be my project for next week.
The first day of the project is May 18 so I've got to get it together because April is approaching.
Talk to you soon.
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