The Minions (Corps Members) Have Arrived!

On Monday, August 26^th, the FEMA Corps Southern Region campus in Vicksburg, Mississippi welcomed its newest 241 residents/employees. Team Green (aka all the wonderful people that just completed Team Leader Training with me) was an integral part of the welcoming committee. Some of us rode shuttles to bring the recently landed young adults to their new home, some of us unloaded luggage, directed paperwork fill-out, gave campus tours, prepared food, entertained, shuttled people to Walmart, or simply smiled at just about every person we saw. No matter what our role was that day—Team Leader, newly arrived Corps member, staff—it was exhausting in the most positive of ways.

Since then, as it has been a number of days since the 26^th, a lot of the ins and outs of campus, Corps Training Institute (CTI), expectations, and team bonding activities have taken place. The awesome, beautiful, great thing about this program is that all 240ish Corps members are broken down into small 6 to 9 person groups to help organize better…but mostly to create a little support system right off the bat. Here is the rough part though: AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps is a team-based program…and these are not our permanent teams. On Monday, I was introduced to eight intelligent, anxious, and open-hearted young adults and it is very likely that every one of us will be split up from one another. It’s just the nature of the program…but that doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking.

Through my years of experience in leadership roles, I have fallen into the caring, naggy, I-want-everyone-to-feel-comfortable-and-at-home, over-protective mother category of leadership. My role with this temporary team is absolutely no different. My greatest challenge these past few days hasn’t been about finding my alone time or making sure everyone fits in or everyone is getting to the right places at the right time. My greatest challenge is not falling in love with these talented and motivated young adults that I have the pleasure of having on my temporary team. Do you know how hard that is for me?? When we have breaks during the day, I usually just encourage them to take a nap, have some alone time, mingle with other groups, or go exploring because I don’t want to get too attached. It is horribly selfish, I know, but I just really don’t want to get hurt. When I accepted this job, when I got off the plane in Mississippi, and when I took my first steps onto this campus, I told myself that I would try to have NO expectations. In seven days, I will be assigned my permanent team--I do not want to expect to have the same individuals I have now, I do not want to expect that I will get along with my new team as well as this one, I do not want to expect that things will run smoothly. The moment I get my hopes up and guard down is when it is possible for me to be disappointed. I do not want to be disappointed in anything with this program, especially if I am perfectly capable of managing my expectations. I guess the bright side is…there is absolutely nothing stopping me from continuing to be my temp team’s mentor (or motherly figure) even after a permanent team is in place. That’s actually still a really awesome opportunity now that I think about it, haha.

So that is what has been going on over here—a struggle between leadership, friendship, motherliness, and getting too attached! It’s a challenge…but if I don’t find the perfect combination with this team…hopefully I’ll find it with the permanent one I’m put into in just seven short days. Until then, I’m keeping an open mind and an open heart. I know how lucky I am to have met the individuals I have already…I know next week will only be just as wonderful. J

Currently, as in, in-this-exact-moment, I am on Team Leader Duty for the night. Since this is a residential program and there are a lot of young people living together, the Team Leaders are required to patrol the campus and be on call 24/7. Tonight is my night. While I am exhausted, I am really enjoying myself: I get to spend time with one of my fellow Team Leaders, I have the opportunity to update my blog (yay for all of us!), I get to read for pleasure for a bit, and I just get time to reflect on this entire experience thus far—uninterrupted. Down-time, and especially down-time for me, is a precious commodity that I have no intention of wasting or abusing. Gotta take it where I can get it!

Hopefully these posts are giving you a decent idea of what is going on over here. If you want to know more or want me to delve into a topic deeper, please let me know! I love talking, I love writing, and I love my job…I’m sure I’ll have plenty to say…so ask away! J

Words That Hold Weight: Week Four

Well, this was the last week of Team Leader Training. This month of training has been everything except what I imagined. Despite the reality that all us Team Leaders will all still be together for the next six weeks, everything is about to change. Starting tomorrow we will begin to put all our training to the test. We start running the trainings we just experienced. We start finding hidden potential in our Corps members. We start, continue, and learn how to be mentors. Reality is about to hit. I am beyond ecstatic about having a group and loving them as if they are my family…but nostalgia is kicking in. This program is all about others. It’s about leaving communities and peoples’ lives better than we found them. I am nervous and excited for the challenge.

