Check out my new blog!

Graduate school seemed to have gotten the best of me since this is my first post in several months. Now that I have earned my MSW, traveled Scandinavia with Kaela, and spent some wonderful time at home with family and friends, I am packing up and moving to Thailand for a year to teach English.

Please visit my new blog to stay updated on my future endeavors as a volunteer teacher: caitlynpisarski.wordpress.com

Please stay in touch!

"Don't Mess with Texas"

Did you know this phrase originated from a highway clean-up campaign in 1986? Check it out! Anyways, I bring this up because I am currently in Houston, TX attending the Career Development in Social Work Education conference. We arrived on Wednesday and are returning to Michigan on Saturday, just in time to see the Brewers beat the Tigers at Comerica Park! 

It's been an informative conference thus far but I am still trying to adjust to the heat. They are having an exceptionally hot June this year. For example, tomorrow's high is supposed to be 94 degrees (F) but it will "feel like" 101! My good friend/co-worker Amber and I might head to the coast to check out the Gulf of Mexico and catch some sun after the conference ends. Tonight I had some good Tex-Mex and fried ice cream at a tasty restaurant downtown. Now I'm recovering from a long day of panelists and depressing economy talk in our nice Hilton hotel room.

On another note, I am so excited for August. Highlights include graduating on the 1st, building a playground in Detroit on the 6th, and meeting Kaela in Copenhagen, Denmark on the 18th for a three-week backpacking trip in Scandinavia! Keep me updated on your summers too-I'd love to hear from you!

Traveling, and other ways to pass time

Believe it or not, I am one week into my third and final term of graduate school! It is strange to think that this could be my last few months of higher education-for the rest of my life. A lot has happened since my last post so I will do my best to summarize.

I finished last term in mid-April, during which I was scrambling to acquire materials for gardens in Detroit, finish papers, and say my goodbyes to Alyssa, my roommate who is now in South Africa for three months! She is conducting her final field placement hours for the Social Work program in Cape Town, and you can read more about what she is up to on her blog.

I was also lucky enough to spend a long, fabulous weekend with my college roommate Tricia, in South Carolina. Highlights from the trip included laying out at her pool in perfect, 85 degree weather, taking a mini-road trip to Charleston, eating delicious, fresh sea food, and of course catching up on the last several months of our lives. I was also happy to meet her graduate school friends and have an opportunity to read a book for fun, quite a luxury after a long semester of academic readings. The trip came at a perfect time and I was able to return to Michigan energized and excited for the summer. I will be posting pictures from the trip soon.

The day after I returned from South Carolina, my girlfriends and I spent the day in Detroit, where we toured the city, went to a Tigers game, and ate good food. The remainder of my time off before the summer term was spent making up hours in the Career Center, putting time in at Creekside, and catching up with friends. All in all, it was a great break.

I am now looking forward to lots of summer plans with friends and family. I’m also busy fundraising for my year-long volunteer program in Thailand and cooking as much as time allows. Tonight I made some homemade hashbrowns with red potatoes fried in olive oil-very good.

Well I hope my next entry does not take another month to post…but no promises J

G is for Growth

Today I graduated from Urban Roots, the 9-week urban gardening and community organizing class that prepared me to assist block clubs in Detroit to start gardens. We received our seed packets today, as well as some useful resource books, a t-shirt, and gardening tools! I am happy to have completed the course because it really informed me about sustainable agriculture, organic gardening, and growing for social justice. I haven't gardened in over a year and am so excited to break ground this month. I will be posting pictures to update you on the progress!

On Wednesday we celebrated the grand opening of our Career Center at the School of Social Work. We gave tours of the office all day, provided breakfast and lunch for students, and had several speakers talk about the importance of career services for social work students. Everyone in the office was excited to see such a positive response. As a result of the grand opening, we are much more visible to the student body, which means I will be busy reviewing lots of resumes starting Monday!

