Rising in the East

Check out my new blog!

2009-09-30T00:15:00.003-04:00

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"

2009-06-18T23:19:00.004-04:00

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

2009-05-18T09:14:00.003-04:00

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

2009-04-04T20:21:00.004-04:00

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!

2009-03-17T22:21:00.003-04:00

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

2009-03-03T00:23:00.002-05:00

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?

2009-02-03T21:19:00.005-05:00

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

2009-01-25T11:46:00.003-05:00

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

2009-01-14T23:30:00.005-05:00

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

2009-01-10T14:41:00.015-05:00

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!

Geography

2008-12-10T11:57:00.000-05:00

I'm in Ann Arbor but my heart is in Detroit...

Survival Tips

2008-12-06T20:48:00.003-05:00

I am almost finished with my first term of graduate school. Thursday was my last day of class-however, almost represents the four papers, one grant, work, and field hours I have left to complete before I can officially say I'm on break. I thought I would list what I have done lately to get me through the stress:

#1-Drink coffee

#2-Find a good space conducive to studying (Hint: not my apartment or any other place with TV or an internet connection...)

#3-Participate in the School of Social Work Pub Crawl to have fun and forget about the papers, projects, and hours upon hours of work looming in the near future

#4-Drink more coffee

#5-Actually start the papers...and by start, I mean not just the title pages

#6-Daydream about my trip to Spain (less than 20 days Kaela!)

#7-Watch a few episodes of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" for study breaks

#8-Do all my laundry, wash the dishes, clean the bathroom, etc. just to procrastinate until I actually have to start writing

#9-Explore new coffee shops where I can drink more coffee

#10-And of course, blog

Well, there you have it. I have found every possible way imaginable to prolong this activity called completing assignments. I am very much looking forward to enjoying winter break with family and friends, but before this happens I need to write my papers! That said, back to writing about program evaluation...

Back to Wisconsin in 2 Days!

2008-11-24T22:36:00.003-05:00

I am very excited to be back home for a long weekend, starting this Wednesday evening. I just have to get through one more day of field, a class presentation and a paper...not bad, right? I am very glad I've decided to take the Megabus home instead of driving because the weather this week in Michigan is rainy/snowy and I am not eager to travel over 6 hours in it.

Speaking of driving, I was really excited to fill my gas tank up today for just around $20! I heard on the radio this morning that prices have not been this low since 2005, which is great news for me since I am driving to and from Detroit twice a week. My commute seems to have gotten shorter because I'm accustomed to it now. The roads near my field site have also been improved since my first weeks there. I no longer have to swerve around the elevated sewer caps and we actually have a driveway to the parking lot now!

I hope everyone is having fun preparing for Thanksgiving Day. My family and friends are scattered throughout the country and the world this year but I hope you know you are all in my thoughts.

Be well and eat delicious foods.

Ice Scraper & the State Capitol

2008-11-18T19:38:00.004-05:00

What do these two things have in common, you ask? Well, each was an important part of my day and they both remind me of Wisconsin. For the first time in many years I had to scrape ice off my windshield (since I've been without a car since high school) before driving to Lansing for an all-day AmeriCorps training. I learned some useful tips on social media in the morning and how to write better grants in the afternoon. While the training was an overall success, the best part of my day was the trip I took to the state capitol building. It reminded me of the Square in Madison-minus the restaurants and bars...ok, then it was nothing like Madison. Either way, it was fun to take some pictures of the capitol and walk around downtown Lansing before heading back to reality.

I have an op-ed due on Thursday for my Social Action class, for which I will be writing about an offensive t-shirt on campus that states "Freshmen girls-Get'em while they're skinny." I'm also working with a body image group on campus to develop facilitations for freshmen fraternities and sororities to counter this message that will hopefully kick off next semester. Any ideas on what a counter-t-shirt would look like?

Last night was Creekside's Annual Membership Meeting and we had a great turnout. We held Board elections, approved the revised by-laws and showed a Power Point summing up the year's activities, made by yours truly. I have only a few more weeks in the semester-and I still have to write a grant! I'm also inspired to start a Creekside blog after today's session on social media so stay tuned for that.