Hands of Peace Motto: “Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.” 

“See every obstacle as an opportunity to learn.” 

“Leadership is all about what you want to lead.” 

“A leader has to be compassionate.” 

“A good leader is a mentor.” 

“Find a good mentor—that’s the key.” 

 “In this moment, there is plenty of time. In this moment, you are precisely as you should be. In this moment, there is infinite potential.” –Victoria Moran 

“If you weren’t afraid of letting go, you wouldn’t feel so free when you do it”

“You’re going to laugh about it later so you might as well laugh about it now”

For some reason, this last quote was said in training a few days ago. I can’t remember why it was said, but I must say, I fell in love with the concept. I absolutely love life, people, and laughter…and this job has already proven to be a wonderful place to indulge in every one of those things. Mistakes will be made; it is just a reality we all need to face. If those mistakes aren’t life threatening or so dire that someone gets hurt—laugh. What a simple and joyful concept. 

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad.

Wedding Day: August 23, 1985.

Yesterday was my parents’ 28^th Wedding Anniversary. And that’s only their Wedding Anniversary. My parents have been together for over 31 years. Every year on their Anniversary, I always think how incredible it is that they are still together when half of marriages fail…and my friends are shocked when my response to “Are your parents still in love?” is YES, without hesitation. Of course they’re still in love.

I’ve never really sat down and thought about why I’m so impressed by my parents though…until yesterday. As a twenty-two year old young adult, nearly everything I indulge in has an expiration date: High school, college, Barista positions, and my job with AmeriCorps— everything has a completion date (ironically always around June). My parents were married by the time they were twenty-two. They committed the rest of their lives to being in love by the time they were my age…and so far, they are doing a great job of keeping that promise.

I know my life (and love life) is drastically different than theirs…but their commitment to each other and to the beautiful family they raised is my inspiration to find what I love, no matter what it is. So I want to say thank you, Mom and Dad, for showing me that taking huge leaps of faith can result in a lifetime of happiness. I can’t wait to find something I love as much as I love the both of you.

Congratulations again on 28 years of marriage…Here is to many more years to come! J

Words That Hold Weight: Week Three

So these are a little more delayed than usual, oops J After last week’s  l o n g week, I went to New Orleans for the first time…so it’s pretty safe to say I did not make time for my normal posting. Hopefully you all can forgive me! 

The majority of this week’s quotes come from Brigadier General Robert Crear, an inspirational leader who was born and raised here in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It’s incredible where a strong work ethic can get you.

“I want to learn how not to be a slave to my rebellion” –Aubrey, fellow Team Leader 

“Are you going to walk across the finish line when you know you can run?” –Justin, Unit Leader 

“Do what’s right.” 

“I could have been negatively affected…but to be honest, I’m probably the exception.” 

“In leadership, character counts above all.” 

“Followers want leader who is fair.” 

“If they are going to be out there, I am going to be out there.” 

“Integrity is non-negotiable.” 

“You will always have to do the hard right, no matter what.” 

“Loyalty flows up and down the chain of command.” 

“I’m not going to teach you leadership, it’s already in you.” 

“Take care of your people.” 

“You are expendable.” 

“People are going to make mistakes. That’s just a fact.” 

“Reward good performance. Record poor performance.” 

“GIMHA. Guide. Inspire. Motivate. Hold Accountable.” –Justin, Unit Leader 

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” –Winston Churchill 

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is about growing others.” –Jack Welch

What’s going on over here: I am apparently really ridiculously allergic to black gnat bites. I woke up Wednesday morning nice and early from a bad dream…just to realize it was not a nightmare at all. I have had hives all over my back for the past 36 hours…and it has felt like weeks. Fingers crossed that I can use some self-control to not scratch!

