Paperwork, Pledges, and Predictions

I don't think I've signed my name more times in my life, and that's including applying to 8 colleges for undergrad.

Day 2 of CTI was all about information and paperwork. Safety standards, rules, meeting the staff, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. The highlight of the "information" part of the day was definitely finding out more about our Team Leaders that are currently deployed to American Samoa to aid in disaster relief! While the odds of NCCC teams going there are pretty slim, it is nice to know that the American Red Cross really DOES depend on NCCC members to "get things done!"

The last part of that sentence is the end of the AmeriCorps pledge. Unlike State, National and VISTA AmeriCorps, NCCC members do take this pledge verbally. In fact we recite it at every community meeting.

The AmeriCorps Pledge

I will get things done for America -
to make our people safer,
smarter, and healthier.

I will bring Americans together
to strengthen our communities.

Faced with apathy,
I will take action.

Faced with conflict,
I will seek common ground.

Faced with adversity,
I will persevere.

I will carry this commitment
with me this year and beyond.

I am an AmeriCorps member,
and I will get things done.

Sure, it sounds a little scary and cult-like to have a group of people reciting this pledge. But honestly, I believe in it. I wouldn't be here if I didn't. And more importantly, long before I got here, I singed documents saying I would make this pledge. In fact, every AmeriCorps does. It's part of the acceptance. So whether you're NCCC or not, we should all GET THINGS DONE.

NCC however takes things to the next level. Our training is longer, our work often times more intense, and the bonding, well, let's just say it's day two and I already love my POD! A little about pods. Pods are our temporary teams that we're placed in for CTI. Because the Pacific Region has fuel reduction teams, we can't be placed into our permanent teams right away since that test takes time. So we're in pods for now. Which I finally noticed is in alphabetical order. Needless to say, Pod 18 is where it's at. We are so excited about doing AmeriCorps that during our down time today rather than napping or shooting the breeze, we decided to get down and dirty and do our on PT, before we even had to. We hit the gym together and then went for a run! Great times and it's only day two.

But I'm rambling, and that's not the purpose of this blog. I do think it's important to know our day to day activities in order to understand where I'm at right now. The more people I meet and the more I learn about the year to come, the more I realize, this is going to be a great year! So much so, that I'm already more excited about the prospect of another AmeriCorps year than I am about enrolling in grad school. Which means, I've decided not to push it. If grad school is where I'm supposed to be in a year, it will happen. But right now, it's all about CTI and getting things done. And if that means grad school has to wait another year, I'm OK with that.

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Your's in LFS