I'm not really going to bore you with all of the training that we did since the last time I posted. It was mainly diversity training, ethics and EEO, and a few other things that are important but I'm too tired right now to recall.
I'm currently sitting in a hotel in Clarksville, TN with two other girls in the Pine unit. All of us in FEMA Corps got inducted into the program officially on Friday, and then we all piled into our vans this morning to head down to Anniston, AL for FEMA training. So far it hasn't been too bad, up until the end when the hotel was in sight but there was a detour right in front of the first entrance we found, so we had to maneuver around to try and get into the parking lot. At that point everyone realized there were beds within reach and some of us were getting cranky. The highlight of the entire trip I think was when we went through St. Louis and I got to see my girlfriend for all of ten minutes, but when you're away for ten months learning to live with a bunch of strangers, I'll take whatever familiarity I can get.
Tomorrow we're going to be leaving sometime between six and seven in the morning to finish the last leg of the trip. Anniston is only about four or five hours if I remember right, so it won't be as bad. We'll begin in-processing as soon as we get there. The first week will be filled with general FEMA training, which I assume so far is mainly history and what FEMA actually does in detail. The second week will be filled with position-specific training. I mentioned earlier at some point that my team is Logistics, so we're going to be focusing on setting up and taking down the JFOs that FEMA runs during disasters, plus a few other things. It's been a really long day, can't you tell? I'm having a hard time remembering all of the things that I wanted to say right now. I should probably head to bed. We're hoping to spend a little bit of time in Nashville tomorrow and just hang out some, since some members on the team haven't actually been in the South.
I know there wasn't much fascinating about this post, but CTI is very dry and tedious. Some parts are fun, but there's a lot of trainings that you really don't want to have to write about. Hopefully the FEMA training is far more interesting, and then we'll be heading off to our first project assignment! The Vicksburg campus has already received theirs, I believe last night, and they're spending the next day or two traveling to them. I can't wait for ours. It's going to be an awesome time, and then I'll actually have more to write about! Let's just hope I have internet.
Until next time.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Training, Training, Training
I didn't realize I hadn't posted for two weeks now. I've been so busy with everything going on around here in the Ameribubble that I lost track of time. Last I left, I had just gotten my temporary team. Well, last Wednesday I got my permanent team! I am now a member of Pine 5, with ten other members and our Team Leader. I won't bore you with the list of trainings we hard to do these past two weeks. Like I said, I've been really busy. This post is mainly to prove that I'm still alive. I will touch on just a couple things though.
First, NCCC has everyone in the group hold a role for the year. There are six, and mine is Service Learning Initiator (hereby known as SLI). I did SLI last year, and I was hoping to not get it again, but the only other one I wanted, Support Ranger, got taken, so I decided to give it another go. Basically we're the ones asking questions. Why are we doing this? What do we or the community get out of this project we do? We facilitate reflections for the rest of the team to think back on the project to try and take something positive out of something that might have gone so horribly wrong.
The other thing is that each team has one specific role given to us by FEMA. Pine 5 is technically a hybrid team. We have nine of us as Logistics Specialists, and two members are Logistics Systems Specialists. Basically we set up and take down FEMA offices during disasters, and assist with distributing items needed in the community. I'm really excited for it.
But now I have more training that I have to get to. I'm very tired because we had our first real PT at 5:30 this morning, but I've got to get over it because we have a ropes course in Iowa City this afternoon, and then we're going to stay up there for a couple of hours and just hang out and eat dinner. It's going to be awesome!
Until next time.
First, NCCC has everyone in the group hold a role for the year. There are six, and mine is Service Learning Initiator (hereby known as SLI). I did SLI last year, and I was hoping to not get it again, but the only other one I wanted, Support Ranger, got taken, so I decided to give it another go. Basically we're the ones asking questions. Why are we doing this? What do we or the community get out of this project we do? We facilitate reflections for the rest of the team to think back on the project to try and take something positive out of something that might have gone so horribly wrong.
The other thing is that each team has one specific role given to us by FEMA. Pine 5 is technically a hybrid team. We have nine of us as Logistics Specialists, and two members are Logistics Systems Specialists. Basically we set up and take down FEMA offices during disasters, and assist with distributing items needed in the community. I'm really excited for it.