I hope everyone is keeping warm as the winter weather settles in. I'm counting down the days until I'm home for Thanksgiving with my family and in Madison to see Tricia! Also, my trip to Spain is fast approaching-Kaela, nos vemos pronto! :)

Be well.

Election Day 2008

2008-11-04T00:38:00.003-05:00

Polls in Michigan open in less than seven hours. Voters have already turned out in record numbers across the country and hour-long lines are to be expected throughout the day. It has been so inspiring to hear the stories of first-time voters registering to cast their ballots in this election. I was canvassing in Toledo, Ohio over the weekend and met a 29-year-old woman who is a first-generation high school graduate. For the first time in her life she will go to the polls to make her choice for the next president. These stories are being told all over the country. We are truly living in a historic period, and the U.S.-for better or worse-will look drastically different after tomorrow.

I hope everyone has a chance to reflect on this incredible moment in which we find ourselves and encourage this type of civic engagement we have seen over the past several months to carry on, after the next president is elected. Our communities are held together by these ties of political participation and we as a nation can no longer afford to remain silent when so many forms of oppression still exist.

Vote people, vote!

Crunch Time

2008-10-24T16:09:00.006-04:00

I'm back in Ann Arbor after a short but sweet visit at home in Germantown last weekend. I spent last Saturday carving pumpkins with my family, including my cousins Miranda, Malinda and Madeline :) Our front yard was converted into a pumpkin patch for special effect! Mom had the best food-everything from potato skins to creepy finger cookies and Dad made his famous buttermilk pancakes on Sunday.

I went back to Madison with Kyle and Alyssa to visit friends for a few days. In the time I had, I tried to fit in as much as the city had to offer: waffles at Indie Coffeehouse, cheese curds from the Old Fashioned, $1 taps at the Vintage, and a pumpkin latte from Espresso Royale. It was great to catch up with family and friends but lots of work awaited me in Ann Arbor upon return!

At least I was able to schedule in some fun time for myself during the past week. I had a birthday dinner/ice cream/drinks with friends on Wednesday night to celebrate my 23rd-yikes! Then last night I attended a costume party where I played the part of Governor Palin. I even had a rifle...just in case any wolves or moose wandered in from the streets.

Well, I have two papers due this week, a group project and another paper next week. I'll be spending election night in Detroit so I need to get everything done by this coming Sunday...we'll see how that goes. I'll post some pictures of recent events sometime soon, once all the craziness settles down.

Peace.

Weekend in Detroit

2008-10-12T19:41:00.006-04:00

Last Saturday I was in Detroit to work at Creekside's bike tour fundraiser. It was a great day because my coworker Rachel and I also made it to two farmers' markets (one in Ypsilanti-a city just outside of Ann Arbor-and the other in Detroit). She purchased a peck of apples (which is a quarter of a bushel, in case you were wondering) and I got some grape tomatoes, potatoes, and little squash. We also split an amazing sweet potato pie and 7-up pound cake. It was fabulous. After working at the bike tour, Rachel, Sam (another coworker) and I went on a community walk and passed out Creekside information to residents for a few hours. Then we headed downtown for my first real introduction to the city. Above is a picture of the GM Renaissance Center which was pretty sweet. It's a bit tricky to navigate on the inside but it has some interesting architecture, stores, and restaurants on the inside, as well as a hotel! It's situated on the Detroit River, directly across from Windsor, Canada.

We took the Detroit People Mover to the riverfront. It was my first experience on a public rail since Europe. I can't say it was as efficient as the ones I experienced abroad but it definitely lives up to its name! The rail is elevated well above street level so we got a pretty good view of the buildings. It snaked around Greektown, one of the most popular parts of the city, and would have eventually looped us back to the beginning (exemplifying how this mode of transportation isn't the most efficient or convenient way

to get around).

My favorite stop was at the Labor Legacy Landmark. It's a gigantic vertical ring with a base of solidarity quotes from famous labor organizers and other activists. Behind the ring is another shot of the Ren Center.

