Pictures

I don't really feel like doing a text update so here are some pictures. I don't have many since I haven't really taken any this week, but we're going to Pittsburgh Saturday so expect some from then!

high ropes

climbing up to high ropes

Needless to say I was terrified

low ropes

Me and Kiera being cheesy

No explanation

Week 2 completed

So our second week of our first round spike is over, and to tell you the truth it's been almost identical to our first week. It just goes back to me saying that being in the middle of the woods sucks, our free time is just a monotony of the same things over and over. Panera, Walmart, internet, PT reading in the woods. It has lost its enjoyment. Although I still do enjoy our work, I do wish we were closer to somewhere with public transportation so that I'd be able to get away occasionally. This week was nice in regards to the fact that we were able to do a high ropes course on Wednesday. Needless to say I was terrified (yay heights) but it was a lot of fun and a really great way to break up the week. We were able to put up another ceiling this week which is fantastic.
Went to Pittsburgh on Friday to the jobcorps there with our CAP representatives. Also a nice change of pace plus it was really cool to see the interest from quite a few people in AmeriCorps.
This upcoming week involves more ceiling work, plus some trail work. We're also going to Pittsburgh Saturday for the day (THANK GOD) I need civilization. Then we're going to the maple syrup festival on Sunday so hopefully that will make me not so bored. I have a few pictures from the ropes course that I'll post on Wednesday,until then!

My attempt at a picture post

Alright I'm posting pictures, get ready for an overload :]

Induction! Me, Nicki, Courtney, and Ceci

Lexa and me

Sean

POD 6 reunited for a picture

Me and Courtney

First day at Raccoon Creek State Park 

Neisha's cheesy photography

Me, Josh, and D....

Taking out bunk beds

Week 1...done.

We've completed the first week of our first spike project, how cool, and needless to say I am literally in the middle of nowhere. Everything is minimally a half hour away, and it just strengthens the idea that I do not care for nature. Anyway project wise I do like our project, we're working on fixing up this unit of old CCC cabins to make them livable for future NCCC teams that come and work here.
On Monday we had orientation and took a tour of the park, it's quite large and actually an incredibly nice park. Tuesday was the first day of work where we met Paul our site supervisor. We started on cleaning out all the cabins so they would be good to work in, I ended up digging a hole in order to find certain pipes for water, etc. On Wednesday we had some basic wildland fire training, got some lovely smokey the bear paraphenilia. Thuesday involved ripping some walls down and getting the cabins prepped to put up new ceilings. On Friday we started putting up the plywood on the ceilings to get them set up, hence the end of our work week.
Everything here is at least 30 minutes away so we hit up some internet on Wednesday and Saturday, went to the mall on Friday to break out of the cabin fever, and are heading to walmart today.
This upcoming week should be good, more ceilings and roofs and all that fun stuff. On Wednesday they have us doing a high ropes course I'm pretty pumped about that. I'll hopefully be able to post pictures soon, until then!

Induction and Spike photos

Welcome to the one photo that uploaded, guess you'll have to wait for more since the internet sucks here. But this is my lovely team before induction, I'll try to upload more when we have internet again!

Raven 5 before Induction!

Induction anf Round 1 Spike

Well time in AmeriCorps is just flying by, it's been over a month now and I feel like I've been here for years (in a good way). I love it here, every moment, basically every person. It feels weirdly like home now.this past week has been transitions week. On Monday we did our debrief for our mini spike, which basically dealt with talking about all we did. We then received our first round project and set to work on our brief which we gave on Wednesday. The brief just talks about where we're going and what we plan to do. After that it was just a lot of preparing to leave and for induction.
Anyway we had induction on Friday, I'm now officially an AmeriCorps member. It was a nice little ceremony, we had cake and took lots of pictures. The day after we departed for First Round Spike! It was a nice long drive through Pennsylvania, I drove for part of it through the mountains. It was gorgeous but driving through the mountains slightly scary. We got a little lost in Pittsburgh but made it here to Raccoon Creek State Park late yesterday. Our cabins are so ridiculously nice and clean. I can actually enjoy the outdoors because they are so nice. It's honestly a very beautiful park from what I've seen and will look even nicer once it starts getting green. The town around is tiny, the nearest grocery store/pharmacy/internet is at least 25 minutes away, but I suppose for now it's nice to get away.
We have orientation tomorrow and get started on work on Tuesday, I'm really pumped. We waled around a bit today and it's huge. I'll post pictures hopefully at the end of the week when we get a chance to hit up some wireless, until then!

First Spike Is At.......

Raccoon Creek State Park in Hookstown, Pennsylvania. 30 miles from Pittsburgh, in a town with the population of 152.

Mini Spike....check

      Our first little spike is all complete, which is incredibly exciting. Alright so we left on Tuesday to head to Wilmington, Delaware, when we arrived we went to this house that's on the White Clay Creek State Park it was an incredibly nice house except for the many stink bugs. We did some hiking on the trails the first day and just kind of hung out. Wednesday began our first day of work, we were at Bellavue State Park in Wilmington. Where we worked on mulching the many trees in the park and chipping paint of a gazebo. Thursday involved some more paint chipping, priming, and painting. We also got a tour of William Du Pont's house, which is on the property, it's also apparently supposed to be haunted. Definitely pretty cool. Thursday was our last day working at Bellavue with Kevin, on Friday we headed to Wilmington State Park and worked on raking leaves and generally tiding up one of the baseball/softball fields. Overall it was a pretty successful mini spike, it was nice to get to know the team better and actually start working. I also made the decision to do an ISP Saturday, why I don't know but we went to the Loading Dock in Baltimore. Great place, they resell building materials (etc) for a 3rd of the cost. My day wasn't to fulfilling, I had to pick up trash, but the place is really great
    We have transition week this week and should hopefully find out our spike project today or Monday....I want to know! Apparently one of the teams is going to New Orleans and I'm completely jealous. We leave for spike on Saturday, which means I'm totally pumped and ready to go.
    Friday is induction, the day we become official AmeriCorps members. It means we completed all of our training and belong! Happy Day.
    I'm really just excited to keep things moving, find out our spike and actually start some service projects. I'll post a short update when I find out my spike project. Enjoy the pictures!

The house we stayed at

The river on our hike

Some of Raven 5

Wearing the coveralls on the gazebo (the paint chippers). Neisha, me, Ella, and D.J.

Working on the gazebo

Chipping paint, and Wiley being weird

The Du Pont house

finished product

Raven 5!

Raven 5 with Kevin