But now I have more training that I have to get to. I'm very tired because we had our first real PT at 5:30 this morning, but I've got to get over it because we have a ropes course in Iowa City this afternoon, and then we're going to stay up there for a couple of hours and just hang out and eat dinner. It's going to be awesome!
Until next time.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Just Like Before
As I stated before on my blog, this is the second time doing this. So a lot of what I'm currently going through is stuff I've done already. But there's enough things specific to the campus to keep everything interesting.
I arrived yesterday at about 12:30 to the small Eastern Iowa airport. It was only one terminal, extremely simple to navigate, and it was suddenly flooded by my entire plane unloading all the new FEMA Corps members. We collected our bags and hopped on a shuttle bus that drove us about forty minutes to Vinton, Iowa itself. Once there we checked in and immediately began inprocessing. We got fitted for our romm assignments, filled out some paperwork, and received roommates. My roommate's name is Teresa, and so far we've gotten along wonderfully. She's an awesome person to talk to. We actually met at the airport and then sat on the bus back to campus, so we'd been able to talk beforehand. I'm one of the lucky ones. The building we're staying in, Palmer, has all the girls in two-person rooms. (At least I think they all are. Haven't seen more than two names on each door.) Some of the other rooms have up to eight people, so we're pretty lucky. Not only that, but we also have the only Wi-fi on campus, and our room is directly over the computer lab, so we get a pretty decent connection here instead of going downstairs to the lounge. Oh, and we apparently have the best AC. It's still really hot here, just like in Missouri. I didn't much get to enjoy it though because we were all really busy.
After inprocessing, we had to go to what's called an All-Corps meeting, which I think is pretty self-explanatory. By that point though I had a headache because I'd only gotten about three hours of sleep and hadn't eaten for eight hours, so I was really ready to go to bed. But when I got back to my room and laid down, I was just too gross to sleep. But somehow, the girl's shower on our floor flooded! So after talking to a TL, I found out that there was a bathroom downstairs with showers in it that we could use temporarily. So Teresa and I went down there and were able to go to bed feeling refreshed.
Today was a little different. I met my temporary team, which they are only calling groups, for the first time. We met twice throughout the day, to get a more thorough tour of the campus, and then to discuss food shopping for the next few days. I also had Residence Hall Orientation, which was just an overview of what you can and can't do in the dorms, and what kind of things they have here on campus that we can use.
And now it's time for dinner. Right now they're catering food for us from Iowa City, but tomorrow night two people from the groups are going to go shopping for the next few days and then we're going to start cooking for ourselves. Can't wait for that. It's going to be interesting.
I arrived yesterday at about 12:30 to the small Eastern Iowa airport. It was only one terminal, extremely simple to navigate, and it was suddenly flooded by my entire plane unloading all the new FEMA Corps members. We collected our bags and hopped on a shuttle bus that drove us about forty minutes to Vinton, Iowa itself. Once there we checked in and immediately began inprocessing. We got fitted for our romm assignments, filled out some paperwork, and received roommates. My roommate's name is Teresa, and so far we've gotten along wonderfully. She's an awesome person to talk to. We actually met at the airport and then sat on the bus back to campus, so we'd been able to talk beforehand. I'm one of the lucky ones. The building we're staying in, Palmer, has all the girls in two-person rooms. (At least I think they all are. Haven't seen more than two names on each door.) Some of the other rooms have up to eight people, so we're pretty lucky. Not only that, but we also have the only Wi-fi on campus, and our room is directly over the computer lab, so we get a pretty decent connection here instead of going downstairs to the lounge. Oh, and we apparently have the best AC. It's still really hot here, just like in Missouri. I didn't much get to enjoy it though because we were all really busy.
After inprocessing, we had to go to what's called an All-Corps meeting, which I think is pretty self-explanatory. By that point though I had a headache because I'd only gotten about three hours of sleep and hadn't eaten for eight hours, so I was really ready to go to bed. But when I got back to my room and laid down, I was just too gross to sleep. But somehow, the girl's shower on our floor flooded! So after talking to a TL, I found out that there was a bathroom downstairs with showers in it that we could use temporarily. So Teresa and I went down there and were able to go to bed feeling refreshed.