With that said, you all should be getting a lot more posts this weekend…I’m planning on a nice rejuvenating weekend before the insanity of Corps Training Institute for the next six weeks. I will soon be a Team Leader 24/7. Let the insanity begin!

"There is something invisible here..."

Diversity training: Hour One. 

We all went around and artistically or logically represented ourselves and our culture with crayons, colored markers, bright pipe cleaners, and our words. Some people identified with their home town, education, family, friends, sexual orientations, religion, and on and on. 

The last person to present, however, said something that will definitely stick. “There is something invisible here…” No matter how much we talk about who we are, or act who we are, or look like who we are…there can be (and there may always be) something invisible we don’t share with people. Perhaps the “something invisible” is known to us…or perhaps it’s not. I guess that’s a huge part of diversity, isn’t it? We must treat everyone with respect regardless of what’s on the outside and on the inside…because it’s possible some of our biggest insecurities are still invisible to even ourselves. 

It’s been beautiful already, half way through this day, to learn where my teammates have come from, what they’ve dealt with, and finally understand why they act in all their quirky and beautiful ways. 

Words That Hold Weight: Week Two

And so ends the second full week of TLT (Team Leader Training…get used to the acronyms, AmeriCorps loves them). This week was incredible. Finally, it wasn’t lecture heavy; it was hands on team-building. There were tears on Monday…and blood, sweat, AND tears the entire rest of the week.  We went to Camp Shelby, a military post in Hattiesburg, MS to participate in our Leadership Reactionary Course and a Child Services Home in Jackson, MS for a team-building ropes course. A quick explanation of the second half of the week is this: Long sleeve shirts, long cargo pants, steel-toed boots, 101 degree weather, and challenging physical and mental obstacles. We had to overcome butting heads with teammates, the sticky hot humidity, carrying and lifting people, trusting our teammates to keep us physically safe, and learning our limits, strengths, and weaknesses. This was an incredibly challenging week both mentally and physically…my brain and muscles I didn’t even know I had are fatigued and sore. 

This week, too, showed me that I am learning to be an itsy bitsy bit more patient. I think that’ll be my short term goal for the week: Focus on being patient with people.

With that being said, here are some quotes that stuck out to me this week from lecture. It’s neat how some of these can apply to work, friendships, family, and love. I love that this job is affecting both my professional and personal growth. I’m grateful for it every day. I can’t wait to see the woman I become in the next 10 months.

“You haven’t lived until you help someone who can never repay you”

“Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what you think of it; the tree is the real thing.” –Abraham Lincoln

“A leader is someone who recognizes potential in people and helping find it without telling them”

“When a human being imagines, even after years of striving, that he has attained perfection, his decline begins.” – Theodore Martin

“Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common. Celebrate it every day.”

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.” – William Arthur Ward

“I need one thank you a week and that’s it. You need to mean it, but that’s all I need.”

“Only a life lived for others is a life worth living.” – Albert Einstein

“It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities.” –Sir Josiah Stamp

Today is Sunday, August 11^th and wow— I have had the best day. I went on a 4-mile run at the Vicksburg National Military Park, attended Cedar Grove Baptist Church with five of my teammates, ate at Walnut Hills (a delicious Southern restaurant) for a post-church lunch, laid out by the pool, played basketball, and made time to write this. Things still rock here. I’m very happy with my decision and commitment to this life. Until next time...

Can You Help Me?

After a week and a half of policies and procedures, today was the first time things really got real. We have known each other anywhere from nineteen to twelve to one day so we are still very green in our new relationships. Despite the freshness of our companionship, the campus counselor really pushed us into vulnerability today…and it was so…simple.

The counselor for the Southern Region campus was a Team Leader (just like us!) back nearer the beginning of AmeriCorps NCCC’s existence. He started off his short half-hour bit by telling us that he is still friends with nine of his fellow Team Leaders…17 years later. They have been together through marriages, cancer, child birth, family deaths and celebrations of New Year’s every year since their graduation from the program. And that is because of this program, AmeriCorps NCCC. How beautiful is that?

