Those Other Years In Service
On occasion after work, I'll slip into the gym located in the same building. When I plan to do this, I bring with me a change of clothes--sweatpants and an old t-shirt, the typical gym uniform.
After working out, I don't bother to change, just grab my things from my desk and head out to catch the T. Today, sitting down on a concrete bench waiting for the next inbound train to Alewife, I was just about to delve into my book when a young girl with a short haircut leaned in and asked, "are or were you a VISTA?" I replied that yes, I had been one and asked if she was. Of course she was. Only another AmeriCorps volunteer would recognize the greys, especially if they were partially covered up by a cardigan, as mine was. She just started a few weeks ago at a non-profit that works as a sort of Good Will for children, as she explained it to me. She came up from Philly, after working for a few years. Wanted to do something more, but something that still seemed like real work, a real job. VISTA won out over Teach for America, and given the description of what she wanted, it made complete sense.
Eager and excited, she chatted up to Downtown Crossing, when she had to take leave to get herself home to JP. She seemed so enthusiastic, so willing. Not afraid to be poor for the next twelve months. I suppose I remember what that was like.
I told her some of my hesitations about the program, something that I don't think that I would have been able to envision a few weeks into it the process as she is now. The inablity to truly act as an Agent of Change. The inability to be politically active or political. I asked her about the upcoming election, if that was going to be difficult. She nodded and thought a bit. She had been concerned about that. She said that she was thinking of working at Planned Parenthood during the weekend, but then decided against it, because she felt that it would conflict with her mission in VISTA. Yet, on the other side of that fence, religious organizations have AmeriCorps volunteers serving in them, I pointed out. And yet. When you serve, you serve 24-7. There is no division between your time and America's time. At least, that is the literal relationship. It's like being a Peace Corps Volunteer, except in your back yard.
I then went into networking mode, as perhaps the college could do something for this organization--a fund raising drive, a toy drop off around the holidays, something for our student programs to get involved in. You never know. But such is the way of a VISTA, always diving right into things, ready to take action, ready to respond.
Once a VISTA, always a VISTA.
After working out, I don't bother to change, just grab my things from my desk and head out to catch the T. Today, sitting down on a concrete bench waiting for the next inbound train to Alewife, I was just about to delve into my book when a young girl with a short haircut leaned in and asked, "are or were you a VISTA?" I replied that yes, I had been one and asked if she was. Of course she was. Only another AmeriCorps volunteer would recognize the greys, especially if they were partially covered up by a cardigan, as mine was. She just started a few weeks ago at a non-profit that works as a sort of Good Will for children, as she explained it to me. She came up from Philly, after working for a few years. Wanted to do something more, but something that still seemed like real work, a real job. VISTA won out over Teach for America, and given the description of what she wanted, it made complete sense.
Eager and excited, she chatted up to Downtown Crossing, when she had to take leave to get herself home to JP. She seemed so enthusiastic, so willing. Not afraid to be poor for the next twelve months. I suppose I remember what that was like.
I told her some of my hesitations about the program, something that I don't think that I would have been able to envision a few weeks into it the process as she is now. The inablity to truly act as an Agent of Change. The inability to be politically active or political. I asked her about the upcoming election, if that was going to be difficult. She nodded and thought a bit. She had been concerned about that. She said that she was thinking of working at Planned Parenthood during the weekend, but then decided against it, because she felt that it would conflict with her mission in VISTA. Yet, on the other side of that fence, religious organizations have AmeriCorps volunteers serving in them, I pointed out. And yet. When you serve, you serve 24-7. There is no division between your time and America's time. At least, that is the literal relationship. It's like being a Peace Corps Volunteer, except in your back yard.
I then went into networking mode, as perhaps the college could do something for this organization--a fund raising drive, a toy drop off around the holidays, something for our student programs to get involved in. You never know. But such is the way of a VISTA, always diving right into things, ready to take action, ready to respond.
Once a VISTA, always a VISTA.
posted by Molly | 4:09 PM
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