All in all, the day was tons of fun. I knew lots of readings, projects, and other work was waiting for me in Ann Arbor but the day made me excited to spend more time in Detroit during this next year. I am also hoping to find an apartment to sublet downtown during the summer so I can cut my commute time during my days in field.

Tomorrow starts another busy week. I'm excited to get through it as quickly as possible because I'm going home next weekend for fall break! I'll be in Germantown for my sister's birthday weekend and then visit Madison for a few days. More to come later!

Badgers in Wolverine Territory

2008-09-28T17:32:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was a sad day to be a Badger. After Wisconsin led for three quarters, Michigan decided to show up for the game and pull ahead by two points to deliver a 27-25 defeat over the Badgers. Despite the upset, Ann Arbor fans were gracious enough to let us file out of the Big House unscathed-physically, at least. I have several days of emotional healing ahead of me...

I must say it was great to see the familiar red and white jerseys and the marching band on the field. Also, my dad was in town for the weekend and it was really fun taking him to the Big House.

Our weekend was jam-packed with lots of events. Between watching the debate at the School of Social Work on Friday night, pre-gaming at a grad house party, watching the game and eating dinner in downtown Ann Arbor on Saturday, and biking along the Huron River on Sunday morning, we definitely covered a lot of ground in only a few days!

Thanks for a great visit dad-hopefully the next time Wisconsin is in town, we'll come out with a win!

Life as an Intern

2008-09-23T20:21:00.003-04:00

I arrived home last night well after 10. We had our quarterly community meeting at Creekside and it was my first large event with the organization. It was exciting to see residents, Creekside staff, board members and city officials come together to share concerns and talk about ways to address pressing issues in the neighborhood such as abandoned homes, vacant lots and a lack of police presence. My favorite part was when a young girl stepped forward during our housing coordinator's presentation to remind everyone to pick up trash and recycle because that was the best way to keep the community clean!

It was a productive but long meeting. The upside to leaving late is missing the hair-pulling, teeth-grinding traffic the City of Detroit spits out every day after regular work hours. The downside: making it home and realizing that I have to get up in 7 hours and do it all over again.

I can't really complain though, because Tuesdays lack the high energy required to prep for all the meetings that seem to fall on the first day of the week. I also surprised myself throughout the morning as I answered the phone and I was able to recognize several voices on the other end...I guess there might be something to this community outreach. By early afternoon I was feeling pretty good about my progress on the board development project I was assigned. Then we received a visit.

Our visitor called last week and briefly talked to our housing coordinator before the phone was handed over to me because the gentleman spoke Spanish. I was thrilled to be speaking Spanish again! He was interested in seeing the floor plans to our Creekside houses and we encouraged him to stop by the office to see them. He visited us today and I was excited to share the housing details with him, although I too spoke in broken Spanish. I guess they didn't teach me how to say "five-star energy rating" in undergrad.

After spending time with the prospective buyer I realized how much I miss working with Spanish-speaking clients. I hope we have more situations like today's-but I guess I should brush up on my realtor vocab first!

Biking Culture

2008-09-17T20:18:00.002-04:00

So Madison is well known for many things: the Terrace, Badger football, State Street, construction...the list could go on. What I am particularly interested in reflecting on today is its established biking culture. That's right, the traditional two-wheeled mode of transportation for so many students on the UW campus. Now don't get me wrong-I know this is not unique to the UW. However, after being here at the University of Michigan for nearly a month now, I have picked up on some seemingly subtle differences between this campus and my first love, Madison. Waiting nearly half an hour for a bus this evening (that apparently stops running every 9-12 minutes after 6pm...news to me) further assisted in my observation of these slightly irritating differences.

First, most "bikers" in Ann Arbor seem to systematically neglect the maintenance of their rides. Now I'm not talking about a little rust on the chain or a few scratches on the frame-I'm referring to those with severely flat back tires. Not low, flat. This has got to make biking around an extremely laborious and uncomfortable experience. Do they just not notice? Or not care...

Second, many riders seem to be content with leaving their bike seats unadjusted (perhaps at the height suitable for a younger brother or sister), causing knees to reach handlebars in an awkward display of athletic activity. Even those riding vintage road bikes (*sigh) seem to feel the need to sit in such a position and waste all potential to absolutely rock out. Madisonians, you know what I'm talking about.