When people ask the counselor what kind of support the Southern Campus offers their Team Leaders, the counselor usually just says, “The Team Leaders support the Team Leaders.” And because of that…he offered us the necessary reminder that we all need to learn to be vulnerable to one another and ask for help. Some of us have never asked for help.

We went back and forth across the circle and simply said “I’m Shannon. Can you help me?” and let it linger. Silence was the most powerful part of today. For some of us, it was our first time hearing those words come out of our mouths. For others, it was the first time we saw our fellow leaders’ walls come down…even if only for an instant. Who would have thought that any four words could cause such palpable vulnerability? Who could have foreseen the tears and the hugs that resulted from our vulnerability? I feel closer than ever to my team. It’s hard to believe they have only been in my life for twelve days—I love each and every one of them like I’ve known them my whole life. And I hope to. 

Words that Hold Weight: Week One

As a newly hired Team Leader, everyone here in Vicksburg is getting quite the dose of training. While it is a struggle to sit through 8 hours of lessons, hypothetical scenarios, and lectures in the same building all day, all week, there are still things that stick—obviously. I have made it my responsibility to write down all the lines I find inspirational, encouraging, or impactful as they are spoken during training. I know that if these words are encouraging now…they will only hold more weight once I’m in a situation of hopelessness. Hopefully some of these lines can apply to your current situation, whether in school, work, love, or life.

“Don’t take things personally” 

“Frustration is a function of expectation” 

“Faced with apathy, I will take action. Faced with conflict, I will seek common ground. Faced with adversity, I will persevere.” –excerpt of The AmeriCorps Pledge 

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” –Dr. Spock 

“You are the difference between people getting help or not getting help.” 

“I found my comfort zone, but I stayed out of it” –Barbara Allen Raney 

“You need to be afraid to fail in order to succeed.” –Travis, fellow Team Leader 

“Increase your threshold of tolerance for failure.” 

“Say what you have to say…and then stop talking." 

“It’s not your job to keep it from happening; it’s your job to navigate.” 

“Treat others the way they need to be treated.” –modified Golden Rule for Supervisory Roles

Right now, I find myself in a local coffee shop in Vicksburg with nine of my teammates. I look at each and every one of them and I feel home. It’s like everything I have done in my life has led me to here to love these people, to encourage and support them, to accept their help, and to grow. I am so at peace with life right now. I hope days like these come around more often than the struggles, but even if they don’t…I know I can approach any one of these selfless individuals for help—how fortunate am I? I am certain that I am meant to be here. I am home. 

July Hello's

In the fourteen days since my last monthly highlights post, my world has been turned right-side-up. I cannot help but smile peacefully to myself when I think about the past two weeks. I’m in Mississippi, finally. I’ve been anticipating this move for over three months and now— here I am. I’m full of hope.

A Last Few Important Goodbyes

Who can say they are still in touch with their 3^rd grade teacher? I can. What’s more is that I can call her my friend. My last day in California, I hung out with my third grade teacher for over six hours. We talked about school, work, friends, family, love lives, memories—everything. I feel so honored to still be in touch with such an inspirational, encouraging, enthusiastic, and young-at-heart educator. I have had over 100 teachers in my educational career and I can still call her my favorite. What shocked and flattered me, however, was that I made an impact on her too. When we caught up, she handed me back a paper that I wrote back in 1999 that she has been using as an example since I was in her class. I am lucky to have another adult (that isn’t my family) that is so supportive of me and all my life’s endeavors. I am so grateful.