Thursday night was very meaningful for me as well. It was the 31st annual "Take Back the Night" rally at the University of Michigan. This event is held every year to speak out against sexual violence. In demonstration of solidarity, women and men marched a 1.5 mile route around campus and Downtown Ann Arbor to demand everyone's right to safety. This was especially meaningful for me during the section everyone fell silent to remember those who were no longer with us because of sexual violence. Throughout the march I held a sign that read "We hate rape, not men." According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men in the U.S. reported attempted or complete rape at some time in their lives. While men are the perpetrators of most rapes, most men do NOT rape. It is important to see men as our allies. I encourage everyone who has a younger brother or son to talk to him about healthy relationships, the importance of communication, and the meaning of obtaining consent.

I am so excited to visit home this coming Easter weekend! I have four days of classes/work and then I'll be back in Wisconsin...until then I have a few papers to write so I better get working.

Happy World Social Work Day!

While many of you may be busy celebrating St. Patrick's Day, I am fully embracing World Social Work Day, a celebration of an increasingly important profession in our current economic situation.

Yesterday I traveled to Detroit with my Community-Based Initiative cohort to tour Gleaners Food Bank and a few soup kitchens. My classmates and I were participating in a national study that is conducted every four years to evaluate hunger in America. We had the opportunity to interview individuals who utilized these soup kitchens, which was a difficult and moving experience because it really put the economic crisis into perspective. While I had the security knowing that I was returning to Ann Arbor, where full cupboards and refrigerator shelves awaited me, many of these individuals do not know where their next meal is coming from on a daily basis.

Tonight I went to the School of Social Work Student Awards Ceremony, where I received recognition for being a part of the CBI program and for my assistantship position. The only regret I have is not re-taking my student ID picture, because they published the picture that was taken over the summer. I'm not sure what the photo technician did with that shot, but my face is about as wide as it is long and I look like a chipmunk. Anyways, I don't think many people read the program...I hope.

I have a few more busy weekdays, before a busy weekend begins. I'm counting down the days until I fly home to see my family for Easter weekend. After that, I have one more week of class and then I'm off to South Carolina to visit Tricia! Until then, peace.

Chai Tea, Gas Stations, and Friends

The people, places and things in my title encompass a few of the most important components of my life as of late-and no, there is no hierarchy of importance attached to the order. 

But first, let me first explain why February was a blog-less month: graduate school + internship + assistantship + a bad cold + Skype dates with people around the country and the world + spring break + The Wire + A Thousand Splendid Suns + roommate birthday = a schedule too full to blog. 

That said, I will return to the theme of the day-the components of my present life: 

Chai Tea

For those not in the loop, I have successfully cut out all caffeine from my diet for a month now. My new beverage of choice is chai tea and I am constantly exploring new concoctions at home and in cafes. My latest order from Espresso Royale: English decaf breakfast tea with soy milk and a shot of vanilla-extra hot.

Gas Stations

I am commuting to and from Detroit more than ever. In addition to Thursdays and Fridays in field, I spend Saturdays in Southwest Detroit, learning about urban gardening. The class is great, but I find myself at the pump more frequently. Lucky for me gas prices are low and my car gets good mileage!

Friends

Everyone is back from spring break today, and it was great to see all the familiar faces once again. I didn't realize how lucky I was to have several close friends in the School of Social Work until we weren't around each other 24-7, like usual. I've also come to more deeply appreciate my long-distance friendships. Even though I don't see some people on a regular basis, it is refreshing to know we are still as close as the day we split for different parts of the globe.

Well, that's it for now. I'll be back in Wisconsin over Easter weekend and can't wait! Keep me posted on what you are up to lately, especially if it's been awhile since we've talked.

Peace. 

You're a...social worker?

Tonight I had my Stress Buster Yoga class, which is an hour and a half of peaceful movements that helps me unwind from a long day. It really is wonderful because I am able to look inward and spend time on myself-which I often do not have the opportunity to do throughout the week.

The last 10 minutes of the class are my favorite because we lay in "corpse" pose (flat on our backs, arms at our sides, completely relaxed) and meditate. This pose gives us the opportunity to reflect on the practice and let go of any lingering tension. 

My final relaxation pose was interrupted this evening, however, by an abrupt cellphone ring-you know, the generic ringtone that always seems to go off next to you in church or at the library. Fine. I can deal with an absent-minded yoga-goer who forgets to silence her phone before practice. Done.

Nope. Five minutes later the same phone goes off again. Since I am in my peaceful meditation mode, I allow the sound to pass by me rather than consume me. Fine. Done.

