The What and Why

When people ask me what I'm doing with my life, it's hard to explain.

So rather than attempting to, I'm going to post an excerpt from the AmeriCorps NCCC webpage.

AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) is a full-time, team-based residential program for men and women age 18–24. Members live on one of five campuses, located in Denver, Colorado; Sacramento, California; Perry Point, Maryland; Vicksburg, MS; and Vinton, Iowa.

The mission of AmeriCorps NCCC is to strengthen communities and develop leaders through direct, team-based national and community service. In partnership with nonprofit organizations, state and local agencies, and faith-based and other community organizations, members complete service projects throughout the region they are assigned.

Drawn from the successful models of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and the U.S. military, AmeriCorps NCCC is built on the belief that civic responsibility is an inherent duty of all citizens and that national service programs work effectively with local communities to address pressing needs

This answers the popular question of "what" NCCC is. But it doesn't answer the even more popular question of "why are you doing this?" The standard answer I give people is "I wasn't ready to go right into grad school, but I didn't want to sit at home and do a job I hated, or even worse find a job I loved so much I wouldn't want to go back to school." Which is not to say that it's not true, but it is definitely significantly less than half of the truth.

The truth is, I'm not exactly sure.

I heard about NCCC from a State AmeriCorps working with Habitat for Humanity St. Tammny West, during Syracuse University's Habitat for Humanity's winter break trip to New Orleans, December 2008. Through the course of the build I learned all about NCCC and somehow I ended up applying about 1 month after the trip. I had my interview and on my last of classes as a college undergraduate (aka April 30, 2009) I got the email saying I was accepted to serve as an AmeriCorps NCCC member in the Pacific Region for the XVI class.

It was honestly an impulse. I couldn't pinpoint exactly why I wanted to do NCCC nor could I pinpoint exactly what made me so incredibly ecstatic when I got the acceptance email.

Since then however, I've come up with a myriad of reason why I'm doing AmeriCorps NCCC.

and here's the Top 10.

1. I've never seen most of the places the Pacific region serves and I've always wanted to.
2. I've been a "planner" and student leader all my life. I'd like to see what it's like to follow someone else's guided plan of service.
3. The idea of constant change both terrifies and intrigues me.
4. I'm hoping to learn more about my country and the needs it has.
5. I'm hoping this experience will tell me what government/non-profit/public sector I want to work in.
6. I really enjoy being part of a team.
7. I spent the last two years of my life doing service and I don't want to stop now.
8. I want to put my idealism into action.
9. I'll only be young enough to devote my life entirely to a cause once.
10. Matthew 25:40.

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