The Last Night with the Whole Family. If loving live music is genetic then I definitely inherited this from my father. For the past couple years I have been DYING to go to a dueling piano bar…so that is exactly what we all did for our last family outing (until my job’s winter break around Christmas). My Mom, Dad, brother and I went to The Derby to indulge in some live piano tunes. It was so entertaining singing at the top of my lungs with my whole family, smiling, laughing, and requesting tough songs like “Defying Gravity” from Wicked. I love my family to the moon and back. It’s going to be such a treat for all of us to be together again…even if it is still five months away…

July 24, 2013

The Big Day! California à Mississippi. Thank you a million times over to my brother Daniel for driving me to the airport on this morning. I brought one 37lb duffel bag, one large backpack, and one box full of bedding for the year, and that’s it. It took nearly all my self-control to not tap the person-next-to-me’s or the random-passers-by’s shoulders in all the airports and airplanes and tell them about the exciting journey I am beginning: Moving across the country and starting my first job out of college. Somehow, I was able to trap all my excited energy my entire journey…and proceeded to quickly let it all out once I arrived at my new home in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Day one was full of meeting (and quickly forgetting the names of) many new people. Within the first three hours of arriving at campus, I met the Unit Leaders, about 95% of the Team Leaders, my new roommate, the Regional Director, and a few more Southern Region Campus Staff. We had a quick “what we expect from you in your new home” chat with our bosses, ate a delicious Italian dinner, and unpacked the few belongings we lugged here.

My old home...

And my new home :)

More than half the time I enter a new environment (especially when the environment includes new people) I have a really hard time “putting myself out there”. I am a creature of habit, a homebody, a stay-in-bed-curled-up-with-a-book kind of person. In my job with AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps, I really am trying to put myself out of my comfort zone as often as possible. On my first day, I ran with a group of people (I usually prefer to run alone), I ran when it was amazingly humid out (I lived in California my whole life—what is humidity?) and I went swimming (I am NOT a swimmer). Check check and check! Day one and I was off to a good start on the whole out-of-my-comfort-zone thing. Phew!

Knowing and Respecting my Limits

Despite the desire to be out of my comfort zone, I also know my limits and have learned how to respect them over the years. I am an introvert through and through despite most of my old friend’s and new acquaintance’s doubts. I think I have finally mastered the art of being an introvert as it applies to me. When I’m not in the mood to be social I can write in my journal, work on my blog, sneak off to the old chapel to play keyboard and sing, call my mom, listen to music, or read whatever book I’m in the middle of. And yes, in the 8 days of living in Vicksburg, I have already done all of these things—at least once. I am grateful to be entering this new chapter of my life with a heightened knowledge of myself and how I operate most effectively. Twenty-two is a great year to start this adventure.

FEMA Corps

On July 31, 2013 all the Southern Region FEMA Corps Class 20 Team Leaders took our first road trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to pick up all our official FEMA issued work items. For the first time in my whole life I have a work cell phone and a work laptop—to be used for work! Did I mention that this awesome adventure is my job?? Every day, I get re-excited that I get to work with such incredible Team Leaders to serve our country. The excitement only grows every day that the arrival of our Corps members gets closer. I can’t wait to be a leader again!

The Simple Serendipities

Shannon Street. On my first day/first run in Vicksburg with my new teammates, it was hot and humid (Welcome to Summer in Mississippi). The group of us debated turning around but at the last second we decided to push our fatigued bodies a little bit further. About three streets later, there was Shannon Street. It was such a small moment in the grand scheme of what else that day held…but there was something unbelievably welcoming about seeing my name somewhere in the town on my new home—so silly but so impactful. It gave me such a sense of hope for this year.

The sunset in Vicksburg, Mississippi on my second night, no complaints here :)

“Frustration is a function of expectation.”  On Day Two of training, this sentenced graced my ears. I am glad I heard this piece of information (or advice) so early in the year. The only way you can be disappointed is if your expectations are not met…so from that I learned two things: 1) set realistic expectations for people, places, interactions, experiences this year and 2) be ready change my expectations on a moment’s notice…so that I am never met with frustration.

Update on the right now:

I’ve been in Vicksburg, MS for 9 beautiful, adventurous, exciting, new days.

I need to start practicing driving the 15-passenger-van I will be responsible for driving my team around in all year...asap.

It's the weekend again. This time, after our first full week of training...it was rewarding and absolutely exhausting.