As I finished changing in the locker room and gathered my belongings to leave, a woman in my class commented on my boots. I was wearing my "work" clothes: black pants and my new favorite pair of black, pointy-toed boots with an impressive heel.

"You must be a law student or in med school or something," she says, looking at my footwear.

I smile and reply, "No, I'm a grad student in the School of Social Work, actually."

And then the inevitable, slightly deflated and hesitant, "Oh...."

I wished her a good night, turned on my heel, and headed towards the exit. As I pushed through the swinging doors I heard the infamous, generic, meditation-busting ringtone coming from her phone. I smiled. Perfect.

When will social workers be held to the same esteem as doctors and lawyers by the general public, I wonder? According to my roommate (a fellow social worker-to-be), "Not in our lives." While my chosen profession may not be admirable, honorable, or professional to others, I could not imagine myself doing anything else with my life right now. Fine. Done.

A Week in Review

It's been a hectic week with lots of events-I'll try to recap some of the highlights.

Monday-MLK Day

I had an all-day AmeriCorps training in Detroit for MLK Day. We did some form of an icebreaker/team-building exercise, then watched a live feed of Julian Bond, the Chairman of the NAACP, speak at the University of Michigan (funny how I traveled 45 minutes away from my campus to watch that on a screen!). After lunch we participated in a service project in Highland Park. We cleaned out an old office building that was being converted into a shelter for young adults aging out of the foster care system, which is a much-needed and progressive service.

Tuesday-Inauguration

There was so much excitement in the air on Tuesday for the inauguration of President Obama. By the time I got into the School of Social Work at 9am, there were already several emails circulating, congratulating our social work community on this achievement, which was a long time coming. The office shut down at noon to watch the oath and other ceremonial activities. My favorite part of the day was seeing such an incredible turnout in DC and thinking of people all over the country and the world watching at the same time, knowing that we were all brought together to witness such an extraordinary event-despite our differences. It was truly an incredible time for US history and I was happy to be with my colleagues in the School of Social Work to share in the moment.

Wednesday-Zumba, Part II

I had a busy day of work, class, planning a trip to Chicago, and of course Zumba! I had a much easier time following the instructor and I didn't stand at the back of the class, right in front of the windows. 

Thursday-Detroit Public Schools

I attended a Junior League meeting on Thursday morning when I got into Detroit. This meeting consists of representatives from local schools and organizations that work with children and youth at some level. DPS is currently in a financial crisis. They are running a deficit of millions of dollars. The superintendent was just fired. All funds except Title I funds (designated for children of low-income families) have been frozen and are not accessible. There will soon be an emergency financial manager assigned to address this crisis. And the State of Michigan is looking to take over the public schools as an option. 

During this Junior League meeting I found out that our public schools cannot afford toilet paper for the bathrooms. Teachers and administrators have begun to ask parents and community organizations for donations because Title I funds-the only funds available to the schools right now-do not cover the purchasing of toilet paper. One teacher explained how this plays out in the classrooms: A student needs to go to the bathroom, so the teacher pauses class and hands out a few sheets of toilet paper (purchased by the teacher, out of his or her own budget). Upon returning to the classroom, the teacher again pauses class and squirts some hand sanitizer into the student's hand, because oh yeah, the schools cannot purchase hand soap or paper towels either.

That afternoon, I ran to the elementary school where I started a recycling program to pick up the full containers of papers and plastic bottles. When I asked the principal if I could have some plastic bags to carry out these items, she told me they had none. No plastic bags. I had to fill cardboard boxes with the recycled materials instead. To me it is incredible that children are attending schools in the United States where toilet paper, paper towel, soap, and plastic bags are not readily available to them.

Friday-Testing in Chicago

I traveled to Chicago Thursday night so I could take the Presidential Management Fellows test on Friday. If selected as a finalist, I would attend a career fair in DC at the end of March and possibly get a federal management job for two years. It's a highly-competitive program with great benefits...wish me luck! I can't say it was my best performance and I'm glad it's over, but at least it brought me to Chicago for the weekend.

