I'm Back!

Hello again everyone! I know it has been forever since I have blogged but for the past two months I have been without a computer (the hard drive gave up) and there were so many holidays! Well I am back and I hope that my blogs can be more regular. So for sanity’s sake this blog is going to be much more of a report, updating y’all on what I have been up to since I stopped blogging. Hopefully after all of this my blogs can be more regular:

Adventures!!!!

Over the past two plus months I have gotten to go on so many amazing adventures.

1.       Sedona: In early November, I trekked to Sedona to do some epic hiking with friends Allie (fellow VISTA) and Kayla (med student doing a rotation at an HIS hospital). Sedona is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen in the whole world. From the forest laced canyon drive to Sedona to the massive Red Rocks surrounding Sedona you cannot stop feeling like you are walking in a postcard. On Saturday we did a long forest hike through a canyon. Sometimes I would feel like I was in a forest in Massachusetts but then I would look up and see the red and orange canyon walls. The next day we went on an amazing hike up Cathedral Rock to feel a vortex. Along with being an amazing hiking spot, Sedona is known for being a center for new-age spirituality and common thought is that several of the red rocks have energy vortexes. The hike up of Cathedral Rock was so steep it was more of a rock climbing experience; however once we reached the top the experience was totally worth it. We capped off our first weekend in Sedona with a delicious lunch and walking around the cute town of Sedona. I left Sedona knowing that I would come back.

And come back I did! In late January I returned to Sedona with Allie and new pals pharmacy students Claire and Meredith.  The first hike we did was Bear Mountain which is one of the hardest hikes in Sedona. In fact, it is a training hike for the Grand Canyon.  The hike to the top is 2.5 miles and the incline is a little over 2,000 feet. It was an understatement to say the hike was hard. When you are going on a steep climb, it is difficult to gauge how far you have gone. There was several times where we thought we had hit the end of the trail only to realize that it goes across a Mesa and up another peak. There were multiple points where we were frustrated and wanted to turn around but we kept pushing through. Once we got to the top the view made the hike completely worth it. After a PBJ lunch our spirits were up and we began the hike down sings camp, Disney, pop, rock, hip hop (you name it songs). My second trip to Sedona was rounded out by another hike up Cathedral Rock and cupcakes.

2.       Thanksgiving with Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Jeff: I was so lucky to have my Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Jeff come and visit me around Thanksgiving time. They were curious about my life so the Saturday before Thanksgiving, they came out to visit me. We had a great lunch, hiked El Morro, and I gave them a tour of the reservation. Later that week I met up with them in Albuquerque. Since, both lived in New Mexico before we had a good time going to local restaurants, hiking trails, and Old Town. We also had a yummy Thanksgiving Dinner at Sandia Casino. Overall, I was awesome to be able to see them.

3.       Red Rock Balloon Rally: Hot air balloons are the thing out here in New Mexico and in December, Gallup (a town about an hour away from me) holds a balloon rally. While this event is not as big as the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, it is unique because the pilots launch off of the Red Rocks. This event is also really cool because you can volunteer to be part of chase teams. The chase team is a group of people that help launch a balloon and then in a truck follow the balloon to help it land. I signed up for a crew and it was a really awesome experience. The team I was paired up with was really nice and invited me back for the next day. The next day the team had a really neat surprise for me and let me ride in the balloon. Riding in a hot air balloon is something that I always wanted to do and the experience was absolutely amazing. When the balloon first started going up, I was a little nervous. I mean what was I doing I was going to fly in a basket?! However, once we got up, my nerves subsided and I just felt like I was floating. Riding in a hot air balloon was an experience of a lifetime.

VISTA WORK!!!!!

While I have had been having tons of adventures, I have also been really busy with my VISTA work as well. Since I last blogged, I have submitted my first grant proposal. Along with our Scholarship and Employment Training Program, I submitted a grant proposal to fund a YouthBuild Project in Pine Hill. If we are award a grant we will create a program for young adults where they receive GED classes, construction education, and leadership development. In April, I will hear back about whether or not we received the grant.

Along with writing grants, I have also started a leadership program in the dorm. The program is two parts. First, is a selective program for middle and high school students called Peer Leaders. Then for all the elementary students I have started a program called Little Leaders. The purpose of both programs is to develop leadership, have student lead dorm activities, and fight bullying. The big challenge to this program is the lack of funding. At first, I didn’t have any type of budget but after several letters of support, the RNSB Titles program gave us $500 in start up money which is amazing. However, other facilitators and I have several BIG dreams for this program which needs even more funding. So I have found a grant and I am currently writing a letter of interest.

I am also in the first stages of starting a job shadow program. Overall, I am really enjoying my work and am excited for spring and summer in New Mexico.