Today was a little different. I met my temporary team, which they are only calling groups, for the first time. We met twice throughout the day, to get a more thorough tour of the campus, and then to discuss food shopping for the next few days. I also had Residence Hall Orientation, which was just an overview of what you can and can't do in the dorms, and what kind of things they have here on campus that we can use.
And now it's time for dinner. Right now they're catering food for us from Iowa City, but tomorrow night two people from the groups are going to go shopping for the next few days and then we're going to start cooking for ourselves. Can't wait for that. It's going to be interesting.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Need to work on running
We're at thirteen days now, and I know sometime within the first week we'll be doing our baseline test, which is a 1.5 mile run and how many sit-ups and push-ups we can do in a minute each. I've been running maybe...once a week? I know, I'm horrible. But I've been riding my bike too, and I think that's helping me. I just hate running thanks to an accident when I was a kid. So my knee is messed up and it really likes to protest sometimes.
But I'm going to get better! The whole point of the baseline is to see how you improve throughout the year, and I'd really like to do a lot better by the time we finish the ten months.
As for the sit-ups and push-ups...ehh. I have okay upper body strength thanks to working freight and merchandising at Kohl's, as well as carrying around my younger sister and niece for several years. I would be surprised if I did more than 20 push-ups though. And sit-ups just kind of annoy me. I mean, I can do more when someone is holding my feet down, but I don't like when people do that. Is that weird? I guess I'm weird. Those will be a lot easier to work on over the next two weeks though.
But two weeks! We're down to two weeks! Less than two weeks actually. Thirteen days seems so long yet so short at the same time. I have a good number of things that I need to get done, but I still feel like there's going to be a lot of extra time as well, and I hate not having anything to do when I'm preparing something. We'll just have to see how things go.
But I'm going to get better! The whole point of the baseline is to see how you improve throughout the year, and I'd really like to do a lot better by the time we finish the ten months.
As for the sit-ups and push-ups...ehh. I have okay upper body strength thanks to working freight and merchandising at Kohl's, as well as carrying around my younger sister and niece for several years. I would be surprised if I did more than 20 push-ups though. And sit-ups just kind of annoy me. I mean, I can do more when someone is holding my feet down, but I don't like when people do that. Is that weird? I guess I'm weird. Those will be a lot easier to work on over the next two weeks though.
But two weeks! We're down to two weeks! Less than two weeks actually. Thirteen days seems so long yet so short at the same time. I have a good number of things that I need to get done, but I still feel like there's going to be a lot of extra time as well, and I hate not having anything to do when I'm preparing something. We'll just have to see how things go.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Flight Itinerary
St. Louis to Chicago: 8:40AM to 9:50AM. Leave from Lambert International at Terminal 1, arrive in O'Hare at Terminal 3.
1 hour, 35 minute layover
Chicago to Cedar Rapids: 11:25AM to 12:15PM. Leave from Terminal 3, arrive at Eastern Iowa Airport.
I'm anxious yet excited that I'm leaving so early in the morning. I'm not a morning person so I'm afraid I'll sleep in late, even though I'll probably end up getting up the same time I have to when I go in for work. But it'll be great because then I won't end up getting there right before dinner starts like last time.
It feels so much more real now, with the flight information in hand. I already know one or two people who will be flying with me from Chicago to Cedar Rapids, and more will probably pop up as the week goes by. Not everyone has received theirs yet, and frankly, I was afraid I wasn't going to get mine until Friday. That's just my luck with things. But I can't wait until we all have ours and we can figure out who is going to be on what flights with one another.
1 hour, 35 minute layover
Chicago to Cedar Rapids: 11:25AM to 12:15PM. Leave from Terminal 3, arrive at Eastern Iowa Airport.
I'm anxious yet excited that I'm leaving so early in the morning. I'm not a morning person so I'm afraid I'll sleep in late, even though I'll probably end up getting up the same time I have to when I go in for work. But it'll be great because then I won't end up getting there right before dinner starts like last time.
It feels so much more real now, with the flight information in hand. I already know one or two people who will be flying with me from Chicago to Cedar Rapids, and more will probably pop up as the week goes by. Not everyone has received theirs yet, and frankly, I was afraid I wasn't going to get mine until Friday. That's just my luck with things. But I can't wait until we all have ours and we can figure out who is going to be on what flights with one another.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Got my bag!