Saturday-Touring Chicago 

On Saturday I visited the Chicago Public Library. It had nine floors and an awesome Winter Garden on the top level. The ceiling was like a sun roof, made of all windows. It had tile floors and plants everywhere-an excellent place to read. Each floor had a different subject and my favorite was the Languages one. They had books on display in Polish, Spanish, Russian, and Japanese.

I met up with friends for breakfast and then visited the Art Institute of Chicago. There was a great exhibit of photographer Yousuf Karsh. He took photographs of some of the most famous people in recent history, such as Audrey Hepburn, JFK, Winston Churchill, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Ernest Hemingway. The art museum has some incredible pieces and I was happy to spend a bit of my afternoon there.

I headed back to Ann Arbor that evening and now am thinking about all the reading I have to do for tomorrow. On that note...have a great day and I'll write again soon!

So I Think I Can Dance

Tonight I attended my first session of Zumba, which is a new type of cardio-dance class that is heavily influenced by Latin American music, particularly the salsa. I consider myself a somewhat-talented athlete. When it comes to practicing yoga, playing basketball, or even picking up a tennis racket now and again, I've always enjoyed the comfort of knowing how to move, where to place my hands, and how to position my feet. Basically I feel a general sense of ease on the mat or court. 

My first Zumba workout, however, made me feel more awkward than a middle-schooler at her first dance. As I frantically reached into my memory for any recollection of the salsa lessons I took in Spain, I was shocked to realize that the instructor was not shouting out steps, counts, or other commands to ease the utter confusion I was experiencing. To make things worse, I was too far back in the room to see her steps and instead tried to copy her reflection in the mirror wall at the front of the class, which proved to be much more difficult (and confusing) than anticipated. 

After about five minutes of fumbling my steps (on a floor that was dangerously slick from the class before), I realized that my arms too were supposed to be moving, instead of just rigidly pressed against my sides. As I attempted to swing my arms in some sort rhythmic motion, the warm-up was over and I found out that our instructor adds a little hip-hop influence to her routine. Suddenly I was flailing about as if I were in a low-grade Britney Spears-wannabe music video. And during the entire class, all I could think was "Dear God, behind me is an entire wall of windows separating me from the facility's highly-trafficked waiting room and check-in counter."

Now one might have left this workout session feeling confused, disheartened, and dare I say, embarrassed. Upon reflection, I have come to terms with my current inability to accurately step salsa/hip-hop to the popular reggaeton song "Gasolina." I will admit it was a humbling experience. However, I have been blessed with skills that have allowed me to tackle even the most challenging feats (graduate school, riding the MegaBus, attending games in the Big House) with ease and it is time for a new challenge that I must work to overcome; Zumba is this challenge, my Mount Everest, if you will. It's like Hemingway said: "Nobody [does] anything quickly nor easily if it is any good." 

With those words in mind, I will strap on my shoes next Wednesday, shake out the resistance in my limbs, and flail to any reggaeton the instructor blasts at me. It will not be quick, and it will certainly not be easy, but mastering my Zumba class may be the single greatest accomplishment I can achieve during my time as a graduate student.  And to that, Hemingway, I will drink.

Trip to Spain

Emily, Kaela & me in Jerez

December 2008

Over the winter break I traveled to Spain to visit Kaela. She is teaching English for a year in Jerez de la Frontera and I was very lucky to spend over a week with her during the holidays. We first spent a half day in Madrid, where we saw beautiful Christmas lights all over the city. Then we headed down to her home city, Jerez, and spent most of the week floating from bar to café, shopping, and eating delicious foods. 

Here are a few of my favorites from the trip:

Favorite Sites:

Atlantic Ocean Shoreline

Cádiz

Kaela & Emily's Apartment

Jerez de la Frontera

Moroccan Market

Jerez

Sunset on the Atlantic Ocean

Puerto de Santa Maria

Favorite Foods:

Kaela's breakfast of choice:

Molletes y café con leche

Next best thing if crepes aren't available:

Death by Chocolate...mmm

12 grapes to welcome the New Year!

__ __ __ __ __ 

Despite all the great things I experienced during my visit, the best part of the vacation was seeing Kaela and learning about her life in Spain. Although she is missed terribly in the States, I was happy to see her thriving and content in Jerez. That said, I'm still counting down the days until she returns!

I've uploaded a slideshow of more photos if you are interested-enjoy!