Third, the U-M has wholeheartedly welcomed a culture in which biking on sidewalks is not only accepted-it is reinforced by all classes and academic programs! To see a biker on the road here is like seeing Bucky in the Big House. As I waited for my bus earlier this evening and watched several bikers awkwardly weave through crowds on the Central Campus sidewalks, I flashed back to my first experience as a young biker in Madison. I wasn't peddling amidst the walkers for 30 seconds before an upperclassman bellowed "GET OFF THE SIDEWALK" as I rolled past. Terrified, I bolted onto the street, vowing never to be seen again biking along the pedestrian path.

Graduate school has challenged me to accept new norms, such as switching to three-hour classes and working at a faster pace. Biking on sidewalks, however, is one norm I refuse to accept.

I may be learning among the blue and maize but I still have my dignity.

Working in Detroit

2008-09-09T21:44:00.004-04:00

As a part of my MSW program, I am required to spend two days per week in field. My placement is at Creekside Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit that develops affordable housing in a part of Southeastern Detroit. I am carpooling with another Social Work intern who has been working with Creekside for about a year now, so I am saving gas and learning about the history of the organization during the commute.

My role at Creekside is to serve as the Youth Engagement Coordinator. Since this is only my second week with the agency, I have yet to figure out exactly what I am supposed to be doing. One potential project I am really excited about is starting recycling initiatives in the local schools. I met with an elementary school today that is really embracing the idea-they are even recruiting "Recycling Rangers" in each class who will help make sure materials are being collected and sorted in the proper manner.

Other than attending lots of meetings these first few days (including the monthly Board meeting that offered a brief yet interesting snapshot of board member/director and staff dynamics), I have spent lots of time losing connection with my unreliable new email account that I can only access remotely. I've also become much more confident driving in Detroit traffic, even though obeying red lights and painting lanes on newly paved roads seem to be optional...

Tomorrow I start my assistantship in the Office of Student Services-wish me luck!

Surviving Week #1

2008-09-04T21:53:00.003-04:00

My first "week" of class is over. I use quotations because I only have classes two days a week. Ok, before you jump on this, realize that each class is three hours long and I have three classes on Thursdays. Despite a long day of lectures and note-taking, my introduction to the social work classes I will be taking this fall was good. In addition to the first week of school, I am also having lots of fun entertaining my first guest in Ann Arbor! Before Kaela heads to Spain for a year to teach English, she was able to squeeze in a trip to see my new city and school. After picking her up in Detroit yesterday, I gave her a tour of the campus and of course-my new bookstore and coffee shop. Even though we were caught in the rain two days in a row now, I think she is much better acquainted with the U-M...and the bus system! Tomorrow she flies back to Wisconsin and I won't see her again until late December when I make my much-anticipated return to Spain. She will definitely be missed!

Tomorrow I am back in Detroit for a day of AmeriCorps training that will help prepare me for a year as a community organizer in my Detroit agency-oh wait. I suppose that isn't a position with real responsibilities-right? Glad to see my year of graduate school education is going to an imaginary career.

Okay, enough of my reactions to the RNC. Have a wonderful weekend!

Welcome

2008-09-03T01:15:00.002-04:00

Hello and welcome!

Through this blog I hope to share my thoughts and experiences during my time as a graduate student at the University of Michigan. In doing so, I aim to stay better connected with my family and friends at home.

I began my internship today in Southeastern Detroit and tomorrow marks the first day of my classes. I have settled into my two-bedroom/two-bath apartment in Ann Arbor. And I am beginning to discover what my current city of residence has to offer: several used bookstores (with plenty of shelf space for Hemingway), endless streets housing fair-trade coffee shops and an energetic campus with lots of green space. There's no doubt I will fit right in.

I would like to say thank you for taking the time to read what I hope will be an account of my journey as a graduate student in rather unfamiliar territory. I welcome any and all suggestions that may make this blog more enjoyable to read (not to mention I'd love to hear from you). So please keep in touch and read often!

Be well,

Caitlyn