I was actually asleep when it got here, but it's here nonetheless. It's bigger than I expected. I could probably fit inside it if I tried, although I don't think it'd be very comfortable. There's plenty of room in there I think for everything that I plan on bringing, plus I'll have my backpack with me. Need to find my TSA lock though, wherever it is, or buy a new one.
But now I can start working on packing!
Three weeks left exactly!
But now I can start working on packing!
Three weeks left exactly!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
I Hate Waiting Games
That's all that it comes down to now is waiting. Team Leaders started at the Southern Region earlier this week, and a girl I knew from last year is there right now. I've read through her blog and looked at some of the pictures she has and I'm actually kind of jealous. Vicksburg has one hell of a nice campus. I have another friend who was on my team last year who is down there for the traditional Americorps program, and he loves it too.
BUT I'm going to Vinton, and I'm still happy with that. One, because it's also supposed to be a nice campus, and two, it's closer to home. Yet I won't be serving Missouri, unless there happens to be a disaster I suppose. And everyone I've talked to on the Facebook page has been super nice, and I can't wait to meet them. (And maybe drink with some of them.)
I hate thinking about how in a little over a month I'm going to be on a plane. I honestly can't stand planes. They scare me, but I don't really have much of an option otherwise. The main thing that worries me is that I know I'm going to have a layover, and I'm afraid I'm not going to make my second flight. I normally don't worry so much unless it's something completely out of my control, and planes are just not in my control. And what if my stuff doesn't make it onto the second plane? As you can see, I'm horribly paranoid about all of this and it's still a month away.
I should more be focusing on packing. I'm a packer and a planner by nature. Now that's something I can control. I'm super weird and I love planning trips. If it wasn't because it's a dying industry, I would have gone into being a travel agent. So now I have a mental list of things that I need to write down before I forget about things I need to remember to bring. We're not going to get paid from two to three weeks after we arrive at campus, so I plan on buying some stuff here so that I'll have plenty of money to survive off of during that gap in paychecks. Most of it will probably be small stuff that I'll be able to pack easier.
Also, there was an update today about the program, which can be found here. So far we're going to be going through CTI for the first month, followed by another two weeks in Anniston, AL for FEMA training at the Center for Disaster Preparedness. I'm most excited for that, partially because I've already done CTI, and because there's also going to be week long position-specific training. I have no idea which position I would want, because there's pretty much no information about them other than their names. So I'm hoping that they'll give us more information on those soon.
BUT I'm going to Vinton, and I'm still happy with that. One, because it's also supposed to be a nice campus, and two, it's closer to home. Yet I won't be serving Missouri, unless there happens to be a disaster I suppose. And everyone I've talked to on the Facebook page has been super nice, and I can't wait to meet them. (And maybe drink with some of them.)
I hate thinking about how in a little over a month I'm going to be on a plane. I honestly can't stand planes. They scare me, but I don't really have much of an option otherwise. The main thing that worries me is that I know I'm going to have a layover, and I'm afraid I'm not going to make my second flight. I normally don't worry so much unless it's something completely out of my control, and planes are just not in my control. And what if my stuff doesn't make it onto the second plane? As you can see, I'm horribly paranoid about all of this and it's still a month away.
I should more be focusing on packing. I'm a packer and a planner by nature. Now that's something I can control. I'm super weird and I love planning trips. If it wasn't because it's a dying industry, I would have gone into being a travel agent. So now I have a mental list of things that I need to write down before I forget about things I need to remember to bring. We're not going to get paid from two to three weeks after we arrive at campus, so I plan on buying some stuff here so that I'll have plenty of money to survive off of during that gap in paychecks. Most of it will probably be small stuff that I'll be able to pack easier.
Also, there was an update today about the program, which can be found here. So far we're going to be going through CTI for the first month, followed by another two weeks in Anniston, AL for FEMA training at the Center for Disaster Preparedness. I'm most excited for that, partially because I've already done CTI, and because there's also going to be week long position-specific training. I have no idea which position I would want, because there's pretty much no information about them other than their names. So I'm hoping that they'll give us more information on those soon.
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